Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 37 Location: Essex, England
Help - I've Found a Lump... :-( Posted: 08-09-04 09:57am
Hi everyone. I'm a 21 year-old girl, and
I used to smoke about 20 cigarettes (with
occasional joints and cigars) for eight
years. I have now quit - and haven't
smoked in over 18 months.
However, i've found a lump inside mouth.
It's a perfect half-sphere shape, and
about a centimeter in diameter. It's
located about a centimeter underneath my
lower lip, on the inside, and it's
underneath the skin. It' doesn't hurt at
all, and it's definitely new - it probably
appeared sometime in the last two weeks.
There is no history of cancer in my
family, although the female members of my
family (my mum, auntie and cousin) have
all suffered with numerous large &
scary (but harmless) cysts in the arms
legs and breasts. I know mouth cancer is
rare for a girl of my age, but I have a
bad feeling about this.
I'm going to see a triage nurse about this
tomorrow because my surgury is really
busy. I have an appointment with a
proper doctor (for something else) in ten
days. It's very easy of me to think it
is cancer, but is there anything else it
could be? Thank you for reading this - I
haven't slept in days.
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sparklypixie12
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 3100
Posted: 08-09-04 10:37am
Hi julia
i know it's easier said then done but try
not to scare yourself too much or jump to
conclusions too soon-it may be an ulcer, a
swelling, a harmless lump or a blister
from eating/drinking something too hot.
Visit your nurse like you said & see
what she has to say-please let me know how
you get on. I know this sounds harsh but
perhaps this will scare you into quitting
smoking
best wishes
liz x
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Julia_Smith_21
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 37 Location: Essex, England
Posted: 08-09-04 11:12am
Okay. I'll post another message when I
get back tomorrow. Oh - and if you see
the top of my message - I quit smoking
over 18 months ago.
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sparklypixie12
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 3100
Posted: 08-10-04 11:36am
Oh I do apologise-my silly mistake.Well
done for quitting.Hope your appointment
went ok
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Julia_Smith_21
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 37 Location: Essex, England
Posted: 08-10-04 11:58am
Well it was just a nurse. She felt
around in my mouth (with her bare hand -
yuck) and said not to worry and make an
appointment with the doctor, and it was
probably a spot, ulcer or cyst(!).
My appointment with the doctor is next
thurday (the 19th). It's terrible. The
bonus is, that the fear is putting me off
my food and the weight is falling off me,
but it's also stopping me sleeping as
well. I'm really annoyed because you
don't need a qualification to stick your
bare finger into somebody's mouth and say
"don't worry, see a doctor". As far as I
know, a brand new, painless lump under the
skin is very bad news.
I spoke to nhs-direct, and they said it
could be an infection of some sort, and
asked me if i'd had a fever. I said "no"
at the time, but watching myself today and
thinking back - i've been much hotter and
sweatier than normal, especially around my
face, neck, and head (it's running off me
- it's horrible). I've also been feeling
a bit dizzy and tired. Obviously the
weather might have something to do with
it, so it's hard to tell (plus, I really
want it to be an infection, so i'm jumping
at any sign of a fever).
I can't beleive I have to wait until next
thursday. It's my birthday on sunday and
I was hoping to be all healthy, happy,
releived, and well-rested by then.
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sparklypixie12
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 3100
Posted: 08-10-04 12:07pm
Im shocked the the nurse didnt put a glove
on her hand-yuck! This is how mrsa is
spread!
I wouldn't say that what you've got is
very bad news because you could be
worrying for nothing. I can understand
why you're stressed though because these
kind of things occupy your mind 24/7 until
you find out what the problem is-i'd
probably be the same.I had a lump under my
skin by my mouth (on the outside) & it
turned out to be like an ulcer with fluid
in (too much info sorry) so you never
know,it could be something like that-like
what the nhs direct said.I had antibiotics
& it was cleared-simple as that.
I read that generally when people are
sick/run down it shows in their mouth
& tongue for example, mouth ulcers are
a sign of being run down.
If you possibly can then try & put
this to the back of your mind until the
appointment because you don't want this
ruining your bday or stopping you
eating/sleeping because that's not good
for you either.
Best wishes & keep me informed-i hope
you can enjoy your bday even a little bit
liz x
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PattyV
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1103 Location: Chicago area
Posted: 08-10-04 20:28pm
I would skip the doctor and see a dentist
asap.A dentist is much more familiar with
the mouth.No offense to md's,but the mouth
is not their specialty.Good luck to
you!Patty
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Julia_Smith_21
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 37 Location: Essex, England
Posted: 08-19-04 10:02am
Hi everyone. I know a denist would have
been better, but my dentist is in my
parents home-town (hull) and i'm
colchester.
I'm extremely loyal to this dentist
because he's one of the best in the
country and he's an absolute legend in
dentist-form! He gave me cosmetic work
on the nhs even though he's meant to be
private-patients-only, and he's very quick
and gentle and professional. One of my
friends has incredibly ugly teeth, and
after 10 years of different dentists, mine
diagnosed a genetic deformity, and sent
him on a four-year course of cosmetic work
with a specialist in that kind of
deformity! Sorry, i've digressed!
The point is, I got a train to hull to see
the dentist about two weeks before the
lump appeared. Annoying, eh?
Well, I saw my doctor today, and the lump
is an "oral mucocoele" (pronounced
"mew-co-sole") which is....
"this lesion presents as a solitary,
cystic, translucent papulonodule. The
patient may be very anxious that it is a
malignant tumor. This lesion generally
is found on the inner surface of the lip,
and measure between 3 and 10mm.
Mucocoeles are pseudocysts and contain
mucin and are the result of obstruction of
the secretory ducts of a salivary gland."
anyway, the lump has started to go away
now - it's getting harder to find with
every passing day, so all is well with the
world.
Speaking of which - he also diagnosed an
underactive thyroid - hooray!
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PattyV
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1103 Location: Chicago area
Posted: 08-19-04 21:01pm
Glad it was not anything serious!!Patty
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recycle01
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Taxas
Posted: 02-09-05 05:12am
Hi, I am an oral and maxillofacial
surgeon, but not in usa, from what u
described, I don't think it will be a
cancer. I think it should be a cyst ,
just find a doc with litter surgery. It's
okay, good luck
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