Hey guys,

I have my dentist appointment in couple of hours so I'll have to see what he says about it too, it's not gone down at all so that's not exactly comforting; but at least he is actually looking at it and not just passing it off as nothing like most if the doctors I've seen have. They are passing my sore throat off as anxiety too, but I do not agree with that at all as it feels different from any sore throat I've ever had and occasionally makes me sound a bit croaky.

I just want a diagnosis ASAP, all this worrying is driving me mad. Not that my mind will be at very ease if I get bad results of course.

So I saw my dentist today. He said he doesn't think it's anything to be worried about still, but said as he is not a specialist he can't say 100%. He said if I wanted I could have a referal to a specialist, so of course I agreed and he said that he'll right a letter and send it off, but is not sure how long it will take to get an appoinment; between 2 weeks to a month, it's not straight away but it's something. That along with the other appoinment I have, hopefully I can get a diagnosis one way or the other soon.

No news is good news! Sorry it's so difficult for you to get a referral to a specialist. I'm glad I don't have to do that, and would be anxious too.

It's certainly a pain, but at least we are getting somewhere now; even if it has taken longer than it really should have.

Continue to be diligent.

Hi Jade,

Glad to hear that great news from the dentist. With all due respect, I'm not doubting you are experiencing symptoms that concern you, but several doctors and now a dentist found nothing that concerned them. Could it possibly be that you're suffering from a little bit of health anxiety? In the mean time, while you're waiting for the system to authorize appointments, perhaps a conversation with a counselor concerning your fears would be beneficial.

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T"

I think you may be into something with the health anxiety, though I do genuinely believe my physical symptoms are real as they are why I started worrying, I do think they feel worse then they may actually be due to me constantly focusing on it and worrying.

I have been to quite a few doctors now (6 to be exact), that's quite a few and I've had mixed reviews from all of them, with the majority thinking its nothing to be too worried about and the 1 telling me that it's been there for a while and should be worried. For some reason it's just easier to focus on the negatives, which is not a good thing at all.

Jade

I hope you get it looked at soon as you need to put your mind to rest. I had my biopsy and it proved negative for cancer, no one was surprised but me as i too focussed on the negative. Now i am stressed about the follow up as i have a small bump in my gum thats not even visible and my gp thinks its nothing, a gum boil or something similar. But i am still stressing to some extent. I do btw have terrible health anxiety which id never had until last year.

Hopefully you can get it seen by ent or a maxillofacial surgeon. If you do find out that you have other fears about other illnesses in the future make sure you get some counselling etc ad heath anxiety is terrible, it takes over, and makes life frightening and unnecessarily unhappy which it shouldnt be.

Hope you get peace of mind soon jade xxx

Hey Tamsin

I think I said it before but I'm very glad you have the all clear. I have a bump in my gum as well in the left hand side, you cannot see it at all. But I think it's left over from a bad infection I had on the left side of my mouth a couple of months ago , that I had a root canal for.

Well my appoinment at the hospital is in the maxillofacial department, I'm just worried I won't be able to get it biopsied as you cannot physically see the swelling (though the right side of my tongue is raised higher than the left slightly, and I don't know if it's normal for me or not), and can only really feel it if my tongue is in its normal position, or stuck out straight not to the opposite side of my mouth.

Since taking the meds the doctor gave me for acid reflux (omeprazole) my throat feels a lot better, not completely as the sore throat and feeling of something stuck is still there but is much lessened. Well the sore throat is anyway, the stuck feeling is still pretty noticeable.

I hope this doesn't seem harsh but if you know you have health anxiety as you say, why would you hang out in an oral cancer forum with thousands that have had chemo, radiation and/or surgery for mostly advanced staged? I liken it to an alcoholic hanging out in front of the liquor store all day or someone on a diet opening the fridge every hour to see what is in there. Even statements of being the only one surprised with the negative biopsy indicates a different thing to pursue because it isn't oral cancer.

Get on with life. Find a positive, enriching forum to feed your interests. Exercise. Eat well. You should have a new lease on life but you still fear cancer as bad as a survivor. Stay away from the negative!

Ed