Your experiences with sentinel node biopsy or neck dissection

Evening SBG.

Sorry the news wasn't as straightforward as was hoped for, and you've now got choices to make, but don't despair cos I'm certain you'll get loads of replies to bolster you from the good folk on here.

H has ongoing lymphoedema flare ups and although he resembles the Pilsbury Dough Boy at evening times, the fluid finds other outlets to drain into during the nights.  Oh, and he assures me it's never painful.

He had bilateral neck dissections and you're aware of the other stuff, so any surgery for yourself will be nothing like and an early discharge should be on the cards.

Take care,

Gill xx 

Yes I've  got saggy skin under neck too then the water seems to collect after it.

Yes I had neck dissection  to remove nodes then 2nd op was robotic surgery  to remove tonsil cancer, my tonsils were removed as a kid. I then had haemorrhage and had emergency  surgery where my palatte  and  tongue had to  be cauterised to stop bleeding.

Aah, mine was Lump in Neck , which was Biopsied- That was inconclusive,  then Mri revealed  Tonsil concern , but they were both Negative on Histology

So Surgeon suggested  They looked at Base of Tongue because  Apparently the Type I had usually  only presents in Tonsils or Tongue  , I think I was a bit of a complicated  case  by the time I  got my Final Diagnosis  it was almost a Year because  it wasn't  showing  up  other than the Node and obviously  very tiny , I think I was lucky that they got me on the Robotic list as much easier to find using Robot

Oh my Goodness,  so was your Tonsil  Cancer where your Tonsils  had been removed? How did that present

Hi yes tumour was on tonsil bed, I could see  a small lump where my tonsils  would have been , it looked like a jelly bean and I then noticed it had grown. Sent pic to GP who had me in hospital within 4 days  

Wow, you were waiting a year?

If so, that certainly puts my own timeline so far into perspective. 

Do you mind me asking which stage you were diagnosed as being? (Apologies if you already told me. Long day!)

Sdgepd6 said:

Aah, mine was Lump in Neck , which was Biopsied- That was inconclusive,  then Mri revealed  Tonsil concern , but they were both Negative on Histology

So Surgeon suggested  They looked at Base of Tongue because  Apparently the Type I had usually  only presents in Tonsils or Tongue  , I think I was a bit of a complicated  case  by the time I  got my Final Diagnosis  it was almost a Year because  it wasn't  showing  up  other than the Node and obviously  very tiny , I think I was lucky that they got me on the Robotic list as much easier to find using Robot

You and PFJTHS share a similar trajectory. If you click on his name there's a bit in his profile

I  first went to Docs November 23

Then Feb 24 saw Gp  as Antibiotics  hadn't worked  . She  should have  put me on a 2 Week Referral but she just referred me for routine scan , I paid for Private Scan as I didn't  want to wait 8 Weeks.   

By the time I saw ENT at local Hospital  it was May. Then 6 Weeks waiting  for  result  which was inconclusive then Mri  so I didn't  go onto Pathway until August,  after that everything  moved quicy  other than waiting  for Histology  each time . So I  am  sure you will get sorted quickly  now  

T1N1MO was mine 

Hi - have a look at my story in my profile it explains much of what I went through.  Knowing what I know now I would not change the path I took one bit.  It was my decision and I feel it worked for me.  Good luck with whatever choice you make.