Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#182684 06-22-2014 05:34 PM
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
Member
OP Offline
Member

Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
First I've already went to a doctor and I am having a follow up Tuesday but I want some other opinions. I am 21 years old and a college student and I've been having some worrying symptoms. First I lost a little weight over the course of the spring semester at college. I was depressed and skipped a lot of meals but I'm not sure if that was enough to cause the loss. I went from 135 to around 124.

In March I had chest pains and shortness of breath so I went to the ER. They took a chest x-ray and blood test and said it was nothing and sent me home and said to take some Tylenol. I felt fine afterwards but sometimes I'll have chest pain when I stretch. A month ago I had a similar attack of shortness of breath and chest pain so I went to a clinic that said the same thing. This sensation persisted for a little while but seem to be gone now. I can still feel some chest discomfort when stretching.

A little over a week ago I started to feel like I was having some sensations when swallowing. Not pain just kind of like I could feel food settle and sometimes it will just feel like I need to burp. I also felt like my throat was thick a kind of lump on my throat feeling. I also found a small lump on the side of my neck last week it also feels like there could be a second lump next to it but it's kind of hard to tell. I'm not sure if this is a swollen lymph node or something else. I also had more frequent urination last week but it seems like it went away away now.

For a little over a week now I've also been having a slight sore throat. It is much worse in the mornings but sometimes I feel it during the day. I looked in the mirror a few days ago and saw that the back of my throat was somewhat red and I could see two small spots on the wall of my throat. This really scared me since I'm not having a full blown sore throat.

It's hard for me to tell if these are all real symptoms or are a result of anxiety and me googling symptoms. Especially since I didn't really notice my swallowing symptoms until I read about esophageal and throat cancer. I got extra afraid so I went to a doctor who took more blood tests. I went to the doctor before I started noticing the sore throat and the blood tests she took were clear. I'm seeing her again Tuesday. I've just felt very afraid and can't stop googling and reading about cancer and I can't stand the fact that I feel like I could have it.

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,507
Likes: 6
Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,507
Likes: 6
Go see an ENT who specializes in oral cancer. They will be able to check you out and if necessary take a biopsy of anything questionable they see. A blood test will not tell you if you have oral cancer, only a biopsy will. Even an ENT can suspect but not be certain until the biopsy results come back.

Do yourself a big favor and lay off Dr Google! It wont help you to feel better so stop getting yourself more upset. Next try not to think too far into things, "what if" just causes unneeded anxiety. It will likely be a few weeks until you know whats wrong so try to do positive things to help pass the time. Waiting stinks but it is all part of the process.

Hopefully your have nothing seriously wrong. But, if you do then you are in the right place and we will help you every step of the way.



Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
Member
OP Offline
Member

Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
My appointment Tuesday is to see a Nurse Practitioner. Will she be able to rule out anything or will I have to go to an ENT for any answers?

Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
Member
OP Offline
Member

Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
I also would like to know, if the two bumps on in my throat were something to worry about wouldn't my dentist and orthodontic appointments I had last month have noticed it? I had both appointments a month ago and my Orthodontist took x-rays because I had just got my braces off.

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,507
Likes: 6
Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,507
Likes: 6
Find an ENT who specializes in oral cancer. The bumps could be any number of things. Many dentists have never treated an oral cancer patient or know what to look for, they only focus on teeth, not gums or any other abnormalities. Save yourself time and frustration by going to the right type of doctor... an ENT.


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
Senior Patient Advocate
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Senior Patient Advocate
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
Ditto on what Christine said.


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: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,291
Likes: 1
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)

Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,291
Likes: 1
Do get the lumps and bumps checked out. If they are negative, then go to a psychiatrist. Your symptoms sound a lot like anxiety to me, especially since you are a college student. This is very stressful for some and the weight loss and chest pains and shortness of breath as well as throat pain are all symptoms of stress and anxiety.

Good luck


Don
Male, 57 - Great health except C
Dec '12
DX: BOT SCC T2N2bMx, Stage 4a, HPV+, multiple nodes
1 tooth out
Jan '13
2nd tooth out
Tumor Board -induction TPF (3 cycles), seq CRT
4-6/2013
CRT 70gr 2x35, weekly carbo150
ended 5/29,6/4
All the details, join at http://beatdown.cognacom.com
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 319
Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Offline
Platinum Member (300+ posts)

Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 319
Ditto on what ChristineB said. Do this first!!! Don't mess around with a life and death disease. If you find out from a biopsy that you do not have cancer; then follow donfoo's advice about seeing a psychiatrist. There's no shame in that, and it will make your life manageable again.

Good luck!

Bart


My intro: http://oralcancersupport.org/forums/ubbt...3644#Post163644

09/09 - Dx OC Stg IV
10/09 - Chemo/3 Cisplatin, 40 rad
11/09 - PET CLEAN
07/11 - Dx Stage IV C. (Liver)
06/12 - PET CLEAN
09/12 - PET Dist Met (Liver)
04/13 - PET CLEAN
06/13 - PET Dist Met (Liver + 1 lymph node)
10/13 - PET - Xeloda ineffective
11/13 - Liver packed w/ SIRI-Spheres
02/14 - PET - Siri-Spheres effective, 4cm tumor in lymph-node
03/15 - Begin 15 Rads
03/24 - Final Rad! Woot!
7/27/14 Bart passed away. RIP!
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 267
Gold Member (200+ posts)
Offline
Gold Member (200+ posts)

Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 267
I agree with the advice above to get checked by an ENT who specializes in oral cancer. If they find that all is well then you may want to get checked for acid reflux. Your symptoms sound very similar to what I experience from reflux. I am not a doctor, so please do get yourself to a professional soon.


Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 286
"OCF Down Under"
Gold Member (200+ posts)
Offline
"OCF Down Under"
Gold Member (200+ posts)

Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 286
As everyone else says, see an ENT. If you google symptoms you will always worry yourself. Not every headache is a brain tumour! Medical diagnosis is done based on a wide range of factors that you will miss when you google specific symptoms. There's a reason the doctors get the big bucks.

What the internet can be useful for is helping you understand what the doctor tells you. The doctor only has a short time to explain what could be a quite involved medical condition. He also doesn't have time to explain the whole range of reasons he excluded a particular diagnosis, so again, don't second guess him with the internet.

I hope its a just a virus and gone soon.


Cheers, Dave (OzMojo)
19Feb2014 Diagnosed T2N2bM0 P16+ve SCC Tonsil.
31Mar2014 2 Cisplatin, 70gy over 7 weeks (completed 16May2014)
11August2014 PET/CT clear.
17July2019 5 years NED.
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Brian Hill 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Top Posters
ChristineB 10,507
davidcpa 8,311
Cheryld 5,260
EzJim 5,260
Brian Hill 4,912
Newest Members
Jina, VintageMel, rahul320, Sean916, Megm37
13,103 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums23
Topics18,166
Posts196,921
Members13,103
Most Online458
Jan 16th, 2020
OCF Awards

Great Nonprofit OCF 2023 Charity Navigator OCF Guidestar Charity OCF

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5