Let me start off by introducing myself. My name is Kit. I'm a college educated professional with a wife and two kids ages 3 and 3 months. I am 33 yrs old and have been dipping since I was 13. I picked up a drinking habit in college and drank fairly heavily for the last ten years. About 8 years ago I found a hard cyst on my gumline where I dipped. I went to an oral surgeon and he exised it and had it analyzed, he said it was benign. Fast forward to two years ago. I had developed two more small cysts in my mouth and at some point a small hard cyst in my neck. I pointed the cysts out to my dentist and he didn't think they were worthy of biopsy. So now I'm having occasional numbing sensations of my jaw, as well as occasional numbness of my hand on the same side. Everything is one the left side of my body. What have I done? Has my stupidity caused me to loose valuable time in getting a diagnosis. I can't imagine dealing with this now. I am so scared that I'm not going to be there for my kids. I have an appointment with a GP today. Any thoughts or words of wisdom would be appreciated. Sorry for the long post.

youngin,

If I were you I would immediately go to see a cancer aware (for lack of a better term) ENT. You definately have issues that need to be examined by someone experienced in cancers in the region and I should know. The ENT I went to was the 5th doctor I had seen after finding lumps in my neck and he was the only one that discovered, and immediately i might add, my cancer.

I hope that it is not cancer but you need to know now.

Kit,

I echo David's advise. My ENT (Ear Nose and Throat or Otolaryngologist) was the doctor that performed my surgery. An oral surgeon did the biopsy on my tnongue, but with your risk factors I would go to an ENT so you can know one way or the other. If it is cancer, they can help you deal with it. If it is not cancer, they will tell you to stop dipping and drinking, quite simply (Not preaching here -- just common sense)

Take care and let us know. If it is cancer we can definitely help you get through whatever you may face.

Jim

Thanks guys. I am going to request referral to a cancer knowledgable ENT. I don't know how much more anxiety I can take. All I can think about is my kids. I'm off the dip and beer.

Hello Kit.
My name is Peter and I'm new and scared like yourself. This forum gives me encouragement and hope. YOU ARE NOT ALONE HERE!
Please follow all the advise you receive. These people KNOW WHAT THEY KNOW, AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW.
Hang in there, be strong for your family. EVERYONE here wants to help YOU!
PeteyB

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (in Nashville) and the University of Tennessee Cancer Institute (in Memphis) both have multidisciplinary head and neck cancer programs. If your biopsy does show cancer, centers like these will take a team approach to treatment, involving doctors from several specialities to come up with an individual treatment plan. If you are close to one of them, I'd start there if your biopsy comes back positive -- or even go to an ENT at the Vanderbilt or UT ear/nose/throat department for your biopsy.

I'll keep my fingers crossed....

All the best,
Leslie

Kit,

Just wanted you to know we are all thinking of you today. Glad to know you will see Dr. that knows what he is looking at.

Keep us posted.
Take Care,
Diane

HI KIT,

Sorry to hear of your situation , but like everyone here says you really NEED to have it checked .. The scary thing is the amount of younger people that are being Diag with this. I too am fairly new and also YOUNG ! LOL (atleast I like to think so 35). However I did not smoke or drink. the 1st step is the diagamosis....then everything else will follow. You have come to the right place for questions and support. I am 5 weeks out of surgery and "still healing " they tell me , but I couldnt have done it with out the support of the wonderful people on here ! I have my family and friends and while i am thankful for them ...it is not the same . the bond you feel with the people who truley understand what you are going through on your worst day , the fear you felt when they said those words to you for the 1st time , when they tell you to hold your head up you can get through it ..they know they have done it and they will give you the stregth and encouragment and prolly even a lecture if ya need it LOL.....so 1st things 1st ..the Dr......and know that we are all here waiting with you and your family !

Thanks to everybody for the their posts and good wishes. Just to update, the GP I saw yesterday felt the mass he said that he thought it was a lymph node. He took some blood for testing and gave me a referral to the ENT. He said didn't think the mass had the characteristics of a malignancy; for whatever that's worth. He did say my tonsils looked swollen and cryptic. He seemed to think that maybe my symptoms could be related to them. At any rate, I'm waiting to be seen by the ENT now. I will keep everyone posted on my situation. In the mean time y'all are in my thoughts and prayers.

Of course it is a lymph node, and the proper thing to do would have been to do a fine needle biopsy of the node. If you are not having an ear ache, tooth ache, or running a fever from some infection that might be draining into the nodes, they need to rule out the serious things first. Infections that drain to the nodes make them tender to the touch. The markers in any blood sample are not going to be of much help in finding a SCC diagnosis. As to characteristics of malignancy it is a good sign if it is painful. Painless - not so good. Fixated in place also not so good. But none of these are absolutes, and cetainly not conclusive of anything. That biopsy of the cryptic area of your tonsil and a needle biopsy of the node are not painful to go through, and if there are any questions about what's what, they should be done. Sooner better than later for many reasons, none the least of which is your peace of mind.

Well, I've got my ENT appointment set for this Thursday. If my tonsils, (especially my left one) stay in their present condition, I think they'll blow this guy's mind. They are very sore, inflamed and producing tonsiliths like nobody's business. At this point, I'm about to get my rusty old fillet knife out do this job myself. I am trying to stay relaxed and not worry to much about the big "c", given my risk factors, but I know I'll be puckering up while this guy gives me an exam. It's been a week since my last dose of tobacco. I feel like being really mean to something cute. Just joking, I think. Actually, this website is proving to be a huge aid in tobacco cessation for me, in more ways than one. The fear is a big part of it, but probably a bigger part of it is watching brave individuals facing their fears. All of the sudden the discomfort of not have nicotine has lost it's significance. Thank god for this website and its posters.

