Neck Cancer

Hi All

I am a 51 year old male from Wales.  I have rare blood, a rare brain disorder and now I may have a rare cancer!  What are the chances, maybe I should buy a lottery ticket.

I'm in that strange place where I am not 100% sure of anything anymore.  Stuck in a Neverland of an uncertain future.

So how did I get here?  Roll back to May 18th 2020, walking the dogs i had a massive pain in my neck that stopped me in my tracks. I remember the date because it was my brothers Birthday. 

I checked my throat when I got home and noticed a swollen tonsil with white patches.  I assumed it was either tonsillitis or canker stones.   Heading more towards stones as I had no temperature. 

After 3 weeks I decided to contact the Dr.  It was a locum who, due to covid, saw me in the carpark.  I felt a bit stupid as she said she couldn't see anything and maybe I had a touch of thrush.  She sent me on my way with scripts for antibiotics and a mouthwash. 

After my meds had finished nothing had changed, I still had a sore throat and I could still see a swollen tonsil and white patches. But due to covid and feeling I had wasted the docs time I decided it must just be in my head.

Move forward to the end of November 2020 and my now really uncomfortable throat is joined by a big swollen lymph node in my neck, visible to the eye.  So my wife encouraged me to go back to the doc.

I am called straight into the doc for an urgent appointment.  He has a look, tells me nothing, and books me for an urgent ENT appointment.  I see ENT 2 weeks to the day of seeing my Dr. ENT checks the outside of my neck, sticks a camera in my mouth and via my nostril,  takes some photos. Says nothing books me for a brain, neck and chest ct scan.  Which I had on Friday the 18th December 2020.

On the following Tuesday (22nd December 2020) I have a call from the hospital to book me in for a neck ultrasound and neck mri. Both are due on 5th January 2021.

I said earlier that I have a rare brain disorder.  It causes a lot of pain, for which I am on painkillers daily.  These painkillers were not touching the ever increasing pain in my ear, shoulder and face.  So I called the surgery for a short course of something stronger.  

The Dr called back very quickly,  I told her about the pain and that I was in the dark as to what was going on.  She was lovely and firstly apologised for having to give me info over the phone.   She said that they had found something and that it's pressing on a main nerve in my neck, hence the pain.  She told me that they are moving quickly and that the ultrasound and MRI are to see the extent of spread.  She did mention the 'C' word, but I  do not know if she said it is or they suspect.   She gave me a script for nerve pain relief.

So each day is a roller coaster of pain and emotion.  Can't really talk to anyone about it as you just don't tell anyone until you know.  My wife knows but I don't want to burden her with worries about what might not be.

 

  • Hello. 
    Thankyou for coming back on here and reading my post and replying to me. All I have done today is read through other people's stories on these forums and google too. It's my own worst enemy and I know it's the wrong thing to do. I even had my therapy this morning which helped for all of 5 mins and that's it. 
    that's a good thing to point out 9 in 10 people, but there's always that chance, like you that I am that 1. Terrified as I am only 30 with 3 young children. Yes I smoke, I totally understand this is not helping at all but sometimes it actually helps me relax. Who does that? Worries about cancer but continues to smoke. Well that's what I get told by others anyway. 
     

    If u don't mind me asking what symptoms did you have? Were they persistent or did they come and go? 
    what will happen at ENT, the idea of something going up my nose or down my throat freaks me out. 
     

    as I am writing this I am currently watching Frozen 2 with one of my fave songs and that gave me 30 seconds of non anxiety lol. All whilst the baby is napping and the eldest 2 are upstairs playing together. 
     

    Thankyou for the luck. Xx

    p.s I hope your covid test wasn't too traumatic xx

  • Hi

    Stress and life in general is easier to cope with if you don't smoke.  Take this from someone who smoked for 30 years.  The best thing I ever did was give up.  Though I am sure you have heard that a million times. 

    My symptoms have been persistent since May 2020 and worsened in November 2020.  And they have been getting worse 

    For me ENT checked the outside of my throat to feel the nodes. He then looked inside my throat with a camera  first via my mouth (no pain or discomfort). Next he looked via a nostril, again no pain and a little discomfort.  But you've been through a lot worse having 3 children.

