Tonsil cancer

[Alexalex]

Hello everyone!
I am really worried and honestly just really tired of being ill all the time.
7 weeks ago I got a sore throat and went to the walk in centre where they said I had tonsillitis and gave me Penicillin to take for 10 days. It was quite bad but the antibiotic started to make me feel better very quick and after 5 or 6 days I stopped taking it (I know I should have finished it, I’ve learned my lesson).
3 weeks ago I got ill with tonsillitis again but this time much worse, I was told it was probably because I didn’t finish the antibiotics the first time and so I got them again. 2 days after starting antibiotics I got much worse and went to a walk in centre who sent me to A&E to see an ENT who diagnosed me with quinsy and I was admitted to stay overnight. The ENT doctor drained my tonsil (he said that pus came out but not much of it) and gave me some intravenous antibiotics and steroids and I went home the next day. I felt better and had 7 more days of penicillin and didn’t miss a dose. After finishing all my antibiotics I noticed that my right tonsill is still very swollen and much bigger than the left but because there was no pain I thought it might just take a little longer to go down.
On Wednesday last week (4 days after finishing antibiotics) my throat started to get a bit dry and painful so I made an appointment with my GP for the next morning, but over a few hours I got suddenly really ill. My tonsils got so close together there was very little space between them, I couldn’t speak, I had terrible chills and high temperature and the pain was terrible. My GP sent me straight to A&E because she thought it may be quinsy again. I was admitted to the hospital again and they tried draining it again but nothing came out this time so I was put on intravenous antibiotics again and steroids to help.
Again it got better quickly and I took home 10 days worth of 2 different antibiotics and an oral rinse to gargle with but as much as I felt a difference quickly then, since leaving the hospital and taking the antibiotics I haven’t seen any improvement, I mean I got better at the hospital to the point where I was well enough to go home etc but since coming home I’m not any better than when i first left the hospital even though I had a few days more lf antibiotics so I would expect to see a difference. My right tonsil is still taking half of my throat although it’s not painful anymore. When I was being discharged the ENT said that I will need a follow up in 4 weeks to make sure there isn’t anything serisous thats causing it and I guess that’s what worries me the most. He did say that he doesn’t think that’s what it is but also that it needs checking.
Sorry for a long post, I’m just looking for any kind of reassurance

[Fishmanpa]

When you go back for your follow up, you might want to ask about having them taken out. Chronic tonsil issues sometimes warrant removal in adults. The surgery isn't a picnic but in the long run it would solve this issue. (added bonus... I don't snore anymore )

I'm an oral cancer survivor. I had both my palatine and lingual tonsils taken out when they were looking for the primary sight. Nothing you describe corresponds with cancer symptoms.

Positive thoughts

[BikerMatt]

I agree with FMP plus if it was something more sinister it wouldn't have responded to antibiotics. I had my tonsils out when i was 22 which is very late on in life. This was after 3 years of constantly getting tonsillitis, my tonsils never really wen't down.

[jray23]

Although I didn't have the same quinsy issues that you have or any draining attempts, I had strep several times in less than a year, and throughout a lot of that time had one giant tonsil and one normal sized. The ENT recommended I get the tonsil removal surgery, and told me that one reason besides the multiple strep infections is that they do need to check it for cancer - BUT he quickly reassured me that it was highly unlikely - that in his several years of practice and dealing with tonsils basically every day, he had NEVER had a patient with a swollen tonsil that actually turned out to be cancerous. I kept his streak going.

That being said, not sure of your age but adult tonsil removal/recovery is no picnic for a couple weeks! Although it is a good crash diet strategy, I lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks while sitting on my butt all day, because I couldn't eat any solid food!

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[BikerMatt]

When i had my tonsils out, i was in and out the same day and back to work and eating normally within a couple of days. It's not bad at all.

[jray23]

When i had my tonsils out, i was in and out the same day and back to work and eating normally within a couple of days. It's not bad at all.

Even though it's but a memory now, I'm still extremely jealous of your quick recovery! lol

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[Alexalex]

Thank you for the replies! If it comes back again after I finish this course of antibiotics I will ask about getting them removed.
I used to have terrible health anxiety but I was doing very well for over a year and I think after a couple stressful months and the doctor mentioning that it could be something more I just snapped and went back to my old ways of googling symptoms and expecting the worst outcome but I always found this forum really helpful

[Fishmanpa]

When i had my tonsils out, i was in and out the same day and back to work and eating normally within a couple of days. It's not bad at all.

Really? You're extremely lucky! It tore me up! (both times - palatine and linguals removed) I went home the same day but it got a lot worse before it got better. It was a good two weeks until I started feeling better. But, like I said, I don't snore anymore

Positive thoughts