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Do I have throat cancer? I'm scared

Anonymous95
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Hello everyone,

My name is Sam, 24.

For the past 3 weeks I have had a feeling that something is stuck in the back of my throat. This week I have started getting more symptoms that are pointing the finger to throat cancer. I admit I believe everything I see from Dr Google, bad habits I know. I have recently been feeling very tired and run down, neck glands are swollen, my neck aches constantly, my throat/neck feels very tight, I wake up in the middle of the night dripping in sweat and as of last night have found a lump under my throat on the right hand side just above my Adams apple. This lump feels like rubber, does not hurt when I touch or move it and is currently the size of a chickpea.

I went to the doctor's today and she thinks I have a swollen lymph node and was made to get some blood tests and a chest x-ray straight away. I was told to come back in 4 weeks time if my symptoms are still here or they will call me in quicker if my results come back and seem worrying to my GP.

Right now I am bricking it, I don't even smoke and wondering how could I develop cancer in that area (if it is even that) 

I am just basically posting to let my feelings out because I am a very strong individual and right now I am not feeling it. I am very scared for what may happen in the next coming weeks. I was wondering if people could give me advise, tell me your stories etc because right now I am feeling very small and hopeless. I keep thinking once I have cancer it's the end of the road, I need to stop thinking like this.

I know nothing has been diagnosed so far I am just very scared. I have read many posts on here and can't believe how strong you all are, I envy every single one of you and I need to get some mental strength back in me so I have reached out for advice/someone to talk to.

Thank you for reading,

Sam

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    Hello Sam, 

    Welcome to the forum! You are right Dr Google is not to be trusted so try and resist the urge to ask Google anything as it will only make you worry more. It's good that you have seen the doctor so all you need to do now is wait for the results which I can imagine must be a really stressful time for you. The best thing to do is to keep busy and distracted and avoid looking things up online. I can imagine it is hard for you to do this at the moment but it will help you feel a little less anxious. 

    I hope you will also hear from others here who have been through all this before and that they will be along soon to share their story with you. 

    Keeping everything crossed for you that everything turns out fine. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

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    Hiya can i ask what your outcome was in the end.. i have been experiencing a tight feeling in my throat like a elastic band around my neck.. doctor felt my neck and said it feels swollen but no obvious lumps or bumps but ordered full bloods and booked a ultrasound on my neck.. im so scared im going to be told i have cancer 

  • Offline in reply to Nacaley13

    Hi,

    I had blood tests, WBC and liver count were above normal. Had blood tests for glandular fever but came back negative. Felt like the doctor's at my local practice are just too quick with diagnosis and dismissing stuff just because "I am young" so went private and had more blood tests and waiting on results for that. Been given omeprazole because the doctor I saw privately thinks it might be related to heartburn, globus or GERD. Surprisingly been getting much better since taking the pills to my shock, had 3 doctor's feeling around my neck and they say it seems fine but my lump still has not gone so I don't know whether it will ever go or not? Waiting on my 3rd set of blood tests and to finish this course of omeprazole, if I don't get any better after that I think the next route is pushing my local GP for a referral to see an ENT specialist and hopefully scans of needed. Try not to overthink it I have been so bad at doing that, at least you are getting scans! I have been pushing the doctor's for the past 2 months, seen 3 different doctor's (1 private) and still no scans.

  • Offline in reply to Anonymous95

    I cant believe no one has offered you any scans i literally went doctors saw a new doctor for first time she felt my neck and just said it felt swollen but no lumps or bumps etc but ordered bloods and ultasound for me first visit and thats without a lump.. the doctor was lovely and very sympathetic to the fact ive lost a lot of family to cancer and told her i was terrified it would happen to me..  can i ask did you also loose your appetite atall 

  • Offline in reply to Nacaley13

    Ive also wondered if mine is caused by gerd so interesting thats what you have been told when our symptoms are practically exactly the same 

  • Offline in reply to Nacaley13

    The lump may not seen concerning to them is how I am playing it at the moment, no appetite loss at all and no change in weight either, I would advise checking out gaviscon or seeing if you can get a course of omeprazole, I'm quite shocked that I was this ill and had all these symptoms and it may be all down to acid reflux, I still refuse to accept that is the source of the problem but I may be wrong

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