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Anyone else struggling to get betnesol mouthwash to treat their oral erosive lichen planus?

Posted , 2 users are following.

john71813
john71813

I have been using 1mg of betnesol for over 20 years twice daily as mouthwash - keeping it in for about 10 minutes, sometimes more. More recently I have added green tea tablets and the combination gives almost complete control. However there have been problems with supply now and again, and now I am told that betnesol will not be available for months. I am trying to get hold of dexamethasone liquid in the same dosage. It is much more expensive and the liquid is much less convenient than the tablets which I just chew. It is important to chose the right steroid as it has to bind strongly to the nucleus of the cells in the mouth and not simply get absorbed into the blood stream. The two drugs seem pretty similar in this respect, though I think the dex is more difficult to "solubilize".

1 like, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • anne07585
    anne07585 john71813

    Posted

    Yes, my pharmacist has been trying to get my prescription for Betamethasone 500mcg Soluble tablets for six weeks. I have a big flare up of Oral Lichen Planus and they don't even know if they will be able to have it in stock in January! I am alternating salt & warm water rinse and bicarbonate of soda rinse. It sooths slightly but not enough to reduce the flare up!

    • john71813
      john71813 anne07585

      Posted

      Last time there was a problem I eventually got Dexamethasone liquid 2 mg/5ml and used that in the same dosage - for me that was 2.5 mls. Seemed to control things - better than dexamethasone tablets anyway, they did not dissolve and did nothing. In theory the two drugs should stick in place once they've got to the nucleus of the cells for a similar length of time, unlike hydrocortisone which would just get absorbed into the blood stream.

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