Spot up nose - help!

[PollyWoodle]

I'm new here but I've been battling anxiety and panic for about 10 years now. I was agoraphobic until a little while ago, but I've been getting better and really thinking I was making progress... but now, this...

I've always had sinus trouble (bunged up nose, sneezing, constantly blowing my nose etc. etc.) and I used to use Sinex spray a lot. I decided I should stop using it (I relied on it so much for 20 years - used it probably much more than I should and got 'rebound'). So I stopped using it. I got two colds in quick succession, and we also had the builders in knocking holes in walls etc. and there was SO much dust around for about 5 weeks. I'd had a runny eye and a runny nostril for a couple of weeks, and then I got a sore up my nose - I guess like a boil. I've had them before, but this was quite painful and kept bleeding when I blew my nose - which I do A LOT because I still have sinus trouble plus not a day goes by when I don't have a good cry, and blow my nose etc. etc. Plus, for years, I've had a kind of nervous itch down the side of my nose - I used to rub and rub and scratch it - it's like a sort of nerve tingle and drives me nuts! I would make it quite sore sometimes. I had to sit on my hands to stop me from scratching.

Anyway, as well as the spot, I started to get a swelling down the side of my nose - kind of where my cheek meets my nose, in that crease. It got bigger and bigger, and I couldn't stop obsessing about it. My nostril was all swollen inside, too.
The spot inside my nose cleared up, but my nose would occasionally bleed a little bit. But the swelling beside my nose is getting bigger, and now is almost up to my eye. There's no pain, it's just swollen, like I've walked into a door. My eye is a bit weepy still too.

Anyway, last week I reluctantly went to the doctor to get some antibiotics (I thought it must be an infection or soemthing). To my horror, she muttered about cancer and is sending me to the ENT people. She gave me some cream Naseptim and I'm using that before I go to the ENT.

I am so, so, so frightened. The sore has cleared up completely, although there is a pinky looking area up my nose and it looks a bit thin skinned. It's still swollen, but I think it's going down. But the swelling beside my nose doesn't seem to be getting any smaller - it's like fluid retention.

The thing is, the swelling beside my nose is exactly where I used to scratch and rub so much, and I can't help thinking it's to do with that? (I've made a concerted effort to stop scratching it now). I think (hope) the sore up my nose was an infection. Could it be cancer? It wasn't my GP I saw and I haven't been near a doc for years so they know nothing about my anxiety problems.

Please help me - I am so scared. Any ideas of suggestions would be so welcome.
Poll

[username5927]

If I had a dollar for every time I thought I had cancer. And yeah, it's sucks all the worse when the doctor is the one to bring up the idea.
The swelling you're describing sounds an awful lot like the infection I got in my face that took the freeway of the sinuses in my face. In less than three days I was seriously disfigured. I couldn't open my mouth wide enough to fit even the smallest bit of food in. The original infection site, my mouth, was painful, but everywhere else didn't hurt. The doctor's said they would have to cut my face open to drain it, but they decided (thankfully) to give me super antibiotics first and that fixed it.
As for the nose bumps, I get those during the winter. Think whatever it is I picked it up from my roommate. My g/f teasingly calls it my nose herpes. It's just these dry, itchy bumps that form and bleed when you mess with them. I'll wake up in the middle of the night with a bloody nose and bloody fingers. *shakes head*
Anyway, as far as cancer. Of course they have to rule out that possibility. Just like when I was having the breathing problem, the headaches, the swelling, exc exc. It's just a possibility that HAS to be checked out. Good call from the doc for being thorough (cover her butt) bad for though for not taking you in consideration. Pretty typical of doctors.
Use CBT and think about this. What evidence do you have that this is cancer? The doctor thinks it might be a possibility. What evidence do you have that this isn't cancer. You have a history of sinus issues and your signs match that perfectly of a simple infection.
Also, lets look at sheer numbers. The below is an excerpt from a cancer devoted site online.

How Common is Nasal Cavity Cancer?

Nasal cancer is relatively rare. Each year in the United States there are about 1000 new cases of nasal and paranasal sinus cancer leading to about 300 deaths annually from this disease. Men are affected twice as often as women. Overall, nasal cancer represents less than ) 0.5% of all new cancers each year, affecting one out of 100,000 Americans. and it is more common in blacks than whites, and in those of “lower socioeconomic status” (poor people). The average patient is 60 years old. The disease is more common in Asia Minor and China than the Western Countries, and worldwide appears to be slowly increasing-- probably owing to better detection.


So, let the doctors take a biopsy or do whatever they feel best to Rule Out cancer, but remember 1 out of 100,000 for Nasal cancer. 1 out of 12 americans suffer from some sort of nasual infection.

Hope that helps out some.


data taken from "nih.gov" and "canceranswers.com"

[PollyWoodle]

Thank you User for your wonderful reply :) You are RIGHT: what I've got sounds exactly like what you had - an infection that's taken the freeway of the sinuses. I've been run down anyway since Xmas, and it all fits. Thank you so much for going to the trouble of looking up that data for me - it reassured me totally and I'm smiling for the first time in days.

I hope the swelling will start to go down now (I'm sure anxiety about it made it worse - I got so obsessed about it, poking it and checking it every three minutes...)

Thank you again for your wise and reassuring words. I really appreciate you taking the trouble.

Poll

[Wee-Mee]

sinuses are mayhem,they run everywhere practically in your face and can cuase all sorts of things,and the itch thing you describe and blocked up nose...i've had that.. inside my nose even can get so itchy along with throat and ear and I have to rub constantly! Awwww,I hope you are alright now xxxxxx its awful to worry about things the way we do xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[doodah]

Hiya PollyWoodle (I LOVE your name by the way!:D )

I'm glad to see you've had some replies to your post - I'm in a similar situation to you, having had a "spot" or something up my nose, and now it looks like I've got post nasal drip that's upsetting my stomach - eeeuuww!!

I really hope your nose/swelling starts to settle down for you and that you are reassured by your visit to the ENT. Keep us posted, eh?

Wendy xxxx

[PollyWoodle]

Thanks for your messages Wee Me and Wendy :yesyes:

I'm much less frightened now and quite relieved with the explanation that it's a rampant sinus infection. It makes sense, when I look at all the evidence....

That's something that I lose very easily - my sense of perspective and reason. I always imagine the worst possible scenario, and then the whole thing spirals until I'm a wreck. I'm so thrilled to find this supportive forum here - it has reassured me beyond words to read that there are others going through exactly what I'm going through (although obviously I wish you all weren't going through it at all :doh:).
It helps me to see that it really is *just* anxiety. Thank you for being there and I hope I can repay you in kindness soon :D

Polly xxxx Glad you like my name!