Pretty sure I have cancer at 27 and not sure what I should do next

[whatdoidonowthenn]

Around 8 months ago I had a severe chest infection & after recovering, ever since I have been coughing constantly throughout the day because I’ve got phlegm in my throat that won’t go away. The cough has never stopped and it’s at the point where I’m trying and struggling to cough up the mucus every 5-10 mins. It always feels like the same phlegm that I can’t quite get up, but when I do manage to cough it up, it is green and looks like snot.

I’ve called the GP twice during these months and have been told there’s nothing they can do..

About 8 weeks ago I developed a fissure in my top lip (inside the mouth) which is not healing.

I called my doctor and she referred me to an ENT who is removing the fissure on the 17th and then testing it. I asked if it was cancer and he said he couldn’t say.

For the past two weeks I’ve been really struggling with acid reflux and the feeling of something being stuck at the bottom of my throat nearer to my collar bones. I’ve also just noticed some white patches at the back of my mouth. I’ve included some photos. I know nobody here could diagnose me but I’m wanting to prepare myself for the worst..

I’ve also been incredibly fatigued, struggling with headaches every day which sometimes goes to my ears, and a few times a week am experiencing dizziness which affects my hearing and I go almost deaf with buzzing.

i have a handle on getting the fissure removed but what do I do next? Is it simply going to the GP and telling them everything? Would I be able to class it as an emergency same day appointment?

Is it better to seek help privately?

should I wait until the 17th to tell them my other symptoms - but it’s the maxillo facial unit?

any advice on the best path to take here would be appreciated. im massively worried and convinced it’s cancer. I’m only 27

Pics attached - I have been eating chocolate hence the brown fingers 🤣

Max fax nurse here, neither photo looks cancerous from here.

Do you live in a busy area. It sounds a lot like asthma.

It sounds like reflux - I had cough , feeling of something stuck in throat, heart burn. Whe I get fatigue I am usually low iron or it's before/after a cold. It sounds like you are rundown. I'd book in with gp tell all and see what they say. I'd want bloods doing and you could request camera down throat .

Honestly, why tell the op that? Something feeling like it was stuck in my throat was the first symptom I had of acid reflux. That and mucus are classic indicators of that. Something which op knows she has.

Acid reflux is horrible and needs to be controlled, but it's not cancer.

Post-nasal drip is definitely associated with silent reflux which is different to acid reflux.

Acid reflux you can feel.

Silent reflux you cannot feel and a persistent cough plus nasal drip is typically your only clue. This is caused by the enzyme pepsin which should only be in your stomach, but has escaped into your throat.

I have silent reflux and don't take medication for it as it masks it. But I have followed the Acid Watcher diet which was great and worked for me. Basically you have to cut out a LOT of foods and go as organic as possible. Carbonated drinks and alcohol, for example, should be avoided.

@whatdoidonowthenn sounds like you've got silent reflux.

And the cough of course. Another common symptom of acid reflux.

Sounded like post nasal drip. Are you a smoker? Only asking as I know smoking exasperates the symptoms

Sorry, the thread hasn't refreshed when I posted. I see PP have suggested post nasal drip below

I work in the field too.

Globus is caused by anxiety and reflux - of which you have both. Reflux causes pain and sensitivity. Globus and reflux cause chronic laryngeal sensitivity and mucous hanging around there that feels like it needs to be cleared. Patients get into a chronic throat clearing habit which in turn keeps creating the mucous and it never shifts.

Have you had a scope through the nose by ENT? They would check the anatomy and physiology down there and I suspect they would refer to SLT (me!) for a more thorough work up and lots of exercises and advice to sort it all out.

I'm sorry you are going through all this stress.
Re reflux/GERD, I have it. It is worsened/caused by my medication side effects. I would check the side effects of your medication for bipolar. DO NOT alter it without medical advice but it may reassure you if symptoms are medication-related rather than cancer x

I can't tell you the number of times I've been convinced I had cancer and it wasn't.

I had a course of treatment for health anxiety (mine is only cancer related, seemingly I don't care that other illnesses can also kill you!).

Two things I still do. Don't get into the habit of 'monitoring' - touching, feeling, looking in the mirror etc. it reassures you for a few minutes and then you want to do it again.

