Side Effects

The only side effect I had on the revlimid was mouth sores and a HORRIBLE taste in my mouth.

The mouth sores were awful! Imagine your mouth, tongue, etc covered with a whitish film and sores. Not bleeding sores, just painful tender sores. It made eating difficult. The foods that were easiest to eat were cold and soft. Yeah, like ice cream. My husband and I drank alot of milkshakes.

I couldn't get rid of it and the doctor said nothing about getting rid of them. I experimented with different herbal washes for my mouth, treating it as thrush, but nothing really helped. I finally had to go to my primary care doctor because now it was hurting when ever I swallowed. She diagnosed it as thrush and gave me a RX for 'swish and swallow". Well, I used it once or twice. Didn't like the taste or the idea of taking it.

Then I got the brilliant idea to use plain Greek yogurt! I would get a spoonful of it and swish it around my mouth and hold it for a few seconds. Bingo! That got rid of it. Now I have a smoothie every morning with yogurt and kefir in it. 

 

The awful, metallic like taste I couldn't get rid of. It was more troublesome than the sores, believe it or not. I had absolutely NO taste in my mouth. Now for someone who likes to eat ( me!) that's a crime. In fact I actually cried about it. I actually said out loud to my family that if my taste doesn't come back I don't want to live. And I meant it. Really, I did. What's the point of eating if there is absolutely no taste? Oh, I suppose I could be "normal" and eat to live or view food as just a fuel and go on with my life, but I don't. Food is enjoying to me  and families fellowship around food. I wanted to be able to do that again.

I don't remember how long it took or when it happened but my taste came back. Yay!

Also the skin on my lips was peeling constantly and my finger nails split, peeled and broke off. My nails were a mess.

I think that's all the side effects I had.

I remember think how lucky I was and that this isn't gonna be so bad.