| Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 3 Member | OP Member Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 3 | i have had a soar throat for about a month now it seems to get better and then comes back. Left side of throat has one particular spot hurts very bad. im feeling tingling and like tickling sensations on the right side of my mouth mostly, but sometimes in other places in the mouth and my face. had a small lump in my mouth the nurse practitioner said it was an under the skin canker soar. It was very painful and then the pain went away very quickly. Some days i am very fatigued and some days i am ok. have lost 7 pounds in the last 2 weeks without trying just not hungry and i cant sleep at night any more. I don't know if the fatigue is from stress of thinking i have mouth or throat cancer or from actually having it. i smoked cigarettes and marijuana for about 6 or 7 years pack a day or more quit for a couple of years and have been dealing blackjack in a smokey casino for about 4 years now. i am very worried i have 3 small boys and a beautiful wife. i have seen a nurse practitioner a couple of times and i think he thinks im crazy. today i called his office and asked to see an ENT to look at that spot in my throat. Is there any thing else i should ask the ENT? Am i just paranoid? Is this all in my head? | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | No just get to that ENT ASAP.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 | I second david.
Get to an ENT and find out what is going on.
Kelly Male 48, SCC (Soft Palet) Rt., Stage 1, T3n0m0, Dx, 8-09, Start IMRT 35 9-2-09 end 10-21-09 04-20-10 NED 8-11 recurrence, node rt. neck N2b 10-11 33 IMRT w/chemo wkly 3-12-12 PET - residual cancer 4-12 5 treatments with Cyberknife & Erbitux 6-19-12 Pet scan CLEAR 12-3-12 PET - CLEAR
| | | | Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 235 Gold Member (200+ posts) | Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 235 | Chris,I don't think you are being paranoid. Just sounds like you are advocating for yourself. Stress can cause weight loss, fatigue,etc but so can a lot of things. One of the best ways to alleviate stress is to get some answers. So, getting to that ENT is good advice. Good luck and keep us posted.
CG to Spouse BOT, Chemo and radiation started on March 29,2010 Ended on May 14,2010. LET THE HEALING BEGIN!!!
| | | | Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 44 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 44 | Your being smart, follow through. | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,406 | Ditto to all the above, and let us know! david too
David 2 SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 14 years all clear in 6/23 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
| | | | Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 3 Member | OP Member Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 3 | Are pins and needles or the tickling sensations in my mouth a symptom of oral cancer or throat cancer. | | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 | Chris,
It could be a hundred things. Get to that ENT and get a definition of the problem. You can then start dealing with the solution.
We all hate the waiting that comes with getting the answers we need from the medical profession. Weather it is a deep canker sore or cancer or something else entirely, it will be a bit longer before you will know. Try as best you can to hold off on the speculation. It will drive you nuts.
I will sat that I am a huge advocate of definitely knowing what a problem is. I don�t subscribe to the medical folks telling me to wait and see if it goes away.
Kelly Male 48, SCC (Soft Palet) Rt., Stage 1, T3n0m0, Dx, 8-09, Start IMRT 35 9-2-09 end 10-21-09 04-20-10 NED 8-11 recurrence, node rt. neck N2b 10-11 33 IMRT w/chemo wkly 3-12-12 PET - residual cancer 4-12 5 treatments with Cyberknife & Erbitux 6-19-12 Pet scan CLEAR 12-3-12 PET - CLEAR
| | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 | Get to that ENT. I too had a "canker sore under the skin." So that is what my Oral surgeon said and ENT until they did an excisional biopsy. You much advocate for yourself and make them do what you feel needs to be done, If they do not, then get another dr.
Angelia 31 at Dx. DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth, T1NOMO, T2N1M0 TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09 PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement PEG/PORT: 11/09 TX end: 02/01/10 PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear PEG Out: 06/21/10 Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN Baby girl born 11-30-12
| | | | Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 45 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 45 | I agree that making an appointment with an ENT is going to bring you one step closer to finding out what's going on - you also need to take some deep breaths and think about the best case scenario as well.
2002 - SCC - T1N0M0 - ever vigilant
| | | | Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 3 Member | OP Member Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 3 | I have been having strange pains in my jaw and cheek bone mostly on the left side. I have also been having pain on my upper lip and my gums on my upper teeth. Sometimes when i swallow i can feel it in my jaw bones and cheek bones like there is a soar in my throat and the nerves are connected. Sometimes i can feel it when i swallow in my head. like sort of a head ache. i went to see an ENT a month ago he checked my throat with some mirrors and didn't see any thing. I went to the emergency room last night and gave the doc my symptoms he said it was just stress. I was hoping to get some sort of scan but he said that a scan can be dangerous and also give me cancer. I have an appointment with a neurologist in 2 weeks what should i do. i really feel like something is wrong with me, i cant sleep from the stress i have a wife and 3 kids one on the way ,sorry about the long post. | | | | Joined: May 2010 Posts: 135 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: May 2010 Posts: 135 | Bless your heart Chris. I sure hope that you can find another ENT (perhaps a recommendation from someone on these boards) to get to the root of the problem. Meanwhile best wishes are heading your way!
Aunt diag. 2/4/10 with SCC Stage I/II on left side of tongue. Surgery 2/19/10 part. gloss./neck diss. on left side/free flap from chest muscle. TI/II,NO,MO. Clear margins with perineural invasion. Started rads 4/8/10 - 35 treatments, finished 5/26/10.
| | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,912 Likes: 52 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,912 Likes: 52 | This could be something as simple as you subconsciously and chronically clenching your teeth, and after a period of time that can cause this kind of discomfort. There is also the possibility that the TMJ joint is having an issue, which can cause a very similar pain.
I think the doc that said no to the scan was really overstating it about it causing cancer. There have been some uncalibrated machines in the US recently that got press for hurting people, but it would take many many scans for you to develop an accumulation of a cancer causing dose of radiation.
In your exploration of this include someone from the dental community that is familiar with TMJ dysfunction. An ENT doctor coud put a small scope down through your nose ( not as bad as it sounds I get it done all the time) and have a really good close look inside your throat, if you go this route pick an ENT that is also a head and neck surgeon, they are better versed on oral and throat cancers.
While we don't know much about you, stress caused clenching which causes TMJ problems is a very common thing.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant. | | |
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