Hi Everyone,
last October I found a white lump at the back of my throat, just below my tonsil. During a telephone appointment my GP diagnosed tonsil stones but referred me to ENT. Eight months later I have a 5 minutes telephone appointment with an ENT Consultant before waiting again for a face to face appointment.
On Monday I quite happily attend my appointment to discuss my tonsil stones. The Consultant looked down my throat, felt my neck, prodded and poked around a bit then before I knew it I was in another room having an unscheduled nasal scope. By this point the Consultant had hardly conversed with me at all but then announced I needed my tonsils removed. I thought that was extreme for tonsil stones before the penny dropped, so I asked him if he thought I had cancer to which he replied ‘I don’t know but it’s not tonsil stones’. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. The Consultant said I would have the procedure in 4-6 weeks. I asked no questions, I thanked him and left.
The following morning the whole thing felt surreal. Clutching at straws I googled the Consultant’s name certain that he was a junior doctor who had made a mistake - he’s been an ENT Consultant for 30 years. I then called his secretary thinking I’d misheard the 4-6 week time frame as I felt certain this couldn’t be right with the backlog the NHS has. The Secretary told me the time frame was correct and that when she types his dictated notes he will give a grading of how soon I need the procedure.
Yesterday I received a call to say I’ve been booked in for 10th September (2 weeks time), he therefore deemed it fairly urgent.
Needless to say, I’m now in a complete frenzy!
Hi only you
welcome to our community but so sorry to find you here.
My first bit of advice is to stay off Google. You don’t have a diagnosis yet and you will frighten yourself even more
I’m afraid it’s a waiting game now but your team will pull out all to stops to get things done.
You don’t have long to wait. Your results should be available within two weeks of your op.
Fingers crossed you don’t have cancer but if you do tonsil cancer is eminently curable.
Best wishes
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Please calm down Onlyyou, it sounds to me as if you have a very good consultant with 30 years experience so you are in very good hands, i expect the consultant realized he could fit you in earlier after looking at his diary and getting a slot for the operation or a cancelation. It all sounds good news for you the way you have been treated and the speed at when it will be done. Wish you all the best for the operation, please let us know how you get on as it will be great to hear the end results. Take care.
Chris xx
Its sometimes not easy but its worth it !
