View Full Version : Doctor thinks I have Mouth Cancer!
I'm a bit shell-shocked with my visit to the Doctor today.:ohmy:
I went because for the last five days, I have had what I think is a gum infection due to vigorous flossing and poking with a toothpick.
My gums flared up, sore and red and very painful and by the third day, I could hardly eat or speak. I had to wait until Monday to phone Doctor and could not get an appointment until today.
After telling her what had happened and explaining why I had made the appointment with her and not a dentist. (I thought as I had an infection that it would be better that that was cleared up before I went to see the dentist as I know there is a tooth that probably needs to come out).
Well, she agreed that I should go to a dentist and said that I had been treating the infection the right way by gargling with salt water and taking something for pain relief.
Then, only half listening to me and obviously not reading my notes on screen that I am a 'High Anxiety' sufferer with 'Severe Health Anxiety' and phobias about travelling, doctors, hospitals, strangers and so on.
She then decided to have a look at my mouth and prodded what looked like a lolly stick asking if it hurt? Then sat down at her computer and told me that she wanted to send me to hospital as she could see a lesion that she was not happy with.
Gobsmacked, I sat in silence for a few minutes and then asked her why?
"I don't like the look it and think we need to get you seen within the next couple of weeks", she replied.
I then asked her, "Do you think it is Cancer?" To which she replied, "Well, that's why you are going." "It may even be Christmas, possibly Christmas Eve"!
I was so taken aback. I was on my own, which normally I have my Partner with me and I drove, which I don't normally do either.
(My Partner was stuck with his Ma and the Nurse that was tending to her bandages after her recent accident and I took the bull by the horns and braved to go alone.) Big Mistake!!!
I didn't have the energy to tell the Doctor of my position with my phobias or remind her of me condition with regards to my Anxiety/Breakdown. She should know, shouldn't she? Also, that my Mum is expecting me to pick her up and look after her for the duration of the Christmas. What's the point?
So, I managed to get myself back to the house and tell my Partner what happened. After the initial shock and minutes later. He has phoned the Surgery to make another appointment first thing in the morning so that we can get a second opinion.
So here I am, after writing a very long Post and coming to terms with the fact that I may have mouth cancer???????? :weep:
Wow! What a tactless doctor! I don't think any doctor should respond like that whether the patient has anxiety or not. I hope the doctor you're seeing in the morning is more sympathetic and professional. :hugs:
Thank you Randara. I know I am over-sensitive, but I was not prepared for that.
Wow, I'm so sorry that your doctor wasn't more sympathetic to your anxiety and even that aside, just in general. *hugs* I'm sure it's just a false alarm. Like you said, you've been poking and prodding at things. Remember, she isn't a dentist. Do you or have you smoke ciggs? Chewed tobacco? Alcoholic? If not I wouldn't be worried. I think you'll be ok! Keep us posted and I pray the doctor you are seeing tomorrow is more gentle and you come back with better news. *hugs and prayers to you*
Let us k ow how you get on :)
I would go to your dentist for them to have a look as well. They have much more of an idea about mouth stuff than a gp as they deal with this all the time. It might just be an ulcer or where you have caught it with the toothpick or even a bit of food.
Certainly see your dentist, Carnation. It is their area of expertise as opposed to the GP who has probably spent an afternoon studying oral lesions, if that. I would also report the GP for her callous attitude xx
Hi hun, I had a scare with this, I went to my dentist, was thoroughly checked by two dentists who fully agreed it wasn't what I thought. They knew so much about what to look for and were well informed.
I'd agree, book in with the dentist and have a chat with them xx
What a numpty your doctor is.
I too was referred to a specialist to check out a problem in my mouth.
I would take this as comfort that neither doctors nor dentists mess about and are quick to refer to a specialist to ensure that everything is ok.
Regardless of any anxiety issues you may have this doctor should not have scared you.
I am sure that all will be fine.
