Arghhh....

[Veronica]

Anyone ever had salivary stones? For some reason I used to get them every Oct. I haven't had one since 2002. Today my gland starts swelling. Darn thing makes me miserable, because it just aches all the time. I took a nap instead of riding today. I hope it goes away soon - I have rides planned for both Saturday and Sunday.

BTW I think I've linked it to Claritin use. I don't have really bad allergies and it irked me when Claritin went OTC - made it more costly for me. This year my itchy eyes and headaches seemed worse... so I started using it again. One of Claritin's side effects is dry mouth. Guess what causes salivary stones.

V.

[SadieKate]

What are salivary stones? This might be a time for a Spazz humilation quote.

[snapdragen]

Owww! I've never heard of this, what a drag.

There is a gum for dry mouth, I bought some for a friend when the medication she was taking caused awful cotton mouth. I found it at REI of all places.

http://tinyurl.com/6bpj2

There's also something called Biotene, they make a sugar free gum, toothpaste, etc. Don't know how well it works though.

[SadieKate]

Ok, I looked it up. Glad I've never heard of them before. It did say you can prevent them by not smoking. :p

[snapdragen]

That's it Veronica, give up that pack a day habit! :p

[Veronica]

It's 2:30 AM. I'm waiting for the vitamin I to kick in so I can go back to sleep.

V.

[nuthatch]

That sounds incredibly painful! How do you get rid of them - do they just resolve themselves over time? Or have to pass through your salivary ducts (ouch,ouch,ouch!!!)?

[Veronica]

Mine have always resolved themselves. I've probably had 5 or 6 outbreaks. One year I did get a bacterial infection and had to take antibiotics. I suppose that means it's probably sludge not stones. :p

V.

[snapdragen]

So, how are you feeling this morning?

snap"sending stonebusting vibes"dragen

[Veronica]

Thanks for asking. It's still pretty swollen - maybe even more than last night. Vitamin I does wonders though. It's hard to eat - maybe I'll lose a pound or two. :p

Hubby gave up his piano practice this morning so I could sleep in. Hopefully my class will be good all day.

V.

[Bike Goddess]

Now there Miss Hillbuster- don't go overboard on the weight thing :) From my point of view (no pun here) you look just fine :D

Yukky!:( Hopefully you can find something else for those allergies! Keep us posted on your well being. Isn't it the pits just when riding is getting good around here :) :) :)

[Veronica]

Has it been windy out your way all week? Here we've had a cold wind everyday until today. That's why we mountain biked after work instead of road riding. The wind doesn't seem so bad when you're only crawling up a steep hill anyway.

Thanks BG. I don't REALLY worry about my weight anymore. But my 20th high school reunion is this summer and it would be nice to be svelte. Not in this lifetime I think. I'll just have to settle for solid. :D

V.

[spazzdog]

Hey Veronica!

Just walk into the reunion in a great pair of shoes... you know the kind: they show those ripped cycling calves to perfection.

All the old, balding, cheese-bellies will drool...

spazz (who's trying to avoid becoming an old, balding cheesebelly)

[SadieKate]

Has it been windy out your way all week? Here we've had a cold wind everyday until today. That's why we mountain biked after work instead of road riding. The wind doesn't seem so bad when you're only crawling up a steep hill anyway.
V.Yes to the wind. I went out for my usual 13 mile after work ride on Tuesday without Jody because he was late, so I told him to ride the loop backwards until we met and I'd turn around and ride it again with him. I was almost home when I found him. Would someone please explain to me how you can ride a square route and have the wind in your face or buffeting you for 3 of the 4 legs? Anybody watching probably thought I was drunk, bouncing around the rode with each gust. Only reason I rode the 2nd round was because I decided I deserved the downwind legs -- wheeeeeeee! :D

Last eve was worse than Tuesday but it doesn't look too bad now. Hmm, what time is it? Surely there is some reason I need to go home now. :)

[Bike Goddess]

Veronica- In my heart of hearts solid is as voluptuous as svelte :)

[CorsairMac]

There is a gum for dry mouth, I bought some for a friend when the medication she was taking caused awful cotton mouth. I found it at REI of all places.

http://tinyurl.com/6bpj2



Just as an FYI: that gum as asparatame in it.

V: ewwww hun!!.....I'm so sorry to hear about your stones. I can't even imagine the pain they must cause! Keeping you in my thoughts hun and sending you "get well soon" wishes!!

[Veronica]

They're back. :mad: Now I think maybe it's stress causing them.

V.

[jobob]

Oh V., that sux! :(

When I'm stressed out I tend to drink a lot more coffee and diet cokes. Could you be doing something like that ?

Are you eating or drinking anything different, or have you changed your eating habits, after Thom went away ?

Are you taking anything for your allergies?

Hope they don't hang around very long :( :(

[Veronica]

No I haven't really changed anything.

I'm pretty good about staying hydrated. I'm looking forward to a long ride this weekend because that seemed to really help last time.

