Type 2 Dry mouth and sticky lips

[CamGreen]

Hi folks. Was wondering if someone can help. Managed to get my numbers down from 82 to 46 in 3 months and have lost 16 kg since and I am on a very low carb diet. In the last couple of months I have been experiencing a dry mouth and my lips often feel sticky. Any thoughts on why this is and what can be done?

 

[KennyA]

Hi and well done on the A1c reduction. First thing I should say is that we can't diagnose on here, so what I'm about to say is based on my own experience and what I subsequently read.

This is a link on diabetes-related xerostomia: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-complications/dry-mouth.html

If your experience is like mine.... xerostomia is a known complication of diabetes. Mine came on only after my BGs came back to normal levels. Mouth gummed up in the mornings, no saliva, that sort of thing. I didn't have it when I was running high. It lasted about a week and then went, and hasn't returned.

However xerostomia seems to be a symptom that can be caused by a number of things - see here-

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases...ostomia (zeer,of radiation therapy for cancer.

so you need to get this checked by someone qualified if you are at all concerned.

 

[Antje77]

Hi folks. Was wondering if someone can help. Managed to get my numbers down from 82 to 46 in 3 months and have lost 16 kg since and I am on a very low carb diet. In the last couple of months I have been experiencing a dry mouth and my lips often feel sticky. Any thoughts on why this is and what can be done?

Do you also test your BG at home?
Your last hba1c was in september I think, worth ruling out if it's caused by high numbers again.

 

[CamGreen]

Thanks for the replies. BG tests done at doctors and have. Y next one on Tuesday so I’ll mention dry mouth when I’m there. I’m really careful not to take any sugars so I’m wondering if it could be due to the low carb diet. I’m taking on board no more than 30g of carbs a day and have been for the last 5 months.

 

[KennyA]

Thanks for the replies. BG tests done at doctors and have. Y next one on Tuesday so I’ll mention dry mouth when I’m there. I’m really careful not to take any sugars so I’m wondering if it could be due to the low carb diet. I’m taking on board no more than 30g of carbs a day and have been for the last 5 months.

I have been on around 20g/day for over three years now and apart from that week in 2020 have had no sticky mouth. I'm pretty confident that in my case it isn't my low-carb eating that caused it.