I saw the ENT yesterday and the Area I was concerned with on my jaw is "normal" Or atleats now it is. IT was where my wisdom tooth had been and he said it was scar tissue build up . I had just never ever noticed it before and it was irritated so probably that is why I noticed it.

So far everything else is good I guess. He likes to do that SCOPE thing ..ughhh I hate that . Am I ever gonna get used to it ? He is watching somthing in my throat , but he says he really thinks it is nothing and I need to drink more water. It comes and goes whatever it is . I dont know , I trust him , he is very dilligent with me so I beleive if he thought it was more I would be being biopsied.

He still says Dosent know why I have this cancer or had I should say.( he isnt dr who did surgery !) But he wonders if it is HPV, my understanding from all the discussions on here and everything I read is HPV is more Base of tongue and throat ..right ?


Shar

LOL... I dont think anyone here likes that scope dear. Do they not spray you with the numbing medicine before they run the scope in? I am happy to hear that your ENT isnt overly concerned with this Shar.

Billy

Maybe I'm wierd but I like the scope. They have better sprays than others (the banana flavored is the best - and be sure to inhale through your nose when they are spraying it - numbness is the key). I have also observed that some fiber optic scopes have a smaller OD than others so that may be a factor as well) It gives them the best look and I don't think it's a big deal. I actually requested one 4 months ago when my throat was doing wierd things and yesterday my H&N surgeon walked in with one. So I mentioned "oh you're going to scope me again?" and he said "oh that's right I scoped you 4 months ago" (I was actually a little dissapointed) and he just used tongue depressors, gauze and mirrors and I was on my way.

I am also officially now on a 6 month follow-up with him and the MO and yearly with the RO. I have mixed feelings about that - one part of says YEH! I'm moving on from this - the other "voice" says "but you know the outcome if the Dx is late, especially if it's a recurrence or distant mets".

Five years is supposed to feel good I guess but it really doesn't fell any different from yesterday.

Over caution is a good thing - one cannot be too vigilant. There are plenty of horror stories here of people who weren't or didn't do their regular follow-up exams.

Kudos to your ENT!

No we dont numb at all !!! But I didnt like the numbing stuff, it didnt work .. he is really really gentle and it dosent hurt it is just weird. And I get it done every 4 weeks ..SO I am glad he is vigilant too !!!

I was hoping I would feel different after 5 years !! but I agree I probably will always have that fear !

Shar

I have been getting the scope for quite a few years and I don't mind it. I was getting it every 3 months and the surgeon that does it is the one that found the cancer. But he does numb and then am put to sleep for a little while. Never really had much pain after .

So what do you have against numbing?!? When I was in Tx the stuff burned like hell for a few seconds before the nunmbing effect took place but I have not had any problems with it since. Usually wears off before I get in my car. He always lets me watch - if he's using the video model. It's fascinating to watch how the vocal cords work.

Hey shar.
I am so glad it was nothing!! One more hurdle you have had to go through. I go to my ent for a 6 week checkup on friday. Please pray for me that I am still not losing bone!

I don't know, I have only been numbed once that was at Dana Farber and when they scoped me ..it hurt so bad I nearly Jumped off the table. I dont think I was numb. So my Ent has just never done it . He says he will be gentle ...and he is and he talks to me while he is doing it. Like the one spot of my nose can be tight and he will say " ok tight right here " So I dunno. I wish I could see it that would be NEAT !!!!!! But I have never seen like a tv set up or anything it is just this little thing he holds in his hand
He has asked Joe if he wanted to look. But he didn't LOL. I wanna see !!!! He used to hook it to this thing ( box like thing ) on the counter but now he just has it all hand held.


Do you want to hear somthing weird. I was never scoped unitl AFTER my surgery . The oncologist was the 1st person to scope me and he started doing it with out the novicane, so it has always been done that way , except Dana Farber. ANd my Original ENT ( the one who did surgery ) NEVER scoped me ...never order a PET scan or an MRI .. I just find all of that weird and I am very happy I switched , while he did an excellent Job on my surgery .... I wasn't comfy with follow up .

Shar

Ps
Debbie I do hope all goes well for you !!

Peace---ask about Zometa for the bone-loss-I have an infusion once a month for my jaw!

Just general stuff on numbing---when I had my biopsy, was given a 'pellet' of something to roll around my cheek to help numb it BEFORE I got the deep injection of novocaine or whatever, before they started cutting. Just NO pain til the last stitch--ouch--another injection--such a 'gentle' man.

Bren