ARGH MY MOUTH

[monkeymamma]

This is going to sound SO stupid but basically I have this THING in my mouth, some kind of virus or infection, and it is MISERY.

DS (4) was first to have it. So bad he was up in the night crying and saying his tongue hurt. Took him to the GP, only the prescribing nurse was available, she didn’t seem 100% but decided Oral Thrush. OK fair enough. He got some medicine which seemed to work but then it flared up again a week later. Fast forward to now and he is fine, whatever it was has cleared up on its own.

In the meantime, I have picked it up. Unbearable pain all across my tongue, ulcers all along the tip, sides, underside and top of my tongue. They start as little red dots then develop into huge whitish blistery sores then clear up and a new one starts. I've had it four weeks now. It sometimes starts looking better then gets worse again.

It was unbelievably difficult to get a GP appointment but I managed to get an out of hours one today, got childcare sorted, off I went. GP basically said he has no idea what it could be but perhaps my iron levels are low and I could have a blood test for this. It wasn't looking/feeling that bad when he saw it so I thought, maybe he's right, it is sorting itself out, I just need to up my iron levels/vits and it'll go away.

Back home tonight and it's horrendous again. Feels like the GP appointment was a huge waste of time and I am so busy and stressed at the moment (and getting this appt in the first place was impossible) going back isn't really an option. I don't think this will ever go away. I know there are worse things but seriously, this has gone on so long now I don't know what to do. I've told people IRL about it but I don't think they have any idea how much it's getting me down. Most evenings it hurts to even read stories to my little ones and eating and drinking is just an ordeal now.

I don't think there's much my fellow MNetters can do given that a fully qualified doctor's response was pretty much - "shrug" - but I just wanted to be able to talk to someone. Almost everyone I know has worse stuff going on, and I don't feel like I can go on about this to them!

If you've read this far thank you for listening x

I had what sounds just like this recently. Couldn’t find anything on internet! No images online looked like it! Various pharmacists baffled but gave mouthwash (relieved pain but no help) and an oral thrush treatment (don’t know if this worked or not really but it did start to fade away after a week of applying). Saw my dentist (advised by GPs because I couldn’t get an appointment) and he said “All fine, it’ll go away on its own” (great).
By the time I actually got to see my GP (6 weeks! Because she said get blood test while you’re waiting and they then had to be redone) it was of course more or less gone, just an ulcer or two. Tests said low iron, I started taking supplements...I still get the odd ulcer but nothing as bad.
Sorry this isn’t more helpful as I’m still not really sure what it was. But could be an idea to see a dentist if easier than GP as they are supposed to be mouth specialists, and yours might be more helpful than mine..!

Oh Badger I think you are completely right. My life has been very stressful recently but the next two weeks should be quieter and a good opportunity to really try and improve my diet. The more stressed I am the crapper it gets as a rule of thumb.

I'm also wondering if I have a selenium deficiency? Now I think about it, my nails looks like crap (ridges, dodgy infected nails on my toes) and my hair is falling out atm. I might get a supplement just to feel like there's something I can do.

It genuinely could be HF&M I guess. I can't wait till youngest starts school where generally there is less of it about! Bring on the nits and carpet worms instead!

The other thing I thought was chicken pox but only in my mouth? That's mad isn't it?! I am literally just working through all the possible options...

I really really appreciate all your kind comments. It's made a big difference to my state of mind.

Pomegranate it sounds like you've had a very similar experience! It's nice to know I'm not alone at least :-)

I had this. It affected my life terribly. So much pain. Couldn’t eat or drink. Just as I was getting desperate enough to cut my own tongue out it went away. It’s never returned.
Lasted about 7 weeks. Only upside I lost 2 stone. There is something called igloo for ulcers I think that’s the name. It coats the area. It stays on for a while too. Only thing that helped.

I had my first cold sore when I was pregnant. Saw the GP because of the risk to the baby, he was adamant it couldn’t be my first “at your age”. I wasn’t happy with that answer, so saw a different GP who did a blood test that showed it wasn’t my first infection and therefore I did need anti viral meds. So there’s is a chance it’s your first infection hence being so bad, my nephew was in agony and couldn’t eat with his first, his mouth was full of them, he very nearly ended up on a drip for fluids.
It does sound more like HF&M to me though. Hope you get it sorted!

I am exactly the same Monkeymamma any stress, not sleeping properly, being busy and suddenly I think god I feel like absolute crap and realise it’s because I’ve been basically living off white wine and carbs. I notice a difference almost immediately when I concentrate on getting goodness in, plus I feel it gives me a mental health boost as well - you know? Something about a delish plate of healthy food which you’ve taken a bit of care of over gives you a boost. I like to cook, I’m a SAHM due to disability and it works for us that DH comes in and does toddler and dog duty while I stick some music on and have 20 mins break making us all a lovely tea. Meditation has been almost life changing for me with chronic pain - I spent 6 months doing it sporadically and still feeling stressed and shit because there was a LOT going on (I think my hands shook from stress for 6 weeks solid). I just thought, enough. I prioritise looking after myself slightly better now a very difficult habit to learn and continue!!

I wondered about geographic tongue. I get it. I think having long periods of not eating help. If I pick all day it's worse.

Is your throat really sore and do you have flu like symptoms? I got really ill after fresher's week and had little blisters that turned into big white sore ulcer things in my mouth and a sore throat and generally felt like is been run over. Ulcerated tonsillitis that had taken over my mouth too. I was exhausted and run down which is why it took hold according to GP. It was horrendous.

Don't feel sorry for me it was because I was burning the candle at both ends, Phys load of new germs and living with strangers.

I had something similar! Mine didn’t develop in to ulcers but my tongue was covered in white bumps, it was like my tastebuds were constantly enflamed. It lasted a few weeks (over my birthday ) I could barely eat, everything hurt to touch my tongue. I started using something called Daktarin - it’s a mouth gel - and after that it went away.

Hasn’t come back since (about 18 months ago this happened) touch wood! Honestly I feel your pain, any mouth pain is horrible! Wishing you well

I remember my DM having something like this. She found that oraldene mouthwash helped and kept a food diary. 2 things that I can remember made her worse were strawberries and tomatoes

Try genigel from the pharmacy it's about £8 a tube but works wonders on ulcers

Thank you so much Mumsnetters - I really appreciate all of your comments! X

Listerine, OP, Listerine!!!
Many years ago, I had exactly the same misery! Several painful ulcers all over my tongue -- having never had even a single one of such before.
Went on for a couple of weeks. Prescribed medication didn't work, and I threw a fit, crying.
My voice teacher told me to rinse mouth with Listerine, for one full minute, six times throughout the day. (Only had the regular gold one back then.)
I did so, and the first day was a noticeable improvement, and by the third day, completely gone!
It was like a miracle.
I've never had it happen since, but I always recommend the Listerine when I hear of others suffering from same/similar. And it has ALWAYS worked for them too, just as quickly and completely.
It's cheap, too!

It burns like a MF*er, and you'll have tears streaming down your face, but it works!
One full minute, six times a day.
Since it's so painful, you may need to spit it out during the full minute; if so, just "reload" and finish out however many seconds remaining for the full minute.
Please try it.
Go for the original gold one - I don't know if any of the others will work.
I hope you are healed soon! 💛💛💛

Thank you Baileys! I will try anything!