Hello youngin, thanks for the compliment that makes me a youngin too. I'm 34. I have a 21 month old little boy. I felt alot of the things you described in your first post. I was a smoker, dipper and used to drink heavily but had been clean for 4.5 years. It took me about a week after my cancer dx to quit smoking and dipping. It wasn't because I believed that either one of them caused it but it every time I looked at my wife and little boy I just wanted to give myself the best chance that I could have to be with them as long as I can.I finish up my treatments this Thursday, 3-22-07. It has been really tough, scary, and eye opening. I hope you don't have cancer, but if you do and you need help we are here. You can make it through it too. I used a newer drug called chantix to help me quit. I don't know that it helped but I tried it. What helped me the most was me deciding to quit. I first tried to so my wife would quit looking at me with sad eyes. I struggled with it then. I decided one night that I was going to go sit in my lounger in the garage and smoke and dip until I didn't want to do it anymore. I smoked the first cigarette and new that I was done even before I finished the first one. I put it out and said goodbye to my old friend and haven't had the desire for dip or smokes since. You can do it. I still argue with the docs when they bring up the smoking thing, but like I said I just wanted to give myself the best chance I can have to be with my little boy and wife for as long as I can. Good luck to my friend. Lee

Hey youngin, I just noticed you are from Tennessee. I meant to ask when you mentioned the rusty fillet knife. I had a feeling that you might be from KY or TN. I'm up in Somerset,KY. I have a ton of friends in TN. It's always great to talk to someone who is geographically close as well.

Kit,

that is great that you gave up the tobbaco ( YOU 2 LEE)... WHile they say it increases your risk for this kind of cancer ..I am proof you dont need to be doing any off it to get this ( not HPV in my case either ),, However by quitting you have just given yourselves a shot at an overall healthier life!! I am truley proud of you both ,,I am sure it wasnt easy . MY LIttle brother ( 31 LOL ) also has quit smoking after i got my diag, the reality of this disease really SUX !!! And while I have never been down south we got rusty old fillet knifes up here in NY too !!!! Maybe someday when we are all feeling 100% we can get together with all our families and go ona big ole fishin trip !!!!!

Thanks for the replies. I just can't wait to get this settled. I've been short with my wife and little boy lately. My mind is always racing, having trouble sleeping and just feel like breaking down when I look into my kid's eyes. My wife thinks I'm obsessive about this and that everything is fine. I don't even talk with her about my symptoms anymore. It is hard to put my finger on any kind of a pattern as far as these symptoms. It's seems like my tonsil becomes inflamed and swollen then during or shortly thereafter I experience the numbness of my face and hand, neck stiffness and sensations under the collarbone, all on the left side. Since I inspect my mouth every 15 minutes, I have discovered that I can feel something fuzzy with the tip of my tongue somewhere back there around that left tonsil, although I can't see it with a flashlight and mirror. I think that it might be behind it. Does any of this stuff sound remotely familiar to anyone? O.K. I'll just go ahead and get fitted for my straightjacket now.

Try to find some sort of "neutral" position so that you'll make it until tomorrow's appointment. You can relax now....You've got somebody knowledgeable scheduled to look at all of this TOMORROW...so you don't have to do anything more...You can't see it, and you can't know what's going on. Get really busy, and tomorrow will be here, whether you worry yourself sick over it or not. It will come, and you will be at that doctor's office before you know it. Let him take charge.....today. (I am saying this with a smile, but it doesn't sound like it. I am saying it only because we ALL have been where you are, and it is a helpless feeling, not to be in control. We know!)

Just got back from the ENT. I explained to him my risk factors and symptoms. I also let him know that I was concerned about SCC. He gave me an oral exam and checked my neck out. He said that I didn't have oral cancer but that I do have infected tonsils. I was suprised to learn that an infection in your tonsils could cause so many crazy symptoms. Anyhow, he prescibed me some steriods and antibiotics. If the drugs don't work he wants to get rid of them (the tonsils). Thanks to everybody on this forum for advice and support. I am really not a drama queen, I just play one on the internet.

KIT,

We can all play one when were are being faced with the thought of this horrible disease..That is great though !!! NO CANCER ! I too have a tonsil infect right now ..they sux..I see my ent on tues and who knows if the antibiotics dont work they too may be comin out !!! UGHHHHH NO MORE POKING AND PRODING is what i say LOL>>> Glad to hear the good news !

Sharlee

I am soso relieved and happy for you, Youngin'!! That's one less person that this monster can claim!

Now, you've learned a lot, so take good care of yourself and help spread the word about early detection and constant surveillance.

HI KIT,THANK GOD U BEAT THE MONSTER NOW TAKE HEED LOOK AFTER YOURSELF .YOU HAD A FRIGHTNER GOD BLESS U ALLWAYS ...MAZ

Thanks everyone. I'll definitely be advocating to the folks in my world. This disease has successfully made another enemy. I'll be checking in from time to time. God bless you all.

youngin

I am in a similar situation...I've been dipping since the age of 14 (now 30) a little over a can a day for the last 10 years. I'm in my second day of quitting. I, too, was a heavy drinker until recently. I have had an uncomfortable jaw for the last week (sort of throbbing sensation), and have noticed a sore on my left cheek. My meeting with the dentist is tomorrow morning and I am scared to death. First, that I am going to die, and second that if I live, my face is going to be all carved up. How bad are the surgeries and treatments? How expensive are the treatments? Why is st that it took so long to quit?