After about a year or more, I've FINALLY had enough of an extremely dry mouth while sleeping.
At first I thought it was martinis along with the BP meds...plausible. It seemed to lessen when I stopped drinking.
Well now its been 6 weeks without a drop and I am STILL having to pry my mouth open (literally) and get up several times a night for water.
I gave up on the nightside water after dousing myself in bed with icewater the THIRD time!:eek: I'm also getting worried about the health of my teeth and gums with no saliva for pretection part of each day.

My first thought was the HCTZ then the propranolol which I've dabbled around on and off (lately all ON), but 2 days without HCTZ and a couple weeeks without the beta blocker.

Yesterday I doubled the Cozaar to 100 mg. (to cover for the absent thiazide). Been taking Cozaar daily for 5 years and never suspected it.
So today and tomorrow and maybe Wednesday, NO Cozaar- nothing but 50 mg HCTZ....we shall see.
Gee, I HOPE it's not the Cozaar because I've stockpiled several years worth:(.

Has ANYBODY had this problem with any of the ARB's?

If Cozaar isn't found to be the culprit, then the test will HAVE to be with ZERO HBP meds...don't want to rush that.

BTW, I have always been a high sodium eater so I consciously keep my potassium up with bananas, fish, and orange juice and I supplement Mg every day.

Any guesses?

ZIP-
If I read you correctly, the dry mouth is only of one year's duration? Or have you been "swallowing" this (har har) for the entire 5 years on Cozaar?
Cozaar does have a side effect of dry mouth and unusual thirst but this is usually only at the beginning of therapy and transient.
I haven't had any problems with Diovan although you may hear from someone any minute that you're not alone.

Wondering that this is not drug-related at all but something very simple..... Don't laugh, but is it possible that you are sleeping with your mouth open?. Because that'll do it.

zuzu xxx

Thanks zuzu...

You're right, it's really been only a year or two of dry mouth and Cozaar since '98. I thought about the open mouth and if the drug avoidance doesn't stop it, I'll try some way to duct tape around my head ala the old toothache image in old cartoons to keep my mouth shut. I hope I don't suffocate myself!!!:eek:

Also funny it NEVER happens for an afternoon nap, yet almost every night right on schedule???

Zip- The old cartoon toothache image made me laugh. (Gee, I'm now waxing nostalgic for cartoons to be shown again in movie theaters).

Theory about afternoon nap: Shorter duration (and lighter) and therefore no time to cycle into whichever sleep stage you need to be in for "gaping".
Q.E.D.


zuzu xx

Plausible, mon cherie!

Test Results:
Day ONE with ZERO BP meds...Hideously dry mouth!
(Gee, I wonder if the Archimedes started this way?)

I'll give it a week (to make sure all my minerals are at steady state levels) before I do my MUMMY imitation. :jester:

So, how did this turn out for you? I've been having a problem on and off the last few months. I thought it might be maxide, but like you stopping it doesn't seem to matter that much. Then I thought it might be advil/naprosyn/ since I take a good bit for cramps a few days a month. Now I'm really starting to worry.

There are other causes of "dry mouth" than meds and I hope you are monitoring your BP as you come off of these prescribed drugs. Actually, you should have run this by the prescribing physician first, I believe.

That said, diabetes is a common cause of dry mouth. Had your blood sugar checked lately?

If you can't find a medical cause for the symptom, try your dentist. Periodontal disease is a common cause of dry mouth.

Finally, there is a condition called Sjogren's Syndrome. Look it up on google and see if you have the other symptoms that accompany it. This is a longshot, but if you are hearing hoofbeats and can't find a stampeding herd of cattle, look for a herd of zebra.

Jeff :jester:

My first thought was diabetes but my blood sugar is perfectly aok (never over 95 fasting), no gum disease, no Sjorgens. The shut mouth helped...I did Duct tape and head strapping, both helped but were so annoying (a light slseeper) that by 5 AM, I'd rip them off.

I found something that works pretty well. A friend recommended a gel product that is very expensive and contains 18% glycerine so I did the cheapy way: found an old bottle of glycerine (100%) and put it into a tiny squirt bottle. When I awaken the first time dreaming of the Sahara :D, one or two squirts causes copious salivation and problem solved for the night.
I needed to cut the glycerine to about 75% (with water) to make it "squirt"...it's fairly thick stuff.

I guess I'll just chalk up the dry mouth to "open-mouth sleeping" but I'll never know for sure without a video camera. Anyway, I'm pleased with the symptomatic cure.