theHomerSimpson

I am kinda freaking out at the moment! I had a biopsy done on my inner cheek last year and came back ok but white patch came back and had another biopsy taken last week and just back from dr. and he said there is cell changes that taken place. Diagnosis of epithelial hyperplasia is scaring the **** out of me at a time when I need less stress and dont know how to take this and accept it that it may turn cancerous all because I chose to be a drinker and smoker! If only I blah blah blah!!!!! I waited too long to quit! IF ONLY I QUIT EARLIER I WOULD NOT BE GOING THROUGH THIS RIGHT NOW!!!!

CANT STOP MY MIND! I knew I should not have gone to doctor so soon after quitting drinking, I had a suspicion it would pan out this way and NOT come back as nothing but instead picked the wrong time to go to dr., should have waited until I was further into recovery from alcohol when I would be stronger in my mind, I am scared and yes I did think of drinking the thoughts out of my mind but know it will not help and make things worse and then I will have to go through the guilt and I honestly am not ready to hear stuff like this! Its not a death sentence but basically very good chance its gonna turn into cancer soon or later! Very stressed out!

2granddaughters

Sounds like they have caught it early. What treatment is suggested?

I've had many pre-cancerous areas treated on my face and arms/hands over the years. Scared the poop out of me in the beginning as well. My wife had a growth removed from her ear on Tuesday.

Get Cancer addressed the sooner the better.

All will be well.

Bob R

caboblanco

I had a chunk of skin removed when I was 19. It was malignant melanoma. Its best to catch these things early. So the earlier you see your doctor the better. Don't worry so much. . I think you are going to be fine.

laurie6781

(((((Patrick)))))

This happens to many of us. Yours is a pre cancerous condition, probably caused by bad heartburn also known as GERD. And if you were passed out (sleeping) you might not have known it was even happening.

I too have a pre cancerous condition in my esophagus up to my throat called Barrett's Esophagus. Mine is Scarred very badly from all the bile that has come up. Also, the other bad news is that many sober alcoholics do die of esophageal Cancer, somewhere down the line.

Hell I figure I am going to have to die of something. rofl I also have to have Basel Cancer leissons removed periodically before they can turn into melanoma. (I was a 'sun freak' for years and years).

Now to yours. It is only a pre cancerous condition, that needs not get any worse. 1) don't drink. 2) talk to your doctor about what he would suggest as an ongoing daily anti acid (some are 1 every 24 hours) to keep from getting more bile up into your mouth, and now that you are sober, you will wake up. It is the most vile awful burning you would ever want to experience.

So, calm down, take some real DEEP SLOW breathes, hold in the breath to a slow count of 10, then exhale. Repeat 10 times. This will calm you down, slow your mind from racing and allow you to get on with the day. You can use those 'deep breathing exercises' as many times a day as you want to or need to, they do help.

Call me if you need or want to talk, I cannot give 'medical info' on any public forum.

And to 'maybe you should have waited until you had more sobriety', NOPE not at all, better it is caught now than even 2 or 3 months down the line. I can make a pretty sure bet that it would still have rattled you to the extent it has now.

You are going to be all right!!!!! There are just a few things about your daily life you will have to change, the number 1 being NO ALCOHOL. NONE. NADA. Alcohol will only make everything worse, not only your mouth, but your head and where it will take you.

My Barrett's was diagnosed over 11 years ago now, and it is STILL precancerous, lol I get an endoscopy every 2 years and a colonoscopy every 2 years. Yep, they also found pollups that were again pre-cancerous. they still find a pollup or two every exam.

So you can fret and worry yourself to the point that King Alcohol can once again talk you into taking a drink, or you can continue to go to meetings, write yourself a new 'Gratitude List' every morning and carry it with you to read throughout the day and pretty soon you will see that as long as you continue to take care of you, this condition will go no further.

Lot of love and bunches of hugs,

theHomerSimpson

Sorry for the drama typing when I posted this but honestly was shaking and did not know what to do with myself and slow my racing mind down. Well, needless to say I have to give up cigarettes alot sooner than I thought. I was hoping to get some lengthy sober time before giving smoking up to not overwhelm myself and risk failure again. Just went out and bought nicotine patches and gonna start my quit today. I have to say this year has been the worst year in my 43 years by a long shot, I have not got a break at all, every single day there has been some negative event from minor to losing my job and now this! I guess its some sort of unknown telling me enough is enough with the slow suicide I have been doing to myself for 30 years, see how I avoided saying the G word, that will soon change I think as most peoples spirituality does when Dr. Death is lurking in the shadows.

Either way this is one of those things I cannot change so I have to just accept it in a serene way. Now I need more courage to change my other addiction because that is something I can change. And I do know the difference between the two.

If you do pray, throw one out for me that this will not progress into cancer. I go back in a month and then every 6 months from what the oral surgeon told me and would not answer my question if that meant 6 months for the rest of my life, kinda discouraging.

Patrick

Patrick

theHomerSimpson

Thank you Laurie,my long time friend here and online sponsor.
Mine is most likely directly caused by heavy alcohol use and heavy cigarette smoking. It was noted on my pathology report. I do not have that feeling of panic right now as I did earlier but the anxiety and racing mind are continuing. I really cant tell anybody in my family about any of this as they been thru enough with me being a drunk and been expecting bad liver news since I had elevated liver enzyme levels and fatty liver for years now(but that never stopped me from drinking, its an alcoholic thing as most of us know.) I will take you up on that call soon as I can.

2granddaughters

This will be a life-changing year alright. Later, in hindsight, you will see that it was for the better.

All the best.

Bob R

Dee74

I'm really glad you did see a Dr Patrick - you have the best chance of catching and dealing with this early...

don't forget this is 'pre-cancerous'...if we have to hear the word cancer thats a good way to hear it, I think

Like others have said, the life style changes you make now because of this will be for the better.

best wishes

D

Sasha4

Please don't blame yourself.
Its happened and that all that matters is you get better.

I had pre cancerous cervical cells.
Wondering why, how etc did not improve things or help me get better.

We care about you here and no-one wants o hear you give yourself a hard time.

I will be thinking of you xxxx

sparky78

I'm sorry you're so stressed, I said a prayer for you. You are actually lucky that they caught this at the pre-cancerous stage, though it may not seem like it now. I also think that its encouraging that after a one-month follow up you only have to go back in 6 months- seems like its less serious than you might be perceiving it now but my thoughts are with you.

Anna

Patrick, I know it's hard to be hit with health problems caused by drinking when you're early in recovery, but you can get through this. There is nothing you can do to change the situation as it is now, but you can take care of yourself every single day from here on. You can be kind to yourself and that includes being kind to your body. Prayers coming your way.