The names Ryobi-and I really appreciate this forum and all posters.

I have not been diagnosed, but over the last six months I have had a burning sensation in my mouth.It seems to move from one area to another, but it's always on the right.

Over the last seven days things have really turned, After smoking 8 cigerettes over two days I have ulcers underneath and on the side of my tongue surounded by black and red. The whole area is painful.

I'm 33 and I started chewing and smoking about six years ago, and I have had HPV since my early twenties.
I essentially quit smoking and chewing since June-averaging about 1 cigerette a day-somedays more, somedays none. But the two years before, I chewed heavilly-one can a day-basically chain chewing the whole day, and smoking when my mouth was too raw to chew.

I basically was going crazy those years and that was my way of coping. I have suffered from social anxiety and depression since junior high. My parents were divorced when I was 1, and I moved between parents, towns and abusive step-parents and brothers and sisters throughout my childhood.

Needless to say, I didn't get good grades in school. I started working at fast food resteraunts, and it was brutal. I was living in the same town Kurt Cobain came from, and I had to get out of there.

I started saving, and paid for two years of community college, where I excelled while studying chemistry/biology, working as a housekeeper and dealing with mental illness and a bad back(herniated L4-L5). To cope, I became essentially a, "granola" and an exercise addict, I didn't drink, or smoke.

Eventually, I went to a four year-graduated with a B+ GPA in chemistry. But I could not succeed after. In one job, I would get hurt, in another I could not work in a social environment.

I moved home at twenty six, got on disability at 28, and started chewing compulsively around that time. I live in a small republican town, everyone knows everything, and there is great stigma-being on disability. Chewing was my way of dealing with the stigma and my low self-esteem

I have been to a ENT two times and a dentist twice- the dentist thought I might have thrush but did not prescribe any medication.

Ever since i smoked those eight cigerettes....

Sorry, for the long post

Ryobi~

Ryobi,

First off I'm not sure if you are a male or female with that name. I'm not that great with names. The only reason I ask is the statement you made saying you have had HPV since your early 20's. I assume you are a female since there is only one test for males with HPV and that is from suspected cancer cells but then you say you chew which I only associate with males, thus my confusion.

Anyway I'm sure you have been told this but I would do 3 things immediately, as in ASAP....1. STOP SMOKING FOREVER; 2. STOP CHEWING FOREVER and 3. GET YOURSELF TO ANOTHER ENT.

Hi Ryobi,

Welcome to OCF and Happy Holidays. I also had a burning sensation on one side of my tongue that two or three doctors ignored. Eventually, I found one that took control and saved my life. If I was you I would be persistent in getting to the the bottom of your problem. I would also stop using tobacco and alcohol based products immediately. Whatever is causing the burning there is no reason to agitate it more by smoking a cigarette, it's not worth it. There are a number of ways a biopsy can be performed in order to diagnose your problem and that's what I would pursue by asking questions and getting answers from the doctors. Remember, this is your health and life you are dealing with and I'm sure you heard the old saying, "The squeaky wheel gets the oil." Don't stress over it, just get to the bottom of it in order to address the problem. There is no reason for you to be living with a burning sensation...no reason.

Others will have great advice for you...And again enjoy the Holidays the best you can and don't stress yourself out...You'll be fine.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I agree with Ray and David. and get that butt in gear and go save your life if you think it's OC. I do have to add that it's time to start ignoring the people that make you feel negative about yourself. The way I see that type of person is I sure as hell don't need them in my life . Stick around with people that know , understand you and most of all, have feelings for you. But do go get things checked out. Remember, it's your life to protect and save. Ditch the tobacco products along with the alcohol. Keep us informed and have a great day.

Ryobi, What the others have said is all good. Keep in mind that there are many many things other than cancer that could cause the symptoms you mention. If you have thrush it could explain all of them. If you are prone to biting your tongue (that can happen while sleeping) that could be part of it. Cancer is really quite rare. That said, the ONLY way you can confirm that it is or is not cancer is by a biopsy of the tissues.

Given that this has been ging on for a while you need to get it looked at and resolved. Sometimes you need to be persistant to get the doctors to follow up. Please BE PERSISTANT until you get it resolved. Call today and if the ENT you have seen blows it off again, call another. If you have to, get to a larger city with more options for doctoring. Small town doctors may not have the experience necessary to get this resolved. After you get competant care, let us know what the result was.

There is nothing we like to hear more than "the biopsy was negitive" when someone comes here with a new post.

Ryobi--It appears to me that you overcame a lot of obstacles in your life. What courage and determination ! I admire your persistance. What are your disabilities that you can't work ?
You are a survivor considering all that you've been through.
Now, I will get down to business. STOP CHEWING, SMOKING, DRINKING and get yourself to another doctor and get more than one diagnosis. And, by all means, get a biopsy done. I don't mean to be yelling at you (lol) but if that's what it takes to get you on the right road then consider this being scolded. Would you believe my son still chews. You'd think looking at his sick father that it would knock some sense into him. Okay, you take care and get "moving"........

Wow thanks all.

First off, I'm male.

I went to the GP today. She is a great DR-understanding-passionate-smart-she had a brain tumor herslef.

She ordered a battery of tests. She seems to think it's a symptom of an autoimmune disease and not cancer (although, couldn't cancer be thought of as an auto-immune disease) like diabetes and another disease.

As of now, I tend to believe her-I have gained over 100 pounds the last several years, and the burning and pain comes and goes and varies in intensity, but she did schedule another appointment with an ENT, and I will push for a biopsy.

Fred Hutchinson is in seattle. Washington is my home state. Does anybody know anything about getting into Fred Hutch?

Thanks again, for your good work, you guys and gals are saints.

Regardless of what happens, I'm OK with it. I went crazy for a-while, but I'm OK with it. Hopefully, I will never smoke or chew again.

Take Care

Ryobi~

Fred, Children's Hospital and the UWMC are in an alliance

http://www.seattlecca.org/

and are Comprehensive Cancer Centers, which means lots of cases, lots of experience and lots of different kinds of medical specialists all looking at your case -- Clearly a better situation than just one doc. They hold weekly tumor boards to discuss cases and make recommendations. Fred appears to have the listing in the NCI List:

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/resources/cancer_centers.htm

I actually don't know the difference between Fred and UW, as my ENT referred me directly to UWMC's Head and Neck Department -- Both seem to do HNC work.

If your doc thinks you have cancer, or if a biopsy says you do, then likely he/she (depending on whether ENT or GP) could refer you to the right center.

Stopping tobacco and stopping alcohol are definitely good things to do for prolonged life, but they are also definitely hard things to do, esp when they are a substitute for other problems!

Ryobi,

On a lighter note...I'm glad to hear you are a male...I just didn't say anything...I was picturing a female chewing tobacco and that just wasn't right...LOL

Be persistent and you'll be fine. And don't chew!!

Mr. Ryobi,

Still confused. How do you know you had/have HPV?

I still would not place my life in the hands of a GP with a battery of tests. It may not be cancer but there is only one way to determine that for sure and that's a biopsy and I would feel much more comfortable having that done by a CCC rather than a GP.