throat cancer

Sandra123
Sandra123 Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hello, I'm just new to this. Have an appt with specialist mid July. Going crazy waiting. Just wondering if anybody out there had a persistent sore red throat. Going on about 7 months now, and antibiotics do not help. So we are eliminating all the posibilities. Anyone have that symptom? thanks

Comments

  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    #2
    Sore throat and ear pain
    Hi Sandra,

    I understand your feeling of going crazy waiting for your appointment but please don't let it consume you. Worrying and adding more stress to your life will not help. Spend this time thinking positive that it is something quite curable and try to go on with your life as usual. I know this is easier to say than to do but please try.

    Like you I had a sore throat for several months but mine was never red. Just thought it was a cold because I was having ear pain and a raspy voice at the same time. I know it is human nature to think the worst at times like this but PLEASE DON'T. Keep the faith and try to think positive, this may be something quite simple or possibly the antibiotics they gave you weren't the best ones for whatever is wrong.

    If you read more of the posts on this website you will read stories of others who got false scares and are doing fine now, just keep telling yourself this is what yours will be.

    As someone else said on here - it's not cancer until the pathologist does the biopsy!!

    Please take care of yourself and stay in touch to let us know what the final results were. You will find many, many caring people on these discussion boards.

    Keep the faith and keep smiling,
    Glenna
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #3
    Sandra
    It is wise of your doctor to send you to the specialist after all of this time. Seven months is a VERY LONG time to have a persistent sore throat, although I agree with Glenna that anything is possible, still.

    In my case, I went to my doctor in June of '05 for a sore throat and was prescribed antibiotics. I went back to him in July of that year with the same complaint, and he prescribed a different antibiotic. When I called him about the first of September advising him that I was having trouble eating due to a bump on my tongue, THEN he had me go directly to the hospital after seeing me immediately.

    I had, it turns out, squamous cell cancer of the tongue and neck.

    Again, Sandra, this could still be any number of things, and, again, Sandra, it is wise of your doctor to send you to a specialist (an Ear/Nose/Throat doctor, I presume?).

    It is true, Sandra, as you are learning, that the waiting is the hardest part, to borrow from a Tom Petty song. Or so it seems.

    It is also true, Sandra, that even if the worst-case scenario proves to be the case, it is not a death sentence for you. I am still here and doing well (No Evidence of Disease) four years later. I know of folks who are nine, 10, 20+ year survivors. (If I recall correctly, the 'success rate' once you have been clear of disease for five years is something like 95%, a phenomenonally great number (probably better odds than you would get just driving your car everyday :))).

    You can, of course, begin to help yourself immediately if you smoke or drink by quitting both activities. These activities can not only obviously be a reason for a persistent sore throat, but to bring up that number again, I believe that statistics indicate 95% of those who contract head/neck cancers are smokers and/or smokers/drinkers.

    Best wishes to you. Hopefully, it turns out to be nothing. If that proves not to be the case, we are here for you.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • mtcarrieann
    mtcarrieann Member Posts: 8
    #4
    soccerfreaks said:

    Sandra
    It is wise of your doctor to send you to the specialist after all of this time. Seven months is a VERY LONG time to have a persistent sore throat, although I agree with Glenna that anything is possible, still.

    In my case, I went to my doctor in June of '05 for a sore throat and was prescribed antibiotics. I went back to him in July of that year with the same complaint, and he prescribed a different antibiotic. When I called him about the first of September advising him that I was having trouble eating due to a bump on my tongue, THEN he had me go directly to the hospital after seeing me immediately.

    I had, it turns out, squamous cell cancer of the tongue and neck.

    Again, Sandra, this could still be any number of things, and, again, Sandra, it is wise of your doctor to send you to a specialist (an Ear/Nose/Throat doctor, I presume?).

    It is true, Sandra, as you are learning, that the waiting is the hardest part, to borrow from a Tom Petty song. Or so it seems.

    It is also true, Sandra, that even if the worst-case scenario proves to be the case, it is not a death sentence for you. I am still here and doing well (No Evidence of Disease) four years later. I know of folks who are nine, 10, 20+ year survivors. (If I recall correctly, the 'success rate' once you have been clear of disease for five years is something like 95%, a phenomenonally great number (probably better odds than you would get just driving your car everyday :))).

    You can, of course, begin to help yourself immediately if you smoke or drink by quitting both activities. These activities can not only obviously be a reason for a persistent sore throat, but to bring up that number again, I believe that statistics indicate 95% of those who contract head/neck cancers are smokers and/or smokers/drinkers.

    Best wishes to you. Hopefully, it turns out to be nothing. If that proves not to be the case, we are here for you.

    Take care,

    Joe

    Sandra
    Hi

    I am survivor of tongue cancer. your doctor is wise to send you to a ENT specialist that is what I went to 7 mo is a long time. Be sure to ask plenty of questions and be persistent some times that is what it takes because as I said earlier 7 mo is a long time they need to get to the bottom of it.
    I am new to this web site but the people on here are very supportive and help in any way they can so please feel free to ask question or even vent if you get frustrated.
    you are in my prayers remember to keep the faith :-)
  • linda5508
    linda5508 Member Posts: 2
    #5
    answer
    It could just be a sore throat or if you are having strep throat symptoms such as pain while swallowing, and swollen lymph nodes, then it could be a strep throat infection.
  • JonatanCarter227
    JonatanCarter227 Member Posts: 1
    #6
    I told all the other
    I told all the other teachers today what was going on, and everyone was very kind. My neighbor even brought me bananas and milk.
    Source: early symptoms of strep throat
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #7
    JonatanCarter227 said:

    I told all the other
    I told all the other teachers today what was going on, and everyone was very kind. My neighbor even brought me bananas and milk.
    Source: early symptoms of strep throat

    LINK
    Thanks, finally thought of using HTML Code?

    Best,
    John
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #8
    JonatanCarter227 said:

    I told all the other
    I told all the other teachers today what was going on, and everyone was very kind. My neighbor even brought me bananas and milk.
    Source: early symptoms of strep throat

    Hi Jonatan
    Welcome to our family here on CSN, I do hope you plan to stay.

    All the best to you

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