netsavy006 Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Here's the medications I'm taking: ------ Topamax 100mg BID Valium 5mg TID Cogentin 1mg BID Abilify 5mg Q AM Zyprexa 7.5mg HS Lunesta 3mg PRN Fish Oils (Omega 3s) 1200mg Q AM Centrum Multivitamin Q AM ------ My psychiatrist suggested carrying a bottle of water with me, or having tic-tacs or chewing gum. What other strategies could I use to help combat the dry mouth/throat? (Also I take the medications for Bipolar 1 Disorder: Mixed Type.) Thanks, Andy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowen Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Not sure about the medications - I suspect that the majority of them could cause dry mouth, but I'm not going to say one way or the other as I am not a medical type. The suggestions you were given were very good. Saliva protects your teeth from cavities and what have you. Things to stimulate saliva, such as chewing gum, will make a big difference. You can purchase artificial saliva (I think there's an OTC one but you can definitely ask for a prescription), if you want, but it doesn't keep your mouth lubricated for long. There are some members on here (myself included) that regularly use Biotene mouthwash. It's seems to coat your mouth a little bit and there isn't any alcohol in it to further irritation. This is a very good question for a dentist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
null0trooper Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 My bet is on the anticholinergic - dry mouth, dry mucus membranes, reduced sweating are classic symptoms of exposure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipmunk Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I don't know if this is a possibility for you, but I notice that skipping one day a week of my ADD meds virtually eliminates the dry mouth. Skipping meds can be dangerous, though, depending on what they are, but ask your doctor to see if you might be able to skip any of them once a week. I notice that they (ADD meds) also start to have a stronger effect the longer in a row I take them, even though they are supposed to be metabolized quite quickly and out of your system by the middle of the night. Everyone metabolizes stuff differently though. When I stopped taking them over Thanksgiving for the Thanksgiving weekend (Th,Fr,Sa,Sun) I noticed that I still had residual effects on Friday, but by Saturday I was completely useless again. It was interesting. Don't do this without talking to your doctor though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirMarshall Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 #1 by a wide mile is Cogentin. Anticholinergics are well known to dry out mucosa and decrease muscle motility esp. in the digestive tract. The biggest risk with dry mouth is dental caries/cavities which can develop in a matter of months. Keep on top of brushing and flossing, avoid sugary drinks and sweets that linger in the mouth. Biotin is often recommended as a mouth wash. a.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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