Chemotherapy and radiation therapy destroy cancer cells and it also destroys healthy cells in the process, including cells in the lining of the mouth and the gastrointestinal tract. This explains why there can be nausea and vomiting with most chemo and radiation treatments. Patients who have a difficult time taking oral medications to treat nausea and vomiting can benefit from customized prescription medications that are compounded to be administered topically or rectally.
Painful sores in the mouth or throat are also common side effects. A compounded mouth rinse with lidocaine and a special base called MucoLox can help. Muclolox is a one-of-a-kind polymer base that improves moisturization and protection, but won’t easily wash away because it creates a powerful, long-lasting coating effect. There is also a special rinse blend for radiation burns of the mouth.
A dry mouth and very thick saliva can result from head and neck radiation therapy. Compounded pilocarpine lozenges or lollipops provide a more localized action to help the damaged salivary glands produce more saliva.
Pain medications also may be delivered rectally. Sometimes, the dosage has to be customized through compounding to provide adequate pain control while reducing side effects.
Repeated radiation therapy can sometimes cause burns to the skin called radiation dermatitis. If not managed early or properly, the radiation burns can get infected and become wounds that sometimes fail to heal even with multiple treatments. A custom blend of ingredients can be compounded to help promote blood flow to the wound and increase cell turnover.
Dry itchy skin and rash are common side effects of chemotherapy. Some patients do not respond to conventional treatments. This is especially common in patients with liver and kidney end-stage disease. Special compounded creams can be formulated to help alleviate these problems. Call the Towne Lake Family Pharmacy today to get started with a better plan for your medicine!