Tongue Biopsy pain

Bostonlass65
Bostonlass65 Member Posts: 4
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I had about a 1/4 inch in diameter size biopsy taken from under my tongue yesterday. The pain is in my throat, jaw, tongue and ear. Does anyone know how long it will last?

Im trying not to obsess about the results but after reading some stories I relate to so many symptoms. Had the white spot on tongue for a year and a half. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes it's just irritating. Have had cold symptoms since last June that won't go away which I thought were just allergies but now I just don't know.

what are some things you all would recommend to help me remain calm during this waiting period?

 

thanks in advance for any and all advice. 

Comments

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #2
    Pain meds

    Hopefully, someone provided medication for you, Boston.

  • Tonita
    Tonita Member Posts: 197 Member
    #3
    I had a tongue biopsy but no

    I had a tongue biopsy but no pain was involved in it like you describe.  I also had the white sore which I thought was a canker sore. and it was really painful.  It didn't go away so I saw my doctor after a couple of months.   I had the biopsy and it came back positive for Squamous Cell Carcinoma, stage 1.

    The doctor did offer me a prescription for pain, but I declined and relied on Tylenol to help.

    I had the surgery and they got it all and it will be a year in March.

     

     

     

  • Bostonlass65
    Bostonlass65 Member Posts: 4
    #4
    I thought going in that they

    I thought going in that they would do a needle aspiration or something but then he ended up taking out the entire sore. They gave me Vicodin but I'm trying to use it sparingly since they didn't give me much of it. The worst is swallowing. It feels like I have a huge open blister in my throat. The sore was way in back of my tongue. Also kills when I move my tongue too much and the stitches pull. I really have taken my tongue for granted all these years! Never knew I used it so often.

  • Tonita
    Tonita Member Posts: 197 Member
    #5
    Bostonlass65 said:

    I thought going in that they

    I thought going in that they would do a needle aspiration or something but then he ended up taking out the entire sore. They gave me Vicodin but I'm trying to use it sparingly since they didn't give me much of it. The worst is swallowing. It feels like I have a huge open blister in my throat. The sore was way in back of my tongue. Also kills when I move my tongue too much and the stitches pull. I really have taken my tongue for granted all these years! Never knew I used it so often.

    I say the same thing, taking

    I say the same thing, taking my tongue for granted.  You don't realize how many different ways you use it. 

    I didn't really have a lot of pain after the surgery.

    My tumor was in the lower right side of my tongue.  I still have problems from the surgery.  My tongue wasn't left the way they found it and it is causing me problems.  The surgeon said that he can fix it so I may go that route.

  • T3rri
    T3rri Member Posts: 23
    #6
    10 days

    it took my husband 10 days to recover from the pain of the biopsy to the back of tongue, throat, etc. they took a lot of samples because the tumor really wasn't visible and they wanted to locate it so that radiation could be more targeted and not as broad. 

    liquid vicadin was a godsend.... then you can taper down to Tylenol. 

     

    Good luck.....

     

     

  • tommyodavey
    tommyodavey Member Posts: 728 Member
    edited February 2017 #7
    Bad Pain

    Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble with the biopsy. I had a tumor removed from the base of my tongue and the pain was unbelievable.  Unfortunately, my doctor did not like to prescribe narcotics any stronger than 5 mg's of Hydrocodone. (Vicodin) That didn't even phase me.  It wasn't until I got some Percoset that it subsided a little.  Two weeks should be about right for the pain to begin to lessen.  Faster for you as it wasn't as large as mine. 

    Don't be a hero with the pain meds.  Ask for something that will work and take it BEFORE the pain starts.  That's how they are supposed to work.  Getting off them isn't all that hard.  A nice slow taper by 20% every week or so will get them out of your system easily enough.  Maybe a few days of symptoms but you'll be back to your old self within a week. 

    The tongue is full of nerves so anything like surgery will hurt.  But it also heals faster than other parts of the body. (so they tell me) Try to be patient.  Take your pain pills an hour before trying to eat, and time will heal the wound.

    Hope it all goes by fast.

  • Bostonlass65
    Bostonlass65 Member Posts: 4
    #8
    Thanks everyone. The pain is

    Thanks everyone. The pain is a bit better today. I don't know if anyone else has tinnitus but mine has been acting up big time since the biopsy and it's also like I need a spittoon with all of the saliva! Normally I have to suck on a sugar free Werther's because my mouth is so dry but no need for that now.

    I go back a week from Wednesday. 

  • Bostonlass65
    Bostonlass65 Member Posts: 4
    edited February 2017 #9
    Hi everyone - pain is almost

    Hi everyone - pain is almost gone in ear but still dull pain in jaw and tongue and throat.  I just called the oral surgeon's office and asked if my biopsy results are in and she said yes but that the doctor wants to go over them with me in person tomorrow morning. Cry So scared now. Anytime I've had a biopsy I have always received a call to tell me the results were benign over the phone. No one has ever said that " the doctor wants to go over them with you in person".  

    I'm not afraid of many things in life but reading about what you all have gone through (especially the radiation) scares the ever living daylights out of me.

    I'm going to try and make pretend that he just wants to see me in person because he wants to explain that the thing he took out showed something autoimmune related and so he wants to educate me and send me to a Rheumatologist.  they really need a rubber room for people to stay in while they wait for their results because this is mentally exhausting. My brother in law started hospice this Monday for bladder cancer so to get this on top of that is just the straw that broke the camel's back.

     

    Thanks for letting me vent,

     

    Bridget

  • amkoffee
    amkoffee Member Posts: 2
    #10
    The waiting for results

    I had a tongue biopsy on Monday and once the novocaine wore off I was in a lot of pain. I already took pain pills for chronic back problem so I had to call my pain management doctor for her to treat the pain in my tongue. She allowed me to take two additional pills a day to help with the pain in my tongue. She let me take those extra tablets for 4 days but my pain continue not quite as bad but still bad enough so I contacted her again and ask for another 3 days and she granted that. It does a good job of controlling the pain but it's very hard to eat without pain and very hard to talk without pain. And it's not just the pain but it aggravates it so it continues to hurt long after I stop eating or talking.

     

    So now that that is done I've got to wait two weeks for the results. And hoping that he doesn't call me in early because that's a sure sign of cancer.

  • tanuhin
    tanuhin Member Posts: 1
    #11
    T3rri said:

    10 days

    it took my husband 10 days to recover from the pain of the biopsy to the back of tongue, throat, etc. they took a lot of samples because the tumor really wasn't visible and they wanted to locate it so that radiation could be more targeted and not as broad. 

    liquid vicadin was a godsend.... then you can taper down to Tylenol. 

     

    Good luck.....

     

     

    biopsy

    OMg! 10 days! My doctor took a biopsy from the middle of the right sight of my  toungue and I had stiches. It was on thursday and now is sunday and it hurts like crazy! It is difficult to eat and to talk. I am a school teacher and have to go to work on Monday. Cannot even imagine how I am going to talk all day!

    Tina

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