GP scared me today RE my tongue

[Hypo]

When I went for a med update today I showed my GP my tongue. I have had two lumps at the side of my tongue for over three years now. They haven't changed and they are the same colour as my tongue.

I expected my GP to tell me that it was ok as been there too long to be anything bad but he wants me to see a dentist for a second opinion. He said as it hasn't changed or discoloured it is "less likely to be cancer" but the fact that he wants me to see my dentist has scared the life out of me.

I see my dentist tomorrow.

[swgrl09]

I'm sure your doctor is just covering his bases. If nothing has changed over three years, I highly doubt it is anything serious.

[Dubbmented]

I wouldn't stress to much about it.

especially if you have had it that long with no changes and no other symptoms.

I was in the same boat a couple of years ago, a dr referred me to a dentist and then a dentist referred me to an oral surgeon! so you could imagine the worry that had me under. Within 5 minutes of the oral surgeon feeling around in my mouth he said my lumps were totally benign .. I forgot the name of it though.

I hope that can put you abit at ease until you see your dentist.

Let us know the outcome :)

[swgrl09]

Just to add if it helps, I had a lump under my tongue just on one side that was the same color as my tongue itself. I booked myself in with an ENT freaking out, so much so that I almost vomitted. I KNEW it was cancer this time. The ENT took one look and said "Thats your sublingual tonsil." What??? Didn't know those existed. Thought you only had the ones in the throat.

[Hypo]

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Hopefully my dentist will just tell me it's ok and they won't have to biopsy it. It must be a slow growing cancer if it is!! Apparently cancerous lumps usually grow or discolour but I have none of that.

Normally he puts my mind straight at ease and tell me things are normal so I was hoping this would be the same and I have been pretty laid back about this.

[Anxious_gal]

they always do this, it's just normal procedure : )
There's been no change in the lumps so thats a good thing.
depending on the dentist they might refer you to an oral surgeon or a more specialist person.
My dentist is sending me to an oral surgeon for tests due to my tongue problem.

I'm not certain but I do think for most biopsies they tend to a very non invasive one at first, like scarping the surface to collect cells or using a tiny needle to collect a sample, then they go from there depending on the results.

[Hypo]

Thank you AG xx

I have my appointment at 12.15 so I am about to take the kids to school then go back to bed so I don't have to spend the morning freaking out.

Thankfully I live right next door to the dentist surgery so I don't have far to go.

[Eek]

good luck at your appointment I'm sure it'll be fine

[PinkRoxy]

It will be alright. They may just want to check to see if its something like lymph nodes or whether its inflamed or not. If you have had it for a few years then I wouldn't worry. Your doctor is just wanting to find out what it could be and maybe if you could have some treatment on it.

All the best and don't worry hun :)

[Hypo]

I'm back


He scraped me and prodded me for 15 minutes. He said my tongue looks fine, the "lumps" could be caused by my heavy bite but he wasn't concerned.

He said he could refer me to the soft tissue clinic if I wanted him to but it would be against his advice and if he had those lumps on his tongue he wouldn't go but he can't refuse me. I said I didn't want to go unless he thought it was needed and he said that in his opinion it would be a waste of time so we decided that he would just check it for me every 6 months at my routine appointments!!