If you are not pregnant, get familiar with the word. If you have been pregnant and haven't experienced this, congratulations. If you are pregnant now and if haven't dealt with this, good for you. If you are pregnant now and know what I am talking about, then please emphathize with me.
Have you ever been on the train or bus and seen a women sitting down and every so often she would place her purse towards her lips and then put it back down glancing around to see if anyone was looking at her? Or have you ever seen a women take a mysterious looking bottle to her lips as if she took a sip of something and then quickly put down, wiping her mouth and putting her head down in shame?
Heres some clarity, she isn't crazy she is just pregnant. What she is doing is spiting. Yes seriously, spiting. No, it is not the kind of spit that people do over the train station platform onto the tracks; this is a kind of spit that if you swallow will make you go running to the bathroom and putting your head in the toilet.
It is called Ptyalism, excessive saliva production and a condition during pregnancy that is still unknown. Ptyalism is having so much saliva produced that women need to spit it out to deal with it.
Some experts have stated that ptyalism is caused by nausea which first occurs during the first trimester and can continue to the end of your pregnancy. Some believe that Ptyalism is caused by heart burn, which is also a common symptom during pregnancy.
I have been dealing with Ptyalism for 5 months now almost six and it is the most uncomfortable part of being pregnant. I need at least two cups around me 24/7 because I always have to spit. Yes, I am one of those women who are in the corner of the train spitting into a plastic bottle or anything I could get my hands on.
My hubby has always asked me, why don't I swallow it? Simple answered, it is not that kind of spit. It is very watery and it is so much of it that fills your mouth that you can do nothing but spit it out.
How do you deal with Ptyalism? Just deal with it:
1. Get a really good sturdy cup that can handle all of your spit. (I can fill a cup in 5 minutes)
2. Make sure you clean your spit cup daily: Don't throw it in the kitchen sink, bathroom sink preferably. If you don't clean your cups daily, it will stink up the house TRUST ME.
3. Keep hydrated: I find if I am drink something most likely juice (water makes me want to spit more) then I am not spitting as much, but I am also thirsty a lot too.
4. Have a really good towel by your bed to absorb the spit: You will spit in your sleep and you don't want to swallow it.
5. Keep lip gloss HANDY! Because you are spitting constantly, your lips become very chap. I know my top lip is peeling really bad. I tend to bit my lips to keep from spitting and plus a lot of the moisture is leaving so my lips have become excessively dry.
Remember, every pregnancy is different, but these are things that I am dealing with that I am pretty sure most people have dealt with. These are my pregnancy truths.
Have you ever been on the train or bus and seen a women sitting down and every so often she would place her purse towards her lips and then put it back down glancing around to see if anyone was looking at her? Or have you ever seen a women take a mysterious looking bottle to her lips as if she took a sip of something and then quickly put down, wiping her mouth and putting her head down in shame?
Heres some clarity, she isn't crazy she is just pregnant. What she is doing is spiting. Yes seriously, spiting. No, it is not the kind of spit that people do over the train station platform onto the tracks; this is a kind of spit that if you swallow will make you go running to the bathroom and putting your head in the toilet.
It is called Ptyalism, excessive saliva production and a condition during pregnancy that is still unknown. Ptyalism is having so much saliva produced that women need to spit it out to deal with it.
Some experts have stated that ptyalism is caused by nausea which first occurs during the first trimester and can continue to the end of your pregnancy. Some believe that Ptyalism is caused by heart burn, which is also a common symptom during pregnancy.
I have been dealing with Ptyalism for 5 months now almost six and it is the most uncomfortable part of being pregnant. I need at least two cups around me 24/7 because I always have to spit. Yes, I am one of those women who are in the corner of the train spitting into a plastic bottle or anything I could get my hands on.
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| One of My Spit Cups (Half way full) |
My hubby has always asked me, why don't I swallow it? Simple answered, it is not that kind of spit. It is very watery and it is so much of it that fills your mouth that you can do nothing but spit it out.
How do you deal with Ptyalism? Just deal with it:
1. Get a really good sturdy cup that can handle all of your spit. (I can fill a cup in 5 minutes)
2. Make sure you clean your spit cup daily: Don't throw it in the kitchen sink, bathroom sink preferably. If you don't clean your cups daily, it will stink up the house TRUST ME.
3. Keep hydrated: I find if I am drink something most likely juice (water makes me want to spit more) then I am not spitting as much, but I am also thirsty a lot too.
4. Have a really good towel by your bed to absorb the spit: You will spit in your sleep and you don't want to swallow it.
5. Keep lip gloss HANDY! Because you are spitting constantly, your lips become very chap. I know my top lip is peeling really bad. I tend to bit my lips to keep from spitting and plus a lot of the moisture is leaving so my lips have become excessively dry.
Remember, every pregnancy is different, but these are things that I am dealing with that I am pretty sure most people have dealt with. These are my pregnancy truths.
