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Joined: Oct 2014
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"OCF Canuck"
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"OCF Canuck"
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I may be here at bit prematurely - Specialist apt is scheduled for next Tuesday.
I must start off with saying that I am not the patient, I went from planning a wedding just last week to now having my nose buried in google information.
Long story short. Last week my fianc�e (33 yrs old tomorrow) went to the dentist for a cleaning. He had not been in several years and I figured that since I added him to my benefits he may as well use them. Instantly he was inadated by questions from our dentist, hooked up to blood pressure machines, and was having pictures pulled up on computer screens.
there is a 2X3mm mass in his lower mandible. My issue is the other things that I now feel are adding up. He showed me this (what he thought) was a "canker" close to a year ago, never mentioned it again, I assumed it went away. He now tells me that a few months before we met he was in the dentist because it felt like someone had punched him and for over a month the pain just would not go away - (we have been together over 2 years now)and now for the real "kicker" the throwing up, neck pain, and exhaustion. Hes always tired, mind you he gets up at 4 am - so we attributed it to that. The neck pain - hes and arborist so his job is very physical and again we have attributed that to his job. BUT the throwing up, for about the last 6-8 weeks he has been up throwing up all night at LEAST one night a week (hes actually home today because last night was one of those nights. He's been blaming it on stress, or eating too late, or maybe even ulcers... Now we find this out and it makes me wonder if there is more to it?? Has anyone ever had this from an oral tumor??

At this point we have told no one. We don't want to cause panic if its nothing but at the same time the what if's are driving us both crazy and the worst case is creeping in our conversations.
Anyone help with what we can expect over the next short time??
thanks

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Cryslyn81

My mothers cancer started in the left bottom rear jaw and her symptoms were mostly ear pain. I don't recall her vomiting at all from it. But surely everyone is different. I would make an appointment with a good ENT as soon as possible.


Last edited by sweetpe1; 10-15-2014 12:42 PM.

Sweetpe
Caregiver
RE:My Mother
Age 70
Non Smoker
SCC 3/4/2014 Left rear jaw
Mandiblctmy 3/25/2014
35RAD Completed on 06/03/2014
MRI 9/3/2014
25mm lobulated recurrence left mandible/floor of mouth carcinoma
9/23/14 Salvage Surgery
MET(s)
9/23/14 Salvage Surgery Not Successful
Chemo Recommended
1st Round of Cisplatin Chemo Started 10/20/14
Cisplatin stopped 11/20/14. Side affects to bad.
Chemo started again 1/22/15 Carbo/Docetaxel
Passed Away April 22,2015


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The ENT we were originally referred to was booked in to the end of Nov our dentist was not pleased with this at all and wants Hubby seen sooner so we have contacted another and managed to get him in for this coming Tuesday.
We are nervous, terrified actually of what is to come.

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Also a few other things mentionable...
Dentist said Hubby's tonsils are inflamed, he has suddenly started suffering from migraines in the last few months, the dentist also says he has a degenerative gum disease..
Could all of this also be connected??

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Cryslyn81

The ENT my mother went to seen the cancer rite away. A biopsy was done in the ENT office before she left. Of course the results were not good for my mother. The main thing is to attack this ASAP. The earlier stages is much easier to treat. My moms was already stage 4. Its the weirdest thing because she seemed to be the healthiest person walking and then BAM ! This cancer had to be there for a while and she didn't even know it. It actually ate through her jaw bone and she didn't even feel it.
You will find this forum very helpful.

Good Luck to You
Heidi


Last edited by sweetpe1; 10-15-2014 01:40 PM.

Sweetpe
Caregiver
RE:My Mother
Age 70
Non Smoker
SCC 3/4/2014 Left rear jaw
Mandiblctmy 3/25/2014
35RAD Completed on 06/03/2014
MRI 9/3/2014
25mm lobulated recurrence left mandible/floor of mouth carcinoma
9/23/14 Salvage Surgery
MET(s)
9/23/14 Salvage Surgery Not Successful
Chemo Recommended
1st Round of Cisplatin Chemo Started 10/20/14
Cisplatin stopped 11/20/14. Side affects to bad.
Chemo started again 1/22/15 Carbo/Docetaxel
Passed Away April 22,2015


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Cryslyn81,

Almost 20 years ago, my father in law jaw bone cancer was detected by a dentist who urged him to go to the ent who worked fast to detect the culprit. Surgery was in the schedule before we had time to have a choice of doctor.
Everything turned out ok for my father in law.

