Please help with advice..........am worried about throat symptoms and diagnosis!!

YoungMummy

Hello Everyone,

Firstly can I say you are all amazing people and having read a lot of threads I admire your strength and pray for you all xx

I am a 35yr old smoker who has had a really sore throat (on the left side) and hoarse voice for over 5 weeks. I started by seeing my GP who diagnosed tonsillitis on the left side and prescribed Anti Bs. He said if no better by the end of the week to come back as he was concerned only one tonsil was affected. Went back 5 days later and given another course of stonger Anti Bs. Then had some swelling on my left jaw line with a tingling sensation and was refered to ENT as an emergency onto the ward. ENT put a scope down my nose and did a full blood count. Bloods came back fine and showed no infection!?!? Nothing untoward seen with scope although there was some glandular swelling on my adenoids and the back of my tongue, which the Dr was confused about. Left tonsil inflammed but no puss.

To cut a very long story short the numerous Dr's I have seen have guessed at and eliminated mumps, mono, quinsy and ended up giving me some anti viral meds just in case along with some proton pump inhibitors to rule out GORD (even though I don't suffer with heartburn). Not able to offer a diagnosis as symptoms don't fit with anything obvious is what I was told.

Two weeks on and my throat is no better and over those two wees I now have jaw pain, ear pain and a noticable node in my left neck inflammed. I am due to go back and see the ENT Consultant on 12th July in the hope that my symptoms have gone. If not then he will take things from there!?!? All they seemed to be concerned with is can I eat, drink and swallow my own saliva!!

I hate to sound like a paranoid lunatic but as my brave and beloved Uncle died at 48 of throat cancer after being misdiagnosed by numerous Dr's for 3 months which left him without a chance to fight I am getting really concerned and don't know what to do. I feel life is to precious to sit back and wait especially as I have two small children depending on me?!

Any help or advice would be gratefully received - thank you xx

Irishgypsie

2nd, 3rd opinion!
Hello, I'm sorry that you are having to go through this! I would go get a 2nd, and even maybe a 3rd opinion if need be! Be blunt say you are concerned about oral cancer. Have the lymph node biopsied!!!!!!
Charles

BeacherBum

Irishgypsie said:

2nd, 3rd opinion!
Hello, I'm sorry that you are having to go through this! I would go get a 2nd, and even maybe a 3rd opinion if need be! Be blunt say you are concerned about oral cancer. Have the lymph node biopsied!!!!!!
Charles

Agreed
I agree with Charles. Get another opinion and possibly a 3rd. If you are willing to tell us where you are located, some posters on here might be able to point you towards a Dr or facility they are familiar with and trust.

Best of luck.

Pam M

Sound Sane to Me
I agree with IrishGypsy - request a biopsy. I, too, went through a short, winding path on my way to diagnosis (I was also tested for Cat Scratch Fever - sadly, I didn't have it). The first biopsy I had done was a fine needle aspiration biopsy. Quick, and not painful (actually, I had soreness and swelling after the scoping and biopsy, but it was more bothersome than painful). Here's hoping that in a few days, you're feeling sheepish about being worried for nothing.

Skiffin16

CT...
First welcome to the forum, great people here....

Also, at this point, nobody has confirmed you as having cancer...so at this time, just rule that out until you hear elsewise.

If nothing else also ask the ENT for a CT, and explain your history and that you'd like to have one.

There maynot be anything big enough or defined enough for a needle biopsy. The CT would show any tumors or such.

Like mentioned, if you don't have faith in the ENT see another.

Best,
John

Hondo

Hi Mummy

I don’t mean anything bad by this but please give up the smoking; I lost my best friend to that stuff. Also I would find a real Cancer hospital and get my testing done there, stay away from small town doctors.

I hope you don’t have to go through this stuff, but if you do we are all here to help.

Welcome to CSN
Hondo

sweetblood22

Skiffin16 said:

CT...
First welcome to the forum, great people here....

Also, at this point, nobody has confirmed you as having cancer...so at this time, just rule that out until you hear elsewise.

If nothing else also ask the ENT for a CT, and explain your history and that you'd like to have one.

There maynot be anything big enough or defined enough for a needle biopsy. The CT would show any tumors or such.

Like mentioned, if you don't have faith in the ENT see another.

Best,
John

I agree! Another opinion if you need to and...
Definitely insist on fine needle asp. biopsy on lymphnode, and tonsil, and a CT Scan with contrast.