NO ONE UNDERSTANDS IT!! It feels like the mark of the lepers in the bible days, all accept I don't have to announce, "unclean, unclean." I know that my baby will be worth it in the end, but going through my first pregnancy with Hyperemesis Gravidarum ALONG with Ptyalism is far beyond a doozie of a first experience!!
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly how I feel and thought I was alone... I read a few things on hg but nobody mentioned the spiting... its killing me:-/ I don't know day from night anymore. Any tips to help me with this? Did this last the full pregnancy???
ReplyDeleteI am 6 weeks pregnant and I suffered the same. I just cried like I feel so all alone. My husband is so supportive of me that he wants to give me everything which I think can help me cope with with my spitting problem. I tried buying a caramel candy and just leave the candy in my mouth. This is the second day that I've been doing it and it works for me. Still excessive saliva but I can swallow it because of the caramel flavor and this time it won't make me throw up. The problem is I need to have a candy after each candy. I'm scared if this would bring bad effects to the babay ( hope not ). You can also try this and we can ask our OB if this is fine.mi hope I did help somebody with this experience I'm sharing.
DeleteI had this problem from about 12 weeks until about week 30 - I was a 'spit in the bottle' type and had to carry it everywhere - even at night I had it, surrounded by towels..... I don't quite know how I got through it, but it was the most miserable aspect of my pregnancy (apart from the intense nausea and sensitivity to the smell of most green vegetables!) It did clear up enough for me not to carry the bottle around before I had my twins, who are now nearly a year old. However, in the past month it seems to be coming back - it is keeping me awake at night and I am constantly aware of the excessive saliva during the day. I took ranitidine while I was pregnant, though I am not sure that it helped much. I just wondered if anyone had had (or had heard of someone who had had) the same problem, post pregnancy. Incidentally, the return of the problem does seem to have increased significantly since I stopped breastfeeding........
ReplyDeleteI dealt with this condition with my first pregnancy, and now I'm dealing with it now on my second pregnancy. It's so nerve wrecking and gross dealing with this short-term condition. I can't wait for this process to be over with..ugh. :(
ReplyDeleteDrooling is the unintentional spillage of saliva from the mouth. Drooling can occur with any condition that impairs neuromuscular control of the muscles around the mouth, leading to weak muscles around the mouth, that increases salivation (the production of saliva), or that impairs swallowing. Cerebral palsy is one example of a condition in which oral neuromuscular control may be impaired, resulting in drooling. Drooling is common in infants because of immature muscular control. Medically, drooling is referred to as ptyalism, and an excess of saliva is known as sialorrhea.
ReplyDeleteI've had ptyalism since I was 6 weeks pregnant. It came on one morning and my saliva was building up at an alarming rate. I thought it would go away by my second trimester. But alas, I had my spit bottle right next to me during delivery. My severe heart burn went away within a couple days, but my excessive saliva endured. Currently 5 weeks postpartum and it has not slowed since the first day it started. My doctor told me it can continue for up to three months.
ReplyDeleteDang 3mths?? And,i,hear the doctor's don't even know much about it, so hopefully that's true. I'm in the same situation. I was told as soon, as the placenta disconnected. I did notice a difference, but I was still salivating. And I'm still salivating. Just wondering if its hormonal, or should I start look at other causes. Lets see! Well looking at the date you're close to 3mths, has it stopped? I pray it has!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's really sad they won't do more research on this. Stay encouraged. I'm sure we will all figure it God willing at some point.
DeleteI'm so glad I seen this post ! I feel the exact same way ... I take a bottle everywhere I go ... To the store, to school and by my bed... I get crazy looks all the time .... And consciously in my sleep my body will hold it in place (at the root of my mouth) .... Eww !
ReplyDeletei am 12 weeks and going through the exact same thing. its depressing .. i have a bucket next to me all the time . and in case i wanna talk to people i chew on something .. then i go back to my room and my bucket and my spitting. its horrible
ReplyDeletei am 12 weeks and going through the exact same thing. its depressing .. i have a bucket next to me all the time . and in case i wanna talk to people i chew on something .. then i go back to my room and my bucket and my spitting. its horrible
ReplyDeleteYes.. samething i am suffering from but there are so many pregnant women who dont even know about ptyalism. .. lucky ppl... very very lucky... my pregnancies are always very difficult full with morning sickness all day ... vomiting. .. sensitive smelling,.. ptyalism..
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same boat. Currently 15 weeks along. The excessive saliva started around week 10 when nausea and vomiting was at its worst. Nausea and vomiting have subsided thankfully but the excessive salivastill persists. I had it a little bit with my first pregnancy but it's much more excessive this time around. I carry an ear bulb I bought from the drug store so I can quickly suck out the saliva when I'm out or at work. I also use the bulb and a cup at home.I keep speaking to people at a minimum but if I know I have a meeting or if I have to speak longer I pop some sugarless gum in my mouth which helps temporarily. Also looking forward to my dentist appt in a few weeks. Hoping there's no other underlying condition. It may just be the heartburn. Hang in there to all going through this annoying symptom.
ReplyDelete