Aa
I'm 24 and I've drank for a long time. Can I possibly have throat cancer?
My background, I'm 24 just graduated college. Spent most of it drinking a ton. Freshman year about 2-3 times a week. Sophomore year about 5x a week. Junior about 6. Senior and 5th basically every day. Only time I wouldn't drink was when I came home for Christmas, newyears, Thanksgiving, and about a month in the summers. Recently saw the TV show Intervention where an alcoholic dies at 34 from bleeding of the esophagus. I was like "Oh my God" when I saw that because I'd never heard of it and never considered I could possibly die so young from drinking from something like that. Anyways made me think as to what that is and how it kills you, couldn't exactly figure it out by googling. Then I thought back to my dad's best friend dying at 42 from cancer from smoking moreso than drinking but the combo of both caused and killed him as the doctors told him it was a mixture of both, but he didn't get drunk or anything he just drank more than the average human should in a day. Like 6-8 a a day and about 3 packs of cigarrettes.
Got me to thinking about the guy on the TV show dying from something that happened in his throat, and I started to wonder just how much easier I better start taking it. I read up on what symptoms are of throat cancer and one was "a pain or difficulty in swollowing." Don't have that but I've been drinking non stop lately and suddenly for like a week my neck has felt very tight on the left side right near my adams apple and right where my pulse is. So is it physically possible to have drank this much at 24 to where I might be facing throat cancer or more than anything am I just aggravating my throat to where I'm naturally causing pain? I have know problem swollowing, it just feels like when I'm not, the left side of my neck near the adams apple is very tight.
Got me to thinking about the guy on the TV show dying from something that happened in his throat, and I started to wonder just how much easier I better start taking it. I read up on what symptoms are of throat cancer and one was "a pain or difficulty in swollowing." Don't have that but I've been drinking non stop lately and suddenly for like a week my neck has felt very tight on the left side right near my adams apple and right where my pulse is. So is it physically possible to have drank this much at 24 to where I might be facing throat cancer or more than anything am I just aggravating my throat to where I'm naturally causing pain? I have know problem swollowing, it just feels like when I'm not, the left side of my neck near the adams apple is very tight.
"but my post was about whether or not it's physically possible based on the facts I gave to even begin to worry about something like this at my age"
Anything is physically possible -> ONLY a doctor can evaluate the liklihood
There is an expression in recovery that rules out the amount
and situations and times one drinks in order to view the nature of one's drinking habit in
different manner.
It is not what you drink
It is not how much you drink
It is what happens to you when you drink.
No matter the nature of smoke inhalation, only a doctor can allay your physical concerns and the other observations you mentioned
The lesson to be learned about your father's friend, it is that HE MADE A CHOICE.
It truly seems your actions and the results puzzle and maybe even distress you at some level. You must make your own choice - even doing nothing is a choice.
and situations and times one drinks in order to view the nature of one's drinking habit in
different manner.
It is not what you drink
It is not how much you drink
It is what happens to you when you drink.
No matter the nature of smoke inhalation, only a doctor can allay your physical concerns and the other observations you mentioned
The lesson to be learned about your father's friend, it is that HE MADE A CHOICE.
It truly seems your actions and the results puzzle and maybe even distress you at some level. You must make your own choice - even doing nothing is a choice.
Thanks for the responses.
First of all I thought that I mentioned that I don't smoke. Never have never will. Never even taken a puff of a cigarette or weed as smoking disgusts me. So there is no smoking factors with me to take it easy on.
2nd about the fire and smoke, I have a wooden stove in my basement which is a concealed fire. The smoke goes up a tube through the chimney, so I'm not suffering smoke from a fire. Plus my cough exists in the summer time as well. It's not the type of cough like I'm extremely sick with the flu, or winter cold either. It's just a little "ugh huh" here and there. Never non-stop like I need to go get some medicine. Just a dry cough that persists pretty much year round. Random example, when I was a sophomore I was playing poker at a bar filled with smoke, and coughing non-stop as cigarette smoke really aggravates me and I'm very sensitive to it, and the guy next to me smoking asked if I wanted him to put the cigarette out, I said it was no big deal that the whole bar was filled with it so his cigarette wasn't hurting more than anything else. Then my roommate at the time tells him he's had that I've had that cough for months not to worry. So I have a pretty persistent cough year round, just never like I'm hacking my lungs up or anything.