Pam M

Hondo said:

Hi Mummy

I don’t mean anything bad by this but please give up the smoking; I lost my best friend to that stuff. Also I would find a real Cancer hospital and get my testing done there, stay away from small town doctors.

I hope you don’t have to go through this stuff, but if you do we are all here to help.

Welcome to CSN
Hondo

I'm With Hondo
I know how hard it is to quit smoking - I quit about eight years before my cancer diagnosis. But even not taking cancer or lung disease into consideration - it is worth the pain and effort to quit (although, like the commercials tell us "quitting sucks").

Hq18

Ditto to everyone else. Get
Ditto to everyone else. Get that other opnion. But also really talk to you doctor about your history. It took a while for my diagnosis too because my doctor that my tumor was just a swollen lympnode. Then after still there for a little over a month sent me for ultra sound where my doctor still did not think it was cancer but sent me to ENT to do biopsy to see what it is and what next step. That is when found out it was cancer. To this day any many test they did not find my primary source but is hopeful that they got it all with my radiation treatment. I will find out in about another month. Good luck and welcome here!

YoungMummy

Pam M said:

I'm With Hondo
I know how hard it is to quit smoking - I quit about eight years before my cancer diagnosis. But even not taking cancer or lung disease into consideration - it is worth the pain and effort to quit (although, like the commercials tell us "quitting sucks").

Thank you everyone :-)
Hi everyone

Thank you so much for your replies - and no offense taken Hondo - it is an obvious thing to say and I keep beating myself up over why I do it?! It is such a badly addictive habit and although I have tried many times to stop this is definitely the kick up the backside I need whatever the outcome!!

I don't live in the US but this board seems so informative I thought I would ask you guys if this is purely paranoia or should I really push this - which my instinct is telling me to. I am in the UK so our processes are different due to the NHS and it's financial restrictions. They tend to try and eliminate every possible cause before looking toward the worst case scenario. Am considering paying for a private scan!?

Anyway thanks again and hopefully this will all turn out to be something and nothing - fingers and toes crossed :-)

I will keep you posted once I finally get some sort of diagnosis!

Best wishes to you all xx

fisrpotpe

Hondo said:

Hi Mummy

I don’t mean anything bad by this but please give up the smoking; I lost my best friend to that stuff. Also I would find a real Cancer hospital and get my testing done there, stay away from small town doctors.

I hope you don’t have to go through this stuff, but if you do we are all here to help.

Welcome to CSN
Hondo

Agree
I too agree with Hondo! Get away from the small town doctor's.


Welcome to a wonderful site. Please keep in mind until you have a biopsy and are told it is the C that you are clean.

John

jim and i

get ct now
My husband was missdiagnosed and treated for neurology problem for 3 years!! Our "small town GP" was the one to finally order the CT no offense Hondo] that found the cancer at the base of his tongue. I do not know what the protocal is in the UK but even if you must pay for it, get that CT scan. There are others on this site from UK maybe they can help locate good ENT.

Hope it is something else. Praying for you. Debbie

buzz99

Throat symptoms
I concur with everyone else. Throat cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose. In my hubby's case it was advanced before it was diagnosed and he had very few symptoms. Keep insisting the docs nail down a diagnosis. GERD would cause heartburn symptoms and not an inflammed tonsil. When you go back to the ENT insist that you want further testing and get another opinion especially at a major center. I hope you get some answers soon. Karen

jeepman

Find a cancer hospital
Youngmummy,

I was misdianosed once. I then elected (demanded) to get referred to the University of North Carolina's Cancer Hospital. As soon as I got there I was CT'ed and the nodes on the right side of my neck were biopsied. Came back +SCC HPV. I am a non-smoker and was very glad to hear that HPV SCC responds very well to treatment. My primary tumor was not able to be identified until after the tonsillectomy/BOT excission, they found it and got all of it with large margins 3MM.

Get plugged into a cancer hospital and get 2 or 3 opinions.

Mike

mls351w

diagnosis
You shouldn't be waiting for this to go away. Get to a good ENT guy and get a biopsy ASAP.
Yes, smoking is bad. But I never smoked in 53 years and drink a beer once or twice a year, yet I got cancer on base of my tongue.
When I asked my rad/ocn what might have caused it, reply was smoking and drinking.
This ****/**** can hit anyone at any time. Get a biopsy.

