Pamela

this is obviously a worrying time for you and the not knowing and testing process can sometimes be unbearable.

the body produces lumps and bumps for no apparent reason sometime and although I am now cancer free, underneath I am still a normal person who still gets lumps and bumps.

just watch Dr Pimple Popper.....amazing but slightly disturbing woman!

however, you are now on a treatment path, but it a tad difficult in these conditions.

my advice is just to keep yourself busy and I guess being a single mum, there is not a time when you are not.

keep chatting on here, we have all been through testing and beyond, although we are not medically trained, so can't satisfy your desire for an answer, but we can help you get there.

hang in there, there is a brilliant process working in the background, even in these different times.

so how are you doing today?

vatch

Thanks for replying Vatch, Im turned into a cleaning demon, as its easier to distract myself with practical things, so one advantage will be a cleaner house.

Daytime is not so bad, the worse is during the night, I tend to have a couple of hours sleep then Im awake with my thoughts going round and round, tend to fall asleep again round about 5 then my daughter comes in and bounces on the bed around 6.30 lol.  Im desperately trying not to be such a grump with the kids, some days are better than others.

I guess I was disheartened by the GP saying he needed to do the referral but it likely couldnt be done, if I hear nothing by Monday I may ring the hospital directly to ask if this is truly the case.

Thanks again

Pamela

Hi Winnie

Not the best news im afraid, I had a core biopsy of the lymph node today and an MRI, the radiologist says it doesnt look good, the ENT specialist has yet to see inside my mouth, due to covid he wanted the tests done first to reduce exposure and was happy to look at the photos I sent, the general thought is that it is most likely tonsil cancer but we wont know the primary until we get the biopsy results. Next step is to have a face to face, CT scan and plan in place.  One things they said, which was very positive, as this thing had come up so quickly it most likely would recede quickly too, so Im clinging to that.  I have to say though that it didnt come as a complete shock I was pretty convinced.  Im feeling quite positive at the moment, I will beat this.  Quite how I will manage the ins and outs with 2 kids I have no idea but I will beat it.    

I have to also say the hospital have been fantastic in terms of covid, despite my GP saying I wouldnt be seen at the moment. So definately pays to keep the pressure on.  How are you, have you any success with ENT, if it helps I did suggest to my GP that I would go to A&E, he didnt argue.  Hope you get seen quickly x

I'm so sorry to hear that . I really hope things start to move a bit quicker for you so you can on the way to recovery .its so hard and frustrating with the covid situation . All I keep seeing is tonsil cancer is rare but this site shows it's not but it does appear very very  beatable . I send you lots of best wishes. 
I am ok , I have an appointment with ent next Wednesday if it doesn't get cancelled which they said it might . 
I have one tonsil enlarged which has been for some time , ear ache , both sides and a painful neck but no lumps that the gp could feel. I do however have a lump on the back wall of my throat . It's just so hard waiting . I'm 41 with 3 kids , non smoker ... I just want to know what's going on

thanks for replying xx

Wednesday will come round quick, fingers crossed its not cancelled. I dont fit the normal pattern either, 46 non smoker, dont drink too much as usually with the kids who are only 4 and 5.  I have a provisional appointment for Thursday to discuss results if they all are back and make a plan. I called and asked for an apppointment as I wanted to have someone with me and my friend would have to drive 3 hours to get to me, they were really understanding, I think they are used to people being a little uptight with the waiting pressure. Im so hypervigilant at the moment, every little twinge im thinking oh no its spreading, which is crazy but also I think perfectly understandable. Like you I just want to know, once I do I can prepare

All the best and please let me know how you get on

Pamela x

Thanks for replying , I too have a tonsil lump that the gp managed to see via video . What does yours look like? Mine is like a little ball coming out of a tonsil crevis. I aw sweating too but I swear it's me panicking. I know what you mean about every niggle and twinge , I am feeling them all over!
wishing you all the very best for Thursday , let me know how you get on too  xx

Same here ladies! I have an almost blister looking bubble on my tonsil and then holes and stones in the other! My doctors tried to tell me it was puss but the ent consultant saw a picture and thinks it is a cyst. I am having an mri next week as lymph nodes been swollen since December! 
 

in terms of ultrasounds two week has still been very efficient for me in south east and my mri was ordered yesterday and booked in for next week on 2ww so hopefully answers will be got soon x 

Sounds like a cyst but obviously not seen it, fingers crossed it is, do you have node swelling too?  Ive had sweats a few times but not soaked, just felt hot, but it has been hot lately so trying not to worry. Also have a heavy feeling in my chest which could also be stress related, radiologist suggested they will need to do a CT to check so Ive no doubt they will discuss on Thursday.  My lump is a little less defined unfortunately, its kind of lumpy and getting bigger.  The hospital I'm at seem very good, the consultant sounded really sincere which made me feel more confident.  Best of luck for Wednesday x

Hi Becks Fingers crossed it is a cyst too, the ultrasound was really simple, they done a core biopsy with mine as she said the fine needle is sometimes inconclusive and she didnt want me to have to repeat it, but not painful at all.  Best of luck with yours too, please keep us posted x

Hi Winnie

Hope your appointment didnt get cancelled today and it all went well, thinking of you x

