Coping with lymphnodes

[jab1982]

Hello!

I have been stressing about lymphnodes for a few months. I went to the doctor at the beginning of January and told him my concerns about swollen lymphnodes in my neck. He said what I was feeling was part of my normal tissue, not lymph. Then he discussed swollen lymphnodes with me: concern if they are greater than 1 cm. This did ease my concerns.....UNTIL last week. I am getting over a sinus infection and have two swollen lymphnodes near my right ear. They do not seem larger than 1cm. I find myself poking and prodding, constantly looking for more swollen nodes. This is how I found the ear nodes. This is obviously not helping the size of these buggers. I know that I likely have nothing to worry about. I know that they are not large enough to be of concern. I feel great and healthy otherwise. I am smart and educated. So, how do I begin to work on this? I would love to know how you guys manage your anxiety.

[RoseEve]

When you are sick your nodes swell. It's a normal response. If they are small and movable you are totally fine.

[jab1982]

I really do know that lymphnodes are a functioning part of our bodies. I am currently trying to break the cycle of going to the doctor each time I find a knew lump or bump. I will admit that I am going to the doctor today. I do not second guess the expert which I am thankful for. I appreciate your reassuring response.

[RoseEve]

How did it go at the doctors? Fine I'm sure. I don't allow myself to feel for nodes. I won't check my neck at all.

[Fishmanpa]

Hey Jab,

With 500-600 lymph nodes in our bodies, that's a heck of a lot of coping! ;)

Lymph nodes are a hot button with HA. People get obsessed bordering on OCD with poking and prodding themselves looking for lumps and bumps and such. As your doctor has told you, what you're feeling is of no concern and being that the lymph nodes are the body's sewer system, they're going to swell as they filter out the nasties from infection.

Having had oropharygeal cancer, I can tell you that you'll really notice if your lymph nodes are swollen. By the time I went for surgery, I looked like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck. something in the 1-1.5cm is normal and they can stay that way too. Poking and prodding will only aggravate them so you have to resist that urge.

I don't suffer from anxiety but I do have some issues with "scanxiety" come check up time. I'm going to ask to some chill pills to keep around come scope, poke and prod time. Otherwise, I generally have no issues despite the health issues I deal with. I have found the free CBT course available here to be quite helpful. It helped me with some depression issues and has several tips and techniques to help one deal with everyday life issues.

Having dealt with serious health issues I've come to realize life is much too short to worry about things you can't control. You can control what you eat and how you take care of yourself. Eat healthy, don't smoke and know that drinking and anxiety don't mix, especially if you're on meds.

It's like you said... you know you really have nothing to worry about... listen to the rational of that and repeat it every time a doubt crosses your mind....

Positive thoughts

[GingerFish]

Hey I am currently obsessing over my lymph nodes too. Until 2 months ago, I had never felt a swollen node on my body before, no doubt had some though with the amount of throat infections I have had. Well, in Jan I had a severe ear infection and overnight developed a grape size hard lump under my jaw and I went to the doc a few days later and got told it was a swollen node due to infection and got antibiotics. On the pills the lump changed from oblong grape shaped to a round malteaster sweet shape. Me being me wouldn't accept that it had definitely gotten smaller, I convinced myself because it hadn't fully disappeared that it was cancer. I went back to the doc the following week who said it was smaller and there was only slight swelling though to me it feels massive.

Last week I had cold/flu symptoms and that painful feeling I got when the grape size node came up happened again except at the body of my neck and I found a painful pea sized lump, another node. I know this is more than likely due to an infection but it added to my lymphoma anxiety even more. Now I am 'finding' lumps all over my body. They are no doubt muscle or veins but me being me I can't accept that.

I'm going to the docs on Monday so get every blooming node in my body checked out so I can either finally try and chill and relax or get something done. The limbo of worrying is getting too much for me.

[LE]

I've been obsessing for a year over lymph nodes in my neck.

I finally plucked up the courage to have the ultrasound done on my neck as I would not believe my gp. The 'nodes' I felt turned out not to be nodes at all and are just normal muscle tissue. But when I feel my neck they feel like little lumps to me.

I also do have a node that I noticed when I was sick in November and it's has not changed. I saw the doctor measure it but I didn't ask what they size was. (its very small) I clarify
with him whether any were swollen and he said they were not and that everyone has lymph nodes and that mine just looked normal and they they were doing a good job.

I am the same though the fact they are there scares me but as the specialist said to me, everyone has them.

[Glyph]

Hey everyone, here to jump on the "empathy for those annoying lymph nodes" bandwagon. I've had one in my neck, under my chin, for over a year now. When it first came up I showed up here panicking, and truth be told I still struggle with that. But I had an ultrasound and a blood test at the time, and it was basically confirmed to just be a lymph node that went up and didn't want to go down again. It is still there now. Guess it likes my attention too much!:winks:

I was worried again today, as I've been sluggish and achey, and it feels as if there are more lumps around the same (still swollen -it loves me!) lymph node. I have been freaking out with the fear of it being a missed cancer that is now "spreading" to other lymph nodes, which I know is irrational of me, and I'm just trying to tell myself, it's probably similar to the original one. I will be trying to donate blood again this Monday, so hoping it's okay... I was turned away last time because it was swelling, (they have to be exceptionally careful with the blood they take, after all, and they couldn't risk me having an infection) and would not like that again! So I saw a doctor today. She felt, and said it is probably fine for me to donate this time.

Anybody else have them behaving that way right now? Be nice to be sharing with someone.