    Easily said but try not to focus on the one, pray your one of the other nine.  Which hopefully and most probably will be.  You have youth and being female on your side with this one.

    Covid test was quick and not too bad. Just a swob from the back of the throat.  Got the result same day, negative. 

    Chin up, stick Frozen back on :)

  • Hello, 

     

    glad to hear your covid swab was negative. Good luck for future appointments and treatment. 
     

    yes a million times over and more I have heard that's it's the best thing. I am going to give it a go at giving up. Who knows, I might be saying those words to somebody else soon. 
     

    I think my symptoms have only been on and off for some weeks now, I think I'm getting to the idea that maybe my tonsil is ok as Iv confided in a couple of friends who have a slightly bigger tonsil than the other. But now I'm obsessed with this swelling on the back side of my tongue. I keep googling foliate papillae. Silly really when I write it down what I'm doing. Just can't help myself. There seems to a weird taste coming from it, if I get a lot of saliva I spit on a tissue to see if there is blood but there isn't. Can't stop looking at it in the mirror either. I'm driving myself bonkers.  I'm sure the other side looks similar but not quite as swollen. 
     

    I finally confided in my partner tonight(I don't normally as his dad has terminal cancer and feel sometimes my worries are inappropriate) after all I do suffer from major health anxiety. He wasn't so supportive as i had imagined. Just thinks I'm going crazy. But I feel like most people are getting frustrated with me because this isn't the first time I have though I have had cancer. 
     

    I am definitely pooping myself about my doctors appointment tomorrow. Hopefully be in and out wondering was I worried about to start with. 
     

    Thankyou again for replying to me xx

  • Hello Mumma123

    Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in the world and the biggest preventable cause of cancer in the UK. Chemicals in cigarette smoke enter our blood stream and can then affect the entire body, this is why smoking causes so many different types of cancer. Whatever you are worried about, stopping smoking completely is the best thing you can do for your physical health and your mental health, and there are many ways you can do it. Visit our website for more information https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/smoking-and-cancer

    Best wishes, 
    Jenn
    Cancer Chat moderator 

  • Good morning, 

    i have had my doctors appointment, she isn't concerned about anything going on in my mouth, just continue to mouthwash and salt water rinse and should clear up on its own. Regarding the on and off sore throat she has said it's acid reflux(I have read a lot of doctors say this) but to be fair I do suffer with heartburn most evenings, probably the chocolate I scoff when I get peckish in the evenings lol. She checked all my glands also, which none were up so I guess that's a good sign. Also the pea size lump I have in my neck she has referred me for an ultrasound to rule out anything sinister, but she's pretty sure it's a cyst. So I guess il have to wind my neck in a bit and just wait for that and hope it's a good outcome. 
    need to try and keep myself away from google in the meantime and worry less(easier said than done)! 
     

    thanks for reading. Xx

  • Hey you

    So glad all is well and thank you for updating me.

    At least the ultrasound will put your mind more at rest, at least they are checking it for you.

    Yes definitely stay off Dr Google.  The brain is a very complex thing.  If you read enough info about an illness or condition your brain is capable of creating certain bogus pains and symptoms which may make you think you have that illness or condition.   

    I know this as I have a rare brain condition which does this.  My nervous system is misfiring which can cause things like the feeling that my arm has 3rd degree burns.  I  haven't,  but my nerves are telling my brain that I have, or my brain is misinterpreting the info from my nerves.  So please stay off Dr Google.

    And really that post from the nurse to you, she's so right.  Your mental health is as important as your physical health and smoking makes both so much worse.   I know, I've been there.

    Sometimes it can feel like people are on your case, but its only because they care.   

    Good luck with everything :)

  • Hello again. 
     

    yes I hope so! 
     

    you are absolutely 100% right! I have already told myself that's what I have done, read so much online that I have given myself symptoms, thi  no W I would have brushed off before, I.e sore throat! 
     

    ah that sounds awful. Definitely not nice for you to have to go through all of this too. 
     

    yes I agree with the nurse too, today I had 3 cigarettes this morning, helped calm my nerves, since then I haven't had one, I haven't really wanted one but at points I have, and I'm also finding myself very emotional and unmotivated too, hope this is just a side effect of no nicotine lol. I should be bouncing from the walls but instead I'm moping about! 
     

    thankyou so much! Xx