Pamela

Hi Pamela ... it's been a bit of a week . I got myself into such a state last Friday that I took myself off to A&E . Thankfully there were some ENT drs on call and I was seen by them . They took a look at the back of my throat and they think that the lump on the back wall of my throat looks like a mucous retention cyst. They don't seem concerned about it. They felt my neck and couldn't feel anything suspicious. They then put the camera up through my nose and took a look but said all looked ok . Bloods came back ok too . I've got an MRI scan booked this coming Saturday with contrast to further rule anything out. I asked the dr about one if my tonsils being quite a bit bigger than the other but he said it looks and feels ok. Again the mri will check . He said some people just have one bigger. I've still got earache , neck pain and pain under my arm pit all on the side of the big tonsil . I can still also feel the sensation of something being stuck in my tonsil , like in the bottom of it near the tongue base. I'm still really worked up not knowing what going on . The dr did mention maybe it's a tonsil stone in the gland or deep in the tonsil . 
im hoping that due to them not really finding anything of concern last Friday it's a positive sign . Petrified of this mri scan too! My health anxiety is off the scale . 
how are you doing? Thanks for asking xxx 

How are you doing becks? X

How are you doing becks? X

Hey Winnie! Thanks for checking in! 
 

I have my MRI scan tomorrow so that's a positive for me however I broke down yesterday as I found a lymph node about the same size as mine on my collarbone on my 17 month old sons collarbone but the otherwise and I'm freaking out! Booked an appointment with the doctor who sees me but he's no in till next Friday but I guess that gives me two weeks to see if it goes down which they usually ask you to do anyways but I'm super sad! How are you getting on? X

I'm sorry to hear about your son , hopefully it will all gone down by the time you see the dr. I'm ok thanks , still worrying . I have an mri scan this coming Saturday with contrast on my neck . I updated above about panicking and ending up in A&E last Friday  . Just trying to stay distracted until i know what's going on. 
Let us know how you get on tomorrow with your mri scan , wishing and hoping for all the best xx

Best of luck Becks, hope it goes well.  Im sure little man will be ok, kids are so resilient, does mean lots of extra mummy hugs though xx

Oh bless you it's so scary isn't it! 
 

Saturday is coming! Hopefully we will both get answers soon! My ent consultant although he's actually maxiofacial but specialises in head and neck cancers he gave me reflux medicine I'm waiting on to try whilst he waits for my mri report, not sure if it's of just my neck as I've said I have collarbone and armpit lymph nodes too! I think if anything they feel a tad smaller but then I think they are big again haha! 
 

such a scary time! 
 

thank you! Let me know how you get on Saturday xx

Aww thanks so much Pamela! 
 

I hope your results do turn out to be benign! I've seen lots of research saying both tonsil cancer and lymphoma can be very easy to treat! But hopefully it's neither! Do you mind me asking if your nodes were large? I also have something on my tonsil looks like a blister which is freaking me out but my priority is my son! Hoping it's gone before his appointment next week but it's exactly like mine free flowing and under the skin although his feels bigger but the space is smaller he has had a temp since yesterday so going to see how he gets on :( x

My lymph node is huge, around 4cm x 2cm, its hard and doesnt move very much, it was pulsatile but not so much now.  I would think if your son has a temp, hes likely fighting an infection and the lymph node is quite rightly doing its job, fingers crossed it will go down in a few days.  I know what you mean about the kids though, if this was on them I would not have waited before going to the GP. Hope your both ok at your appointments x

Afternoon everybody!

had my MRI today, I wasn't aware it would be a contrast scan and when the lady explained to me that there's a small chance that it can pass into breast milk, I completely freaked and thought I feel awful that I'm responsible god my son having a lymph node in his collarbone and chickened out of the contrast! 
 

done loads of research and its such a tiny risk and looks so much clearer and as my nodes are small I think I really should have went ahead with it. The lady said to me she would take some images get a radiologist to check them and see if the contrast was needed to which they said they could do it without but now I'm thinking what if they are too small/assumed okay and then really something dodgy is missed but it's done now, I'll just explain my fears when the consultant calls!!

how is everyone else doing?x

Hi Becks , 

I'm glad you got it done , they won't take any risks with missing anything so I'm sure if the images are viewed by a dr and they say they are ok they will be ok . 
my mri is a neck with contrast on Saturday , do you mind me asking how long it took and if your whole body goes in? I'm so scared . 
fingers crossed for your results soon xxx

Yeah that's what mine was head and neck mri with contrast, but I didn't have the contrast because I panicked but truly wish I had as I read it can light up cancerous tumours that cannot be detected on mri alone! 
 

As my lymph nodes are quite small I'm gutted! But I freak about anything going to my son! 
 

they said with the contrast it's about 50 minutes all in all. Mine was about 20-25 without I guess the dye has to go through you! 
 

ive had and mri before for my coccyx, so knew roughly what to expect, yes whole body goes in! I will prepare you though they do but like a neck brace around and over your head so it's kept in place and you can't really move it! The machine is loud but the earphones and earbuds make it okay and it vibrates too buts really not scary I promise, I relaxed eventually and was almost going to fall asleep haha! There's a panic button if you worry and they talk to you to let you know when it moves etc.  X

I don't think I could feel any more scared than I do but I'm sure I'll get through it somehow . It's also what they might find that's panicking me . Roll on Saturday. Hope you get some answers soon and don't have to wait too long xxx