Fast forward to my husband who just had some lymph nodes removed from his neck two days ago and a glossectomy last year. He started with what appeared to be a canker sore that he endured for over a year until it bothered him so much when he ate that he saw the doctor for it. He never vomited, but the pain became unbearable.

There's no much I can do to change the situation, but I'm being encouraging and supporting to my husband.
Oh, I also taped the doctor's comments before and after the surgeries.

Try to keep a cool head and a positive attitude.

Blessings,
Patty


Patty / husband Dx with Stage 1 SCC
November '12, BOT ulcer
June '13, first biopsy-negative.
October '13, second biopsy-positive
November '13, second opinion at CCC, T1
December '13, partial glossectomy.
September '14, biopsy on lymph nodes, 1 tested positive.
October '14, right side neck dissection. 14 nods out, with only one affected.
November '14, T1N1M0 radiation in the recommended by oncologist
December '14, radiation treatment

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Welcome. The saying around here is "it's not cancer until proven". Until further diagnosis and testing is done just put your energy to getting the best care in the shortest time.

Throwing up is an uncommon pre-diagnosis symptom for oral cancer. Having much pain is also not so common.

Try to stay calm and focused and remain persistent to get it fully checked out.

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: Oct 2014
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"OCF Canuck"
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I like that Mantra!!

We have not told anyone at this point to avoid panic so we are dealing with all the fear and feelings ourselves. Today is his birthday smile trying to think of things to do this weekend where we can maybe be "normal" and not think about the "what if's" and the "worst case"
We have learned that google is a bad place to go for answers!! I seen the stats and wanted to throw up.. I have not told him that part lol
Tuesday needs to hurry, I think we both need some kind of confirmation one way or the other.

From the time you have your first apt with the specialist how long does diagnosis normally take??

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Posts: 236
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Posts: 236
In my mothers case the ENT specialist down rite told her it was cancer just by sight of the area in the rear of her jaw. Of course it had to be confirmed with the biopsy but those specialist know what there looking at. Then to the Oncologist and the same thing just as blunt as can be he said its cancer.
and then the scans confirmed more. I was shocked at how blunt the doctors tell you some things but I guess they have to.

Good Luck
Heidi


Sweetpe
Caregiver
RE:My Mother
Age 70
Non Smoker
SCC 3/4/2014 Left rear jaw
Mandiblctmy 3/25/2014
35RAD Completed on 06/03/2014
MRI 9/3/2014
25mm lobulated recurrence left mandible/floor of mouth carcinoma
9/23/14 Salvage Surgery
MET(s)
9/23/14 Salvage Surgery Not Successful
Chemo Recommended
1st Round of Cisplatin Chemo Started 10/20/14
Cisplatin stopped 11/20/14. Side affects to bad.
Chemo started again 1/22/15 Carbo/Docetaxel
Passed Away April 22,2015


Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 286
"OCF Down Under"
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 286
Hi and welcome to OCF.

The mass is something. Pain and vomiting are not symptoms we would expect from cancer. The ENT will tell you, but I warn you, whatever it is, he's not going to say "yep thats cancer". Even if he does suspect it is, he will order a series of tests to confirm the type and staging. They do that to tailor the most effective treatment. He'll probably do some kind of biopsy, which is the definitive way to diagnose cancer.

Hopefully its nothing of course. But if it is nothing you've at least learned a couple of things. Firstly Google is a great tool, if you ask the right questions. Right now you don't want to know if he has cancer, what type, what treatment. What you really want to know before anything else is "will he die from this". So you go looking at stats and survival rates etc. As you've found, without knowing what sort of cancer, what stage, what risk factors etc, all you can punch in is the worst case numbers. So you end up scaring yourself silly and making it all worse.

What Google is good for is helping you understand the torrent of new information the doctors pass on to you in the limited time they have with you. Say the doctor puts him on Cisplatin chemo, you can Google "Cisplatin side effects" and you can come up with more informed questions next time you see the doctor. Of course Google is how you found OCF, so its not all bad.

The other thing I hope you take away from this exercise, is that when you have a serious complex illness like cancer or multiple sclerosis or ALS, there is no single appointment with the doctor where its all over. There is always another step. The next appointment, the next test, the next treatment, the next follow up check. If you were as crazy as you are at the moment (we all were, trust me) all the waiting would drive you nuts. If there's one thing I've picked up in this little adventure, is that you need to live life in between appointments. No matter how sick you are or how bleak the prospects, you can always milk some good out of every day you are here.

Again, we hope its nothing, but we're here if its not. Let us know how he goes.


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.
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