Newbie says hi, and oral cancer worries

[bigbum]

Hi, I'm Lou, 35, live on the south coast of the UK with husband and 2 children. I've not posted here before. A bit of background about me is that I've been suffering health anxiety for about 14 years now. I think it stems from my Mum dying very suddenly from cancer when I was 15.

Generally I take a symptom and make it into the most dangerous, terminal disease possible. So far I've "had" (in no particular order) heart attacks, meningitis, breast cancer, bone cancer, brain tumours, internal bleeding, blood clots, ectopic pregnancies, several pregnancies (2 actual bone fide ones too!) oral cancer, epiglotitis (blame google for that one!) abdominal hernia. They are the ones that spring to mind. I've had several tests; a brain scan, 2 MRI's on my breasts, an MRI on my back and legs, ultrsounds on my legs, blood tests, mamagram, 24 hour ECG, heart echo etc. Thankgod for Pru Health/BUPA/cigna/AXA PPP - as you can see I'm working my way through the insurance companies!

I suffer with panic attacks and up until this week I had them under control with CBT and 10mg of citilipram. I stopped taking the citilipram 6 weeks ago so I could try some weight reducing medication. Big mistake, I'm off the weight reducing stuff now and will see GP this week to go back on the citilipram. I had a 36/48 hour panic attack this week, forgotten how awful they were at times. also back to having or noticing lots of ectopic beats again too.

Anyway enough of my history, and onto today's panic, I have had an "ulcer" on the inside of my cheek now for 3+ weeks. I'm conviced it is oral cancer because whatever I do it won't go. I pick it (a lot), put some ulcer stuff on overnight that reduces inflammation, seems to work a bit. But it comes back. I saw my sister in law yesterday, she is a dental nurse (fairly highly qualified, she lectures and demos stuff to dentists), she said without a doubt it is a mucocoele. Which yesterday made me feel better today I am back to the oral cancer theory. Sigh, I'm now thinking that I have numbness of my face after I read about it in the symptoms of oral cancer.

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, HELP!

Lou

[LeeBee]

Hi there, welcome to NMP .

A trip to the dentist might be a good idea, to get a definite diagnosis on your cheek ulcer/mucocoele? And probably best to leave it alone rather than keep picking at it - whatever it is, picking at it will make it heal more slowly and might introduce infection. Oral cancer is quite a common fear, you're definitely not alone. We do get lots of lumps, bumps, sores etc inside our mouths, much more likely to be something benign than not.