Throat/Tongue symptoms caused by anxiety?

[AMomentofClarity]

Here’s my concern. I’ve read so many stories of those with base of tongue cancer and other cancers of the head and neck who weren’t officially diagnosed for months to years.

They said they were told the same thing as me such as “acid reflux (didn’t work), allergies (didn’t work), and even spoke about irritation as I have which eventually was biopsies as cancer.

My ENT keeps saying it’s not cancer but it’s only been 3 months. He also said he wants me to try probiotics because my tongue now has a coating. He said if that doesn’t work he will try thrush medication and after that he doesn’t know.

Im freaking out.

The problem is you never read about the 100x number of people who had a sore throat that ended up being just irritation....

[Fishmanpa]

Here’s my concern. I’ve read so many stories of those with base of tongue cancer and other cancers of the head and neck who weren’t officially diagnosed for months to years.

They said they were told the same thing as me such as “acid reflux (didn’t work), allergies (didn’t work), and even spoke about irritation as I have which eventually was biopsies as cancer.

My ENT keeps saying it’s not cancer but it’s only been 3 months. He also said he wants me to try probiotics because my tongue now has a coating. He said if that doesn’t work he will try thrush medication and after that he doesn’t know.

Im freaking out.

I don't doubt you're having some minor symptoms. It just isn't cancer. In the three months from when I first noticed a swollen node, that node went from a small grape to a golf ball. Being a survivor and knowing many others that battled H&N cancer, I find it insulting that you are still pursuing this after all the clear test results and doctor visits.

Hope you find peace....

Positive thoughts

[Blue23Blent]

The problem is you never read about the 100x number of people who had a sore throat that ended up being just irritation....

I don’t have a sore throat. I have cobblestone along with tongue coating and a lot of feelings of discomfort and difficulty swallowing

---------- Post added at 14:38 ---------- Previous post was at 14:37 ----------

I don't doubt you're having some minor symptoms. It just isn't cancer. In the three months from when I first noticed a swollen node, that node went from a small grape to a golf ball. Being a survivor and knowing many others that battled H&N cancer, I find it insulting that you are still pursuing this after all the clear test results and doctor visits.

Hope you find peace....

Positive thoughts

Problem is the irritation and tongue coating and intermittent difficulty swallowing isn’t leaving. I also feel like a node on the side of my neck

---------- Post added at 15:02 ---------- Previous post was at 14:38 ----------

I don't doubt you're having some minor symptoms. It just isn't cancer. In the three months from when I first noticed a swollen node, that node went from a small grape to a golf ball. Being a survivor and knowing many others that battled H&N cancer, I find it insulting that you are still pursuing this after all the clear test results and doctor visits.

Hope you find peace....

Positive thoughts

I’ll keep pursuing until I’m better. Isn’t that what you’re suppose to do? Most likely it’s something or it would leave by now.

---------- Post added at 18:13 ---------- Previous post was at 15:02 ----------

It is just the irritation and burning/sore feeling on my tongue and around back of tongue seems like it will never end. I have moments where I’m like “this is going away” and then I keep feeling it after I eat and what not.

It’s def sinister.

[AMomentofClarity]

Here’s my thing with threads like this....I don’t mean this to be attacking or personal as I was asked the same thing at my HAs worst....but honest question....

What kind of response are you looking for here? Anytime reassurance is offered you argue and debate it. You’re essentially demanding to Internet strangers that you have cancer. What type of response will make you feel better?

[jray23]

Well, the point of my question was that you have absolutely no idea how to identify cancer and you never have identified it before. But your ENT has extensive experience in doing so.

So how can you be so sure that your absolute novice analysis - cancer - is correct, and the ENT's experienced analysis is wrong? Logically it would be quite baffling. Why not try and come up with some more reasonable explanations?

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[Blue23Blent]

Well, the point of my question was that you have absolutely no idea how to identify cancer and you never have identified it before. But your ENT has extensive experience in doing so.

So how can you be so sure that your absolute novice analysis - cancer - is correct, and the ENT's experienced analysis is wrong? Logically it would be quite baffling. Why not try and come up with some more reasonable explanations?

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

Like I’ve been sticking out my tongue and inspecting my mouth and throat so much that I’ve caused all this myself?

---------- Post added at 20:40 ---------- Previous post was at 20:39 ----------

Here’s my thing with threads like this....I don’t mean this to be attacking or personal as I was asked the same thing at my HAs worst....but honest question....

What kind of response are you looking for here? Anytime reassurance is offered you argue and debate it. You’re essentially demanding to Internet strangers that you have cancer. What type of response will make you feel better?

Just trying to find a reason

[jray23]

Like I’ve been sticking out my tongue and inspecting my mouth and throat so much that I’ve caused all this myself

Perhaps. Does that seem like a possible explanation to you, have you been checking it every day? If so maybe you do need to give yourself a week or two of no inspecting. Stand by that as your explanation whenever fears come up. Resolve to not worry about it until after that week or two.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[Blue23Blent]

Perhaps. Does that seem like a possible explanation to you, have you been checking it every day? If so maybe you do need to give yourself a week or two of no inspecting. Stand by that as your explanation whenever fears come up. Resolve to not worry about it until after that week or two.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

Who knows. I read stories about irritation and misdiagnoses and saying nothing’s wrong and that seems more likely that it’s serious then not

[AMomentofClarity]

Just trying to find a reason

You could have 75 people a day give you potential benign causes, and you’re still going to assume that you’re one of the people you read about...with misdiagnosed cancer, etc etc.

[jray23]

Who knows. I read stories about irritation and misdiagnoses and saying nothing’s wrong and that seems more likely that it’s serious then not

Then you need to reframe that thought. Challenge it. What evidence do you have? What other alternative explanations are there? Have you been wrong before? Keep working with the doctor of course because you have real physical symptoms of something, but challenge your catastrophic thoughts.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk