To give you some backstory. 5 years ago when I was 17 I suddenly noticed underneath my right jaw swell up like a huge marble while I was eating. It was painful and I went to a dentist. The dentist said it was a salivary gland stone and snipped the tip of the gland, where the stone was lodged. 2 weeks later, the gland closed up where it was snipped, probably from healing wrong or scaring. My mother and father didn't have insurance, and it wasn't really causing a huge quality of life problem, so I just let it be. It still would allow a little saliva to come through, but not enough to empty the gland.

For 5 years I've simply gotten used to it. The submandibular gland on my right side is enlarged and probably functionless.

It's 5 years later, still no health insurance, and I noticed a small pea sized lump developing in the back of the floor of my mouth under the side of the tongue, where that gland is. The gland is bigger than normal as of the past 2 weeks, and I can physically feel the size of it. It's not noticeable to anyone else unless they plalpate, but it is significantly bigger on the right side than the left.

Here is my worries. I have every risk factor. Male. Previous smoker. Moderate drinker. HPV (my longterm girlfriend told me she had it before we got together). Family history, my grandma had devastating jaw cancer and half of her jaw is missing.

I don't know where to start. I have no insurance, I am young, and I have about a thousand saved up in the bank. I'm in student loan debt and struggling. I know this thousand will let me get the process started, but I want the money to get me as far as possible. Who should I see first to get a biopsy/diagnosis?

Start at a free clinic that can put you in touch with resources. And do it asap. They can often connect you with medical organizations that will work with you and your financial situation. If in fact you do have cancer, then you can apply for federal aide in many cases. The important thing is to get in to be seen and get the process rolling, work closely with their finance people and be honest. I am a self pay, uninsured patient and everyone I have been treated by so far has gone the extra mile not only to work out payment arrangements, but have also discounted services to match the medicaid prices. Don't worry about the cost, bills are just bills. You need the healthcare..... go get it.

My workplace will begin offering me insurance at the first of September. Should I wait and get into the workplace insurance policy?

The thing is, even if I get signed on, I'll probably be denied coverage for cancer if it is a preexisting condition and I go to the doc the next day, right?

I would go asap and worry about finances later

Ok Realitybias...I'm going to smack you into reality here so brace yourself.

Worrying about finances when faced with the probability of having a cancer that kills roughly 50% of those diagnosed with it isn't the right thinking. Let me ask you a question...how much is your life worth to you?

Schedule an appt with an Ear Nose and Throat Dr and have him check it out. A biopsy is the only way to determine cancer by the way.

As a male I understand your thought process but money means nothing when it comes to life or death.

You're welcome



Eric

I agree. Putting it off is a mistake too many of us have made. Including myself, for the same reasons. I deeply regret those choices and I recognize myself for the utter idiot that I was now. I put my life in serious jeopardy that way. Do NOT put off your health care for ANY reason. Get the care first, everything else later.

I Soooo agree with all of the above!! There are resources and sometimes you don't know about them until you ask. And DON' T put off get started with doing something for your health. My son put his off because of financial problems, - The hospital set up a "pay what you can each month" telling us that even $5 a month would be ok. A drug company associated with the hospital forgave the cost of drugs used for treatment because of need. DO, get to an ENT doctor now, and get the biopsy. You don't know that it is cancer until the biopsy comes back and says so, so by the time that happens, your workplace insurance may already be in place. No matter how bad things seem, they can also turn around to be even better! My son now has a great job, health insurance, a motocycle, is in a relationship with a wonderful young woman and best of all, is cancer free!

Ditto for me you're young - it's very possible it's nothing but because you're young Drs tend to skip over the idea that you might have cancer - so push of a biopsy - and money means nothing next to your life. I have to say I had an undiagnosed tumor for 6 years - when I finally got a positive on the biopsy - I had a ct the very next day that said no nodes involved - this was dec 21 - by dec 28th I could feel a swollen node - when I was operated on they removed a whole whack of nodes, and one - the one I was palpating - was positive. this can spread quickly once it starts to. get to a dr. ASAP. Good luck!