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Dry lips, sticky mouth??

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Caroline1967

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi, been diagnosed 3 weeks now and nothing seems to be getting any easier! I’m taking Metformin 1g am and 1g pm, dapagliflozin, once a day and gliclazide once a day but going onto twice a day on Monday.
I have terrible dry lips and what I can only describe as a sticky mouth. Drinking alleviates this but only while I am actually drinking. I have read that this can be a sign of dehydration but I am drinking over 2 litres a day and although I am peeing for England I don’t think it can be that.

I have almost got to the stage that I want to stop all the medication and take my chances with the high glucose as I felt a lot better before I was diagnosed!

Did anyone else feel like this and was it the medication or just not drinking enough? I think I will drown if I have to drink any more,

Thanks
Caroline
 
What’s your blood sugar like @Caroline1967 ? It does sound like dehydration and, as your Gliclazide is being increased, I suspect your blood sugar is high. You also mention “peeing for England” - again a sign of high blood sugar.

If your blood sugar isn’t high, then could you have a sinus/ear/throat issue?
 
I have no personal experience, but Dapagliflozin works by flushing excess sugar out in the urine, so you do get a greater 'throughput' of water. I think the patient information leaflet will mention that you need to drink a lot more. However, as @Inka says, it’s also a sign of high blood sugars, so best get it checked out.
 
Do you have oral thrush by any chance?
 
I had to up my fluid level to 3 litres a day when I went on Canagliflozin (similar to your Dapagliflozin). I too get very thirsty during the day so drink and pee constantly. I have a glass of water by my side, or a bottle when in the car. At night I take half a litre of water to bed, but always wake up with a dry mouth, sticky lips and nasty taste - and of course have to get up to pee. This has been going on since I started the drug, but my HbA1c is falling, so it must be a drug side effect for me.
 
Thank you for all your replies.
My blood sugar is the lowest it has been since diagnosis. It was 5.2 this morning. The DN did mention that one of the drugs could give me thrush….didn’t think he meant in my mouth though! Not sure how I would check if it is thrush though!

I will increase my drinking and see if that helps. I am seeing the DN ON Monday so will ask him then. I am feeling a bit brighter in myself this morning which is nice. I was quite low last night…still in shock really that I have diabetes! I am sure I will come to terms with it soon.

I am going to church this morning to have a bacon roll! Well not to actually eat one but it will be nice to get together with friends. As I cant see to drive at the minute I am feeling a bit isolated.
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
Caroline
 
Caroline1967 said:
hank you for all your replies.
My blood sugar is the lowest it has been since diagnosis. It was 5.2 this morning. The DN did mention that one of the drugs could give me thrush….didn’t think he meant in my mouth though! Not sure how I would check if it is thrush though!
Click to expand...
Pop along to your chemist, the pharmacist will be able to tell you if it's thrush. Not 100% sure they can prescribe or sell over the counter the liquid treatment but know you can buy some gel which may help until you can get a prescription.
 
5.2 is a great BG - and that number is quite elusive to most of us - I have had 5.1 and 5.3, but never hit the magic 5.2 yet - so congrats on that 🙂
A natural treatment for thrush - wherever it is the body - is LIVE bio yoghurt (plain). You only need a few spoonfuls per day and you can count in it with your food/drink count for your food diary (free ones online - help you keep count of the pesky carbs). It might be better to try the natural yoghurt route if the meds are going to be a constant thrush donor. Thrush in your mouth looks a bit like a thin coat of white icing on the roof of your mouth/back of your tongue. I have a steroid inhaler that can cause same, so I have to rinse my mouth every time I use it to prevent the thrush in my case.
Glad you are feeling better today, could be the meds have kicked in especially with the great BG.
Enjoy your time out, that is something we all need, too much isolation in lockdown has me needing company even more these days.
Have a good weekend 🙂
 
Hope the increase of fluids helps @Caroline1967, and that you can get some good advice and support on Monday, plus some effective treatment if it does end up being thrush.

Enjoy your (uneaten) bacon roll 😛
 
Thanks @everydayupsanddowns, I have upped my fluid intake and do think it is helping. I did enjoy the bacon roll! Lots of friends said 'I feel so bad eating this in front of you' but then carried on eating it!!!LOL I have to say that it doesn't bother me at all being with people eating things I can't which is odd because when I was trying to lose weight it really got to me!
Thanks
Caroline
 
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