Secondly, never google your symptoms. I saw a picture in a GP surgery once that said why do you think your Google search is better than my 10 year med degree? You end up going down lots of frightening rabbit holes. I've stuck to that rule religiously for abutting health related (occasionally I ask my husband if I need to know something specific).

Anxiety genuinely does cause physical symptoms. My friend felt like she had something in her throat when she swallowed food. She's the least anxious person I know but it was anxiety related. My sister has had a persistent cough for years - sinus related. There's loads of innocent explanations for your symptoms.

Not sure whether they still do it but I had a NHS course of 12 or so one to one sessions for my health anxiety. I'd recommend it (wasn't a magic cure but helped me to reduce it to a non-disruptive level).

I had this after a bout of covid. Doc prescribed a course of omeprazole, and it cleared up. It sounds very much like acid reflux.

My MIL had a similar scare and she thought she had cancer. She had a persistent cough, the feeling of lumps in her throat and not being able to swallow. They found tonsil stones in the end, quickly removed them and she was fine. There are literally hundreds of other things this could be rather than cancer. Try and remind yourself of that while you wait for your appointments

I’m sorry you’re going through a rough time . It sounds to me like you have a really nasty and prolonged case of post-nasal drip and the constantly coughing is causing acid reflux. The other symptoms are likely anxiety related (especially as I’m guessing you’re not getting a lot of sleep between the anxiety and the coughing). It doesn’t sound like cancer to me (not a doctor but I do have some personal experience here).

I also have health anxiety - but thinking logically helps - and if your cough came on after a severe chest infection - then logically it it highly unlikely to be cancer and highly likely to be post - viral issues. Which luckily can often resolve with a bit of help.

As it’s gone on for a while I do think asking your GP about steroids would be a first step. My son had a horrible post viral cough after he got Covid - it went on for a few months. Like others it was like asthma induced from a bad virus. He was prescribed steroid nasal spray for a couple of months and oral steroids for a week and that really did kick it out of his system.

OP, I think you have posted about this before, I have seen a couple of threads like this, same symptoms.

I am sorry you are going through such a tough time. None of us can tell you what is wrong, but it is very unlikely to be cancer.

@Beneficialchampion2

"Honestly I think you've got hypochondria"

what kind person you seem to be
OP
Hope you get a good outcome, take care

This is the best advice OP, start with your GP.

Have you been given antibiotics for the chest infection?

@neilyoungismyhero How do you manage acid reflux?

It also sounds like this to me, I've just been prescribed a course of Lansaprazole which has helped a lot. But I'm trying to wean myself off it.

Can u ask for this? Your doctor should prescribe it without seeing you.

It could just be post-nasal drip, which can cause all sorts of nasty symptoms if left untreated, including infections in your mouth and throat. Try not to catastrophise, it's incredibly unlikely to be cancer with that set of symptoms and your age.

@DownNative I've never heard of Silent Reflux. I'll look into it, thank you. It's a bit disappointing that my GP didn't mention it as I've had it for years and I got brushed away saying it was 'just post nasal drip'. I would love to get rid of it, so fed up of the constant coughing!

U need to speak to yr GP but reflux causes mouth issues and coughing.

No worries! The book has lots of medical information on silent reflux and what foods you should eat. It's split into Healing and Maintenance phrases for diet.

Healing is 28 days, so your throat should hopefully feel better after this.

Everything in it has to be done from scratch and cannot be prepackaged foods since those all contain preservatives and other acid you can't tolerate.

It calls for lifestyle changes in a big way since modern foods contain preservatives and so on where you wouldn't expect it. Like in bread, for instance.

I've currently fallen off the wagon, but getting back on. I hadn't heard of silent reflux and neither had two of my GPs. It was the third GP who said its silent reflux which is NOT the same as acid reflux. They're similar.

Dr Aviv's Acid Watcher Diet.

Unfortunately, we'll never be free of it, but we can feel better with lifestyle changes. Good luck!

So your key symptoms are - never well since chest infection with persistent lung mucous, fatigue, headaches, and tinnitus (buzzing)?

Options to consider are: post-viral fatigue syndrome - where the infection hasn’t cleared hence persistent green mucous; asthma; and COPD.

Can you afford to see a consultant pulmonologist privately? They can differentiate all that quite quickly.