Ulcers in throat

I have UC but keep getting reccuring ulcers in my throat. The doc gave me some dispersable tablets and they did work for a while but they keep coming back.
Last time I had 9 in my throat and 5 in my mouth. At the moment I can see 4 inmy mouth and another 5 in the top part of my throat but I can feel there are more further down in my throat.
I am awaiting biopsy results to see if I have Crohns as well but not convinced i do as my colonsocopy was ok. My colitis has even started to show signs of improvment after a year.
Have tried rinsing and gargling with salt water but nothing seems to work for long.
Thanks for reading.
Sharon

Hi Sharon,

Bummer, I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this. Those little buggers are so miserable to have.

I know some people here have had a very good response to taking a quality complex B vitamin when they had mouth ulcers. It certainly wouldn't hurt to try.

I hope they clear up soon!

They did biopsy and probably other tests as well?
When did you start getting them? Was it there before the Infliximab?
Do you have a tendancy for cold sores?
Has fungal/bacterial infections been ruled out?
Do you feel like you are having acid reflux issues?

Ulcers are so annoying, personally I was using either salt water or colgate peroxyl mouthwash. General dilution of peroxyde with water usually helps me.

One of my friends sons has had mouth ulcer trouble ever since his crohn's started.
The only time it clears up is when he is on 30mg of steroids (Pred)
When he tapers - same old problems.

Thanks everyone.
They really do get me down every now and then.
PsychoJane not really had cold sore, ever. The mouth ulcers started back in April/May when I was in really bad flare. Have been having acid reflux type issues since coming off Pred in July. Been controlling it with gaviscon type stuff and not eating after 7pm, not drinking milk and stuff like that. I know during my colonoscopy they took quite a few biopsies but no other tests done so far to determin Crohns dx. Not sure what else they would do. Had a mri in August which showed inflamation and scarringin my TI/small bowel so thats why they thought I might have Crohns as well as UC. It took me a year to get them to admit that there was a problem and to get a dx of UC.
Dont know what will happen when we get the results back, if they are all clear for Crohns.
I think the infliximab has made them worse but not having that any more,allergic, so hopefully they will not be as bad.
Thanks for all the replies.
Sharon xxxx

Hi Sharon,
Well, it is really annoying when the docs don't want to listen or believe... There are test that they can do in other to rule out the elements I have mentioned. Those can all be a factor contributing to the presence of ulcers to a certain extent. I mean, being of remicade favorise the chances of getting pretty much any type of infection...
- Since you have been on pred, it could be a candidosis and then you would need some sort of anti-fungal if that were the case. Remicade/AZA both contribute to the body inhability to fight them. Excess of their presence could lead to that. Do you have whitish coating on your tongue? Did you ever experience oral thrush?
I was asking for coldsore as some people that get remicade have issues with herpes manifestation that are worse and different from which they use to get as the body is unable to "control" the virus.
Bacteria could also cause that...
So I really hope they will run some of these test along with the biopsy. I suppose they probably will be able to see someting like that with thin section, I wouldn't see why they would not.
Hopefully they will find what is wrong soon. !

Thanks PJ.
I am hoping they will find out for definate what is going on and get it sorted out!
It really is frustrating when we suffer but they just say oh its nothing to worry about or something. I am sure if it was them suffering they would get it sorted a lot sooner.
Not got a white coating on my tongue but I do keep a close eye on stuff since being on aza then 6mp then remicade. Also really run down as cant seem to tolerate a lot of food at the moment.
Oh well its nearly Christams and lots to do but no energy to do it.
Hope you are keeping well.
Sharon xxxx

there is nothing more missarble in my option. Have you tried vodka (or other high proof liquor) ! i am so serious gargle it (also drinking it helps) but it helps them heel as well as numbs. if you can't drink
also try an antibacterial mouth wash.
it sounds odd since they are technically a viris. I have had lots of luck talking antibiotics and an antibacterial mouth wash. and have heard other people have also had luck with this.
good luck

Thanks Outlier,
Will give it a go. Will try the vodka first I think as I am not on any meds at the moment!!
xxxx

Here's a little backup as to why the Vitamin B Complex supplements help with mouth ulcers: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001394/

A common symptom of folate (aka vitamin B9) deficiency is mouth ulcers according to the link above. People with Crohn's disease are COMMONLY deficient in Folate and some of the medications Crohnies take also interferes with folate metabolism.

If you have mouth ulcers, try a quality complex B but also be sure to get your vitamin B12 levels checked as supplementing folate can mask symptoms of B12 deficiency which are also common with Crohnies.

Thanks David.
Hopefully if I get a Crohns dx they will test all my vitamin and mineral levels. They wont do it at the moment as I 'only' have UC.
I will research a decent multi vit supplement in the mean time.
Sharon xxxx

Shazz,

I don't have a remedy, but I was just reading your story. I have the same thing and I have no idea what to do. I have Crohn's and when I get flares, I get tons of ulcers all in my mouth, under my tongue, on the roof of my mouth and all down my throat. It is unbearable. I had 18 visible ulcers last week. Like swallowing shards of glass. The only thing that gets me through is vicodin...and I think I have a very high pain tolerance....I had all three of my 9 1/2 pound babies with absolutely no pain meds. I hate pain meds. The other way to make them go away is being on at least 30mg of prednisone, but then I almost always get thrush. It's so frustrating. I have had ulcers on and off for the past 9 months. I'm lactose intolerant, so I can't have milk products. Its so miserable. I feel your pain!!

I may have found the holy grail to help with the severe pain associated with having ulcers in the back of the throat, so far down that gargling anything, does nothing, because it cannot be reached.

I have had ulcers or cold sores on my esophagus(back of throat) for about 6 days now, the pain was so bad that I could not eat, sleep or even swallow.... I researched everything I could, to find relief for the intolerable pain but ultimately, came up empty handed. So I decided to try and bunch of different tonics and concoctions of various combinations, in the efforts to and try and give myself some relief from the sharp constant pain from these stupid sores...

Try this

1. 1/4 teaspoon of natural Sea Salt in a cup of warm water - gargle it in your mouth and spit it out, then, drink a mouth full. It's gross but will hit the sores far back in the throat

2. 1/4 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper + 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder in a tea. You'll need a tea strainer or stretch a fine cloth over a mug and slowly poor the boiling water over the cayenne pepper and turmeric powder so its filtered and not so grainy to swallow. You can always just drink it without straining or buy the capsules with these two powerful ingredients in it at a natural health shop or in the organic section of a grocery store. Add honey for better taste and coating properties.

3. Holy Grail = Milk and Honey, coconut oil, garlic, ginger tea:
1/2 (half cup) of skim milk,
half a garlic clove chopped up,
1 to 2 square inch piece of ginger sliced into thin slices,
2 to 4 teaspoons of natural organic coconut oil,
2 to 3 teaspoons of natural raw honey.
Place the chopped garlic cloves and the sliced ginger into a tea strainer,
boil 1/2 cup of water and poor into tea strainer and let steep for about 1 to 2 minutes.
Then, strain the boiling water into the cup with the milk honey and coconut oil in it.
Stir and enjoy the soothing comfort of this amazing tonic! It will dull the sharp pain, coat the throat and make swallowing easier, it will heal and help speed up the recovery of the sores. The effects of this tea will last for about 2 to 3 hours so I usually also take 1 or 2 ibuprofen (Advil) to help drag out the length of relief, and help control fever and inflammation.

I hope this helps you as it has for me. It's not a cure but it makes this horrible condition be a little more tolerable. And remember to rest as much as you can.