So for as long as I can remember I've had issues with my tonsils. I got infections a lot and my mum never took me to the doctors so it was never really treated.

My tonsils are permanently enlarged and very asymmetrical. To the touch they feel squishy but super bumpy and full of holes. They constantly hurt and have done for years. I also experience ear, jaw and neck pain and stuffiness behind my face and in my ears. When I feel my neck with my hands, my glands feel swollen, slightly larger than baked beans. They've been this way for years, I first noticed them when I was 16 but it's hard to tell when it started because I can only remember when I became aware of them:(

I went to the doctor about them multiple times as a teenager but I was always shrugged off as it being tonsillitis and given antibiotics that never worked After so long of putting it off out of fear I've decided to make a doctors appointment tomorrow and I'm terrified of it being the worst.

I've only just turned 19 and I've always struggled with depression but lately I've finally been excited for my future but the thought that I won't have one is so so scary. I know cancer is so unlikely given my age and the fact that I've had these problems since before I ever even touched a cigarette but with all these symptoms and pain that have literally lasted years I dont know what else it could be.

Anyone with experience with cancer of the tonsils or throat, could you please share what symptoms you had and your views on what I've told you? I'm panicking about going to the doctors and I know no one online can diagnose me but really I'm just looking for some kind of reassurance, and if not then support from other people going through a similar thing

It might be worth noting that I have suspected OCD and am not receiving any support for my mental health right now. So I'm sorry if this post comes across as disrespectful to those that actually suffer with cancer. I just feel so alone and lost because no one I know in real life really understands my concerns because I'm so young and they just assume it's impossible that I could be seriously ill