Hi, 

I hope everyone is well. I never thought I'd find myself posting on one of these forums but here I am. I often read them in search for answers but today I had to post because of the reassurance it has given me reading all the previous stories. 

I went to the doctor about a nasal issue as I feel my nasal passages are quite narrow resulting in snoring and a constant stuffy nose. I didn't expect the GP to say she was concerned about the size of one of my tonsils. 

My left tonsil is enlarged and since this finding I have a feeling of something being stuck in my throat all the time along with a hoarse/croaky voice (like when you wake up in the morning) which hasn't gone away. 

I had tonsillitis in mid November,  recovered after a course of penicillin then a month later had a painful sore throat for about 2 and a half weeks with no other symptoms. I was then prescribed amoxicillin which seemed to clear it up. However since then the above symptoms started and haven't gone away. Now headaches have started and the occasional ear pain. 

Just like a few of you I am notorious for relying on Dr Google which never ever helps. However after days and days of looking online there seems to be no other option of what this could be apart from tonsil or throat cancer.

I have just turned 36 and have 2 children under 5. I am going out of my mind with worry and have developed anxiety recently too. I feel so detached from reality and can't seem to get on with daily life whilst this is hanging over me. 

I will be going for a blood test tomorrow and have also been referred urgently to ENT for a possible biopsy. 

Trying to be hopeful after reading all the positive outcomes on here.

Hey, 

im sorry you have this worry at the moment. If it helps to reassure you my husband has his removed completely as one was a lot larger than the other and they came back all clear. 
 

wishing you the best! 

I was 36 when I had mine out (2 years back), with one child and pregnant wife. It only too easy to speak now, but I'd say take one step at a time - the rate of incidence in our age group is pretty low:

www.cancerresearchuk.org/.../incidence

I wish you all the best and look up!

Thank you so much for your well wishes. So glad to hear your husband got the all clear! 

Keeping everything crossed for myself now! 

Thank you so much for the reassurance. Hoping for the best! 

Hi, how did you get on with this? Having similar symptoms..

Hi there,

Ive been reading this thread for an understanding as I have an ENT appointment on Tues 12th for my left tonsil being massive. I'm not sure how long it's been like this. The only reason I noticed it was because I had a massive ulcer which appeared on the soft palate near the big tonsil. The ulcer didn't heal after 2 weeks so my GP surgery popped me on a week of penicillin and prednisone gargles. That managed to sort the ulcer but my tonsil is still massive. The ENT appointment is a 2 week cancer referral which then led me to read Dr. Google and then prepare for the worst.

Since the ulcer has pretty much gone, I get no pain in the throat now. I can't feel any swollen lymph nodes (but also I'm not a doctor ). So the main symptom is my massive tonsil friend and bad breath as the tonsil now sits on my tongue and stuff gets trapped no matter how much I try and clean.

It's reassuring that a lot of posters on here got the all clear but I battle with health anxiety and this has taken me over the edge I think. I'm slowly regaining control and telling myself that one can overcome anything but it's a tricky one.

I'm 38, male, in generally fine health. I don't smoke, don't really drink to excess and not too bad weight wise (I've lost a lot this year). I know the big C is indiscriminate however.

I'll update this thread once I finished the first ENT appointment. Sending love to anyone else going through a similar time and thanks to everyone who's taken the time so far to post their experiences on here - it's reassuring to hear all sides of the story.

Cheers, TC.

Hi all, just to update this post. I had my 2 week referral appointment with the ENT doctor on Tuesday. I'm not really sure if it gave me any answers to be honest.

The doctor had a look with the camera down the nose and although he noted the left tonsil was indeed large he wasn't bothered by it and told me to leave it as is unless it gets any bigger. I'm glad that he didn't think it was worth investing so it must of looked ok but I'm still unsure why it's swollen. I tried to ask leading questions such as if it's medically ok for it to be permanently swollen and he said it's ok as it is.

He said that they had to balance risk with a tonsillectomy as that would be the only way to properly biopsy the thing and he said my risk wasn't weighted enough to recommend surgery.

I'm relieved he felt it was ok but there's a niggle I'm trying to shake which is my conscience telling me "what if it is that thing we dread, and now you are just a ticking time bomb waiting to go off".

would be interested to hear if anyone had this result?

Cheers, TC.

I started this thread several years ago now about my husband and since then he's been diagnosed with GERD (or acid reflux/heartburn to use more everyday terms!). His doctor thinks this is what caused his englared tonsil to begin with as the acid from his stomach came up and damaged it as he slept (as it was on the side he sleeps on). 
 

I'm glad your doctor thinks yours isn't anything sinister, but this might give you some idea about why it happened. 
 

Good luck with everything!

Hi [@SSH]‍ - thanks for taking the time to reply.  :happy:

I'm glad your other half got a diagnosis. Would you mind if I ask, is his tonsil still enlarged? I wondered if it ever went down?

The rationale may also work for me as I'm on Lanzoprezole once a day for heartbearn/indigestion too.

Kind Regards, TC.