Last time I had a physical was in high school when I was on the high school basketball team. I drank maybe 2x in high school so my health was pretty excellent. In college I didn't do much as far as exercise went. I didn't care to play basketball anymore if it wasn't for a competitive reason other than just playing somebody 1 on 1. I still managed not to gain a single pound hardly in college. In fact I might weigh 5 pounds less. And this is after drinking beer non-stop. Not liquor much at all as that's what I drank my first 2 years, but got sick of the way I looked the next day and felt. My friends who always drank just as hard as me when they did, never looked anything as blantantly hungover as I would the next day. My face would always be more bloated looking and the shape of my eyes would be different for that day and they'd be real watery. All my friends say they'd have to do is take a shower and they felt better and looked better. When I started to think something was really getting bad was me was right before I moved out of my apartment and back home. Their was about a 2 week period where I physically could not eat food. It came from waking up at noon and drinking and watching sports. Anytime I would eat dinner I'd get a few bites down and then would get nauseas and sick. My roommate kept asking me WTF my problem was. Then I came home, went to dinner with my mom and took about a bite out of a salad, was done with it, and I had one bite of my entree and instantly ran to the bathroom to puke. Went to bed that night unable to sleep and sweating a lot. Next day it was time to eat lunch, took the first bite out of my sandwhich and ran downstairs to throw up so my parents wouldn't wonder what was wrong. My mother began to wonder if I had a vitamin deficiency. Probably did at that point in time.
So here I stand today and like I said the reason I got worried was over seeing the TV show and how the person on their died from a complication from alcohol I'd never heard of. Like I said, he was only 34 but had huge purple bruises all over his sides which they say is a symptom of cirrhosis. They said he drank up to a liter and a half of vodka a day. Which I usually drink 15 beers or so a day, which isn't a complete fall off of what this guy was up to.
About my dad's friend, reason I got worried was from researching throat problems associated with alcohol after seeing the TV show. Throat cancer was one of them. I don't remember my dad's friend when he was sick as I was 7 but remember everything else about him before that so I must have mentally blocked out remembering him being sick, because my brother is only 1 year older than me and he remembers vividly not being able to understand a word he said once he had part of his tongue removed. My dad's friend ended up dying because he refused to quit smoking and drinking after the surgery. My dad told him once when he smoked a cigarette that he'd hope he'd be asking his friends to whoop his *** everytime he lit up a cigarette or opened a beer. He wouldn't listen though. Basically I looked into throat cancer more and more and wondered how quickly and easy it is to get, and couldn't figure out if I was trying to think I was feeling more than I was or what. Yeah I can quit drinking and this won't be a future worry, but my post was about whether or not it's physically possible based on the facts I gave to even begin to worry about something like this at my age. And I'm not trying to look for a way to say "Oh good they say I'm fine, well I guess I can keep drinking with no worries then" as it's beyond time to move on from party life and get real and worry about getting married and a job and stuff.
First of all I thought that I mentioned that I don't smoke. Never have never will. Never even taken a puff of a cigarette or weed as smoking disgusts me. So there is no smoking factors with me to take it easy on.
2nd about the fire and smoke, I have a wooden stove in my basement which is a concealed fire. The smoke goes up a tube through the chimney, so I'm not suffering smoke from a fire. Plus my cough exists in the summer time as well. It's not the type of cough like I'm extremely sick with the flu, or winter cold either. It's just a little "ugh huh" here and there. Never non-stop like I need to go get some medicine. Just a dry cough that persists pretty much year round. Random example, when I was a sophomore I was playing poker at a bar filled with smoke, and coughing non-stop as cigarette smoke really aggravates me and I'm very sensitive to it, and the guy next to me smoking asked if I wanted him to put the cigarette out, I said it was no big deal that the whole bar was filled with it so his cigarette wasn't hurting more than anything else. Then my roommate at the time tells him he's had that I've had that cough for months not to worry. So I have a pretty persistent cough year round, just never like I'm hacking my lungs up or anything.
