Hello Everyone,
My name is Shawn Thibodeau and I live in Sewickley, PA (just north of Pittsburgh). I would like to take the time to introduce myself and tell you my story. I am originally from the state of Maine, married to a beautiful woman and have two beautiful children (7 year old girl and 2 year old boy). I have been dipping off and on for the past 20 years. When I met my wife 10 years ago, she asked me to quit dipping and I agreed. About one month into my quit, I caved and never looked back until December 5, 2011 when I noticed a lump on the roof of my mouth. I had the lump examined by my dentist and she said it looks like a clogged salivary gland and not cancer. She did however perform a full oral cancer exam and told me that everything looks normal. Two weeks after my oral cancer exam, I noticed that I had this weird sensation on my lips and my tongue and proceeded back to my dentist for a second oral cancer exam. After the exam, she said everything is normal and there is no cancer. To give me a piece of mind, she refered me to an oral surgeon for a second opinion. At this point I think I must be going nut because my dentist has done two oral cancer exams and has found nothing wrong and now I am going to an oral surgeon for a second opinion (WTF). The oral surgeon completed a full examantion of my mouth and told me my mouth is normal and to stop worrying. When I asked him about that weird sensation on my lips and tongue, he told me that I am probably so stressed out about cancer, that it's all in my head. Could I actually be going nuts? I must be because I went to see a different dentist who uses a special tool called a velscope to assist in the oral cancer exam. Both the dentist and hygenist each performed a visual exam and with the velscope and both came back with the same conclusion, everything is normal. I am on day 51 of my quit and I am still feeling this weird sensation on my tongue (not on the lips anymore). Could I be causing this sensation on my tongue, or could the dentists and oral surgeon missed something? When I finally quit on December 5, 2011, I finally came clean and told my wife that I had been still dipping. She told me that she knew that I still did it and she wondered how long it would take me to come clean. I lied to my wife, kids, friends and family and now I am 51 day quit. To this day I still experience that weird sensation on my tonque. Has anyone ever experienced this?
Shawn (BigThib)