Thank you for all your replies. :hugs:
I went back to the Doctors this morning to get a second opinion and express my feelings about the other Doctor and her tactics and approach to my visit yesterday.
I was not sure how this was going to go, but I think I am ok with it.
Obviously, there was no comment about the other Doctor's approach, but I had said my piece and let it be known that I was none to pleased with the way she handled the situation; so job done.
The Doctor then told me that the letter had already been sent and it was in my interest to go. He then looked at the roof of my mouth and said that the lesion was separate from my other soreness/redness from my swollen gums the past week; which needs to be treated by a Dentist.
He also said that there are other reasons that could cause this lesion, like a burn from hot food/drink and more so a blister, but without going to the hospital to be checked out, he could not confirm otherwise.
He was nice and clam and calmed me down.
I have also made an appointment to see a Dentist on Friday about the other issues and maybe they may be able to shine some light upon the other issue?
I am out all day tomorrow, which is good for me. It will stop me worrying continuously about it. So for now, I am fine; just the normal Anxiety. :unsure:
I'm glad you are feeling more calm and relaxed. :yesyes:
Please update after your dentist appointment on Friday. It sounds like maybe you just burned the roof of your mouth or something. I have done that before. Keep us posted, I will continue to keep you in my prayers! :bighug1:
Been there, done this. It's not cancer until they say it is. A biopsy is the definitive test.
Positive thoughts
Wow, cannot believe how your doctor treated you originally! I think the dentist on Friday will give you a much better idea of what it is. They are trained to spot oral cancer right away. Hope you can get some relief soon!
Well done Carnation! These arrogant GPs need to be put in their place. The dentist will give you a much more expert opinion but I expect you will have to have the lesion biopsied at the hospital for a definitive analysis. I suspect you would want to have a biopsy done now anyway?
I went to the Dentist and had a consultation, XRays and so on. I have a loose tooth which has to come out and that has been the culprit for the gum infection.
I have come back with a course of antibiotics and a much more relaxed attitude.
The X/Rays do not show anything suspicious and the lesion is more than likely to do with the problem with the tooth. The Dentist think it may have been caused by the root of the tooth and as the lesion has now changed shape and is now more of a red blob, he thinks that is more the case here.
I still have the Hospital to get back to about the appointment with them, but I am going to wait until Monday and see how the lesion progresses.
I can leave the tooth removal until the beginning of January, especially with the present gum infection; so I can now look forward to my Christmas Dinner. :)
I know it sounds silly, but I am quite proud that I have been dealing with this.
I have not been to a Dentist for ten years, so I managed to fix that up as well as sort the Doctor thing out and kept levelled headed, minus the Panic Attacks.
It's not a big deal to a normal person, but considering I can do very little on my own now, I am pleased I have managed to do all of this.
I am going to celebrate by putting up the Decks tomorrow and having a nice meal, while I can enjoy it. :)
I am so grateful for everyone's support as it can get scary at times like this. :hugs:
Really well done Carnation! You must be feeling so proud of yourself to have sorted all that out and to have dealt with that stupid GP who scared you witless for no good reason. You didn't panic but kept a level head and got a sensible and accurate opinion from an oral expert who sees these lesions very frequently and can differentiate as to what looks sinister and what is benign.
Have a good weekend! After a health scare it's good to take a breath and appreciate what we have. I've done this myself today xx
Thank you Pulisa and Urusainaa. :)
Well done Carnation. You can leave your hospital appointment until a few days before if you want, assuming you have a date for it already. Its not a problem. They will always fill the slot with someone else, so dont worry about that.
Glad you are feeling better and hope you enjoy putting the decs up this weekend.
MyNameIsTerry
13-12-15, 05:27
Well done, Carnation. :yesyes::yahoo:
I think you know now that this "appointment" is going to be the typical waste of NHS money they don't like admitting to (it's much easier to moan about patients) :rolleyes:
Dentists are much better trained and more experienced with anything in the mouth BUT we should be able to rely on our GP's not to jump the gun "just in case" and they should be capable of prescribing basic antibiotics to treat an infection!
