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Mouth cancer worries

Harryto
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Hi everyone, my names Harry, I'm 22 :)

First time posting and just wanted some advice, I know no one is a doctor here but thought it might help. 

 

I've had a mouth ulcer over a month now and it's come and gone, what I mean is it shrinks and the morning after discovering it a month a go it went completely. It seems to come back and forth depending what I eat, acidic things are worse. 

 

I went to doctors recently to get some cream for it to use before eating and it helped a little but its still there. 

 

Now I have noticed my uvela and area around it has little lumps around it etc, I saw a nurse this week and they prescribed me thrush medicine, they said there wasn't a group of ulcers together so she didn't seem too worried but said give it a week and come back. 

 

I also saw a dentist today and voiced my concerns, I've had him for years all my life in fact and never had any issues with my teeth or mouth. He couldn't even really detect the ulcer or see it as a concern and when I mentioned the uvela lumps etc he didn't seem concerned at all and said my mouth looked fine. 

 

However I keep getting a sore throat a little and the ulcer isn't going. My mind is going crazy and I'm terrified I have cancer and people are missing things. 

 

I have a habit for anxiety and am on medication, I had a brain mri scare 2 years ago and 2 follow up scans as I showed some symptoms of a brain tumour but bloods and all scans came back clean. 

 

I've never smoked and hardly drink and am young, I know dentists are trained to spot worrying things especially someone who's been at it for over 30 40 years, but I can't get out of my head it's life threatening. 

 

I don't have swollen glands, no bleeding, no images like Google have shown me, the top of my mouth is slightly white but it's not weirdly done like I've seen online. 

I also would think a mouth ulcer to worry about wouldn't go up and down in terms of swelling I'd assume it would stay the same size or just get worse?

 

I apologise for the long message but really would appreciate some advice etc reassurance as I'm going insane :(

 

I'm worried it won't be picked up in time if it is and I'll be diagnosed with it being terminal after a month, sorry if I'm out of touch... 

 

Thanks 

 

Harry

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    Hello Harry and welcome to our forum, 

    It does sound like this persistent mouth ulcer has been bothering you a lot and it's good you've had it looked at and that you have mentioned your issues to your dentist as well. If you are still worried though, do go back to the doctor or perhaps ask to have a second opinion. You can find out more about this here. It does sound like you may be suffering from health anxiety so it would be a good idea to bring this up too with your doctor who will be able to give you some advice to help you control it. One thing that would definitely help would be to try and resist the urge to google symptoms or to look up images on Google. This will only fuel your anxieties and make you feel worse raising even more questions instead of providing the answers you are looking for. 

    I hope you get to the bottom of this soon Harryto and that you soon find the reassurance you need at the moment. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

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    Hello Harry and welcome to our forum, 

    It does sound like this persistent mouth ulcer has been bothering you a lot and it's good you've had it looked at and that you have mentioned your issues to your dentist as well. If you are still worried though, do go back to the doctor or perhaps ask to have a second opinion. You can find out more about this here. It does sound like you may be suffering from health anxiety so it would be a good idea to bring this up too with your doctor who will be able to give you some advice to help you control it. One thing that would definitely help would be to try and resist the urge to google symptoms or to look up images on Google. This will only fuel your anxieties and make you feel worse raising even more questions instead of providing the answers you are looking for. 

    I hope you get to the bottom of this soon Harryto and that you soon find the reassurance you need at the moment. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Children
  • Offline in reply to Moderator Lucie

    HI lucie, 

     

    Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. 

     

    I do have health anxiety and I understand its a common thing that happens with a lot of people, even on anxiety medication I can't help but worry still. 

     

    My logic tells me, a nurse, pharmiscist and a dentist have examined me and while cautious have said it doesn't look like anything like cancer, even a online doctor who I sent images to backed this up and said thrush was much more likely. 

     

    It doesn't help my right ear and jaw feel a bit clammy now and ache but I'm starting to think it could be thrush etc as I have been getting occasional headaches too. 

     

    I apologise as I don't wish to focus on  such a bad disease with my worrying and detract from those genuinely suffering, any further advice is appreciated.

     

    Thanks 

     

    Harry

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