V.

[SadieKate]

Geez! Not the news I wanted to hear first thing this morning. Sorry!

[CorsairMac]

They're back. :mad: Now I think maybe it's stress causing them.

V.


:eek: :eek: :eek: that is NOT good news my friend! here's hoping you can get over them again and maybe find the cause to prevent another comeback.

[Surlygirl]

Hope you feel better Veronica. My sister and law and I both stopped taking Claritin. We call them B***** pills. :( They did little for our allergies and they made us really cranky. I thought I was imagining it till my sister in law said the same thing.

[Lise]

They're back. :mad: Now I think maybe it's stress causing them.

Veronica, so sorry to hear about that. I never heard of salivary stones. Sounds like torture. I get gallstones...and used to get canker sores when really stressed. But a stone in the salivary gland...ARGH! :mad: Hoping you'll feel better this weekend.

Lise

[massbikebabe]

V,

So sorry for you! I used to tell my patients that got them to take Lemon
Drops...more saliva=moving of stone...course I also gave them pain meds. because it just looks mighty uncomfortable!

karen...YEAH for me!!! Typing with 2 hands!!!! :D

[jobob]

OK, was I the only one who was not thinking of candy when Karen mentioned Lemon Drops ?? :D

( for the uninitiated, Lemon Drop is also a type of martini, made somewhat infamous on this board by one Ms. snapdragen, who introduced - some may say corrupted - many of us at the Cinderella pre-ride dinner to the ways of the lucious Lemon Drop martini. Hey, they're made with lemon juice so they can't be all bad ;) )

Nice to see you here, Karen {hug}

[SadieKate]

karen...YEAH for me!!! Typing with 2 hands!!!!
YIPPEE!!!!

[shadon]

YIPPEE!!!!

What she said! This is SO great to see!

[Veronica]

V,

So sorry for you! I used to tell my patients that got them to take Lemon
Drops...more saliva=moving of stone...course I also gave them pain meds. because it just looks mighty uncomfortable!

karen...YEAH for me!!! Typing with 2 hands!!!! :D

I tried this once. And it worked, but it swelled up so huge before hand.

Hooray! I'm so glad you're seeing progress already.

V.

PS Thanks for reminding me what real difficulties are. :)

[wabisabi]

If this happens at a certain time of the year, any chance some kind of allergy could be involved? just a thought

[massbikebabe]

Jobob...

You hit the nail on the head...Lemon Drop Martini's would be great...Lemon would provide tartness to draw out the stone...Gin or vodka for pain!!!

karen-
I prefer Dirty Martini's

[Veronica]

If this happens at a certain time of the year, any chance some kind of allergy could be involved? just a thought

Just about every fall - it used to be October - right when I would go off track. The year it got infected was when in laws were visiting. We went on the Napa Valley train and I could barely eat. I was miserable.

It's not so bad this year.

V.

[wabisabi]

hmmm--allergic to in-laws, maybe?... :rolleyes:

[Veronica]

I don't think so. They're not anywhere nearby this time. :D

They're not bad - except they refuse to give me clothes for Christmas. "Clothes are a neccesity." Not cashmere.

I have gotten a roasting pan from them though. I really wanted one, so it was okay.

V.

[wavedancer]

V,

So sorry for you! I used to tell my patients that got them to take Lemon
Drops...more saliva=moving of stone...course I also gave them pain meds. because it just looks mighty uncomfortable!


I had a salivary stone once, and didn't know what was happening to me! Very painful :( I didn't eat any thing solid for three days because it was so painful when my gland swelled up in response to making saliva. An ENT doc I sidelined told me to suck on the lemon drops and massage the gland to push the saliva and the stone through. Sure enough, I was driving to work sucking on sour lemon drops, massaging the gland, and pop! Instant relief. Hope yours gets out of there soon!

[SadieKate]

Good culinary tools are definitely a good gift, but this would be also. 'Course in red. :D

http://www.thecompanystore.com/parent.asp?product=rf54x&dept%5Fid=3802

[Veronica]

I saw some really cute cashemere jammies somewhere. It was a camisole top and shorts.

But no, I won't get any clothes from my in laws. This year I predict that I will get either a Powerflare, a laptop desk or maybe :D disc brakes for my mountain bike. Those were the non-clothing items on my list.

V.

[SadieKate]

You mean these matching ones?
http://www.thecompanystore.com/parent.asp?product=rf53x&dept%5Fid=3801

As long as they pay attention to your list. My MIL is a dear but she doesn't ask and then complains we are hard to buy for. Building a fine collection of jewelry that isn't even close to my taste. One year only she gave me a cashmere turtle. As I was kissing her feet, I told her she could just give me a new color every year. Didn't work. :(

[Veronica]

Nope but those are nice. And the kind of thing I actually wear. :) I just may get them for myself.

They really do buy off the list we give them - which is cool. The roaster I got was exactly the one I wanted - a nice high end one.


V.