ribcage pain, itchy mole, help me stay off google!

[lo89]

Hi all,
I have been doing so well, I finally got over my lymphoma worry (I was genuinely convinced I had lymphoma for about 6 weeks) and started to relax much more about my symptoms. Most of my symptoms gradually decreased, until on Sunday I had ribcage pain and couldn't get comfortable to sleep - I felt as though something was pressing on the inside of my ribcage.
The pain has been there with varying intensity ever since. My mum thinks it might be a pulled muscle but to me it feels as though my ribs are rubbing against each other! As it is on my left side I am worried it may be my spleen - irrational I know!
Now I have got an itchy/uncomfortable feeling on a small area of my scalp, just above my ear, where I have got a mole which I am waiting to see a dermatologist about. I am convinced it is due to my mole, although I have had the cartilage at the top of my ear pierced 2 years ago which has still not healed properly and I noticed that it feels quite tender today. I may be feeling pain in my ear but thinking it is on my scalp as i am focusing on my scalp, but i don't know.

Does anyone else suffer from these symptoms? I feel very close to googling and i really don't want to!

[almamatters]

Hi as you know I have swollen lymphs ribcage pain etc. I am sure your ribcage pain is muscular, this is what I have been told by the GP too. Please try not to google it will only feed your current fears. I was tempted to start googling lymph nodes again this evening, but have managed to avoid it. :hugs:

[lo89]

I am trying really hard. The head thing is freaking me out tho as I know your spleen can swell with melanoma - I am putting two and two together and making five as usual!
I have been avoiding checking my groin node - I somehow managed to forget about it but now I am tempted to have another prod!
I am wondering if a lot of my symptoms may be hormone related, I have just started my second period since having a miscarriage, and I had been on birth control for two years prior to that, since suffering my first miscarriage, which means this is my first proper period since two years past in August!
I wonder if this could be causing it?

[almamatters]

I'm sorry not sure about it being period related, suppose it could be I get loads of seriously weird symptoms just before my period. I have left my nodes alone today, after visit to GP this morning. He tried to reassure me that they were not sinister (of course I find that hard to believe) and I always have that pain spleen area, but think I said in another post, looked fine on ultrasound. Would be good if we could both a) leave nodes alone and b) do not google. xx

[lo89]

I am majorly sensitive to hormones - I cried for no reason on Friday during a meeting with the head of the department in the school I am on placement in, my anxiety about my boyfriend being away for the weekend was ridiculous, I also cried in the pub on Friday night, again for no reason and before I was drunk! My skin breaks out really badly, my bowel movement pattern changes drastically (possible cause of ribcage pain?) i am clutching at straws a little bit, but i guess it could be possible if i am feeling low that i am then more anxious so notice more symptoms.
Glad you have managed to leave your nodes alone. I had a few feels at my neck, but only really lightly and quickly, and didn't find anything - i left my groin alone which is good. I had a prod at my lipoma also, but it all feels fine there too. Actually, just noticed the ribcage pain has subsided a bit and my head doesn't hurt - i am just out a bath so maybe it is muscular after all? And the itchy scalp could have been hair products as it has stopped and i have just washed my hair.
I totally agree about both our problems being lymph nodes and google! I have only become a googler since suspecting i was pregnant earlier this year - it is even worse since i have a smartphone with internet access, so i can google whenever i want! =[

[kirstynic]

Can so relate to this lymph nodes and rib cage pain and your spleen worry could have written it myself :(

xx

[lo89]

Well we can't all be dying surely haha!

[almamatters]

Baths are brilliant for ribcage pain, I have always done this, when I think about it logically. I have probably had this pain on and off for about 10 years, so surely if it was anything serious would have killed me by now!!. Well done for leaving your nodes alone, proud to say have not messed about with my ear nodes at all tonight.

[lo89]

I have also had my ribcage pain on and off for a while - probably about 4 years - but it is either becoming more frequent/more painful, or I am just more aware of it nowadays!
Congratulations for leaving your ear nodes alone. I have decided that the scalp pain as just ear pain at the part where my ear joins the scalp (this is where my piercing is) probably should take the earring out as that is two years it has caused me pain for and it is showing no signs of healing any time soon. How long do you give it until I decide I must have blood poisoning or something?
Ribcage pain is definitely still here. Got a sharp stabbing pain a few minutes ago. Maybe it is my bowels?

[lo89]

I just thought I would bump this up to say that my period is due tomorrow and I am having the exact same symptoms as I did when I posted this, it seems to me hormonal! How strange?!