Can we add GP's in the same category as social media/internet/TV, etc as a HA cause? :winks::whistles:
Yes we most certainly can!:D
Thanks Terry. :)
I can not tell you what a relief it all is to me. Especially with Mr C's current Cancer issues. One of my major worries is being their for my Mum and my Partner and all I could think of was who is going to look after them????? :scared15:
When I mentioned this to the GP, they just said that was a secondary issue and I need to put myself first. Easy to say when there is no-one else to do it! :ohmy:
MyNameIsTerry
14-12-15, 04:50
What a silly tactless thing to say. Your family are more than a mere "secondary issue", thats like if you said "who would pay the paperboy". :doh: I guess they try to keep people focussed on the main issue of their health and I could see that if we were talking about someone with an actual diagnosis, not finding something they are "not sure about" which could turn out to be anything.
Isn't it interesting that the first thing you thought about was all that and not the prospect of treatment or anything else that could happen?
Just when I thought the case was closed with the hospital situation.
I phoned the hospital up this morning to cancel the appointment and the lady that was on the phone said; "But your Doctor said it was URGENT!)."
"Did she?", I replied. "But I am having treatment with my Dentist and he is adamant that the 'lesion' which is caused by a tooth that needs to come out and therefore cause da bad gum infection and he is waiting for my gum infection to calm down so that he can take it out."
The lady on the phone then replied; "Well, if you are happy that you think you are doing the right thing by cancelling, but your Doctor has said that it is URGENT!".
So, I then said, well I can't make that day anyway because I am picking my Mum up for the Christmas holidays and that is the only day I can do that as we have a 24/7 situation as Carer's for my partner's mother." "Could I change the appointment in to a non-urgent one just in case the lesion has not cleared after my tooth extraction?"
To which she replied, NO!" You have to go back to your GP.
So this afternoon, I am doing that. I want to find out exactly what the urgency is with this lesion and I want to tell them what the Dentist said to me and see what they say.
It's really getting me down and Mr C as he has his own Cancer to be dealing with and this morning, I was out shopping and just burst in to tears. :weep:
I don't want to be a baby over all of this, but the medical profession keep making my Anxiety worse and petrifying me that I am an urgent case and doomed for Cancer treatment. My Anxiety was so bad last night; between my neck pulsating, head-pain, hot and cold flushes, eye pain and so on, that I am scared to tell the Doctors about it in case that is related too! :scared15:
I don't hold out much hope with my appointment later today, but I want to know what this so called letter says about me being an urgent case.
*hugs* the doctor is just being careful! I would follow your dentist advice and go see your doctor and tell them waht the dentist told you. I'm sure everything is ok! Good for you for handling everything so well!
Thank you Leslie. This will be my 3rd visit to the GP in less than a week.
I never used to go to the Docs and there was a time when I lapsed about 15 years, now I seem to be going all the time. :ohmy:
I will report back after my visit.
I wonder if some doctors have anxiety...
Y'know, they think, 'well, it's probably nothing but I really should get her a scan...I mean...what if it's cancer and I miss it!!!'
I think you could be right Urusainaa. But, there is always that doubt and worry within yourself. I can honestly say that it has ruined this coming Christmas, whatever, because the seed has already been planted. :lac:
---------- Post added at 18:13 ---------- Previous post was at 16:24 ----------
Just got back from the Docs.
She explained that the appointment procedure is normal when there is something found that needs to be checked. Unfortunately they have a rushed appointment system or the non-urgent procedure. So it is 2 weeks or 3 months, with nothing in-between. I explained the whole situation with the Dentist and what he thinks and apparently a Dentist can also refer someone to the hospital within 2 weeks too if needed, which I did not know, but know now.
So, we have left it for the Dentist to sought out and if I need the Doctor to refer me if the lesion does not disappear, another appointment can be made if necessary.
