Lymph Node Ultrasound Tomorrow

[eeesh]

I was hesitant about posting another threat about this, but I don't really have anyone else to talk to about it. They're sick of hearing me banging on and are certain I am fine.

A cluster of lymph nodes on either side of my groin have been swollen for 2 months now. I've also had intermittant abdominal pain on the flank of my right ribs.

Anyway, blood test results are fine (apart from slightly low lymphocytes but the Docs don't worry about thing). I have been to many doctors that have said I am fine, but I requested an ultrasound anyway. 5 weeks later and here we are.

My mind has been pretty good these last 2 weeks. But now this ultrasound is looming I've started panicking again. Also, I'm back in the gym, and because these nods sit right on top of my femoral artery they ache like hell when my pulse increases as the dilated artery aggravates them.

I have no other symptoms. Everyone comments on how healthy I look. I sleep well, I eat well, I have plenty of energy. I itch a bit but nothing to warrant me panicking over it.

I know they will confirm the nodes are enlarged (because they are). But I'm worried they'll simply say 'yeah enlarged, we need further testing', because I knew that, and the doctors confirmed that anyway. I just wish I could have a biopsy so I can properly put my mind at rest ASAP. I don't know if this will help unless they can categorically tell me I am fine :scared15:

Has anyone been through anything like this before? Can I ask the person conducting the scan these questions or are they not allowed to answer??

[Canbud]

In Canada the techs aren't allowed to tell you anything, unfortunately. However, if anything serious is found you'll hear from the doctor fairly quickly.

I had a biopsy of my lymph node, but the doctors were certain I had Hodgkins lymphoma (which I did) so the biopsy was just a confirmation of what they already knew. In fact, I didn't even have an ultrasound, they were so sure. If you do a search on NMP, I'm sure I read about a fellow who was in a similar circumstance as you, and ended up having a biopsy. Everything turned out just fine.

[eeesh]

In Canada the techs aren't allowed to tell you anything, unfortunately. However, if anything serious is found you'll hear from the doctor fairly quickly.

I had a biopsy of my lymph node, but the doctors were certain I had Hodgkins lymphoma (which I did) so the biopsy was just a confirmation of what they already knew. In fact, I didn't even have an ultrasound, they were so sure. If you do a search on NMP, I'm sure I read about a fellow who was in a similar circumstance as you, and ended up having a biopsy. Everything turned out just fine.

Yeah I read that fella's stuff. Sounds he was in a very similar situation. How did they 'know'? Well, I suppose your symptoms were just very obvious! Hmmm, this whole thing has just driven me mad. If they didn't ache so much I could forget about them. But then as soon as I do forget the ache starts and I'm reminded that they've swollen and I don't know why...

[bulan]

I've just noticed pain around my left groin, but I have no idea whether it's a lymph node or something else. How do you find your lymph nodes? I don't notice any difference to the touch between the right side (no pain) and left side (pain). But both sides seem to be lumpy somehow, like much of the rest of my torso, which the doctor said was just a fat 'scaffolding' which has to do with losing weight after my pregnancy... So anyway, I've never felt my lymph nodes, and this lumpiness doesn't help. How do I figure out if this pain in my groin is a sore lymph node?

[miss sparkle]

Good luck today. Im sure all will be ok:))

[Luna Pixie]

Weirdly, I replied to a post elsewhere that was very similar. I have permanently swollen lymph nodes all over the place! One was first spotted after I had an illness when I was a kid (right under my armpit) and one popped up in the back of my neck (not the little ones that swell when I'm feeling ill) when I was around 17. They don't hurt and have not caused me any worries.... However, the one under my armpit 'disappeared' for quite sometime but when I lost around 4 stone in weight, it came back. It hadn't disappeared, my flubber had hidden it from me. I went and had it checked my the GP who referred me for an ultrasound. They told me there and then that there was nothing to worry about as they are the right shape (lymph nodes should be rugby ball shape in the scan). She checked the one on my neck and also all around my breasts (where more big 'uns were spotted) and said although they were enlarged they were all good. I have to keep an eye on them just to see if there are any changes (in size or feeling), but other than that I don't really think about them. I also had them checked a couple of years later when I had a ultrasound due to a lump in my breast- it was fatty tissue due to losing weight- and they are still all good.
Hope this can put your mind at rest, good luck :)

[eeesh]

Thanks for the all the comments and kindness, guys. It all really helped.

So, I felt a bit akward during the scan, and my usual talkative self was a bit subdued. I didn't ask nearly as many questions as I should have done. I asked if he was allowed to tell me if anything was wrong, he told me he'd let me know. So he did my abdomen and said 'no, nothing majorly wrong' and moved on. I didn't pay much notice. He then scanned my nodes and said something similar to what Luna Pixie said: that they hadn't grown in width so were a normal shape and nothing to be overly concerned about - nothing serious.

Little bit concerned now over him saying 'nothing majorly wrong', does that indicate that maybe something is? Or was it just a turn of phrase? I suppose as long as it is not major I should not really care all that much and will find out within the next few weeks. Who knows. Am still a bit concerned but not so much.

These past few months have really shown me I do have HA. I thought maybe it was just a blip, but despite this scan I am still worried about other things, and hypersensitive to the slightest sensations I feel going about day to day activites. A pain, but something I'll have to learn to manage. Now I've suddenly got worked up about AIDS, despite the fact I have engaged in no unprotected sex, and was tested 2 months ago (last encounter was 4 weeks before that, but numerous others before then too). I'm not going to get retested, as this seems like 'giving in' - I'm just going to move on and forget. Well, do my best to.

[Canbud]

I'm amazed he said anything. You couldn't get the techs over here to say anything if you paid them a million bucks.

The "nothing majorly wrong" comment is probably why techs shouldn't give their opinions--they can't tell you anything definitive, and hedge their bets when they do say something in the off chance they might get in trouble. That's what I read into the comment.