Tonsil issues and sore throat-terrified

[Meglen]

Hey there,
I haven't posted on here in quite a while but I have been lurking...
I am a smoker, and have been for 20+ years. I am 44 years old, and I know that I need to quit (again) for good. I live in Arizona, so we don't have cold weather or allergy season, etc. that I can blame this on.

I started to have a terrible sore throat a week ago, and made a terrible decision to shine a light down my throat, and saw lumps and bumps all over my left tonsil. My throat was extremly red and I instantly panicked. I was going on vacation the next day, so I went to Urgent Care for piece of mind. The PA said that she thought it was just inflamed and sore, nothing else. Of course, I asked her if she thought it was somethinig worse (cancer) and she said "I don't think so". She didn't think that I needed any antibiotics, and said that she thought it was just viral.
I went on vacation, and it didn't get any better so naturally, I didn't have the relaxing vacation I was hoping for.
I did call the ENT when I returned and have an appointment for tomorrow, but I am so nervous that they are going to tell me that it's cancer. I have been on each posting on this website and see so many other similar complaints, but none that are from long term smokers, so that isn't helping me at all.
My symptoms are:

Sudden sore throat 1 week
Red sore bumps on left tonsil
Pain when swallowing
Constant feeling of something stuck in throat on the left side


I am going out of my mind searching posts, google ( I know, not good) and can't get my mind off of it. I am excited and yet nervous for my appointment tomorrow. Has anyone else had these symptoms that is or was a smoker?

[ankietyjoe]

You've been told it's a viral throat infection, but have decided to keep self diagnosing cancer via google.

Also, stop smoking :shades:

[nomorepanic]

Sounds like a normal throat infection to me as well and nothing major.

It should go in time.

[Fishmanpa]

Head and Neck cancer survivor here. Throat cancer and other H&N cancers don't present like that overnight. Those types of cancers are not readily evident until they're advanced (lymph involvement etc.) I agree with the previous posters. And yeah... as a former smoker that had no choice but to quit... that's a no-brainer!

Positive thoughts

[Meglen]

Thank you Fishmanpa, I really appreciate your response! I will keep positive and quit smoking!

[Meglen]

As an update, I went to the ENT and got an antibiotic. I took it right away and then had an allergic reaction to it last night. My entire throat was swollen, so that was fun....
Woke this morning with rusty/bloody mucus in my throat and went right back to ENT.
She prescribed me with a different antibiotic so fingers crossed that it starts working.
My throat/tonsil pain is horrible and possibly worse. Little white dots on both tonsils now.

I am alarmed by the bloody rusty mucus. I don’t have a cough at all, it was in the back of my throat when I woke up. After it came up, I spit again and it was clear. I did take a nap this afternoon and woke again with mucus in my throat, and again it was bloody/rusty.

Anyone here ever strep throat or tonsillitis and had bloody or rusty mucus?

[nomorepanic]

You need to give it time for the antibiotics to work really

[Meglen]

I know, and I am eager for the antibiotic. My question was about bloody rusty phlegm or mucus in my throat.

[ankietyjoe]

I know, and I am eager for the antibiotic. My question was about bloody rusty phlegm or mucus in my throat.

I'm surprised they didn't mention that at the ENT.

[Meglen]

I was given the new antibiotic and had anaphylactic shock. Thankfully my friend was at my house and called 911. They stuck me with all sorts of things, to stop the reaction to Amoxicillin and flush my system.
it has now been 2 weeks, still have terrible sore throat. The ENT FINALLY did a throat swab after I was released from the hospital and I am waiting to hear if this is bacterial or viral. I am praying that it isn’t bacterial as I can’t take antibiotics.
To top it all off, I am now having a bad pain in my upper back tooth, so I am going to the endodontist tomorrow. Wondering if maybe an infected tooth has been causing this all along.
I am nervous about the dentist, but maybe I will finally get answers.

[Hypo84]

So, what happened?