Hi there. Its great to read the forum posts and realise I - we - are not alone. My husband was diagnosed 12 years ago and life chugged along ok until last year. Following a serious illness his condition has deteriorated rapidly, affecting his speech, understanding, and mobility. He seems to think nothing has changed! The biggest problem is increased saliva causing him to drool constantly and this has had a dramatic effect on any social life. He’s tried various medications, some with no effect, others reacted with his parkinsons drugs. There seems to be no answer to this, even from our wonderful nurse specialist. Is there anyone out there who has the same problem? Even sweets or chewing gum no longer help.
Hi @parsley,
A warm welcome to the Parkinson’s UK forum. I’m really sorry to hear that your husband’s condition has deteriorated. Speech and saliva issues are common symptoms of Parkinson’s. However, a speech and language therapist can uncover any issues, help you manage speech and stop it from becoming worse. We have more information on this here - https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/speech-and-communication-problems-parkinsons.
In regards to his saliva control, there are a few ways to manage your husband’s saliva, including help with his posture via a physiotherapist - his GP, specialist or Parkinson’s nurse can refer him to a therapist. It’s also important to remember to swallow often, as this will stop saliva pooling in your mouth. Some people with Parkinson’s find that chewing gum or sucking sweets helps them to swallow more frequently. But try to make sure these are sugar-free to help avoid tooth decay. We also have more information on this here - https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/eating-swallowing-and-saliva-control.
Lastly, if you need additional support, we have a team of friendly and knowledgeable advisers via our free helpline. They’d be more than happy to offer you and your husband more support on this so do feel free to call us on 0808 800 0303 or email us at [email protected].
Best wishes,
Reah
Forum Community Manager
Hello! My husband has had Parkinsons for 12 years too. He also has had problems with drooling which caused him not to want to open his mouth to speak/ eat. Our consultant arranged for him to have botox injections in the salivary glands which have helped tremendously. Previously he wore a bib most of the time but very rarely needs one now. He has half the normal dose injected into 2 of his glands (there are 4) and has them every 2 months or so. He had his first injection January 2019 with no side effects. Hope this helps.