Should be concerned?

[ProudScot84]

First time poster, long time lurker. Apologies in advance that this is a bit of a long one, but I’d be interested in people’s opinions.

So last week, at a routine dental check up, the dentist started to ask me some questions regarding my recent health. Nothing specific - just things like had I been ill recently, or feeling any different etc. I told him I was waiting for an ENT referral as I had been suffering for a couple of months with sinusitis (or at least that’s what I think it is) and some other symptoms. He goes on to mention that I have a lump in my neck, (he may have said swollen lymph node, not too sure) and that I am being referred for checks, I think they call it the “urgent suspected cancer pathway”?

I must admit I was struggling to take in what the dentist was saying, and really played it down - actually I felt like a bid of a fraud as in my head I’m thinking I can’t possibly have anything sinister going on, it doesn’t happen to me etc etc. He stated that I was displaying some symptoms of concern, that warranted further investigation.

Basically back in August I developed what I would say were sinisitus like symptoms - blocked ear, blocked nose etc. I started feeling really quite fatigued all the time, and could not get warmed up at all - would go to bed with a double duvet and a blanket on top of that, and yet it would be be 20C+ outside. Since then I’ve lost all sense of taste, constant pins and needles in one arm and that has recently also started affecting one leg. It all came on quite suddenly, after a morning of uncontrolled sickness that wiped me out for a couple of days. Never experienced anything like it, that lasted a couple of hours. I told the dentist all of this, and now I’ve had a few days to reflect actually I’m thinking maybe there is something going on.

I’ve never checked my lymph nodes before, but since the dentist discovered a lump on my neck I’ve noticed I do have one under an arm pit, and I do have one in the groin area. These are all down my right hand side, as well as the pins and needles only affecting my right hand side.

To be honest, as I type this - I’m not actually sure what I am asking for here - I don’t expect fellow posters to diagnose me behind a keyboard. I guess maybe I’m wondering if actually maybe I am not being unreasonable to go and have this checked at the hospital (I believe they try to see you within 28 days?) and actually should I be concerned. I just have this uneasy feeling that I am wasting valuable NHS time and resource. Also google has become a bit of an obsession as it is throwing up all sorts of possible causes. Some minor, some a bit more serious. It’s so difficult not to search, when I’m sat here in this limbo like state, waiting to get some contact from the hospital, which could take a few weeks.

if anyone is able to offer any sort of advice for the waiting game I would be ever so grateful. I’ve decided I’m not going to tell my wife, or any of my family. I think it comes back to feeling like a time waster, and I don’t want them saying to me I’m being ridiculous, or I’ve made up this diagnosis in my head etc. I don’t want them worrying about me unnecessarily either - and then when hopefully I get the all clear I look silly.

Anyway, as I i say - not sure what I’m looking for from this post - but happy Monday to you all!

Absolutely get it checked. You are not wasting NHS time. As someone with cancer that spread to my lymph nodes (though not symptoms similar to what you describe), time is of the essence. I wish the GP had taken me seriously the first time I flagged up my symptoms. It sounds like you have an excellent dentist who is really on the ball. You’re very fortunate in that regard.

Has the referral gone in? How recently? If it’s been more than a week, I’d ring and chase up an appointment and make sure they know about the arm pit and groin lymph nodes. Did you mention that to the dentist so that it was included on the referral or just noticed them after the fact? If after, ring up and make sure the hospital knows. Ask for the consultants secretary’s email or someone in booking or the general nurse’s email inbox and email over a synopsis of your symptoms mentioning the lymph nodes and a timeline of symptoms. The more you poke and give them information to act on, the more it will encourage things along. My guess is you need a CT scan and they can hopefully book that in before your appointment.

Thanks ever so much for the reply!

As I say I was a little defensive at the time, and was keen to move on from the chat regarding it at all. Now a few days has passed, (I only saw the dentist last Thursday) it’s sinking in more and actually this does need looking at.

I hadn’t checked for other swellings, and only found the other two yesterday so no the dentist doesn’t know about these. I really did think/still think it’s a lingering case of sinisitus but I just can’t shift it. I only decided to check for other swellings as when I got up yesterday morning I could feel some tingling in one of my legs.

The dentist made the referral on Thursday, which was received on Friday morning by our local NHS hospital. I’ll take your advise and try and push things along.

Thanks for your pointers, and I hope your journey is/has gone ok!