Hodgkins Lymphoma? scared please help?

[kayleighb22]

I'm really freaking out right now, I think that I have hodgkin's lymphoma.
I have just found a large pea sized lump on the right side of my neck, its really obvious compared to the other nodes, and is moveable.
The past few months I have lost my appetite and lost about a stone in weight, and I often get night sweats and wake up drenched in sweat where as my bf is fine.
I'm going to the doctor's on tuesday but does this sound like lymphoma? I'm 25. i'm crying right now!

[Primula]

No one can tell you whether it is or not, as we are not medically trained. Wait until you see your Doc on Tuesday. In the mean time try to occupy yourself with whatever it is you usually do. I know it's easier said than done, but try to put it to one side until you have your appointment.

[GingerFish]

I am also going through a scare of believing I have HL due to neck lumps. That's good you have an appointment with your doctor, hopefully that will put your mind at ease. I have one with mine on Monday.

Where abouts on your neck is your lump? I have one behind my jaw after an ear infection a few months and one near the base of my neck about an inch and a half away from collarbone popped up a week ago.

[kayleighb22]

It is on the right side of my neck quite low down. I have had no infections, just weird symptoms over the past year like night sweats, nausea and weight loss :(

[GingerFish]

It is on the right side of my neck quite low down. I have had no infections, just weird symptoms over the past year like night sweats, nausea and weight loss :(

Pretty much sounds like where one of mine is located. Is it movable and about the size of a pea, pretty much the same as mine too. When did you notice the lump? Was the area painful and then you noticed it or did you just find it by chance? My neck was killing me like I had pulled a muscle or something and after feeling around, I found mine.

You are doing the right thing getting checked out though its probably nothing. Good luck with your appointment and keep us updated

[kayleighb22]

My neck has been stiff for the past month or so but it has been ok for a couple of weeks. I was just feeling my neck and felt it by chance. Have you seen a doctor? I noticed the lump tonight x

[GingerFish]

I have seen a doctor about the lump behind my jaw. That appeared in Jan during an ear infection and it was the size of a grape and now its like a malteaster so the doc said not to worry since its got smaller and sometimes lymph nodes don't go down completely after infections, especially if you constantly touch them like I was.

I haven't seen the doc about the new soft lump at the bottom of my neck yet but I go on Monday for a medication review so I will bring it up then and tell you what the doc says.

If you have had a cold or any infection in the last 3 months then it could be a left over swollen gland from that. I have read on some sites that pea sized nodes aren't even swollen but best to get it checked any way. Your lump most likely is a swollen node but 99% these aren't serious.

Is your lump near the front or the back? Mine is at the bottom of my neck on the right side, almost directly below my ear so its more near the back than the front if that makes sense.

[Fishmanpa]

Hi KayL,

As has been said, we're not medical professionals so no one can tell you what's going on. What we can do is send positive vibes and prayers that all will be fine :) A big positive is that you've been having these symptoms for a year as you said, and if it were sinister, you would be pretty ill by now. Also, palatable (movable) nodes are typically not the type that worry doctors. Hope all goes well at the appointment. Let us know how you make out.

Positive thoughts

[kayleighb22]

Thank you everyone :)
I'm still quite worried and I probably will be for a long time, as I just don't understand why I would have a swollen lymph node if I'm not fighting an infection?
x

[Ronno]

Look I've posted many times on this subject, my wife had Hodgkin's lymphoma Severn years ago when it showed it was a chicken sized lump under her arm , feeling run down but most importantly itching , but no night sweats , there are many symptoms and a blood test will clinch it , don't worry go to you dr get a blood test done for peace of mind , but itching is a usual sign and the lymph node enlarges to a noticeable size . By the way she's 100% fine .

[kayleighb22]

I'm really worried now cos I've looked online and the location of where the lump is (in the middle of my neck, towards the back) is quite common place for hodgkins lymphoma to appear x

[LE]

Kayleigh I am sorry you are gripped with this fear right now.

I've had all of the symptoms you describe. Night sweats was something back over 3 years ago that started to happen to me when I was first diagnosed with anxiety. I had it for about 3/4 months every single night. Then it stopped. And it was replaced with another fear. I've had the night sweats on an off since. I'm currently going through a 'dry' spell.

The weight loss. Well this can be from anxiety. Again when I was sick with worry I lost about 12 pounds in 3 weeks. I actually looked great! But then I started to worry I had lost weight ago much Because I had ca sono deliberately out it back on to 'prove' to myself that if I could put on weight, I couldn't be sick right?!

The lymph node. Well for one you don't know it is a node. The reason I'm saying this is that exactly when you are describing I have been obsessing about for a year because of what I was sure were nodes. My gp and ENT told me they were not. Anyway I had an ultrasound 2 weeks ago which confirmed they are not lymph nodes and it's normal part of neck muscle.

On the other hand if it were a node from what my doctors have told me and confirms what Ronno has said that lymphoma nodes are not just pea sized they are huge. My doctor said there is no question whether something is there or not because it's normally gold ball sized. The ENT also said the same.

I know that all of this isnt going to relax your mind because health anxiety is wanting to frighten you. So like the others have said you should go see your gp and hopefully they can reassures you. You said you are going Tuesday but are you able to go tomorrow?

Also what has your gp said about the night sweat and weight loss you mention?

[JB1985]

How did your doctors visit go?

[kayleighb22]

I got my GP to feel the lump on my neck, and she basically said that it is a little larger than normal but I have a spot on the same side of my neck, and she thinks that might have caused it to swell a little bit as a reaction to the spot. She said to keep an eye on it for about 8 weeks and if no better to come back. She didn't ask about if I had any night sweats or weight loss as I suppose she didn't think that the lump was anything to worry about? It reassured me but now I am wishing that I had told her about the night sweats, weight loss, itching etc but at the time I thought if she thought the lump was anything to worry about she would have asked me?