I’m scared that I might have sinus cancer.

Hi guys,

I'm not usually one for sharing my personal problems with others but I've come to a point with my anxiety that I feel the need to talk with some one. 
 

I've recently turned 26 and it wasn't until 4-5 years ago that I started having sinus infections. I only ever got them twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter. After a course of antibiotics I was as good as new.

Last October something strange happened, I had the worst sinus infection in my life and it caused me to be bedridden for a week. And from then onwards I've had at least 1-2 sinuses infections a month and it came to the point where antibiotics weren't working for me, so I stopped taking them.

Then comes April 2022 and I've yet again had another sinus infection except this was worser than previous infections because my right nostril was blocked and every time I breathed in or out it felt like acid was being poured straight up to my brain. So I went to the doctor and they gave me antibiotics and a nasal spray. After the first use of the spray my nostril unblocked and yellow liquid poured out for a good 3-4 minutes.

a few days later my right nostril was blocked again but without the pain. I couldn't breathe or smell through it.

I rang my doctor and they immediately booked me in for an emergency path with the ent.

2 weeks later I go to my appointment and the doctor uses a camera to check inside my right nostril and finds a growth or what he expects to be a polyp. He tells me he's going to book me in for a ct scan which I receive 3 days later.

My ct scan is done in ten minutes and I receive a call the three days later to come in for an mri scan the following week.

I just want to add in that between the ct scan and the mri I was sent an appointment for November but two days after my mri scan it is cancelled and I'm given a date to come in at the end of august.

This entire experience has been stressful and worrying. At the moment I'm giving the outer appearance of someone who isn't worried at all and is going on normally with life, so I don't cause further worry for my family who are in bits about the what ifs of the whole situation, but on the inside I'm crying and lost.

I feel that them moving the appointment forward means that this might be more serious than I hope it will be.

Has anyone else had these kind of symptoms because I feel really alone at the moment.

  • Hi Bookworm2022,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat. I can understand this must be concerning, and I know the waiting and uncertainty is never easy to deal with. The appointment being moved to a closer date may simply be due to a cancellation, and at least it will mean you get answers sooner.

    Take things a day at a time and try to focus on things that you enjoy and that help to keep you busy, to help keep your mind off things.

    We're always here for support if you need it and hopefully you'll receive further replies soon.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Hi Bookworm. 

    I myself have sinus cancer (upper maxillary). Apparently less than 1 in 500 cases a year so I'm one of the lucky ones. If I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Mine didn't really show anything. I had an abcess on my upper gum and a swollen lymph node. A trip to the dentist for the abscess led to an x-ray where they saw a definite shadow. I saw it myself. May as well have drawn it with a marker pen it was that obvious. The lymph node was, little did I know at the time, drawing all the cancer cells into it (as is its job) and hence growing larger.

    CT scans and MRI scans and further xrays confirmed it. Massive massive shock. You're not invincible, accept that right now. I had to.

    The oncologists couldn't work out what specific type I had so they fought 2 at once to hedge their bets. 3 rounds of chemo and 33 doses of radiotherapy followed. I'm 3 weeks done with radio and the recovery is slooooow. I also had 4 teeth removed pre-radio (it prevents problems further down the line but was the only time I got upset. Healthy teeth removed through no fault of my own. I can accept the cancer but I like my teeth). I'm still not sure whether they correctly diagnosed the type I've got actually.

    If you need to chat, feel free to message me. There are very few sinus folk out there. Trust me. I've looked. Good luck. Don't freak out. Head up, shoulders wide, plough through it. I'm doing it.

    Matt.