Skiffin16

mls351w said:

diagnosis
You shouldn't be waiting for this to go away. Get to a good ENT guy and get a biopsy ASAP.
Yes, smoking is bad. But I never smoked in 53 years and drink a beer once or twice a year, yet I got cancer on base of my tongue.
When I asked my rad/ocn what might have caused it, reply was smoking and drinking.
This ****/**** can hit anyone at any time. Get a biopsy.

I'm no medical professional, and unless your tissue had a biopsy and not confimed HPV, I'd be willing to bet it very well could have been HPV derived...

JG

YoungMummy

Skiffin16 said:

I'm no medical professional, and unless your tissue had a biopsy and not confimed HPV, I'd be willing to bet it very well could have been HPV derived...

JG

MRI booked
Hi Everyone

I hope you are all ok and thanks very much for the messages - and support - feel like I am going mad at times ;-0

Just thought I would update you.......I have seen the ENT Consultant today and although my throat feels slightly better it is still not right. They looked again with the scope and said although nothing obvious can be seen my left tonsil is still looking larger than the right one and my glands are still slightly swollen on my adenoids and the base of my tongue. They also felt the enlarged node in my neck and suggested I get booked in for a biopsy of my adenoids, tongue and left tonsil with a ???? over whether to remove it completely - along with an ultra sound of my neck. She then left the room to discuss this with a fellow ENT Consultant and came back saying to scrap that - they are going to book me in for an MRI Scan within the next 10 days and based on the results will decide what's next?!

I am trying very hard to be positive and am glad they are doing something but.......I am a bit scared!!!

Am hoping I can update you all with fab news once I get the MRI results - fingers crossed and I wish you all the very best xx

Skiffin16

YoungMummy said:

MRI booked
Hi Everyone

I hope you are all ok and thanks very much for the messages - and support - feel like I am going mad at times ;-0

Just thought I would update you.......I have seen the ENT Consultant today and although my throat feels slightly better it is still not right. They looked again with the scope and said although nothing obvious can be seen my left tonsil is still looking larger than the right one and my glands are still slightly swollen on my adenoids and the base of my tongue. They also felt the enlarged node in my neck and suggested I get booked in for a biopsy of my adenoids, tongue and left tonsil with a ???? over whether to remove it completely - along with an ultra sound of my neck. She then left the room to discuss this with a fellow ENT Consultant and came back saying to scrap that - they are going to book me in for an MRI Scan within the next 10 days and based on the results will decide what's next?!

I am trying very hard to be positive and am glad they are doing something but.......I am a bit scared!!!

Am hoping I can update you all with fab news once I get the MRI results - fingers crossed and I wish you all the very best xx

Better to Know Sooner
Better to know sooner and be proactive than later and reactive....

Thoughts & Prayers,
JG

bpell0402

Skiffin16 said:

Better to Know Sooner
Better to know sooner and be proactive than later and reactive....

Thoughts & Prayers,
JG

be proactive!
demand to be heard and find a doctors who listens to you! glad your MRI is booked. please keep us updated.

good thoughts and prayers are with you .. ask your doctor if they will call you with results or do you need an appointment to come in and book it! waiting is the difficult part!

fisrpotpe

bpell0402 said:

be proactive!
demand to be heard and find a doctors who listens to you! glad your MRI is booked. please keep us updated.

good thoughts and prayers are with you .. ask your doctor if they will call you with results or do you need an appointment to come in and book it! waiting is the difficult part!

me three
being proactive is the best way to go. push to get an appointment 2-3 days post mri so you do not need to wait forever.

Thanks for the update.

John

YoungMummy

fisrpotpe said:

me three
being proactive is the best way to go. push to get an appointment 2-3 days post mri so you do not need to wait forever.

Thanks for the update.

John

MRI date and..................ditched the fags :-)
Hi everyone

I have my date for my MRI Monday 25th July and a follow up appointment with the ENT consultant to get the results on Thursday 28th July. Am praying for good news!! Have to get a sedative from the GP as I am seriously claustrophobic and not sure I'll be able to stay in there for 45 minutes?! Hope I'm not the first person in history to freak out and destroy the machine!!

On a positive note I am day 3 smoke free :-) Am coping ok with the odd dodgy moment but I haven't cracked yet so everyday is an achievement.

Really hope you are all doing well and thank you again for your supportive posts - they mean a lot xx