White Patch Tongue - HIV Worry!

[Stu1980]

Hi All,

I'm so glad I found this forum! I'm afraid I am guilty of googling and have suffered from Health Anxiety for years whether it be neck lumps, moles, white patches - cancer cancer cancer - we've all been there!! Usually I manage to calm myself down and look at things rationally but this time I am struggling quite a bit so am hoping to have some advice...

About 8 months ago, I swapped mouthwash and was using Listerine instread of my usual one that didn't contain alcohol and didn't burn when you used it. I found Listerine to be really harsh - it made my mouth sting and brought tears to my eyes if I gargles or rinsed for too long. Anyway - after a few weeks overuse (3-4 times a day!!!) I noticed a raised taste bud so I stupidly tried to take it off with a pair of tweezers :blush: - I know - silly boy!!! It bled - no surprises there!! I swapped back to my usual mouthwash and noticed that a white patch had developed at the side of the tongue - it wouldn't scrub off and having googled it, it seemed to be Leukoplakia and was sensitive to hot and spicy foods. I went to the docs who told me it was nothing and it should clear up of its own accord and certainly wasn't any sort of thrush. I then went for my 6-month trip to the dentist who also said it was nothing and that I had just aggrivated my tongue and it needed time to heal.

I went back today as the patch is still there 6-months on. It has faded slightly (bright white one minute and flesh/tongue coloured on some other days) and it about 1 and a bit cm long.

The dentist had a look today and said it is nothing to worry about but as it has been there for over 6-months she is going to refer me to the hospital...

:ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy: MASS PANIC!!!!!!!

Any sort of waiting like puts me into mass hysteria - my main concern being HIV or mouth cancer. My dentist said it is almost definitely nothing and that any HIV/AIDS symptoms would be very dominant in my mouth - everythwere including the roof of my mouth and that this is only one patch in an otherwise healthy mouth. She also said that HIV that shows in the mouth is usually a sign of severe immunce deficiency - i.e. full blown AIDS!!! I was absolutely beside myself however much she tried to reassure me that everything was fine. My dentist has said that the appointment will take a couple of months to come through and that if she was concerned she would make it as urgent which she hasn't - she has told me not to panic!!

I have googled like an idiot and got myself into a right state. I have been with the same partner for almost 8 years but neither of us ever got tested. I have to say that we are both hardly ever ill. Sure;y if I had AIDS or advanced HIV I would have noticed something by now....

Please help...! Thanks, Stu :weep:

[bex1970]

You have to try and believe your dentist. My stepfather is a dental surgeon - and he tells me very firmly, that dentists are the true experts when it comes to the mouth - much more so than GPs.

Your dentist is sending you for a referral because YOU are so worried about it, not because he/she is. The dentist has said that if she was truly concerned then he would make you an appointment really quickly (which, if she thought in anyway sinister, she would).

There is a simple solution to the HIV issue - you could have a test? I realise that is probably a terrifying thought - but you could, it would put your mind at rest.... it is SO, SO, SO, unlikely that you have HIV or full-blown AIDs as you would have a myriad of other symptoms if it were that far advanced - also, are you at risk for HIV? There are a few posts on here about HIV and they give you a full insight into it if you need more info.

If your dentist is not concerned but is sending you for a referral because of your anxiety (which I suspect she is) then you have to believe that it's nothing to be afraid of. I really sympathise as I have a horror of all things to do with the mouth but I do know that dentists really know what they are talking about. Honestly. And you have to try and be reassured that she has said she is not worried at all. x:hugs:

[scooby28]

wandering if you have had your blood checked for low b12 as i had a white fluffy looking tongue when mine was really low

[Utility]

Hi

Listen to what "bex1970" has said.

Dentists are trained not just to look at teeth, but all of the mouth. If your dentist isn't worried then neither should you be.

[Stu1980]

Thanks Bex1970 - really appreciate the response.

The dentist did say it was to put both our minds at rest because she was not a specialist but spent most of the appointment reassuring me that it was still nothing to worry about as advanced HIV would show all over my mouth (She said mine was healthy other than this patch) and would come with other symptoms.

I have to say the thought of a test absolutely terrifies me - and I know I have to deal with this but it still scares me stupid. :weep: I have been with the same partner for about 8 / 9 years but have to say that neither of us were tested (and showing no signs of anything nasty either and have both been careful with other partners in the past.

Have spent the evening discussing it with my partner who thinks I am bonkers and worrying needlessly as I am always feeling for glands, checking moles etc...:doh: I blame Google entirely!!!!!!!!!