Last time I had a physical was in high school when I was on the high school basketball team. I drank maybe 2x in high school so my health was pretty excellent. In college I didn't do much as far as exercise went. I didn't care to play basketball anymore if it wasn't for a competitive reason other than just playing somebody 1 on 1. I still managed not to gain a single pound hardly in college. In fact I might weigh 5 pounds less. And this is after drinking beer non-stop. Not liquor much at all as that's what I drank my first 2 years, but got sick of the way I looked the next day and felt. My friends who always drank just as hard as me when they did, never looked anything as blantantly hungover as I would the next day. My face would always be more bloated looking and the shape of my eyes would be different for that day and they'd be real watery. All my friends say they'd have to do is take a shower and they felt better and looked better. When I started to think something was really getting bad was me was right before I moved out of my apartment and back home. Their was about a 2 week period where I physically could not eat food. It came from waking up at noon and drinking and watching sports. Anytime I would eat dinner I'd get a few bites down and then would get nauseas and sick. My roommate kept asking me WTF my problem was. Then I came home, went to dinner with my mom and took about a bite out of a salad, was done with it, and I had one bite of my entree and instantly ran to the bathroom to puke. Went to bed that night unable to sleep and sweating a lot. Next day it was time to eat lunch, took the first bite out of my sandwhich and ran downstairs to throw up so my parents wouldn't wonder what was wrong. My mother began to wonder if I had a vitamin deficiency. Probably did at that point in time.
So here I stand today and like I said the reason I got worried was over seeing the TV show and how the person on their died from a complication from alcohol I'd never heard of. Like I said, he was only 34 but had huge purple bruises all over his sides which they say is a symptom of cirrhosis. They said he drank up to a liter and a half of vodka a day. Which I usually drink 15 beers or so a day, which isn't a complete fall off of what this guy was up to.
About my dad's friend, reason I got worried was from researching throat problems associated with alcohol after seeing the TV show. Throat cancer was one of them. I don't remember my dad's friend when he was sick as I was 7 but remember everything else about him before that so I must have mentally blocked out remembering him being sick, because my brother is only 1 year older than me and he remembers vividly not being able to understand a word he said once he had part of his tongue removed. My dad's friend ended up dying because he refused to quit smoking and drinking after the surgery. My dad told him once when he smoked a cigarette that he'd hope he'd be asking his friends to whoop his *** everytime he lit up a cigarette or opened a beer. He wouldn't listen though. Basically I looked into throat cancer more and more and wondered how quickly and easy it is to get, and couldn't figure out if I was trying to think I was feeling more than I was or what. Yeah I can quit drinking and this won't be a future worry, but my post was about whether or not it's physically possible based on the facts I gave to even begin to worry about something like this at my age. And I'm not trying to look for a way to say "Oh good they say I'm fine, well I guess I can keep drinking with no worries then" as it's beyond time to move on from party life and get real and worry about getting married and a job and stuff.
If you are coughing and you have a continuous fire burning your house than BINGO! About the drinking thing, I have plenty of family members with drinking probs and they don't have any sort of "throat"prob. I wouldn't worry about it too much, a check-up should do the trick.
Congrats on graduating by the way.
Also don't believe everything you see on TV lol. Plus that was probably a one in a million case.
Just a tip-If you are worried about the consequences of drinking-DON'T.
Stop getting all worried about something that can be prevented! (not necessarily easily but its possible!)
Good luck!
Congrats on graduating by the way.
Also don't believe everything you see on TV lol. Plus that was probably a one in a million case.
Just a tip-If you are worried about the consequences of drinking-DON'T.
Stop getting all worried about something that can be prevented! (not necessarily easily but its possible!)
Good luck!
Slow down and breathe.
When was the last time you had a physical? Now is the time.
A routine physical usually includes (among other things) complete bood work as well as examination of the throat, neck, and lymph nodes
My youngest son floundered his way through university and well, lived a complete life of debauchery. He straightened out and ended up taking his last few years seriously, graduated, spent longer in the job market then he anticipated, married, has a son and is now living happily ever after as far as my wallet is concerned. (kidding)
***Stretch your imagination por favor***
At current, (whether you are employed or not) Your "average joe" recent college grad tends to think about what to do next: a job, student loans, traveling, further education or just partying and drinking more to name a few things.
Your words:
"Got me to thinking about the guy on the TV show dying from something that happened in his throat, and I started to wonder just how much easier I better start taking it."
At the risk of being Socratic, on some level you seem, in part to know what to do:
Of the guy dying or throat cancer: though bleak, you mentioned the less hopeless of the two conditions: throat cancer over death.
Yet, you answered your question by wondering:
"how much easier I better start taking it." Nuff Said
Your words:
'I read up on what symptoms are of throat cancer and one was "a pain or difficulty in swollowing." Don't have that but I've been drinking non stop lately and suddenly for like a week my neck has felt very tight on the left side right near my adams apple and right where my pulse is.'
