Expert: Joel S. Teig, DMD, Diplomate ABOMS, retired - 11/6/2009

Question
i know this is a popular subject, but i have yet to find advice that will help the intense bleeding that i have. i am 14 days post op, and yet every couple of hours or so, my throat starts to bleed again. mind you, it is not mixed into spit, it is pure blood, like the worst nosebleed you have ever had, the kind that just goes *dripdripdripdrip*, last night i was in the bathroom for an hour trying to make it stop, i actually ended up passing out, woke up pure white and scared out of my mind because it still hadn't stopped. my friend suggested corn starch, so i slept with a couple spoonfuls in my mouth and lodged in my throat, it seemed to help but what do i know. i have also heard that black tea helps clot blood, is this true?

i went to the ER three times, each time they took a look at my throat, said "it looks fine" and sent me home, despite the cup of blood i was holding in my hand. i went to the doctor who gave me the surgery, he said i might have thrush, gave me medicine for thrush, said to gargle ice water and sent me home as well, the only thing he noted as unusual is how slow I'm healing, he says it looks great, but it should look a LOT better for 14 days. well i tried ice water...it didn't help one bit. i just need some sort of home remedy like corn starch or tea that will make it actually clot, i don't want to die from blood loss, and the ER people are starting to hate me, even though i have strict instructions to go to the ER if i bleed excessively. any ideas?  

Answer
Raine - There is nothing you can do at home to stop that bleeding.  The surgeon should cauterize the bleeding site.  That is the correct approach if the bleeding continues.  I wish I could give you a simple solution, but the surgeon is the only one to stop the bleeding.  Try to speak with him again.  He might be able to simply cauterized the area to stop the bleeding.