angular chelitis relief...finally!

[trc1962]

I have had the soreness, red corners of my mouth of angular chelitis and it was beginning to crack-ick. I tried everything possible from Vaseline to chapstick to bag balm and though it was soothed, it returned soon. I read that sometimes a chelitis can have a fungal component, so last Friday after school I put some athletes foot cream on the corners of my mouth (I was scared it would make things worse). Low and behold it didn't hurt and so at bedtime I put more on it and by morning it was sooo much better and when I returned to school Monday it was gone and hasn't returned. I mentioned this to my rheumy at my appointment yesterday and he said there is not a fungal component...oh well, it worked for me and wasn't a steroid cream so a big plus! Just thought I would share my finding with others on the site. I need a probiotic, but am histamine intolerant so am scared too.

[Carolina]

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/angular-cheilitis#1-3

Fungal infection is the most common cause of angular cheilitis. It's usually caused by a type of yeast called Candida-- the same fungus that causes diaper rash in babies. Certain bacteria strains also can cause it.

Huge, Elaine

[wendyoh]

excellent.....yes I have had this problem for at least 20 years and only in the last year pr so did I figure out to try lotrimin....I put it on a couple times every day and usually works like a charm.....unbelievable .....nothing else worked reliably....glad you found it...its a relief I know!

[Kathy57]

The same for me!  Your Rheumatologist is wrong!  Sometimes you just have to treat yourself.😡

Also, any antigungal cream should work. 

Kathy

[wendyoh]

I did have one helpful dermatologist about 13 years ago that had me try ketoconazole, a prescription anti-fungal, and it helped a little bit but not reliably so I stopped. For some reason the OTC lotrimin (forget the chemical name) type works much better than the K for me. Wish I would have thought of trying it years ago. Hydrocortisone cream does nothing.

[Rabbit63]

Hello,
I have a prescription for a Nystatin ointment with lidocaine that I use for mouth ulcers on my gums, but it also works on the sores in the corners of my mouth.  It was prescribed by an oral medicine doctor that is an expert on Sjogren's.  It is an antifungal used to treat candida. 

[trc1962]

I actually get a scaly like thing on my ears and it also responded to the antifungal ointment. I have been on prednisone for almost a year now (down to 7 mg though) and I have heard it can contribute to candida like stuff. I am histamine intolerant and am afraid to take a probiotic as the cultures in it make things worse-much worse. M thyroid was reading over 10 (TSH) for quite some time and now everything is very, very low but probably the prednisone contributes. If only we could put all the pieces of the picture together. I wish I had a good naturopath who backed my rheumy care and could also treat the issues I have naturally while working with the western side of it...probably not easy to find. Wishing everyone a great weekend.

[wendyoh]

@rabbit--nystatin with lidocaine sounds interesting and appropriate, never heard of that before

@trc I hadn't heard that probiotics increase histamines, wow I take them a lot for my gut, I can't tell if they help or hurt but just have done it for years. I have chronic pain and malaise and a lot of food/chem intolerances so could have missed a correlation with that if it is increasing my histamines. Do you have a mast cell disorder?

[cccourt1942]

A dental hygienist told me it was fungus.  For years I had "treated" the corners of my mouth with carmex while using an aloe very balm on my dry lips.  When I was told, the dentist gave me an Rx for the Nystatin.  A MIRACLE.  I continue to astonish myself not realizing the fungus is creeping back.  Apparently I don't see it in the mirror...and when it finally hurts it HURTS.  I must make several applications over several days to get it to subside.  Then I use it for about another week.  I don't think my Nystatin is the one with Lidocaine tho.  btw: it is quite reasonable in price.
c3

[wendyoh]

@c3 is nystatin oral over counter now? I tried it orally I think like 21 years ago because had read book about theory of candida and CFS but I felt awful on it....trying to eat no chocolate on top of that so I failed miserably on that trial   have had the cream for heat rashes yeast related since before

[cccourt1942]

I don't know. Mine is Rx. Also external only.  (NOT for use on eyes)
GL, c3

[Rabbit63]

There is a pretty good article on the Sjogren's Foundation Website on treating thrush.  It mentions both nystatin and magic mouthwash.  I use both.  My nystatin RX along with the magic mouthwash is compounded by my pharmacy.  The lidocaine helps with the pain.  I have terrible mouth ulcers when I am flaring.

http://info.sjogrens.org/conquering-sjogrens/topic/thrush

Dr. Rhodus was my doctor and diagnosed my Sjogren's before my bloodwork was positive. I will be forever greatful to him. Rabbit

[trc1962]

I have dealt with histamine inflammation for years, I just didn't know what it was. It was definitely made worse  by things I ate and all I could find online was candida. Then in 2011-2012 I had to be on prednisone and it was fully in remission and didn't return for a couple of years. When it did return I was determined to figure it out and realized that after benedryl I felt better and thus more research and ding...histamine intolerance. I asked my rheumy about a mast cell disorder and he said it isn't autoimmune in nature...but it runs along with my flares. Mine causes a red face, oily skin, hair loss, muscus in nose and throat, gerd, ear ringing and sensitive ears to noise and so much more. I hope the rheumy in seattle will have an open mind and actually check it out. In 2005 I took some probiotics and wow the pain and inflammation was very bad. I guess from the live cultures. I need to see a naturopath as some probiotics don't flare the histamine? Crazy, I know, but these things aren't imaginary at all.

[Carolina]

From trc1962:   Crazy, I know, but these things aren't imaginary at all.

What we experience is not imaginary.  No more imaginary than conditions experienced by people centuries ago,, when there were no tests or diagnoses at all.

We are ahead of tests and diagnoses with what we experience.  That is the only problem.

My Duke Immunologist puts it so well:  We use the tests we have, NOT the tests we need.

Think of what it was like to have Sjogren's before there was a test/diagnosis. Most of us wandered in the dark (and may still be wandering) until finally we had confirmation.   But for centuries people had Sjogren's and no tests, no treatments, no confirmation/validation.

And that applies to so many conditions.  No heart transplants, or kidney transplants.  No hip replacements, knee replacements.  No surgery for appendicitis for pete's sake.

You just died, or suffered until you wanted to die.

"Crazy, I know, but these things aren't imaginary at all."  No they aren't imaginary, but dealing with doctors who dismiss what they can't treat or test for, will truly make you crazy!

Hugs,  Elaine