Chewing Tobacco

[blackZZR]

Chewing Tobacco
All I can say to those who do is to STOP
I have been going through a lot of hoops and stuff the last few months because they caught mine early and have been able to treat and cure Oral Cancer
I just got back from another cut off portions of the tongue and then cauterize the wound. And then we observe treat and wait for more results this way and that.
Only good side is I am on a milk shake diet for 2 days
However, If I had just listened 30 years ago.
This has not been fun and if my dentist had not seen the early signs of what was going on I would have lost my tongue and limpniods (sorry for the spelling)
but this SUCKS big time and I wish this on no one
Please put that can down.

[Kodiak Spirit]

sorry to hear your going through this, it sounds like it really sucks! Thank you for the warning- it can't be easy.

[curtis]

Jim sorry about your battle with this. The battle with tobacco is alot harder then anybody knows unless you been there. The best of luck.

[66cj6]

sorry to hear it Jim.......hoping all goes well into the future

[spearheadbill]

May God bless and heal you!
My mother passed away early this morning (2:48am) from the end stages of emphysema and COPD all caused by 50+ years of smoking. It is an absolutely gruesome way to live and die.... Tobbaco addiction is powerful and baffling and the hardest thing I've ever had to do (besides watching my mother suffer this past year) is quitting my self, but my wife and I have 6 years this summer with the freedom from tobbaco. Personally... I used to patches as directed and just did not smoke. I wish you the best in your recovery!

[calkid]

I'll second the plea for people to stop chewing tobacco. I started chewing when I was around 14 and they found cancer on my lower lip when I was 24. There is no way to describe the feeling when you read "malignant carcinoma" on your biopsy report. I am one of the lucky ones, at 51 I have had no re-occurrences.

[blackZZR]

I have to say that my dentist saw it while working on the teeth, Looked at my tongue and sent me to a oral surgeon. I was in very early stage 1 and they think as of now they have gotten it all, but it has been 5 months of hell. I have had several surgeries on the tongue and that really hurts, not to mention eating difficulties for a week etc.
But I would not wish this on even the most rabid environmentalist. The drug induced fog from pain killers is the worse.
I always kind of thought smokeless was an alternative, but it is not. And after all those years it was not hard to quit, I just quit, that is what really sucks is I made excuses for years not to. Then suddenly, boom I put it down. But then Suddenly I was scared, really scared.
I am told we have to watch for recurrence closely now, which is a cloud over your head. I wish I had never heard of tobacco.
Anyway I hope my experience helps someone, as this was self induced and does not need to happen to anyone.

[calkid]

Sorry to hear that you're in so much pain, glad to hear that they caught it so early! Funny how easy it is to quit once cancer comes into the picture, It's been 27 years since I quit and I can't stand even the smell of chew.