Hi Scooby - thanks for your message. my tongue isn't furry - it's a white patch, almost scar like that wont scrub off (so isn't oral thrush either!).

Stu

[Stressed32]

Stu- Fist of all....RELAX! You are in the right place. I came here just like you convinced and paniced that I too had HIV even though I had a test. At the top, do a search for HIV and you will see 13 pages of posts, some old, from people here who suffer the exact same thing. That should make you feel a little better...you are not alone! Also, there are some good links in some of those pages to better educate yourself about the real risks and chances of actually catching the virus. Just yesterday, we were speaking of some of these links...some of them are a bit out there...but from those you can find others that really will make you feel better.
I have spent HOURS obsessing and reading on this subject lately and I can swear to you, that your risks of getting it, no matter how long ago are very very low. It is one of the hardest STDs to catch. If you are male it is like 0.0009% through normal heterosexual relations. Of course this increases greatly if your partner is male. Either way, if you had any bloodwork or anything done over the last 8 years, HIV would have caused an abnormality there...via white blood cells. It would not say you had HIV, but it would show a low WBC count and Dr. would know to test for other stuff.
I am sure you are fine. Please, stay off of google, but if you must then notice how each page says the exact same thing like it is cut and pasted? The information on google regarding HIV is very general.
I beleive that education is the ticket in over coming your fear...please wisley educate yourself about the risk factors in regard to this disease as it is not as easily transmitted as we are told. When all else fails, get a test.

[Stu1980]

:D :yesyes: Thanks Stressed32!! I do feel better about it after reading your comments and will try and stay off google.

I have to say that I am the worlds worst for HA and over the years have suffered with OCD, panic attacks, Anxiety, Agoraphobia - the works!! So I know that I have a natural tendancy to over react.

Thanks all for your comments.

Stu :)

[joyce1980]

:yesyes: http://www.doctorspiller.com/images/OralAnatomy/geographic_tongue_2.jpg

[joyce1980]

PS they can look a lot worse than this pic, Drs don't really know why it happens they can be sore and raised and loads of them... for months at a time even.

I had this worry when I was unwell.

[maddie]

I get white patches on my tongue and my mouth tastes horrid when I am really stressed out.
Please, please try not to google. An ingrown toe nail can turn to gangrene, to a leg amputation in seconds on there!!

[Stu1980]

Hi Joyce and Maddie!

It's not Geographical tongue. I guess I am concerned about Hairy Leukoplakia which is a sure sign of HIV/AIDS.

My rational brain is telling me that the white patch is just where I have irritated my tongue either with a sharp tooth or listerine overuse (or a combination of the 2). It looks much like when you bite the inside of your cheeks and have the white marks that appear.

Stu

[Stressed32]

Stu- try to OCD about the other side of what you have been told about HIV/aids. I am not saying to the point where you put yourself at risk and not be safe in the future, but enough so that your HA is not running your every thought. Here are a few websites for you to obsess over. Like I said in my last post, some of their theries are a bit out there simply because it goes against EVERYTHING we have been taught about HIV and aids. However, they argue a VERY compelling case. I am not telling you to go out and have TONS of unprotected sex and enjoy lots of risky behavior :) I am simply telling you to educate yourself now so that you may come to see that you are not as risk as you HA is making you think you are.
Also, DO NOT be scared to click on any of the links. I have spent HOURS doing it and have learned quite a bit. You will see some very interesting viewpoints and none of them will scare you like google. PS. There are lots of things that can happen in our mouths that are not HIV.

http://video.google.com/videosearch?...sitesea rch=# (http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=the+other+side+of+aids&hl=eN&sitesearch=)


http://www.virusmyth.com/aids/hiv/cjtestfp.htm (http://www.virusmyth.com/aids/hiv/cjtestfp.htm)

http://aliveandwell.org/ (http://aliveandwell.org/)

http://rethinkingaids.com.93.seekdotnet.com/ (http://rethinkingaids.com.93.seekdotnet.com/)

www.helpforhiv.com (http://www.helpforhic.com/)

http://www.peaceandlove.ca/AIDSsexmyth.html (http://www.peaceandlove.ca/AIDSsexmyth.html)

[Stu1980]

Hi all,

Just wanted to update you on this as I went to the hospital today to get my tongue checked and am pleased to say that all is well !!! The power of google eh???

It turns out I have what's called Benign hyperkeratosis which translated is just tongue trauma (through chewing, excessive mouthwash etc and tooth rubbing)

I have learnt a very valuable lesson here about not using google to self-diagnose, as up until this afternoon, I was convinced I had full blown aids!!!

Thanks to all of you for your support with this. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted after 11 months of worrying and googling.

Stu