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Should I be worried?

Eleanora
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Hi, I'm Eleanora. I hope it's ok to ask you about my concerns as I'm not diagnosed but I am a little worried. I know you can't diagnose me but I'm hoping you can advise me hopefully.

Since about April I've not been feeling the best. Around that time I started feeling dizzy and getting headaches. This had lasted and is a lot worse now. I have a huge fear of doctors but eventually went around August and they said I have tonsillitis. I was given some medication but in the last month I feel a lot worse now. The dizziness is with me most of the time, I get nausea, redness in my face and my face, neck and top of my chest all feel hot all the time.

Inside my mouth isn't very nice. It's very red but weirdly not hurting which does worry me. My tongue has red patches on the side also not sore and under my tongue there is a white patch and that worries me a lot. I've had two family members who had oral cancer and I'm worried this may be it. I've not looked it up online because I don't want to worry myself but I am concerned.

I've also been getting stomach pain the last couple of weeks and it's very swollen but a few days ago I felt a lump in the top right of my stomach, not very big but it was hard. It feels like a small pea.

So I'm feeling very concerned at the moment but I do get IBS as well so I'm aware it could be due to that a lot of this.

I don't want to go to the doctors, a because of my anxiety which is extremely bad recently and b because I don't want to waste their time if it is all down to tonsillitis and IBS.

Do you think, based on what I've said it is worth getting checked out?

I'm really not sure what to do. I've felt poorly for a while but my doctor did say originally tonsillitis can make you feel bad so I don't want to be a pain if it's only that.

But I do worry in case it is cancer or something else going on. I'm nearly 26 so I know I'm still young to have this but I know, sadly first hand experience with family that it can happen to younger people sadly. I woke up this morning at 2:50 with night sweats. As usual my face, neck and chest are hot. I've been drinking water but still feels hot. My throat is red but not painful.

I'd just like some guidance really to see what you think and whether it's worth me getting this looked at.

Thank you. x

  • Hello Eleanora and thanks for your post

    I'm afraid we can't say what is the matter (diagnose) when someone has ongoing symptoms. Only a doctor can make a medical assessment, so we always encourage people to make an appointment to see their GP if their symptoms are persisting. 

    Doctors are trained to assess symptoms and can arrange tests if they feel it’s necessary to try to find out what might be going on.

    Although symptoms can sometimes seem frightening, in most cases they will be caused by something else other than cancer especially at your young age. But it is always sensible to get any problems you have checked out to be on the safe side.

    I hope you know more about your situation soon and that everything turns out to be okay.

    Kind regards,

    Celene

  • Offline in reply to CRUK Nurse Celene

    Hello Celene, thank you very much for taking out the time to respond to me today. I do appreciate it. Thank you.

    I'm sorry for coming here and basically just pouring all my problems, worries and symptoms on to you. I called the GP and had an appointment this afternoon. She agrees that my throat isn't healing but she is positive it's just an infection. She did a urine test and then tested my blood sugar and it's very high so she's pretty sure I am diabetic so I've got to go to hospital for further tests to be sure and to rule other things out.

    The lump in my stomach is actually swelling she says so that's one less thing to worry about.

    I'm relieved it's not cancer and I'm feeling a lot less anxious now. I'm a bit gutted about diabetes but I do struggle to eat meals and I only ever drink coca cola really so it is my own fault. I'll have to try and work on my diet. I have been referred to a dietician to help with this and I'm also a little underweight so they can help me with that too.

    I guess I just jumped to the worst possibility this morning.

    I'm so sorry.

    But, thank you so much for your kind reply and advice. It was a big help to me today.

    Kind regards,

    Eleanora.

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