Salivary gland cancer???? argh!

Dag, come on already---ENOUGH right?   We'll be here prayin it's NOTHING, and sending good vibes your way!!

Sharon

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn recently completed treatment for parotid gland cancer (a salivary gland), and according to him it was quite doable.

HOWEVER, it's a long stretch to assume that's what you have. Twice--once on each side--I've had a swelling under my jaw in the parotid gland area. Once it occurred when I had just started chemo for bc, which freaked me out. My onc assured me it wasn't cancer. Both times it cleared up on it's own in a couple of days. I'm betting you just have an infection of some sort. Do you have any dental issues?

Oh, yeah, a vote from me too on the ENT being a moron. Unbelievable.

Man, I am so sorry you're facing this stress. Hope everything comes back clean. Try not to worry too much until you know what you are dealing with. (yeah, right, eh!)

Christine, my husband had this happen, and the doc recommended he eat something sour several times a day until it cleared up, then once a day after that. It worked within a couple of days and now he puts lemons in his water, or sucks on a sour gummy bear every day. We too were in a panic over it, and the doc assured us it was so rare that in his entire career he'd only seen cancer in salivary glands twice. Sorry, I can't remember the explanation for why our salivary glands need sour things, but apparently they do. Worth a try, anyway.

Be well!
Binney

Eating something sour makes your salivary gland squirt. So maybe that response helps break down the stone.  I am so hoping & praying the 2nd ENT knows what he is talking about!  NJ

I have the same pain - I have seen 3 doctors, and none of them have referred me to an ENT, even though I asked to be referred.  A dentist did an x-ray and found nothing; I had an ultrasound and they found nothing. 

 I had breast cancer 2 years ago - so really worried it could be cancer!  I'm always worried everytime I have a pain.  Also, 3 people I worked with have had cancers in their mouth, throat, and behind tongue, so I'm even more paranoid!

I believe I need an ENT doctor to examine me, plus a CT scan?  I think a CT scan will show more than an ultrasound.

any advice....... 

I saw my cancer doc yesterday - she said she can't feel any swelling - so another cancer doctor examined me, and he said there is nothing wrong with me, even though the pain is getting worse.  They said since I don't have a fever, it is probably nothing. 

I've been sucking on lemon drops, like the last doctor told me to do.  I'm  going to another doctor tomorrow and one on Monday.   I got a referral to an ENT, but it could be a month, since they are booked solid.  I am in pain, and there is a reason I'm in pain.  I hate it when the cancer doctors look at me, like I'm making it up!   I demanded a referral to an ENT; they didn't want to refer me, but I really don't care; I need some answers.