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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you’ve ever felt unwell with a mouth ulcer

32 replies

mag12 · 14/05/2020 19:12

Hi all, not really an aibu but posting here for traffic.

DS has a sore on his tongue which I believe could be a mouth ulcer. But I believe it could have actually been caused by either him biting his tongue or burning it. It also happened a month or so ago but healed within a week.

The thing is. He’s not himself at all. He is lounging around (usually full of energy), lacking any motivation, not wanting to get up in the morning and not eating at all. He doesn’t appear poorly otherwise. No fever or anything else obvious. He’s clearly in pain and keeps holding the side of his mouth!

My question is can a mouth ulcer really make you feel really crap or should I be concerned it’s something else? Obviously cannot see a doctor or even a dentist easily right now. It would be hard to explain to a doctor over the phone.

Never really suffered from them myself but I do know they can be extremely painful.. But painful enough to go from being normally full of beans to lacking any motivation to do anything? He’s just feeling incredibly sorry for himself!

Any advice or tips?

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 14/05/2020 19:13

It's the other way round

When you're not well and low in energy then you develop the ulcers

Carrotgirl87 · 14/05/2020 19:14

I might be wrong, but I think mouth ulcers are a sign of general unwellness due to low immune system / fighting off a bug? So rather than the ulcer making him unwell, it's the unwellness creating the ulcer, if that makes sense.

Carrotgirl87 · 14/05/2020 19:14

Yeah what they said x

Soontobe60 · 14/05/2020 19:17

How old is he?
Yes, though, ulcers are a sign of illness such as viral infections. In young children it can put them off eating. Try offering bland foods

Thatbitchcarolebaskin · 14/05/2020 19:18

Mouth ulcer not healing quickly is a sign of a low immune system. He may be otherwise poorly and the ulcer is a result of that.

I used to suffer dreadfully with mouth ulcers (chemo), he has my sympathies, they’re awful!

IHateCoronavirus · 14/05/2020 19:19

Yes I agree with what everyone has said. I always suffer from ulcers when I am ill.

Original poster
mag12 · 14/05/2020 19:22

Thanks all. This happened a month or so ago too. Sore tongue and feeling sorry for himself but no other symptoms so I assume it was the same again?

He’s in a lot of distress about the tongue but hasn’t mentioned any other symptoms!

Can tiredness cause mouth ulcers?

We were struggling to get him to sleep before 11pm last week and the week before!

He is 9!

OP posts:
mommybunny · 14/05/2020 19:23

Excessive sweet eating can trigger mouth ulcers - not saying this is necessarily what caused your DS’s, OP, just that I was once on a gumdrop kick (an American thing) and got one of the worst canker sores of my life. My cheek went all hot and tender and swollen and I did actually feel rather punky for a few days.

But I’d also look into the potential for the out-of-sortsness itself to be causing the sores. How old is your DS? I think it could merit a call to the GP,

mommybunny · 14/05/2020 19:24

Sorry, you’ve already answered hi old DS is! Ignore...

Boopeedoop · 14/05/2020 19:26

Contact GP.

Mouth ulcers, loss of appetite, feeling unwell can be a sign of bowel disease.

Runkle · 14/05/2020 19:28

A lot of GPS are doing video calls for consultations. Have a look at your practice website to see if this is something they are offering or give them a call.

Original poster
mag12 · 14/05/2020 19:28

Thanks @mommybunny. He actually doesn’t eat sweets. Not that I don’t let him have a treat but he doesn’t really like them (can’t complain). He does however LOVE chocolate!

I’ll consider ringing the doctor soon but they aren’t seeing anyone unless absolutely necessary. We actually had to do a video call with them a few weeks ago because of another issue but it would be hard to see the sore on the phone. It’s quite large but towards the back on the side!

OP posts:
30not13 · 14/05/2020 19:28

Hand foot and mouth?
Scarlet fever?

lou967 · 14/05/2020 19:31

I get ulcers in the mouth if I'm run down or if I eat sharp foods such as crisps.

whenskiesaregrey · 14/05/2020 19:32

Are you sure it's not a coldsore? They can present very differently in their first outbreak and can make a person feel unwell.

SirVixofVixHall · 14/05/2020 19:33

I feel ill with ulcers, I get a slight temperature, and dd always gets a swollen gland on the side of the ulcer, and feels rough.
Many people do feel unwell with an ulcer, particularly if it is large.

TwistyHair · 14/05/2020 19:34

Sounds like hand foot and mouth. I had it and felt awful. My tongue was so sore. Does it look like an ulcer?

Tonkerbea · 14/05/2020 19:35

Has he had any tummy upset?

waggydog21 · 14/05/2020 19:41

Has he ever shown symptoms of coeliac disease? I had undiagnosed coeliac as a child and I was exhausted with a mouthful of ulcers all the time. Upset tummy, swollen hard tummy etc

Original poster
mag12 · 14/05/2020 19:49

No tummy upset, no other symptoms apart from feeling meh and lounging around looking sorry for himself!

He has autism and has a very limited diet too if that’s relevant!

I look into the symptoms @waggydog21!

OP posts:
nicky2512 · 14/05/2020 19:51

Dd suffers from anaemia. She gets awful mouth ulcers when her iron is low.

waggydog21 · 14/05/2020 19:52

I would definitely go to the doctor (phone or whatever) because it sounds like he’d need his vitamin and iron levels checked if this is happening a lot. I know it’s easier said than done at the moment!

AnnPerkins · 14/05/2020 19:57

I get mouth ulcers when I’m tired. Have one now in fact. They are miserable, your DS has my sympathy.

PsuedoSatisfactionBaby · 14/05/2020 20:00

Hand foot and mouth....my god the pain of those little mouth ulcers...felt like a million paper cuts all over my tongue...I was miserable for about 2 weeks. Could it be that?
Also get the odd ulcer when run down and tired generally.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 14/05/2020 20:05

Mouth ulcers can be a sign of vitamin deficiencies esp B12.

Might be worth getting him a decent multivitamin.