Hepatitis C Support Group

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.

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mouth sores

vabuttafly
vabuttafly
I was wondering if anyone here has experienced any soreness or sores of the mouth? I am not on treatment. I used to get small ones all the time before I would get sick. It was almost a sign. Now i have little ones randomly in mouth. Could this just be from the HCV?
WarriorGal
WarriorGal
Wow! I learned something new:

Dry mouth and mouth ulcers

Hep C infection can cause a dry mouth. This can lead to bad breath, cracked lips, and a sore mouth and throat. It can also cause difficulty with eating and swallowing, mouth ulcers, tooth decay and tooth sensitivity. http://www.hep.org.au/index.php?article=content/about-hep/managing-hep-c-symptoms#mouth
vabuttafly
vabuttafly
They're not dibilitating. They are just annoying. I noticed I have been getting them more often as time has passed. I have really good oral hygiene. I will try to drink more water so I don't get a dry mouth, but how do I rid these damn sores? Errr. It's amazing what I find out as it relates to hep c. I love being able to come to this forum and post. You all are so supportive and informative. Gracias!!!
WarriorGal
WarriorGal
Has your dentist seen them? Because HCV COULD cause these mouth sores, they also could very well be from something else entirely, so how to treat them would depend on what is causing them.

Sjogrens Syndrome is one of many autoimmune diseases that is commonly secondary to hcv and causes dry mouth and mouth sores.

Could also be thrush or herpes... ??
allaboutliving
allaboutliving
It's important to take care of these mouth sores & yes, they could be related to HCV. You don't want to lose your teeth so it's important to see your dentist. In addition to dry mouth HCV can cause dry eyes. Weird huh.
WarriorGal
WarriorGal
I really wonder if is the hcv that would cause dry mouth and dry eye or Sjogrens. Of course many medications - most notable anti-depressants - cause dry mouth - as does aging. But only Sjogrens, as far as i know, causes BOTH. HCV patients reporting both of these symptoms could well have undiagnosed Sjogrens as it is little known and hard to diagnose.
LoveEachOther
LoveEachOther
I get canker sores from time to time. Last week was the first time in a long time that I got one, but I don't know where they come from. The dry eyes I definitely have. I went to get colored contacts when I was 19, so I had my very first eye exam to which the eye doc said, "You sleep with your eyes open don't you? Cause your retinas are dry." My mom always told me that I have slept with my eyes open....well, half open of course, and it's not all the time. Now, hearing about all this, I think it might have always been HCV. Oh, and dry skin too - not just cause of the winter weather either. I read somewhere that you should blink every 15 seconds to refresh the oxygen in your eyes.
vabuttafly
vabuttafly
Im pretty convinced its hcv related. I do not have thrush or herpes. Its a pain in the butt. I have not experienced dry eyes. I guess that's a plus. :)
ImKramer
ImKramer
Not common but possibly Lichen Planus
http://www.medicinenet.com/lichen_planus/article.htm
DRTJC
DRTJC
I've had the dry eyes before when drinking & the dry skin like Arms,trunk area Waist band area .Alot of us get sensitive to different soaps or shampoo's . And on the mouth issue I never had soars maybe alil sensitivity I gargle daily with hydrogen peroxide for about 2 to 3 mins a day it helps with gum Health & whitens your teeth & may help your issue& use gum brushes . Hope this will help you out ...