How do I get help - think ill die before i get help

I have night sweats, SEVERE pain in my left ear basically 24/7, pain when I swallow, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes in left of neck, headache, neckache, a small mass on my left tonsil, and I've been spitting out blood (99% sure coming from my tonsil) for 8 weeks, currently the bleeding has progressed to the point that pretty much every time I go to the bathroom and spit to check, there is blood, if not every time then every other time. 2 weeks ago I didn't have the night sweats, the severe earache, the sore throat or the pain when I swallow.

Despite all of this I can't get a 2ww referral to see an ENT even though I've begged literally 9 GPs to do so, as they can't tell me what is wrong with me, but they also will not refer me. I lucked out and there was a cancellation so I saw an ENT today. I told her literally every symptom, every symptom that is a symptom of tonsil cancer... she did a laryngoscopy and was ready to let me leave. She didn't even check my lymph nodes though I said they had been swollen for weeks, I read on the Cancer Research UK website that would be something that happened and she didn't even do it, she wasn't going to do anything and just let me leave.

I nearly broke down (I am literally so done at this point), explained that noone is going to help me even with symptoms and even while I suffer, said that I had expected a biopsy or a CT scan, just literally something. I showed her the mass on my tonsil on my phone after she lazily looked in my mouth and said she couldn't see it (yes really), and agreed to a CT scan. I have no idea how long it will take but for all I know it could be 38 weeks (that was the original wait time I was given to see an ENT).

What do I do after the CT scan, since I've read that the *only* way to diagnose tonsil cancer is biopsy, and I'm *very* worried that if they don't see anything they will just brush me off like everyone else I've seen for the last 8 weeks has done. Is there a way to guarantee a biopsy, is there a way to make it clear that a biopsy should be done, what do I do if I'm just pawned off again? Going to my GP won't help, I've tried that, they do not care at all. I've been to A&E, unless I'm about to die they do not care at all... I literally feel like I'm dying, every day I get worse, but I can't get help through the methods I try and I don't know what else to do. I'm 32, I don't want to die.

  • Noobert I'm so sorry to hear this. I've been diagnosed as nasopharygneal cancer couple weeks ago. Even for me, I have not experineced such severe symptoms. Probably you can go to an A&E department.

     

    Hope this helps.

  • Oh no - your symptoms sound very awful! I think you should use the 111 service and maybe you'll need to go to A&E. Hopefully they fast track it. 

    I went to GP in March for bowel problems and the doctor was great as she got me to do tests straight away and referred me. But the referral waiting list is very long. I still haven't been seen or contacted.

    I went to A&E last week due to heavy bleeding thinking it was from rectum but it was actually vaginal bleeding. They put me on 2ww but didn't say what for. They said I'm too young but the test's just for my reassurance. I am glad though that I am actually being seen and they didn't fob me off for being 'too young'.

     

  • Ah thats so lucky, thank god you actually got someone to listen, hope you end up getting the all clear when you finally find out.

    So I did try that already, went to A&E twice a few weeks ago and got fobbed off just like my GPs have been doing, but you've encouraged me and I think I might try again this weekend, thanks for the tip.

    Just like you last time they said "I'm too young", I said that "oh young people can't get cancer now then huh?" they said ofcourse they can but didnt book me for a CT or a 2ww for my reassurance, just told me I was reading too much and to go back to my GP lol, at the point where I've given up so much I just wanna die but I'll give it one last shot before I give up entirely.

  • Hi Hea, really sorry to hear about your diagnosis, know it doesn't help but I really really am wishing you all the best with your treatment, especially as I'm expecting to end up with the same diagnosis sometime soon. Sorry to be nosey but do you mind me asking what your symptoms were? And if that's too nosey I'm really sorry for asking, completely forget I said anything, thanks for the tip I will for sure head down to A&E again this weekend, last time I went I got fobbed off but maybe now my symptoms are a lot worse they will listen to me.

  • My symptoms started when I felt my left ear was blocked after flights. And then I went to the GP, the doctor noticed that there was a painless, hard, swollen lump on my left neck. Without her mentioning the symptom, I didn't notice there was a lump. I also asked a fellow patient who has already recovered. Her symptoms started off with a blocked nose and yellow nasal discharge (blobs). These blobs later formed into bloody blobs.Then she started getting regular nose bleeds until eventually she start coughing blood on a regular basis.

    Symptoms can vary depending on different people. And even in your case, which sounds really serious, there are still chances that it is not cancer. 

    Good luck with you! Hope this helps!

  • Thanks so much Hea, going to push the doctors to do a biopsy as soon as possible and fingers crossed that even if I am diagnosed it's not too far along... All the best, Ill keep you in my thoughts, good luck with your treatment