Throat cancer worries! ongoing lump in throat for 2 months.

Is there anything you guys would recommend to take my mind off these symptoms? Because no matter how I try to distract myself from it, it keeps coming back and reminding me of what it could possibly be. Usually I go to my friends and talk to them about it, but when I talk, my voice sounds all croaky and out of tune, and my friends have noticed and have commented on it. I've told them that I've had throat problems for over 2 months now and they said I need to get it checked as soon as possible, and seemed quite worried.

Now I'm just panicking even more. My appointment is in 3 weeks time but I don't know if I can wait that long. I just want this problem found and dealt with. I'm sorry if I seem like I'm being a hypercondriac, but I'm only making trying to make sure I'm alright. waiting for long periods of time undiagnosed generally don't make the problem better. even the doctors mentioned that there's nothing they can do to do a definite diagnosis of my problems, it has to be an ENT doctor, as they mentioned that the problem is almost certainly coming from further down my throat.

Is there anything...anyone I can talk to to speed up my appointment? I just feel as if people are just sighing and saying not again with me. like the boy who cried wolf scenario.

No, there probably isn't anything you can do to speed up your appointment. There are likely a lot of people in similar positions to you with similar severe symptoms and you can't jump in front of them because it's unfair. You're no more important/urgent than they are.

Also, as I mentioned earlier (but you ignored it, possibly because it's not what you wanted to hear) your previous threads have also been about 'urgent medical concerns' but they all turned out fine.

Drink lots of cold fluids and take painkillers to ease the symptoms. Occupy yourself with books/films/a project or doing something else to ease your mind (what are you interested in?) and STOP yourself from looking at medical-related websites.

If it IS cancer (which is highly unlikely), while waiting doesn't help, waiting a little while probably won't make a difference between life threatening cancer and curable cancer. Also, it's not really likely at all to be cancer, waiting a couple of weeks if it's anything else won't do much harm either. As long as you are responsible and rest your voice etc.

Alright, I'll try.

It's just the lymph nodes in my neck feel like they are matted together and move as a group, and feel very firm and hard to the touch. and that's what's causing me the most concern right now as that is a presenting sign of metastasis of cancer.

Yeah, but you've also clearly researched it, which is why you KNOW. The mind is a powerful thing and you may be thinking along the lines of 'I'm sure I've got cancer', therefore you FEEL like you have the signs. Also lymph nodes can be hard to the touch from infection etc.

If your symptoms have come along as suddenly as you make out, i.e. you've not been struggling with this for years, then it's unlikely that, if it is cancer (which, again, is highly unlikely), it will have metastasised. Even cancer doesn't grow that quickly.

I'd like to point you again to earlier threads you've posted that had similar 'I'm going to die' symptoms, but turned out to be nothing. You keep ignoring this element of my posts but it is honestly the most important one.

I understand that I have had several other incidences of these impending doom posts, however, it's just that my lymph nodes have never taken this shape or form before, they've always been hidden away in my neck, but now theres a group of little solid lymph nodes grouped together in my neck that is visible from the outside as a small lump which is pulsating. and alongside all the other symptoms (hoarseness, lump in throat, cough, difficulty swallowing, neck pain, ear pain) it's becoming more and more likely to be something serious, as there aren't a lot of conditions that cause this specific set of symptoms.

What do you mean, not had it for years? the swollen lymph nodes and throat trouble came on at the beginning of december, it started out as a collection of ulcers in my mouth which led to the lump in throat feeling which has been persistent throughout.

I did have throat complaints early last year (April time) but that was just inflammation according to doctors. however my lymph nodes werent this swollen at that time.

This thread reads almost exactly like your brain tumour thread except with (insert wikipedia red flag symptoms here) exchanged. In fact, I recall you posting photographs of yourself saying "oh my god look at the dilated veins on my arm!" when in actual fact, none were visible. This probably applies to your lymph nodes. It actually takes a lot of practice and experience of feeling what is and isn't normal to be able to identify a suspicious lymph node. As well as being enlarged for very self-limiting reasons, they can be palpable but not in a significant way. Just in the same way that there is pain, and then there is significant pain.

To be honest, if I were your clinician, I would straight up refuse to refer you for all of these investigations based on the fact that given your history of health anxiety, they would probably do you more harm than good. This is especially true when you're seeking to rule out conditions which are utterly bonkers given your risk factors (or lack thereof). I would certainly give you an ultimatum in regards to seeking psychological therapy.

This thread reads almost exactly like your brain tumour thread except with (insert wikipedia red flag symptoms here) exchanged. In fact, I recall you posting photographs of yourself saying "oh my god look at the dilated veins on my arm!" when in actual fact, none were visible. This probably applies to your lymph nodes. It actually takes a lot of practice and experience of feeling what is and isn't normal to be able to identify a suspicious lymph node. As well as being enlarged for very self-limiting reasons, they can be palpable but not in a significant way. Just in the same way that there is pain, and then there is significant pain.

To be honest, if I were your clinician, I would straight up refuse to refer you for all of these investigations based on the fact that given your history of health anxiety, they would probably do you more harm than good. This is especially true when you're seeking to rule out conditions which are utterly bonkers given your risk factors (or lack thereof). I would certainly give you an ultimatum in regards to seeking psychological therapy.

You seen ENT yet?

Nope. Seeing them next Wednesday. lost a bit of weight too so getting a bit impatient, but hanging in there.

Losing weight also very much points to stress/anxiety.

I know. I'm just adding up what it could be.

I am aware that Throat Cancer causes ear, neck and throat symptoms, and I have all of them. my ears also hurt alot more, they are sensitive to sound and after going to a gig last night, my left ear has muffled hearing and has been buzzing constantly for about 12 hours now. I've been to gigs before and this never usually happens. plus, my ears were hurting quite abit before the gig as well.

All I'm doing is symptom + symptom + symptom = this problem. symptoms are the bodys warning signs so that you can recognise when something is wrong and should be fixed immediately.

Yes, but you've SAID THIS BEFORE.

I hope your doctor loses patience with you and helps you out in the way you NEED to be helped, i.e. counselling/therapy. You know deep down that this symptom+symptom+symptom thing has happened before and you've had nothing. Stop being so stubborn and accept ACTUAL help, which would be to go to a therapist.

You say melodramatic things like ' symptoms are the bodys warning signs so that you can recognise when something is wrong and should be fixed immediately.', you're dramatising your own illness. You're not saying that for my benefit, I'm a medical student, I know exactly what symptoms are and what they generally mean. You're acting a martyr, feeling sorry for yourself and dramatising it. The reason you're doing that is because dramatising and overemphasising means you're more likely to be taken seriously by a doctor, rather than getting real help. You're so convinced by it that you've learnt the only method to get attention you want is to overemphasise and dramatise things to the point where you yourself become convinced by it. Please, after tomorrow, if they find NOTHING WRONG, which WILL be the case with 99% certainty, ask them for a therapist. Trust their diagnosis, don't think 'they're wrong!' because it comes up with nothing. realise there's truth in what we're saying.

My appointments next week, but yeah, I've already arranged for counselling and CBT treatment if they find nothing.