Thank you for this input and phone number Caroline x 

Just got back from hospital, they said the ct scan showed abnormalities in my lymph glands but I didn't have the contrast dye so couldn't see clearly. so I had a camera up my nose and blood tests done and I have been booked an emergency ultrasound. The doctor said it could be cancer so I've just got to wait for the ultrasound now 

hello Countrylad

My mum is 88 and has had similar symptoms for 6 months. The NHS did offer her a chest x ray after the second month and no damage was found. She can eat sold foods but gets severe coughing fit about an hour later. It hurts her to swallow , the cough will not go away and she has trouble breathing.

We have tried to get her seen by a private doctor, but her GP is adamant that there is nothing wrong, they told her it was a virus, and more recently anxiety. 

My mum is not a person to panic, she takes care of her health and has no worries. Anxiety is just not an option.

I am unable to get her a test on her throat as the Dr refuses to look at esophageal perforation, esophagitis or pharyngeal (throat) pouches - 

Back in February Network Rail were spraying the land next to her garden with "something" to kill off the weeds, they have assured me that the mist which covered her garden was water - it left residue which was quite thick.

I would like to know how you are now? Did the cough disappear? Did you get a diagnosis?

We would love to get her tested but her GP will not give us permission to go private.

If anyone else has similar problems on this thread , I would love to hear from you.

Thanks

Dorothy.

hello,

I am having the same problem with my mum.

Could you please update me on how you are getting on?

I am currently trying to get her seen by a private doctor, the NHS have told her she is in good health for her age (88) and does not need a test.

Good luck,

Dorothy.

Hello Dorothy and thanks for posting

I'm sorry to hear about your mum's symptoms and can appreciate you may be worried about her.

It might be helpful trying to see another GP in the practice to talk over your concerns ,or if this has already been tried, you can always try changing the GP surgery.This is easy to do - you can read more about how to do this here 

Alternatively, you can look for a private GP practice in your area, or make an appointment with a consultant at a private hospital. If you ring the private hospitals they will be able to inform you of the process or you can read more about this here    

I hope things start to settle down soon for your mum.

All the best

Wanda

hello Wanda,

Thank you for your reply

We have so far had 2 x a & e visits due to breathing difficulties, sent home after a few hours.

3 x home visits .from nurses or area doctors, 1 x x-ray arranged via GP. 

conclusion reached that it was a virus or more recently -  caused by anxiety.

I sent e mail to GP and told them that it appeared to me to be some sort of blockage.

I gave them 3 different complaints that it could be.

Today she finally (after 6 months) got a telephone appointment with the ENT specialist.

He rang, and after listening to her told her to go straight to the hospital and he would see her. She finally managed to get a camera to check her throat for damage. Yes it is damaged, and not anxiety. We now have a solution perhaps to her problem, but it did take 6 months. 

A great pity it took so long, all those visits and dr call outs must be far more expensive than a simple camera down the throat. 

If it is serious, I shall be asking if the 6 month wait has compromised her recovery.

I used the NHS site and Mayo clinic, I'd advise others to do this for a self diagnosis if they are in the same situation. It took me 2 days but worth the effort, to be able to ask the Dr the right questions.

Hi I’ve also had a sore throat for almost 6 month now. It started the second week after my 3.5 year old was diagnosed with leukemia I’ve had a scan on my neck as have some lymph nodes but seems okay and a full blood test too. IM WORRIed to say I’ve got a Soren throat as they’ll just think covid 19, it’s worse when I breathe in deep through my nose. It’s not bad pain just niggling sore throat when swallowing and breathing in deep. Seeing some out comes is making me incredibly worried 

Hi ezziemay12.  Welcome to the forum.

Don't forget that this is a cancer chat forum, so you can expect to read a lot of cancer stories here. In fact, most people who have a sore throat and it turns out to be nothing don't bother posting at all so you never read their stories.  This means that the stories you do read give you a skewed perspective, making you think that cancer is more likely than it really is. 

So, if you're still worried go back to your doctor, but I'm guessing that with a young child you're probably well under 40 and head/neck/throat cancer is pretty rare in this age group.  It is also less likely for a woman to get it than a man.  

Its interesting that so many people are going through the same thing. 
I developed a very sore throat 6 months ago before lockdown. Tried all my usual go to natural cures but nothing worked.

Had a phone consulation with my doctor after a couple of months. Prescribed antibiotics. No difference.

Had a blood test. V high red cell, haemoglobin and haemotocrit levels.

After 5 months, finally had my throat seen by a doctor. He referred me straight away to ENT. Saw ENT consultant 2 days later. (They have never moved so fast). 

Looked in my throat and an endoscope through the nose. The doc said it was all normal. I asked to see the video from the endoscope. My arytenoids were clearly red and very swollen. He said this may be from acid reflux. I told him I've never had that.

My throat is so red and swollen, you can't see into it but he said this was normal.

He said he can't tell me what the problem might be. So I said between cancer and reflux there are hundreds of things that this could be and in all your training you have no idea why I may have had this debilating sore throat for 6 months. He said he didn't and he couldn't suggest any treatment.

I have since bought my own endoscope (you can by them on ebay) and can clearly see my throat is covered on ulcers. Its really bad down there.

So why tell me my throat is normal and that he couldn't see anything? The NHS these days is doing the very minimum. Its nothing to do with covid. The hospiatls have been empty all the way through. My county hospital, which is huge has had zero covid deaths. 

I realise they are not going to help me and I have to sort this out for myself so why am I paying National Insurance.

Not happy.