Hello all - I will try and keep this short and sweet - in summary had recurring pain in right ear and right of throat since beginning of Jan. saw GP beginning of Jan who checked throat and ear couldn’t see any sign of infection but gave antibiotic ear drops - no improvement so went back again in mid Feb and oral antibiotics given. Again no improvement at which point I checked my mouth myself and felt very small lump swelling in my mouth near the base of my tongue in an area which you can’t see by looking in mouth I almost had to push tongue aside to feel it. I went back to my go who couldn’t see it herself but she did refer me to ent on urgent referral. Saw Doctor in ENT mid March - he checked my throat etc using the camera through my nose but didn’t feel inside mouth and said he couldn’t see anything untoward and told me it was acid reflux - I probably should have said at the time that I knew it definitely wasn’t as have suffered from this before on and off and know that the pain I’ve been feeling is totally different. Since then the swelling lump has grown bigger and covering a larger area moving towards the back of my throat and into the soft pallet. It feels to me obviously different to the left side. I went back to the doctors last Thursday she can’t feel it but I don’t think she is feeling in the right place but has agreed to send me for a 2nd opinion which will obviously not be on the 2 week pathway now.
i must admit I’m seriously doubting myself thinking am I going mad the fact that I can feel something that no one else can see - there is no swelling or obvious lumps in my neck.
what I think I am actually getting at by posting on here is whether or not anyone has had a similar experience where the professionals were unable to see any change which did turn out to be something further down the line.
thank you and apologies for the ramble
Good evening Swjane, I'm surprised that you have not been given a scan or an x-ray, i always say nobody knows your body more than yourself, none of my head and neck cancers were detected by feeling they just slowly appeared. Let's hope this second opinion will give you peace of mind when we go through cancer treatment/surgery we always worry if anything does not feel right and sometimes overthink which is only natural, it's always best to steer clear of Dr. Google, and stick with groups like this. Good luck and take care.
Chris x
Hello Swjane
You must be feeling so anxious, especially as you’re not getting the reassurance. Well done for persevering and for continuing to do so. I really hope that it is nothing to worry about. However, I was struck by what you said and thought I’d share my experience with you. Around early October 2022, I noticed I was suffering from a continual earache and headache which didn’t go away unless I took paracetamol. Then I got a lopsided sore throat and I thought I could see a swelling at the back of my throat. I went to the GP and was given antibiotics. When it didn’t go away, I went back and was given more antibiotics. But also referred to a local ENT. I thought I had an infection in my tonsil. I went to my ENT appt in early December and had an endoscope. He referred me onto another ENT department in another hospital. I had my appointment there at the very end of December and had a biopsy and referred for scans. I was diagnosed with SCC T3 N1 M0 HPV + right tonsil at the end of January 2023. I agree with what others have said already. I think you need to push for a scan. Good luck with everything.
Wishing you well.
Thank you Hazel for the info. Can’t get my head round why ENT doctor didn’t feel for lump and tried to fob me off with ear pain being caused by acid reflux x
Hu can’t answer that one my cancer had already gone into lymph nodes but I had nothing in my mouth that was visible as mine was hidden inside my tonsil . I had no pain anywhere we all present differently but push for the referral or private consultation it’s the inky things that will stop the worrying.
Hazel x
Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz
My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now 6 years post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help
2 videos I’ve been involved with raising awareness of HNC and HPV cancers
Just a quick update - I had an appointment with another ENT consultant for 2nd opinion yesterday who has referred for CT scan - not sure how long wait will be but step in the right direction much more positive experience this time - thank you all again x
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