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One tonsil enlarged - definitely cancer??

SSH
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Hi everyone,

First of all I've tried to make this as short as possible and I know only a doctor can tell us for certain, but I really want some reassurance that it might not be cancer so I don't completely breakdown everday over the next two weeks. 

My husband has had issues with a painless lump in his throat since before we met (nearly six years ago). He said it gets better and worse sometimes, but never completely goes away. Twice it has become so large it effected his breathing and he went to the doctor, and both times he was prescribed some antibiotics that made things better but it would always come back. He was also told one tonsil was larger than the other, but that it wasn't worrying. 

Fast forward to now. He has had some issues since we've been together with the lump making him cough at lot beacuse it's irritating his throat (his words!), but in general it has been pushed to the back of my mind. However, a few months ago I noticed my husband was sort of wheezing when he breathed out (breathing in is fine, as is eating) and I have been begging him to go to the doctor about it. He was relutant at first becuase he siad it had been worse than this before, but he finally agreed and we went to the doctor yesterday. 

The doctor commented that, again, one tonsil was much larger than the other and he wasn't sure what it was. He didn't think it was anything to be worried about because of how long he had had it and he wasn't really in an 'at risk' group (he's in his early 40's, no family history and doesn't smoke or drink heavily), but he gave him an urgent referral to an ENT. I panicked when I heard that, but my husband said it wasn't because he was overly concernced and it was just so we wouldn't have to wait months to be seen. He should have a throat scan (? sorry, don't know the correct word!) within two weeks. 

I am so so scared. I have had awful issues with health anxiety in the past and would use Dr Google for everything (I know I shouldn't) - I'm pretty sure I ended up diagnosing myself and my husband with every type of cancer out there! It got really bad and I was barely sleeping so I completely banned myself from Googling anything, which made things a lot better. However, last night I couldn't help myself and every single post about one tonsil being englarged (without pain) said it was tonsil cancer.

I can usualy talk myself out of panicking, but at the moment my conversations are just going: 

"The doctor said it was almost certainly nothing" - "But then why give an urgernt referral" - "To save us waiting months to be seen, he was a great doctor" - "But one tonsil larger than the other without pain is always cancer, he was just being nice and trying to stop you worrying becuase he knows in two weeks he'll be diagnosed with cancer" - "Even if it is cancer it can be treated, remember all the stories online about people who got better" - "Well it's been over six years, it's clearly going to have spread everywhere by now" - ect...

I'm sorry for going on so much. I know only the doctors can tell us for certain what it is, but does it HAVE to be cancer? I can't find anything else other than cancer for his symptoms and I just can't stop worrying. Is there anything else this could be? If it's cancer we'll deal with it, but these next two weeks are going to destory me if I don't have a tiny ray of hope that it might be something less serious. 

Thanks for reading :( 

Parents
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    Hi SSH, 2013 I had my tonsillectomy at the age of 50 years old. It sounds like you're husband might have white stones in his tonsils. I too had one of my tonsils in large. For year back and forth to the GP was told I was too old to have my tonsils taken out. But I persist. Best thing I ever done. Don't give up keep going back too the doctor. Hope this helps. Marilyn
  • Offline in reply to Marilyn777

    Hello,

    Not sure this is still relevant to the original poster, I hope everything turned out allright, but I'm going to share my short stoy for other people searching ...

    I've been consulted by ENT for an unrelated matter back in March and by chance they've picked up one of my tonsils was larger than the other. It was quite obvious when looking in the mirror as well, it was huge on the left side and the other side for comparison seemed as if it had been taken out; no other symptoms present.

    At that point they've told me to give it another 3 months to see what happenes. You can imagine they've been the worse 3 months of my life; I've obsessed over google search results and forum threads about similar cases, with the number one indication being tonsil cancer. Then in Augurst I've seen ENT again and decided the safest is to have both my tonsils removed and checked, as there was no feasable way to exclude tumors (of any sorts); as they've explained it, biopsies can be inconclusive if they don't touch the tumor.

    Surgery was scheduled for the end of August and my tonsils have both been removed successfully, was soar for about a week, but managed with painkillers (and as adivsed by the surgen forced myself eating to avoid bleeding and ease up on pain). Upon visual inspection it was obvious that the tonsils were of similar size but somehow the right side managed to hide itself out of sight. Two weeks later pathology results came back clear (chronic inflmation) and I've been grateful ever since.

    Hopefully this will ease up any negative thoughts on other people going through this and reading this post.

  • Offline in reply to ONO

    Hi ONO. Welcome to the forum.

    This was clearly a very worrying time for you, but it's good news that it was a false alam. 

    Did you have an MRI or CT prior to surgery?

Reply Children
  • Offline in reply to telemando

    Hey, this is late, but no, no CT or MRI, they put a camera up my nose and had a look behind the tonsils. But they couldn't exclude anything with that so decided to take them out.

  • Offline in reply to ONO

    Hello, I am in the same position as lot of people who have posted on here. Been having issues with tonsils for four years. Tonsillitis regularly but just focused on the right side. Have also had lots of minor bouts where no fever but sore throat on one side and feeling tired/ dizzy/ etc. Anyone else feel like that   Went to doctors today and for the first time (have been to ENT clinic five times in last four years) noticed one tonsil is bigger than the other. I'm seeing the specialist again within two weeks. Very nervous as can imagine. Doctor said it is a cancer pathway which doesn't sound good at all. I had blood on my pillow few months ago and went for a round of test at the hosptial. They took blood and gave me the all clear. Hopefully that is a good sign. Any way, reading stories on here made me feel slightly less nervous. Will let you know how it goes. 

  • Offline in reply to tabtom1

    My right tonsil is also slightly bigger than other. 4 months ago ENT Specialist check with camera and also mri but found nothing. I also have a feeling of something in right side of throat whereas it's much better now but ENT Specialist said you have silent reflux. I kept pushing my GP and last month I was sent for gastroscopy. They said I have 2cm Hiatus hernia and Barrett's esophagus. I was surprised that I had heartburn once in a blue moon. Biopsy results arrived last week and doctor says they are not precancerous cells. 
    it's my advise that if you have feeling of something in your throat always ask your GP to send you for a gastroscopy. 
    I'm still grateful to ENT Specialist. 

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