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Original poster

Is there anything OTHER than cancer this could be? Wanting to stay hopeful

35 replies

susieshow · 16/10/2022 17:13

I have a sudden enlarged tonsil on one side which started growing a few weeks ago now, I noticed it as it felt as though something was stuck there so looked in the mirror. It's painless, sometimes very mild ache/soreness in the area and neck and is not the result of past or present infection, injury or medication. It's already been 3 weeks and it'll be months before I can get medical attention. I'm inconsolable as I have a happy 5 year old and can't stop thinking about the thought of having to leave him.

Has anyone had this same situation that has ended positively please? All I can find anywhere else for these symptoms is bad news.

OP posts:
squatjustice · 16/10/2022 17:15

Why will it be months? Your GO needs to do a 2 week wait referral to ENT!

That said, DO. NOT. PANIC.

squatjustice · 16/10/2022 17:15

*GP even.

tickticksnooze · 16/10/2022 17:17

Why will it be months before you can get medical advice?

Sunbird24 · 16/10/2022 17:18

When I was 11 my tonsil tissue started growing across the back of my throat, and by the time I was 16 I had developed a lump of it that was dangling by my uvula and occasionally caused me to choke on it. It was removed surgically, but my tonsils were left in, only to have to be taken out in my thirties. Definitely wasn’t cancerous.

Tonsils are weird little fuckers, it may very well not be anything sinister. But you shouldn’t have to wait months to get it looked at!

Mydogisanaughtyboy · 16/10/2022 17:19

You could have a hidden tonsil stone - they can cause swelling - mine swelled up with no pain and eventually I poked it out. Do you have any health anxiety? Situation not helped by GP no doubt....I'd be pushing back on that!

Ponderingwindow · 16/10/2022 17:21

I’ve had massive infections in my lymph nodes in my neck that came
out of no where and had to be treated by high doses of steroids. It turns out I have an underlying autoimmune condition which is likely why I am prone to that sort of thing. That condition is annoying, but it’s not cancer, it’s just a low-level chronic thing.

you need to get seen. A gp, a walk-in clinic. Any of those would be perfectly fine.

Raindropsandslatetiles · 16/10/2022 17:21

It could easily be a tonsil stone, a cyst, a benign growth, there is absolutely no certainty its cancer.

I agree with others though, you need to push for a quicker medical appointment, as much for your peace of mind as anything else

Original poster
susieshow · 16/10/2022 17:32

Thank you! About tonsil stones especially makes me feel more hopeful as I do occasionally get one. I'm not currently registered with any GP as recently moved, I found somewhere and handed in registration forms on Friday and asked how long it'd take for process to complete and receptionist said things are running slow and not to expect anything before 4 weeks, so I'm panicked as even if I managed to get an appointment right away afterwards there'd be a wait for ENT etc, so I can't see this getting anywhere serious for another two months at least. I also worry (from every past GP experience) that even once I get an appointment that I wouldn't be taken seriously and they'd want me to try antibiotics for a few weeks first.

OP posts:
ordinarilyordinary · 16/10/2022 17:34

Can you as a once off get a private gp appt urgently and ask to be referred. Or even self refer?

Haus1234 · 16/10/2022 17:39

Call 111? They can sometimes get you an appt with another GP (I had an out of hours one just today).

Alternatively, try going back to the receptionist and be really really nice but say you’ve put in your forms and you have this one specific problem and you’re really worried about it, can she schedule you in?

Got my fingers crossed for a tonsil stone for you.

B1pbop · 16/10/2022 17:40

You can ask the GP for an appointment in the meantime - you won’t be the first person to need medical attention during the registration process and they’ll probably have a solution. Please ask for what you need.

I immediately thought tonsil stone as well though - especially as it’s not painful and just in one side. Can you get a dentist appointment? And in the meantime try cutting out milk/dairy and gargle mouthwash or salt water. You could try carefully looking in the mirror with a torch and use a clean cotton bud to have a look around your tonsil, but be very careful and don’t poke around too much!

DPotter · 16/10/2022 17:41

Don't panic. You can still get an appointment, it's just your records from your previous GP may not have reached your new GP. But if it's a new symptom then there's not much for the new GP to referred back to.

So ring for an appointment on Monday - say yes it's urgent. When you get to see the GP, say you are worried about the unilateral swelling, how long it's been going on for, that there is some soreness. The GP may well want to prescribe antibiotics - however antibiotics maybe just what you need. If they are prescribed, agree with the GP to have a review after a week, even if it's a phone review. You have to be proactive in managing your care, so ask for a review if one isn't automatically offered

I think the 2 week rule for unexplained / worrying symptom is 2 weeks for ENT, and hospitals really do their best to get people through the system as they are fined if they don't.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 16/10/2022 17:42

It would t even cross my mind that this would be cancer, you're jumping the gun a bit!

Ring first thing , get an emergency happy at the GP and take it from there.

ArcticSkewer · 16/10/2022 17:43

My bet is on a tonsil stone. It sounds exactly like whenever I get them, and weeks later you can finally see them.

There's no need to wait for an appointment until your registration is complete. That's just the time to transfer records across. You can ask to see a GP in the meantime.

RNBrie · 16/10/2022 17:44

I've got a deformed tonsil. It's been like that for years (but not always) and I don't remember it growing but it's the size of a grape. It's been examined and biopsied and it's just tonsil tissue... definitely not cancer.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 16/10/2022 17:47

ArcticSkewer · 16/10/2022 17:43

My bet is on a tonsil stone. It sounds exactly like whenever I get them, and weeks later you can finally see them.

There's no need to wait for an appointment until your registration is complete. That's just the time to transfer records across. You can ask to see a GP in the meantime.

I agree. Start gargling with salt water too.

Fiveinthebed22 · 16/10/2022 17:52

So strange I’m seeing ENT for this exact thing next week but I noticed it a year ago and only went to GP recently. GP referred me to them but he was on the fence if they would be interested so I’m not too panicked.

Fiveinthebed22 · 16/10/2022 17:54

GP called it a tonsil remnant, although I still have both tonsils 🤷🏻‍♀️

Original poster
susieshow · 16/10/2022 17:56

Thank you! I'm feeling a bit better seeing so many suggesting tonsil stones as a cause. I didn't know I could get an appointment without being successfully registered but I'll call tomorrow and see if they'll do that. I also didn't know it was possible to self refer? I'm not sure how to do that but would be interested to learn in case calling tomorrow doesn't go well. There's no dentists in the area taking new NHS patients and I can't afford anything private even for only one visit

OP posts:
CharlotteSt · 16/10/2022 17:58

You can ask the GP for an appointment in the meantime - you won’t be the first person to need medical attention during the registration process and they’ll probably have a solution. Please ask for what you need.

Yes, don't worry on account of this. I was practically carried in to our surgery (labyrinthitis) and they squeezed me in there and then. DH completed my rwgistration forms while we waited.

Good luck!

beonmywaythen · 16/10/2022 18:02

Go to urgent care. I find the GPS on call there are better

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 16/10/2022 18:04

beonmywaythen · 16/10/2022 18:02

Go to urgent care. I find the GPS on call there are better

Why? It's not urgent and the OP hasn't even tried to get an appointment yet.

Sarahcoggles · 16/10/2022 18:16

beonmywaythen · 16/10/2022 18:02

Go to urgent care. I find the GPS on call there are better

Why urgent care?

beonmywaythen · 16/10/2022 18:18

@Sarahcoggles she said she's not registered w a GP and they can take care of her quickly.

Thewolvesarerunningagain · 16/10/2022 18:19

I was going to say tonsil stone too. Or impacted salivary gland