The only thing now was that I had my blood pressure taken and it was extremely high, so I am now worried with all of this stress about having a heart attack or stroke. Having suffered a mild stroke ten years ago, so it is not totally implausible. Obviously my health anxiety is right up at the moment.:scared15:
It was 161/105.
Now I am home and taken it, it is 139/84.
My normal readings are around 125/85 - 135/88
I think the whole Cancer thing has just stressed me out beyond belief!.
Sounds like the appointment went well and your doctor was just trying to be cautious.
Your anxiety is up, no doubt, which is taking a toll on your blood pressure. Just try to relax. I know easier said than done! Tonight, sit down and watch your favorite funny comedy show or movie with a big bowl of popcorn.
Thanks Leslie again. I am sure you have your own problems, but it is so reassuring to know someone is there to calm me down!
It has been another difficult evening and we ended up having to go for a walk, because I just could not settle. So anxious!!!!!
I am just hoping that I feel better tomorrow. The tooth is now joining in the fun and playing me up. Sometimes I wish we could just take off our head and put it to one side so we get a bit of respite from it. :wacko:
MyNameIsTerry
15-12-15, 08:01
It's probably just some admin/receptionist person doing what they are expected to, Carnation. Like the GP says, it's urgent or very much a long wait and nothing inbetween. When it comes to spotting a possible cancer they are under NHS targets to do it in a certain timeframe to get treatment started early. If they take forever, they get a kicking off the press and the patient potentially gets much worse.
The fact your GP has now completed backed off because a dentist has disagreed tells me they were doing their usual over cautious scaremongering thing, something GP's get moaned about because if the money they waste. Seriously, if a GP thought it was a possibility, they wouldn't back down as they would still be legally accountable. And yes, some people on here have had dentists refer them off for tests.
Try to wipe it from your mind and concentrate on the antibiotics and any work on the tooth. This is just an example of poor GP's.
If your dentist was worried he would be referring you straightaway. Concentrate on your dental work and forget the useless GP. Oral lesions should only be assessed by dentists who are competent and knowledgeable and not by GPs who are just a jack of all trade, master of none
Thanks Terry an Pulisa.
The only thing the GP's did was push up my blood pressure. Which is now my 'New Worry'. 160/105 is pretty high when you are just sitting, do with all the stresses of late and more to come, I am going back to doing my relaxation hobbies and getting to bed an hour earlier. (ha ha, it's still late in the real world, but to me it's a major achievement).
My stress has also taken it's toll on Mr C and that's something I want to eliminate in his condition.
I only wish we could have some sunny days, it has been so grey and damp everyday, I am sure it would cheer all of us up. :)
So pleased that my blood pressure has gone down.
I took two readings./the first was 135/84 and the next was 125/82. :)
Can the Doctors really push your blood pressure up?
I thought they are supposed to make you feel calm and safe? :shrug:
My tooth and gums have calmed down a lot now and the lesion is only a small dot now. It's still there, but because it has shrunk and the redness has lessoned to the point of nearly vanishing. So, you can imagine how pleased I am.:)
Glad to hear this news! Now you can enjoy your holidays without that monkey on your back :)
Positive thoughts
Yes, and what a monkey it was, Fishmanpa. :ohmy:
Sunflower2
18-12-15, 19:06
Carnation, doctors can definitely put your blood pressure up! When I was 17 I went to the doctors for the pill, and I was still very young and embarrassed at this point talking about those sorts of things! Anyway, I couldn't get it prescribed without doing a second check on my blood pressure a few days later because I'd gotten so stressed out from being embarrassed that my blood pressure was sky high!! The second time my blood pressure was completely fine.
Glad you're doing better though, good luck for next week with the family! :D
Yes, and what a monkey it was, Fishmanpa. :ohmy:
More like King Kong I'm sure ;)
Positive thoughts
I wonder how many other oral cancers your GP has "diagnosed" recently?
I wonder how many other oral cancers your GP has "diagnosed" recently?
