View Full Version : So scared please help
Hi
I have been doing so well with my health anxiety lately and now I really do have something to worry about.
A couple of months ago I noticed a lump behind my ear, it's not big and tends to get smaller then go back to its original size. I went to the doctor who was not to worried he said it could be a cyst but asked if I would like an ultrasound on it, I of course said yes.
I had the ultrasound on Monday and the sonographer thoroughly scanned the whole area including down towards my neck and the other side. She said the lump looked like a swollen lymph node and then proceeded to tell me that on the same side the scan was showing quite a few swollen nodes. She asked how I was feeling and if I had had glandular fever. I replied I felt fine and no hadn't had that. She said she would show the results to the consultant and they may want to rescan to check the area in the future. This of course sent my anxietys up but I managed to keep a grip on things and put it to the back if my mind. That was untill today :(
Today I got a letter from my doctors practice asking me to make a non urgent telephone advice appointment with my doctor because of results they had received from my ultrasound. Now I am so scared and thinking the worse lymphoma, head or neck cancer it has to be bad why else would they need to speak to me :'''((((((
The words in your letter are NON urgent telephone appointment. I can understand you getting anxious about it though and these letters always seem to come on a weekend when we can do nothing about it. If it had been urgent they would have contacted you sooner and would not have put Non urgent in the letter so try to let this reassure you. :hugs:
What could it be though :(
It could be glandular fever. It could be that you are coming down with a cold or flu. It could be a sore throat or anything. Didn't you have a cold recently?
I'm not a doctor so would not like to say what it could be, it is best to discuss it with your doctor but just keep reminding yourself that it is NON urgent :hugs:
But even if they wanted me to have a biopsy they would put non urgent wouldn't they? I had a little cough a few weeks back other then that nothing other then wisdom teeth trouble
I think wisdom teeth can cause it. It could even be from an infection which you have not yet got any symptoms for, or one you had long ago and they have never reduced.
---------- Post added at 16:59 ---------- Previous post was at 16:58 ----------
And yes, if they wanted you to have a biopsy I would think it would be urgent if it was anything serious. I also think they would call rather than sending a letter.
Thankyou for your replies, I keep thinking rationalt then having a freak out as I don't understand why swollen lymph nodes would need a appointment other then if they saw something bad on the ultrasound
Oh having a melt down tonite been googling and got in a mess :( read so many stories about lymphoma starting with swollen lymph nodes :( please no
Dont google!!! I had leukemia fear because I had bruises, tiny blood dots, bone pains etc they are all leukemia signs according to google and I had blood test which came back perfectly normal. Also According to google I have 3 melanoma moles but according to my derm they are perfectly normal.
Dont listen Dr.Google!!!
Thanks would be happier if the lady doing the ultrasound hasn't found these enlarged nodes I mean I only went for 1 that I could feel now she has found more and I am so worried why my doctor wants to talk to me reguarding results
I found enlarged lymph nodes(well, I think they are lymph nodes) too. but mine go and come I didnt understand why.
one day I feel, another day I cant
almamatters
28-10-12, 21:42
please don't google I have caused myself so much misery by doing this in the past. Doctor said non urgent this has to be a good thing!!
Well I am seeing the doctor later on and feeling really nervous. My head has been feeling weird all weekend, stabbing pains and also keep getting ache like feeling in my left ribs :(
Well the doctor has said they want to rescan in a month :( I have a swollen node behind my ear and a few in my neck he said they feel like normal nodes that he feels with infections but told me to go back if I have night sweats, lose weight or the nodes get bigger :( of course they are symptoms of lymphoma which is what I was scared of :((((
You are only hearing the worst bits! he said they feel like normal nodes that anyone would have with an infection. he only wants to rescan and tell you to watch out for other symptoms to be absolutely sure. Try to hear the positive..they feel normal, they always do other tests just to rule out anything else. :hugs::hugs:
Google will tell you all the things that you fear the most. I'll bet if you found a search result that didn't back up your worst fears you'd search till you did! This is what is so dangerous about self diagnosis. We all get lumps and bumps and if you're unfortunate enough to have HA then we get a death sentence most weeks because of them. Your surgery was probably trying to reassure you by saying NON urgent.
Once i had a blood test and the next day the surgery called and said they'd made me an appt that day to go in and discuss my results.........wahhh freaked out all that day got there after knowing for sure it was some deadly disease and she took one look at me and said "oh you look ok, you must just have a little infection somewhere, your white cells are high" !!!!No follow up or anything and 9 years later here i am worrying myself senseless about some other crap.
Ring the surgery and be brave, get it over with. x
Thank you pacer. I have been in now and seen the doctor tho I find him a lil hmmmm ditsy. He said they want to rescan in a month to check they have gone I have a few swollen lymph nodes in my neck and one behind my ear. The doctor says they just feel like normal infected nodes but then he scares me by saying to watch out for worrying signs like weight loss, night sweats and the nodes getting bigger. I do get hot at night but I think I always have!? I sleep with the fan on even in the winter. Just feeling a bit rough lately pain under ribs and in head and joints. The pain under rib scares me as its where my spleen is and the spleen is a common problem in lymphoma. I wish I could just talk myself out of all this my ha has been under control for a while and it was good :( now its back and the early morning wake ups are back with feeling yukky all day
anxietyoverload
29-10-12, 17:01
The thing with anxiety is that we always think the worst. Im sure your GP only said to watch out for those things to cover himself. The only thing I would suggest is to not feel the node all the time as they do get bigger and stick around for longer the more you prod them. I have one behind my ear that always comes up and I always used to play and worry, but as soon as i just leave it alone it goes :) Just check once every other day or so if you feel you have to :) xx
Thank you. I did leave it for days without touching but it was still there after the few days :( it seems to get bigger and smaller but at its biggest its not that big. Just worry that I read the lymphoma nodes can wax and wane which I am guessing is what mine is doing. I can't feel the ones in my neck haven't tried too hard to feel them but the doctor felt them today xx
when it talks about lymphoma flaring up and dying down it doesn't mean day-to-day, it means on a long-term scale, as in it will be up for weeks/months at a time. It could be that the lymph node is moving rather than changing in size, which is a good sign!
I appreciate your replies. I just don't think this is going to go down its been up for nearly 2 months :(
---------- Post added at 19:12 ---------- Previous post was at 17:48 ----------
And I just had a glass of wine sure the nodes hurt more now? Or is it because I know that's a symptom of lymphoma nodes hurting after alcohol?! Ohhhhhh what's real and what's not I sure they hurt more now
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