It's the little things. Was doing so well, now Oral Cancer

[lofwyr]

So to begin this year, life was pretty much anxiety (health or general) free. Life was good.

Then a few things happened that sent me back to square one. A good childhood friend, who was my age, died from colon cancer. I had my own, very legitimate melanoma scare (the doc found that one, wasn't even me) but that turned out benign. I am up and down, using CBT techniques to keep it at bay.

But anyway, now I look back a year like it was a lifetime ago. A year ago I was pretty much anxiety free. Now every little thing sets me off.

I went to the dentist for a routine cleaning this morning, which is never a big deal for me. But I noticed I had a swollen salivary gland on that flap of skin just under the tongue. Not huge, but sort of red and enlarged. No pain, no discomfort what so ever really. The dentist said she was fairly sure it was just a canker sore or some minor inflammation. But her words were "I don't think its anything serious, but if it doesn't clear up in a few weeks, you need to come back in, because then it might be serious."

To a normal person without anxiety, they just forget about it, but keep on top of it. She knows nothing about my HA, and I tend not to share it with my health care providers, just a councilor. But it set me off, big time. Down into the pit of catastrohpizing and obsessively checking the lump. The truth is, I get a lot of canker sores, but they tend to hurt. This doesn't hurt at all.

I did notice it last week but thought nothing of it, not until the dentist's comments today.

Uggh.

[Fishmanpa]

Truth is, she's doing exactly the right thing. As an OC survivor, that's the rule of thumb. If it doesn't resolve or get any better in a few weeks, it needs to be checked out further. I know that doesn't help you with your HA but she's just being a good dentist. In the mean time, try swishing with a solution of 16oz water, 1 tablespoon of baking soda and one tablespoon of salt a few times a day. It doesn't taste great but it does help things heal (personal experience).

Positive thoughts

[lofwyr]

Hey thanks for the reply. I have seen your posts about being an OC survivor before, and followed a lot of wise words from you to be sure. Also, she is a very good dentist, I totally get where she is coming from. Part of the reason I don't tell my health care providers about my HA is simply to keep them honest with me. That said, I don't darken my doctor's door more than once a year these days, and usually for something legitimate. I have become pretty good about reading the anxiety symptoms over real issues. But lumps are lumps, sores are sores, etc. Real symptoms just seem to get scarier as you age is all, I guess.

The truth is, I am pretty sure it is just an inflammation or "one of those things," and to be honest, I think it might have even shrunk since last week, and I doubt OC would do that.

But if I could let the rational part of my mind run the show, I probably wouldn't be on these forums. ;-)