Here's the thing. As an oral cancer survivor, I can tell you that in almost all cases, there are no real initial symptoms. It could be a lesion as Carnation had or a node in the neck or something on the back of the tongue or throat and until it grows to the point of causing symptoms, you wouldn't be aware of a problem. Typically, by the time OC is diagnosed, it's taken a hold pretty well. By the time they diagnosed me I was Stage IV. Many people I know on the OC forums tell a similar story. A painless lesion as described by Carnation is actually an indicator. If caught at that stage, it's very early so IMO, while the bedside manner was lacking, the GP did the right thing.
The other side of the coin is that taking a wait and see attitude often results in added stress as well. If the GP said something about the lesion and then said, "keep an eye on it and come back if it doesn't heal", it probably would have caused just as much stress.
The bottom line is that it's healing and it's nothing to be concerned with and that's the most important thing.
Positive thoughts
MyNameIsTerry
19-12-15, 06:49
Consider the real evidence:
I went because for the last five days, I have had what I think is a gum infection due to vigorous flossing and poking with a toothpick.
My gums flared up, sore and red and very painful and by the third day, I could hardly eat or speak. I had to wait until Monday to phone Doctor and could not get an appointment until today.
After telling her what had happened and explaining why I had made the appointment with her and not a dentist. (I thought as I had an infection that it would be better that that was cleared up before I went to see the dentist as I know there is a tooth that probably needs to come out).
Well, she agreed that I should go to a dentist and said that I had been treating the infection the right way by gargling with salt water and taking something for pain relief.
She then decided to have a look at my mouth and prodded what looked like a lolly stick asking if it hurt?
The GP agreed there was an infection and seeing a dentist was required. No antibiotics were issued by the GP.
The patient tells the GP that they have been poking & prodding.
The GP performed a basic assessment of the lesion to determine if there was any pain.
The Doctor then told me that the letter had already been sent and it was in my interest to go.
Well that’s just ludicrous since he/she could have instructed their receptionists to call the unit and cancel the letter. That’s a very simple process and would actually not only save the patient time (and worry) but also save the NHS money, something they are supposed to be doing all the time!
He then looked at the roof of my mouth and said that the lesion was separate from my other soreness/redness from my swollen gums the past week; which needs to be treated by a Dentist.
He also said that there are other reasons that could cause this lesion, like a burn from hot food/drink and more so a blister, but without going to the hospital to be checked out, he could not confirm otherwise.
So, a GP cannot determine whether a lesion is the result of trauma without a biopsy to rule out cancer first? I didn’t go to medical school for many years but I would imagine asking the patient if they had experienced any form of injury to the mouth such as a burn from hot drinks/food would be a useful way to rule out needing a biopsy when it could be something people do constantly throughout their lives! So, even if the patient stated they had burnt their mouth on a hot drink, something the patient will know since it is in someway painful, this GP would still demand a biopsy? That’s just a blatant waste of NHS money for non required tests, something GP’s have been getting hammered over for years.
I went to the Dentist and had a consultation, XRays and so on. I have a loose tooth which has to come out and that has been the culprit for the gum infection.
I have come back with a course of antibiotics and a much more relaxed attitude.
The X/Rays do not show anything suspicious and the lesion is more than likely to do with the problem with the tooth. The Dentist think it may have been caused by the root of the tooth and as the lesion has now changed shape and is now more of a red blob, he thinks that is more the case here.
A dentist is an oral specialist also trained to look for signs of oral cancer. Afterall, we are supposed to be seeing them every 6 months so they are a good way to spot these things since we could go years without seeing a GP.
The dentist has identified and treated the infection, something neither of the 2 GP’s could do. He also x-rayed it as well as performed a more detailed inspection with better equipment.
The dentist has a plausible reason for the lesion AND has not recommended a biopsy and he would have to send someone for that if he/she suspected cancer or wanted to rule it out. The dentist also has a greater understanding of where the roots are located and how they can cause pain/lesions elsewhere & why.
