Well, I went for my appointment at the ENT doctor's office today. Turned out to not be such a good excperience!

My dentist when he saw the spots initially said he was concerned by them, and they bothered him they were there. Then my primary care physician saw them, and he said I needed a biopsy, and the sooner the better. I ended up going back to my dentists office, as I wanted to ask about those spots again. I went back last Tuesday. Well, my dentist wasn't there, and I saw one filling in for him. He looked carefully at the spots, and he said I needed the biopsy, too. He said he thought those spots looked like they could be cancerous, although nobody could say anything unless the biopsy was done.

So anyways, off I went to my appointment. And to make a long story short, the ENT doctor looked at them for all of 2 seconds, maybe, and said they were nothing, and I should come back in 3 months to have them rechecked. He said they were moles? Now, while I do hope they are really nothing, I had to wonder about a few things here. First of all, the second dentist said nobody could tell for sure what something was unless a biopsy was done. Could he look at it and be so sure it was indeed nothing? If it's nothing, and they are just moles, then why have me come back in 3 months to have them rechecked, and not just follow up with my dentist to watch them? The doctor wouldn't really allow me to tell him anything about what had been going on (symptoms), or anything. I was asked very little health/family history by a nurse (or whatever she was?), and while I was trying to answer her questions, she got up and walked out on me, telling me over her shoulder that he would be in soon. I was shocked! I never got to tell them of my sore throat/roof of my mouth that comes and goes, nothing. Before the doctor came in the room, I heard him talking to someone out at the desk. He had his hand on the door knob, as I had seen it turn before he pushed the door open while he was talking. I heard him tell who ever it was he'd be back in 3 minutes. 3 minutes? It seemed he had already decided what the problem was before he even came in, and that he was going to send me on my way immediately, or something? I don't know.

I never saw an ENT doctor before. Are all appointments with one like that? When I left, I was just in shock, I think. Then i thought about it and I decided that no, I was NOT going to take this guy's word for it. I didn't need another opinion, I was supposed to go get a biopsy. If I simply went upon opinions, I'd be left so confused! The 2 dentists and my doctor are concerned, and the one dentist told me he thought it very well could be cancerous, and then this guy said it was nothing. One cannot simply take someone's opinion. I decided I needed to do what I could to go get a biopsy, even if I have to see 100 doctors of sorts to find one to do one. I would rather find out it really is indeed nothing serious, and have wasted my time, than to do nothing but wait and discover it is something bad and precious time has been lost and it's worse than if I'd had it done in the first place instead of waiting, etc.

So tomorrow I will be seeing an oral surgeon. I decided that even if I have to pay out of pocket to see him and have it done, it's worth it. And maybe he'll actually listen to me when I go in, too. I just want to get it all over with so I can put this behind me. I don't like the stress of not knowing anything, and having the question mark in my mind. It's horrible to worry, especially if it's needlessly!

I'll let you guys know what happens at my appointment with the oral surgeon. Thanks for listening, and for all the support you have given me.

Pickle