I have oral candida for 2 and a half years now. I tried to see many docs, and as much treatments. Fact is my tongue is still the same, no improvement.
2 years ago, I had many symptoms that made me think of HIV: enlarged nodes all around my body, 3 months of nausea, dizziness and terrible headaches. Sore throat, oral and vaginal candida. I had not protected sex that period and for that I had a HIV negative test 10 months window period. So almost for sure it's not HIV.

I live in Romania and docs here always treat me for Candida, and never succeed. But they never treat the cause. I read that only severe compromised immune systems can be so much damaged that cannot cure oral Candida.
I do not know what to think and plan to schedule a tomography to certify that it is not cancer, but the fact is that it costs so much that I needed your advice to make sure it pays off after all.

My symptoms are sore tongue, afta , cuts on the tongue, white tongue and white afta surrounded by a white sore line. This is ongoing for 2 years, I took 10 treatments for Oral Candida and I consulted a dentist. I also took a pharyngeal exude, and it ruled out Candida presence.

Thank you so much and apologize if my question is very naive for you, but I really do not know so much about cancer. Have a great day!

Mary,

We have a few dentists on this site and they may be able to give you better advice, but I would advise you to see an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Doctor. That doctor can do a biopsy of the area (if they think that is what you need) and that should tell you what is wrong. The expensive scans may be unnecessary at this time.

Actually I have seen one ENT doc (in Romania it's called ORL so I did not know how to express myself). He told me it's nothing wrong and I should just try local apply with different substances made in pharmacies.

I did that. But now I don't know anymore, because it's still bothering me and I did a so called biopsy, meaning a throat exude that didn't show any Candida. The actual biopsy is cheaper than the scan?

I contacted a Romanian specialist online and he scared me more, that is a very serious issue and I should contact the specialist he mentioned. I am very close to a break down.

I am in between: HIV or cancer? I can't choose, it's either terrible. Please tell me which dentist you recommend I can write to....
I am only 24 and really don't wanna die.

Almost sounds like thrush?

Yes, it does. I suspected thrush (candida oral infection) ever since it appeared. For it I went to the ENTs and I took all the treatments they prescribed.

But the fact is nothing worked, and that's why I think about cancer, something doesn't seem right. All fungus react to treatment.

Plus, I took a pharyngeal swap and it ruled out Candida. I also had general enlarged nodes for 4 months, but than they reduced by itself, no special treatment for nodes.

Can it be any other problem but cancer? I would do anything to be another problem.

Mary,

It can be a hundred things, and at your age most likely is not cancer, but you need a definite diagnosis of what it actually is if not t preserve your physical health then to maintain your mental health.

The worrying and not knowing is the worst part so you may want to go ahead with a PET scan or a CT scan. You need to find a doctor that can define for you exactly what this is, someone who will stay with you through treatment and make sure the desired results are getting accomplished if this is thrush. If not, insist on a physical diagnosis of the problem and a treatment plan that will show results

Yes, I totally agree with you, next week I will schedule the best specialist in dermatology, which I was told has a lot of experience in these cases.

The worst is I am totally down and I am very much afraid of the diagnosis. The other case if not cancer, is Candida. Which appears in elderly, babies, and immunodeficiency (HIV). I only apply for the last one as I am 24 and the thrush is very resistant, meaning my immune system is very down low.

But I also tested for HIV at 9 months post exposure, and the window period is 3-6 months. So whatever it is, I have written that whatever normal thrush only takes 1-2 weeks, not 2 years.

And yes, I know you are right and this anxiety is nothing good for my holistic status. But I am so scared for it can only be a very serious disease: cancer or candida (only present in HIV patients).

What did they prescribe for the thrush?

Isnt candida also known as thrush? If so, Ive known adults who have had this that were not facing any other serious illnesses. Thrush should be easily treated. The meds must be taken til it is completely gone. Ive also changed toothbrushes as well when Ive had this.

Your age does not necessarily rule out cancer. Ive seen several young people (under 25 here with oral cancer). A biopsy would determine if you have cancer. If you had oral cancer for 2 years, your symptoms would have shown up already and you would be very ill by now. Oral cancer is a quick moving cancer.

While no one here can diagnose you over the internet, they can lead you in the right direction. I would find a good dentist who should be able to determine what you have. Best of luck to you with this.

Well, I have been to ENTs, not dentists so far and they all prescribed drugs for thrush/ oral candida. I have taken all sort of antifungus and antibiotics known in my country to solve this.
I was also prescribed local applies to the tongue with products made in pharmacies on the spot. Nothing worked.

That's the reason I am thinking about cancer, and I also believe my age does not rule out cancer.

I want to mention that after a sexual contact I became ill with all kind of symptoms: 2 years ago, I had many symptoms that made me think of HIV: enlarged nodes all around my body, 3 months of nausea, dizziness and terrible headaches. Sore throat, oral and vaginal candida.

I had not protected sex that period and for that I had a HIV negative test 10 months window period. So almost for sure it's not HIV.

Maybe these symptoms are non related with that contact. But enlarged lymph nodes suggest to me that is something very serious, not only candida. That's why I had all those HIV tests, I did not thing about cancer till 5 days ago.

About fast progressing tongue cancer, I mention that besides oral thrush, white tongue and cuts on the tongue nothing else hurts, I can move my tongue and nerves are not affected. My general health is not affected, I feel ok.

All symptoms I had 2 years ago dissolved itself. I plan to see the best dermatologist in Bucharest on Tuesday, but I am scared to death until then