****:----> Hope you don't mind, I am going to rearrange a few of your words:
Don't have...symptoms of throat cancer....but I've been drinking non stop lately.
Hoookay!
I don't normally do this, in fact NO responsible alcoholic (is that an oxymoron, or what) would tell you to stop doing anything; but, I am going to go out on a limb here and parrot your words and hopefully give them meaning: Maybe you are smoking and drinking too much. "Ease Up."
Further, your symptoms could just as easily be related to anxiety.You need a physical.
There was little mention in your post about your relatonships with others. Our relationships with others are often the key factor that indicates to the nature and extent of an internal personal problem, if any.
Please continue posting and try talking to a friend. I know the subject matter is not easy for anyone, but sometimes merely talking to others helps us understand and perceive our problems and thoughts in a different manner.
The distress you are feeling is normal under the circumstances. It does not have to control you. There is a way out. A physical and lab work are the best place to start:D
Here is a virtual warm blanket from me to you [ ]
k
When was the last time you had a physical? Now is the time.
A routine physical usually includes (among other things) complete bood work as well as examination of the throat, neck, and lymph nodes
My youngest son floundered his way through university and well, lived a complete life of debauchery. He straightened out and ended up taking his last few years seriously, graduated, spent longer in the job market then he anticipated, married, has a son and is now living happily ever after as far as my wallet is concerned. (kidding)
***Stretch your imagination por favor***
At current, (whether you are employed or not) Your "average joe" recent college grad tends to think about what to do next: a job, student loans, traveling, further education or just partying and drinking more to name a few things.
Your words:
"Got me to thinking about the guy on the TV show dying from something that happened in his throat, and I started to wonder just how much easier I better start taking it."
At the risk of being Socratic, on some level you seem, in part to know what to do:
Of the guy dying or throat cancer: though bleak, you mentioned the less hopeless of the two conditions: throat cancer over death.
Yet, you answered your question by wondering:
"how much easier I better start taking it." Nuff Said
Your words:
'I read up on what symptoms are of throat cancer and one was "a pain or difficulty in swollowing." Don't have that but I've been drinking non stop lately and suddenly for like a week my neck has felt very tight on the left side right near my adams apple and right where my pulse is.'
****:----> Hope you don't mind, I am going to rearrange a few of your words:
Don't have...symptoms of throat cancer....but I've been drinking non stop lately.
Hoookay!
I don't normally do this, in fact NO responsible alcoholic (is that an oxymoron, or what) would tell you to stop doing anything; but, I am going to go out on a limb here and parrot your words and hopefully give them meaning: Maybe you are smoking and drinking too much. "Ease Up."
Further, your symptoms could just as easily be related to anxiety.You need a physical.
There was little mention in your post about your relatonships with others. Our relationships with others are often the key factor that indicates to the nature and extent of an internal personal problem, if any.
Please continue posting and try talking to a friend. I know the subject matter is not easy for anyone, but sometimes merely talking to others helps us understand and perceive our problems and thoughts in a different manner.
The distress you are feeling is normal under the circumstances. It does not have to control you. There is a way out. A physical and lab work are the best place to start:D
Here is a virtual warm blanket from me to you [ ]
k
hi. ya, you need to go get checked out and most importantly be honest with the doctor about your drinking. the more they know the better they will be able to diagnose and treat anything that may be wrong. if you have developed a condition due to drinking it's a safe bet that you need to address that as well. the best resource available is aa. good luck, gm
To add to it. I've had a constant dry hacking caugh since about my sophomore year, I know is probably related to drinking, but lately it's worse. I don't smoke or anything, I just get up the next day caughing with a really weak sensitive stomach to all the caughing.
Like the other day I was gathering wood to go bring down stairs to build a fire and just started caughing from being active in the cold, and next thing I know I puke because my stomach gets weak and I can't control it. I read somewhere where this might be acid reflux disease from some organ I'm damaging. Please don't tell me I'm screwed. I don't wan't my tongue to have to be cut out or anything.
Like the other day I was gathering wood to go bring down stairs to build a fire and just started caughing from being active in the cold, and next thing I know I puke because my stomach gets weak and I can't control it. I read somewhere where this might be acid reflux disease from some organ I'm damaging. Please don't tell me I'm screwed. I don't wan't my tongue to have to be cut out or anything.
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