I think all hospitals will be different but I went for my first one on Friday 13th - had an examination of my neck - the doctor felt all my glands etc and then used a thin flexible camera which goes up one nostril and can view your sinus cavities and part of your throat. It wasn’t pleasant but I managed it without the anaesthetic spray as they said that tastes nasty!   My consultant found three growths, one was more suspicious so she then arranged an mri which I had 8 days later.  She said she might have to do a biopsy as well under general anaesthetic but I haven’t heard anything more this week.  My follow up appointment is next months, 5 weeks from the initial appointment.  I’ve got really bad sinusitis at the moment and don’t feel well at all. 

thanks for replying

I now have my appontment through for Monday morning. I'm still experiencing night sweats, but also chills in the day. My neck is painful and swollen, but the lumps aren't sore to touch. They are more like swellings (glands maybe).

The sinuisitis is easing up but the dry / tickly cough i have at night is really disturbing my sleep which i desperately need as i am so tired. My daughter (6yo) was away at the weekend, and instead f going out, with my husband, I wnet to bed all day instead, which is totally unlike me.

My boss is being ever so good in supporting me (I work in the NHS!) but I feel terrified. We have been through all of this 'its defintely not cancer but lets rule it out' malarkey before, and that reuslted in my husbands diagnosis with stage 2 kidney cancer. (he is fine now).

My GP didnt order any bloods - should i request to have them done prior to monday?

I too have fevers, sweats and chills etc. I feel cold constantly and cant warm up, sometimes I shiver all night in my sleep! The first thing I got done is bloods, they were all normal and I'm waiting to see a hematologist. I would definitely try and get bloods done to see if anything shows up abnormal in them. How often do you have a fever? Mine comes and goes and is mainly up at night time. 

Im glad your work is supportive. I have a hard time staying off google and getting myself worked up as I wait for an appt. Hope you are coping okay and managing to keep busy. This group is a great support! You arent alone in this x

my fever comes and goes. My ears are so sore and my throat feels like i'm having to make a conscious effort to swallow...

I will ring the doctor and see if they will do some bloods for me.

I am trying to stay positive but its hard when you've already experienced it i think ,

thanks so much for replying

Hi 

it's horrible waiting isn't it - and google is great for convincing us we've got the worse case scenario! I've still not heard mri results and my appointment is 18th so hoping it's not bad news or they'd have been in touch by now but I don't really know how quick they respond.  I had bloods done at my initial hospital appointment ordered by the consultant so I wouldn't arrange your own - the dr will know what specific things they want to check. 

How long ago was your MRI? Have you tried ringing your doctor as sometimes they get a copy of your report and you might get your results sooner. Im sure the 18th seems so far away! 

MRI was 12 days ago.  I didn’t think my GP receptionist would be alowed to give out results like that - but I could ring the consultant’s secretary I suppose. I’m afraid to really.

I understand. Id feel the same. Maybe just wait until your appt then if you can! Im just so impatient lol. But Id tell myself no news is good news hopefully! 

Hello. I've signed up to talk about my husband's problems. however I suffer myself from sinusitis and I know how dreadful it can make you feel - and how little help the NHS can be! If you can get hold of some chewing gum that contains 100% xylitol (and waitrose stock one brand) and chew a couple of pieces after each meal (but no more than 8 per day as it's mildly laxative) you may start to feel better after a few days. This isnt to say that you dont need the cause investigating but it may provide some relief from the worst symptoms while they investigate. Xylitol is a natural antibiotic and IME more effective for sinusitis than some antibiotics. It is thought to work by preventing bacteris from sticking to surfaces.

You may find you get a foul tasting discharge in your throat but the actual gum is quite pleasant. I used to hate chewing gum - but this is brilliant. If you cant get 100% gum, which works on more bacteria, then some brands of wrigleys have about 15% xylitola nd you get that pretty much anywhere.