Had a Biopsy of my Tongue

Mine started out as what I thought was an inflamed taste bud or I thought I had bit my tongue. It got so painful it was difficult to eat. Dentist thought it looked cancerous and sent me to the ENT for a biopsy. It was indeed squamous cell carcinoma. It did grow fast. Between the time of biopsy and surgery a few months went by. They ended up doing a glossectomy and I lost a great deal of my tongue. That was one year ago in May. I wish you good luck and fingers crossed you have an excellent outcome. Hugs from Wyoming.

Did they transplant skin and/or tissue to rebuild the tongue and how long was the recovery? How did it affect your speech? I was recently scheduled for tongue surgery with not knowing how much will have to be removed so I have many questions.
Thank you so much for sharing.

Similar experience, I went back and forth between my dentist, and my primary care doc, (every 6 months) advising them the pain I had on the right side of my tongue for a year and half. But they could not visually see anything and continued to refer me back and forth between them. Finally primary care doc referred me to an ENT, and with her 1st visit she saw "something", 2nd visit a week later had a bioscopy, 3rd visit a week later was in the hospital for surgery (stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma) and she removed 1/5 of my tongue, and 29 lymph nodes in my neck. Since it spread to lymph nodes received both the heavy metal chemo, and 35 doses of radiation. Prayers for you it is benign.

Yes they had to rebuild my tongue. They transplanted skin from my breast. My tongue is no longer the same size as a normal tongue. It does affect your speech but I have speech therapy and lots of exercises I can do. It does help. Right now most people can understand me except for one the phone. But it is going better. The more you practice and talk the easier it gets. I am now a year into this. Meanwhile I'm also dealing with a case of fibrosis in my chest and neck from all that radiation. It is a long recovery and some days are hard but it does get better although slowly.

Thank you so much for your information. I am worried about my speech because I make many speeches a year and am in a leadership position of an organization, so I am trying to come to terms with be unable to fulfill my obligations. I know my health should be my first concern, but it is my way of life. I know it will work out, but it is just the process.
Glad to hear you are getting better but sorry to hear about the effects of the radiation.
Thanks again for sharing.

You are very welcome. This is my side of the story and everyone is a bit different. I wish you good luck. Hugs and prayers for you.