I explained the whole situation with the Dentist and what he thinks and apparently a Dentist can also refer someone to the hospital within 2 weeks too if needed, which I did not know, but know now.
So, we have left it for the Dentist to sought out and if I need the Doctor to refer me if the lesion does not disappear, another appointment can be made if necessary.
So, a GP has now decided despite what 2 previous ones have said that the dentist should be trusted to resolve the situation. Lets remember that the GP now becomes liable for their medical decision not to follow up with the biopsy but to leave it in the hands of the other party. If the GP had any suspicion that the biopsy was still required, they would have to voice this and follow it through or it would bite them in a court later. The GP knows this, so it’s more likely the GP realises the dentist is the specialist and the GP’s are playing a “just incase” routine over something they don’t have much understanding of.
Additionally we now have the patient stating that this lesion is decreasing anyway after starting a course of antibiotics. A lesion can be caused by infection so it plausible that the antibiotics are resolving the lesion and the reason the first GP “didn’t like the look of it” was because it was infected. The only justification for the biopsy seems to be that the lesion is not physically attached to the area of the infection BUT if the GP had actually waited a few days a) a lesion caused by a burn or other trauma would start healing or b) antibiotics would reduce the lesion.
Why not wait a few days? The biopsy would have taken weeks to take place so would a few more days be so critical? It’s funny because even people like Cancer Research UK don’t seem to feel this would be a problem. They say:
Many people begin to worry that the cancer will spread during this time. But we know that cancers usually grow very slowly and this is not likely to happen.
AND
Most cancers develop over many years and don't show up on a scan until they have been growing for some time. So waiting a few weeks for a scan or treatment does not usually affect how well the treatment works.
AND
Everyone agrees it is unacceptable to wait too long between a diagnosis of cancer and starting treatment. In an ideal world, people would start treatment within a month of being diagnosed. The Government have set waiting time targets in England and Wales for treating cancer patients. Waiting time targets set by the Scottish Government are the same. The current targets are
• No more than 2 months wait between the date the hospital receives an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer and starting treatment
• Starting treatment no more than 31 days after the meeting at which you and your doctor agree the treatment plan
This would suggest a few days for a GP to monitor a situation to rule out an infection or perhaps something as basic as burning your mouth on a hot cup of tea, would be fine. They are the experts after all.
So, Carnation you have nothing to worry about and this is just a case of GP’s going off “half-cocked”. The second GP stating he couldn’t rule out a burn on hot food/drinks without a biopsy is just plain ludicrous.
And these same people complain about patients wasting NHS money?
My mum asked about the blood pressure issue as hers is always higher at the surgery. She doesn’t have an anxiety disorder, never has, but she has regular blood pressure checks due to the meds she takes for that at her age. The practice sister said they are very aware that many people experience higher blood pressure at a medical appointment and they make allowances for it. So, don’t worry about this and I’m sure it will return back to normal very soon.
Your dentist will sort you out.
---------- Post added at 06:49 ---------- Previous post was at 06:44 ----------
A painless lesion as described by Carnation is actually an indicator. If caught at that stage, it's very early so IMO, while the bedside manner was lacking, the GP did the right thing.
Thats an assumption you have made, Carnation didn't state whether the lesion was painful or painless, only that the GP asked if it hurt.
So, it's NOT an indicator eitherway as we don't know what she told the GP.
I am pleased to report that the 'lesion' has gone completely.
BUT, I now have a throat infection. So, I am treating that the same way.
When you look after other people, you tend to put your own health issues to the back of the queue. I also suffer from 'throat' issues when I am run down, which is also what I told the Doctor. The gum infection was a separate issue caused by the tooth that has to come out and my forever prodding in that area.
Thank you everyone for your help and comments. It is very helpful and supportive in issues concerning the big C and most of the time a GP will be evasive and not explain things in detail or as already said; have no bed-side manner and 'jump the gun'. :)
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