Hi everyone,
I saw an ear/nose/throat specialist this week to check on a couple of symptoms I've been having for the past month or so - fortunately they are minor annoyances, but it never hurts to get stuff checked out by an expert. Has anyone else dealt with anything like this while on Gleevec 400mg (I'm entering my 8th month on treatment), and if so, any recommendations on how best to deal with it?
- Dehydration - I have some minor swollen saliva glands under my chin. It's symmetrical and can easily be mistaken for swollen lymph nodes. They aren't major, but with an already-thin neck, you can definitely notice it. He also said that I have a good bit of mucus down deep in my throat (which I can also feel). The ENT guy said that it's the result of mild dehydration, but I drink plenty of fluids during the day. I do have a cup of coffee in the morning, but once again, I'm drinking a decent amount of water/fluids daily, and a glass or two of red wine in the evening. Is it possible that this could be an issue related to Gleevec?
- Reflux - I have the feeling like there's a small ball in my throat ... almost like it's mildly constricted. I really haven't had a sensation like this before, and it's been pretty steady for over a month. He did a throat exam using a halogen probe (which was an .... interesting ... procedure) and said that it was standard reflux. He prescribed a generic version of Prilosec to take for a little bit, but obviously I'm gun-shy based on other threads that note the stress that Prilosec puts on the liver (in addition to Gleevec). I don't appear to get the stomach issues that some others are reporting on Gleevec, but could this still be related? I take Gleevec with breakfast (glass of water, oatmeal or honey nut cheerios, and a banana [most days]), and that seems to work very well with my system. I don't feel any stomach problems, but perhaps Gleevec is causing this?
I do a lot of running and working out, but once again, I'm consuming a good bit of fluids throughout the day to compensate (primarily water, or water/juice mix, or sometimes Powerade/Gatorade).
Anyone else dealt with these issues while on Gleevec?
Thanks for any insight, folks!