Hi all,
I feel a bit like I don't "belong" here as I haven't had a diagnosis so apologies if I shouldn't be posting. I'm 37 and female.
I have severe dental phobia and after years of avoiding dentists and even looking in my own mouth as I can't stand it, I finally started getting all my treatment booked. So far had only had a clean and on that visit the dentist noticed something on my inside cheek, took photos and just said she was sending them off for someone to look at. A few weeks later I got a hospital appointment through the post for the Maxillo-facial dept. I was terrified, not because of what I thought might be wrong, but purely another someone poking around in my mouth. Anyway, he had a look, said that I needed to get a biopsy and to wait for an appointment which would be in about 6 weeks time. Couple of days later got the appointment which was for 2 weeks after that initial appointment.
I started trying to look at the thing in my mouth, couldn't see it very well but I noticed a couple of weird things on my tongue - neither dentist or Max-fax doctor looked at it. I'm not someone who ever fears the worst, I'm always positive (much to the annoyance of my anxious wife), so I had a look and it seemed like the thing on my tongue was leukoplakia just from looking at photos. Wasn't concerned, that didn't mean cancer. But then I started to look at the things that are early signs of oral cancer and realised some of the weird things that had been going on with me for the last year or two matched that description. Difficulty swallowing, controlling my tongue, drooling, feeling like my tongue is too big (weird I know), odd random pains in my ears that would last a few days at a time.
And so I went for the biopsy and pointed out the thing on my tongue so he immediately said he'd biopsy that at the same time. That was Monday. As they were finishing up, the nurse (I think) said to the doctor "Ok, so I'm booking a telephone consult for the results yeah?" Doctor said "erm, no, we're going to need a face to face for this one." I glanced up and saw the nurse's eyes drop (mask on, couldn't see mouth) and she just said "oh, ok I'll book that." Then they told me it's a 4-6 week wait for results.
So I'm just really terrified and don't really have anyone that I can talk to about it. I talk to my wife, of course but don't want it to take over everything and she worries so much anyway. I don't want to worry my family so they don't know. And my close friends are all going through enough of their own hassles at the moment. Plus I just think what would I say? "I'm really worried" - nobody can really help or take it away so feels like I'd just be dragging them down for no reason. Equally, I don't really know why I'm writing this here. :( Think maybe I just needed to write it out and send it out there.
Thanks for reading this massive wordy post, I don't know what I'm hoping for in response, if anything at all, but thank you anyway.
Hev x
Hey again! I called the department today just to see if I've got an appointment made yet, we've not received any post for 4 days so seems to be something wrong. She said no, no appointment has been made, went off to check with a nurse then came back and said no you wouldn't have your appointment confirmed yet, they're 6-8 weeks after biopsy 
I might well be administration. My urgent referral from GP hadn’t materialised after two weeks so I phoned up to be told that a clerk had downgraded it to routine. I had to sort it out myself so i would just ring again after Easter. Ring your consultant’s secretary.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Hi. Give them a ring after Easter. It seems they are dragging their feet as it is and if you're worried you need to bring it to their attention. Get your GP on the case too.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
