Your post is already heartfelt. I've polished it slightly to improve the flow and make it easier for others on the forum to understand your situation and respond.
Hello everyone,
I've just discovered this forum, and I'm glad to have found it.
I'm almost five years post-treatment. I was diagnosed in May 2021 with HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). My treatment consisted of 9 chemotherapy sessions and 35 radiotherapy treatments. It has been a long, difficult and unpredictable journey, but I'm incredibly grateful to still be here. I turned 46 in March.
Unfortunately, I'm feeling quite anxious at the moment.
For the past three months, I've noticed some worrying changes in my mouth. I have developed white patches underneath the left side of my tongue, and they seem to be accompanied by some of the same symptoms I experienced before my diagnosis in 2021. I'm getting heartburn almost every time I eat, and I've also developed pain and numbness in my left ear.
I saw my consultant on 17 June, and he carried out the usual endoscopy. He told me everything looked normal and didn't identify anything concerning. While that was reassuring, my symptoms have continued, and the white patches are still there. It's difficult not to worry, especially given my previous cancer.
Has anyone else experienced persistent white patches under the tongue or similar symptoms years after treatment? Did it turn out to be something harmless, or did it require further investigation?
I'm trying not to jump to conclusions, but I also don't want to ignore something important. I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar experience or can offer some reassurance or advice.
Thank you all, and I wish everyone here the very best on their own journeys.
