Is a Dry Mouth a Symptom of Fibromyalgia?
By Helen Watts
One of the things I suffer from is a really dry mouth, and it doesn't matter how much I drink it still persists. I wondered if others had the same issue so asked the Facebook group members.
'ED' "Yes I do, think it may be part of the autoimmune condition I suffer from . Drinking fluids helps all but temporarily".
'NG' "Mine's not always dry although it is frequent and often accompanied by dry lips and throat and waking choking in the night. I drink at least 2 litres of water a day but it doesn't help. Fresh juice helps more than water although that doesn't help my IBS! Fruit pastilles help with my dry mouth but can't eat them all day. I've never thought to speak to a Dr about it".
'PR' "I suffer from a terribly dry mouth, I was always under the impression it was because of the medication I was on".
'HM' "I just try to make sure I have access to fluids, so I can sip and wet my mouth. It's definitely not dehydration".
'EB' "I'm always thirsty. My tongue sticks to my mouth and my lips stick together. Tests for Sjogren’s were negative. Doctor prescribes me Salvix. I always have water to sip on. It gets especially bad if talking, or busy".
'KS' "Always get extreme dry mouth, tongue can stick to teeth and gums, tongue can be so dry it stings. I have a prescribed saliva spray from the dr for my mouth and consciously try to drink more water, although drinking more fluids still doesn't appear to alleviate the mouth dryness".
'KB' "I generally find it is cocodamol that causes a dry mouth and constant thirst. Just end up drinking more".
'JNR' "I find I always have a dry mouth to the extent I have had blisters on the end of my tongue when I wake because it must have been looking for a wet bit of my mouth, its awful and the blisters are really sore".
'AO' "Yes doesn’t matter what medication I take or dose. Has started causing problems with my teeth so now have double fluoride toothpaste from the dentist. Also told to suck sugar free sweets or gum to help keep my mouth moist".
'KB' "I didn't even know that this one is a symptom, my mouth is like a desert always drinking cant go anywhere unless I have a drink with me and when you wake up it's hard to swallow, have choked a few times too".
'GG' "Yes always dry mouth, believe it is linked to Diazepam, recurring urinary tract infections and stress. Try to drink lots of lemon barley and generally keep hydrated.
'MB' "I suffer with dry mouth and my tongue and lips crack, now I’m getting constant ulcers in my mouth. GP prescribed creams but keeps returning, also drink a lot of water. My dentist prescribed double fluoride toothpaste to use to help stop my teeth from decaying, problem that can occur from having dry mouth".
'AC' "I get dry mouth with my Sjogren’s Syndrome and it’s like waking up so parched like I've been in the desert for days with no water! I didn’t know anything about it and what it all was until reading someone else had it and now have it really bad. I always have a drink next to my bed now. My lips get sore particularly in the corners as well".
'KK' "My dentist advised me to take Biotène Gel. It comes in a toothpaste tube and you just apply some on your tongue. It works. But equally I drink a lot of water, and this works to an extent".
'JL' "I have suffered from dry mouth due to medication side effects for years. One of the best pieces of advice I was given was to place a tic tac in the side of my mouth. This allows you to be able to have conversations and do most of the things you need to and reduce the dry mouth symptoms. Because they are so small it is not obvious that you have something there I used to work in a care home where you were constantly talking to residents, staff, relatives so this was what I found the simplest, cost effective and easiest solution. As well as constantly having a bottle of water on me".
'DH' "I have suffered with a dry mouth for a while a got some mouth spray from my dr but it never helped, my medication hasn’t changed so I don’t think it’s that never really thought it being fibro related until hearing others, I find sucking boiled sweets helps, night time is the worst can’t talk and my tongue is so dry it sticks to my teeth".
'AG' "I use bio extra dry mouth gel spray it’s really good".
'HB' "My mouth is really dry tongue is as well I've started getting ice pops and chewing gum I find helps".
'SJQ' "I am at it all the time my right arm should have muscles like Popeye the amount I raise a glass or bottle to my mouth it is a nuisance. And if I don't have a drink more or less immdiately I start coughing, I didn't realise it could be a fibro symptom".
'EM' "Dentist once asked if I was nervous at a checkup as I had so little saliva. I tried a dry mouth spray, and lozenges that stuck to the inside of my cheek, but they only worked for a short time. Once I stopped taking Amitripyline that solved it!".
'PN' "I wake up in the night with an extremely dry mouth. Only thing I've found for that is a bottle of ginger beer by the bed".
'HS' "Yes and I also have burning mouth syndrome. Sucking ice cubes is the best for me. Have tried gels, pastilles, different toothpaste. Avoid sugars, citrus fruits, hot spices and coffee/caffeine".
'DB' "Extreme dry mouth especially during the night, sip lots of cold water, when really bad though I resort to ice cubes. Suck mints throughout the day and always have a cold drink wherever I'm going".
'CD' "Dry mouth was one of the reasons I gave up on medication. They didn't stop the pain and my mouth and throat was so dry I started having panic attacks because I felt I couldn't swallow or breath properly. I was always drinking water but my mouth was always dry".
'AE' "Yes I have dry mouth. I try and always have a bottle of water on me. It’s terrible when you’re trying to speak with someone and your mouth gets dry your lips stick to your teeth and you can’t talk. It’s embarrassing sometimes".
'TH' "I always have a dry mouth and throat. I’ve tried Salivix pastilles and Salivix spray but all they do is leave my mouth sticky. The one I’m using now is Glandosane, lemon flavour (tastes the best out of the three), it seems to work okay".
'MF' "I wake with a very dry mouth every morning, no saliva, can't swallow, I wash my mouth out with mouth wash which seems to help but it happens several times a day, more especially when I am out and there are a lot of people, I get anxious and I think it causes the dry mouth".
'JCM' "I use Xylimelts, best of the many things I've tried. They are specially good at night".
'SM' "I have awful dry mouth, I drink around 4L of water a day which can make long journeys hard. I found salivary stimulant pastilles really helpful. They kept my mouth wet without the need of constant liquids! I use them any time I don’t want to be using the bathroom constantly!".
'FL' "Constantly have dry mouth, but not sure if it's a side effect from one of my medications. I just drink lots and suck sweets to try and relieve it".
'LT' "I get it a lot especially when air con is involved. Artificial saliva works now and then, but sips of water throughout the day help and Vaseline for the lips".
'RH' "Yes I have an awful dry mouth all the time no matter how much I drink. Painkillers or all meds really don't help with that either. Also in winter with the heating on and summer in extreme heat, we just can't win!".
'DT' "Dry mouth 24/7. I have to have a drink with me at all times. With and without meds I have this, I drink water or cups of tea all the time".
As you can see from the replies a dry mouth seems to be common in all of those suffering from fibro. As with all things if this symptom is really troubling you please talk to your GP. It's also important to rule out Diabetes and Sjogren Syndrome. To join in the discussions come over to the Facebook groups and chat.