Hi everyone,

I know I said I wouldn't post again until I had some answers, but getting them is proving difficult. I had what I thought was a break-through last week when I contacted an oral surgeon who does a lot of cancer screenings, but mostly deals with gum health. They did some leg work for me and recommended me to another oral surgeon with a lot more experience with cancer. They also contacted that oral surgeon and asked them what they thought I should do based on my financial situation and lack of insurance.

I was told basically to go to a specific urgent care clinic that is actually located in a hospital. The oral surgeon seemed to think that if they suspected oral cancer they would not let me out of there without at least running some tests. Then I could go to the surgeon for a biopsy and find out if what I fear is a reality. Unfortunately (I'm getting tired of having to say that word), they were wrong and another $100 that I really don't have to begin with was wasted. The only thing they did at urgent care was check my pulse/ox and blood pressure, and note that do in fact have a lesion and other masses around my mouth and jaw.

Everyone really made it sound like I could get some help and I got really hopeful about the situation, however I was simply greeted by another doctor who knew nothing about anything and had no interest in taking any responsibility for anything. He prescribed me yet another anti-biotic, diagnosed peritonitis or whatever that glandular infection is, and gave me some pain killers "to help you sleep". I could have sworn pain killers were for pain, but what the heck do I know? I am taking the anti-biotic, because why not try?

All I know is that I feel my health declining almost daily. My symptoms seem to shift regularly with regard to both location and symptom, but they are becoming more dramatic and frequent. Anytime I am feeling pain, which is neither constant nor intense, it is always in the same locations. Lately I've started to experience intense amounts of pressure in my head, my jaw, and my ears. Most of the time it is on both sides, but it moves around often. I sometimes feel as though my eyes are being forced from their sockets. Other times I have difficulty moving my jaw, or trouble swallowing, or the strangling feeling I mentioned before. The only time I am symptom free is the first hour I'm awake, and even then it isn't always. I am usually at the very least lightheaded or off balance. I feel pressure in the back of my neck often. I have started to get tingling and pressure in my forehead and numbness in my lips and near my ears.

I know everyone has suggested I relax and try not to think about it too much until I can get a diagnosis, but that is next to impossible with the constant slew of symptoms interfering with my ability to do much of anything.

To top it off, every time I try to discuss what I need to do with my mom, she starts stressing about money. "You want to spend all this money on doctors, but you don't know what's wrong. What if it isn't cancer? Then you've gone and put us more in to debt for nothing." I can't even express to you how sad that mentality is making me. She's literally burying her head in the sand it seems, unwilling to accept that I may really be in trouble and need immediate help. I think she thinks that as long as no one ever says it is cancer, nothing bad will happen. Meanwhile I get sicker and sicker and my hope dwindles with every passing day.

I'm trying unbelievably hard to stay positive, I don't know how you all manage. I have considered going to the emergency room and exaggerating my symptoms to force them to do some sort of scan. I hate to even think that way, but things are getting so bad that soon I won't be exaggerating if something doesn't happen. Today I've even had some issues with my vision going blurry.

I can't find any information out there about what starts to happen if an oral cancer is ignored until it is advanced in progression. I'm sure it is different for everyone, but it scares me that I can't find it.

I know I am getting ahead of myself without a diagnosis and all but I'm truly starting to worry that what is wrong with me may not be found until an autopsy is performed. I have never had any significant health or anxiety problems until now, and as you can all clearly see I am not dealing with it very well.

My rational mind is still somewhat at work. I am trying to find a co-signer for care credit so that I can get the oral consult and biopsy performed, but then what? I have been searching for good hospitals that may offer financial assistance or whatever, but haven't found much. I want so badly to be a strong fighter of whatever this is, but I am drained to my very core.

Thanks again for listening and offering advice. I understand if my posting is too depressing or dramatic and you wish to remove it or me from the forum. I am just so lost right now. Thanks again for everything.