Hey everyone I am new to this group. I discovered a small lump inside of my tongue accidentally back in april of this year. It is towards the end of my tongue more so on the left side, not painful,pea size, but its more long then round, it also varies in size sometimes its practically not there and sometimes it's very noticable and hard. It worried me a great deal and so I made an appt with a dentist, he felt around and saw no concern at all. Not feeling really confident with what he said , I made an appointment with my PC physician and he also didnt seem concerned, and just told me to keep an eye on it. So months have gone by and there hasn't been any changes.

Last night I felt a pain toward the back left side of my tongue, so I felt around and felt another lump toward the back left side where your wisdom tooth would be, this one isnt mobile, I looked in the mirrow with a flash light and took a pop sicle stick to move my tongue to the side and I see the lump but it is flesh color not round kind of long and flat but just raised enough to feel a difference, it does not hurt when I touch it, its not an ulcer. I am freaking my self out now, to where I am making my throat hurt on that side, and my jaw and ear, and my voice is hoarcening. I am so terrified.

I cannot see a doctor until after Oct my job is not letting anyone have time off due to many people being out. Also it is so hard for me to see any kind of specialist being that I have to go to military doctors because my husband is in the Army, and they really just blow me off thinking I am too young to have something wrong with me (I am only 24.) I do smoke (about half a pack a day) and have been trying to quite, can't get on Chantex because of my depression and anxiety so I have been trying to ween off of it.

Just need someone to talk to. Thanks for listening. What do yall think?

Hi ArmyWife - Welcome to the best place to be for all the latest information and help. It would be good if you could get yourself to an ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) doctor with lots of experience treating oral cancer patients. Don't let anybody just blow you off. Your health is important! More and more younger people are being diagnosed with oral cancer. It could just be something minor, but the ONLY way to tell for sure what it is, is with a biopsy. The sooner you find out, the less anxiety you will have. My son put off seeing someone until the pain got so bad (and pain is not always associated with cancer), he went to his dentist who sent him to an oral surgeon for a biopsy. The biopsy was not bad at all and just done in the doctor's office. He's doing just great now, almost 6 years later. I'm sure others will be along with perhaps more experience on navigating around the military red tape.

Army wife:

Get to see an ENT. I went to my doctor 3 times. The first 2 times, she said it was nothing. The 3rd time she said it was a canker sore and tried to burn it off with silver nitrate. I didn't give up, and went elsewhere, and got my diagnosis, which turned out to be cancer. I am now awaiting surgery.

I too was a smoker (now quit).

Get it checked. I knew something was wrong. If it's nothing, fabulous. If it's something, you need to know now.

Best of luck.

Welcome to OCF! So sorry you are here but glad you found this site. It could be any number of things making the sores in your mouth. Unfortunately you are not too young to be part of our group, we have had several members under 25. Do yourself a huge favor and throw away those cigarettes!!!!! Each cigarette you smoke puts many harmful irritants into your mouth and further irritates the sores. You can quit if you set your mind to do it. I smoked for about 25 years and one day (while on my way for a feeding tube) I got angry that cigarettes did this to me and threw them away. I have never smoked again. I was not a heavy smoker either.

Make an appointment NOW to see an ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist). October isnt that far away so find one who is familiar with treating oral cancer patients and get yourself a thorough exam. You will need a biopsy to determine if the sore is cancerous. That really isnt a big deal. The waiting for results and your appointment is harder to get thru than the biopsy.

Best wishes!!!!

Thanks everyone. I called the military family medical this morning and of course I have to make an appt to see an ENT so I go in next Tuesday Oct 2nd for the referral and will go from there . Now my husband also gets home from Afghanistan that day and that's the only day in October I can have off so its gonna be a very busy day. I am hoping that this is all nothing .

By the way this is my last pack of smokes I am so done!! This is enough to finally make me quite. If this isn't cancer all of this worry is so enough to make me stop finally after 9 years!

Good for you, ArmyWife!! For taking positive action and being done with smokes! Great news that your husband will be coming home from Afghanistan, too! Let us know what happens. You might check out the information on the main page of this site so that you can be ready with any questions you might have the doctor or for anyone here.

Congratulations,this is the best decision you can make for your health to quit. Think of something positive you can buy with the money you will be saving.

So glad you are giving up cigarettes!!!! Please never switch over to chewing tobacco. There are just as many harmful ingredients int here as in cigarettes. I am now disfigured and have permanent health problems all from smoking. For every single person who dies of a smoking related disease, there are 20 more in the US living just like me with life long health issues. Im so happy you will not be one of those people!!!

Also glad to see you have already made your ENT appointment. Way to go!!!!

Enjoy your husband's return. Im sure its going to be an excellent day for you

Haven't made an ENT appt yet I made an appt to get a referral to an ENT that's what you have to do when you have tricare ugh