A couple of weeks ago I had my first appointment with Alison. She is a lovely lady and we hit it off straight away, swapping tales of CND experiences of our youth; my one Aldermaston march (cheating by just doing the Trafalgar Square beano) and her chaining herself to fences and getting arrested at Greenham. The last arrest resulted in an epiphany of sorts and complete change of direction towards learning about acupuncture. Doesn’t life take us on strange courses? She knew a distinct protocol for stimulating salivary glands but took great care to treat the rest of me too. The session lasted half an hour after taking a comprehensive history, and the needles didn’t hurt at all. By the time we had finished my nose started to run and by the time I got to the car I had a mouthful of saliva…..lots of saliva. I had to keep swallowing it! This lasted for two hours. I am overjoyed that we might just have something to build on. Personal circumstances have forced a slight delay so my treatment continues after the New Year
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Today my coffee tastes like Christmas in Costa Rica 
Hi Markrut
Food is fuel at the moment and there are days things don’t agree with you. You have hit the nail on the head about patience though. I promise it does get better. At six months you are still in acute recovery. Try IGLU for your ulcers or even Corsodyl gel if you can bear it.
Where do you live? I can ask Alison if she can find me a practitioner near you.
Dani xx
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Thanks for the advice Dani.
I’ve now found a local acupuncturist that does auricular accupunture and will give it a go.
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That’s great. Let me know how it goes and good luck
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Thanks Dani, will do.
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Hi Dani,
Hope you’re keeping well.
I’ve been having auricular acupuncture, 6 sessions to date, I’m seeing a very slight improvement but that could just be me naturally getting better. I know it was a few years ago since your acupuncture but do you remember what points your acupuncturist needled please?
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Hi. I’m good thanks. Hope you’re too. There’s another post in the blog with pictures. It’s here https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com/2020/02/13/acupuncture/
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Hi Dani,
I am 6 months post radiotherapy for tonsil cancer. I have the dry mouth and seeing an acupuncturist but not having a great success. Was there a certain type of accupunture you had, for example Auricular?
Fatigue seems to have hit me recently, did you have much fatigue at this stage?
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Hi. Yes it’s Auricular Acupuncture which is a particular protocol for xerostomia. It doesn’t work for everybody I’m afraid, but it might be worth persevering. How many sessions have you had?
I find the single most helpful thing has been chewing gum. I find I don’t even have to chew it all the time and can park a piece in my cheek.
Tiredness! Tell me! In the first year it would suddenly poleaxe me out of the blue. It’s called radiation fatigue. It’s normal but does get better. Have you tried maybe having a regular nap in the day? Do it properly and go to bed. Set the alarm for half to one hour? I have a friend who swears by this and still has an hour three years down the line.
I don’t need one but I remember the feeling well.
I hope some of this helps.
How are you coping apart from that ?
Dani xx
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Thanks for the reply Dani.
I haven’t had a nap in the afternoon, this fatigue seems to just come on all of a sudden, it’s only the last week it has been like this bad.
I do use peppersmiths gum all of the time which really does help. I’ve had around 8 acupuncture sessions but not auricular, my acupuncturist doesn’t do it. Maybe worth trying a new acupuncturist that does do it.
It’s been tough mentally and I am seeing a clinical psychologist so hopefully she will help.
My mouth still gets sore depending on the food I eat, it’s mainly down to a scar that has formed after I had large ulcer running the length of the side of my tongue. It is slowly getting less painful and it’s not painful all of the time but again it’s down to what I eat.
My problem is I try to run before I can walk, as they all keep telling me.
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