Constantly anxious about lumps

[Roryrtd]

Hi guys.
I constantly feel anxious to the fact i have lymph nodes in my neck which have been there a while. I think im dying all the time and i hate it. I cant stop myself touching them and being convinced they have gotten bigger. Doctor has said theres nothing to worry about but i cant stop :( somebody please reply

[.Poppy.]

You know, I had the same problem. I had a lymph node in my neck, and one behind my ear, for years. I discovered them when I was younger (like 11) so I was both terrified I was going to die and too scared to tell anyone about them.

I'm 23 now, and they're still there. I finally went to the doctor and he looked at them and ran some tests and told me it was okay - that they are just constantly raised, no big deal. I think I floated out of that office :) After so long fearing they were cancer, it was nice to know they weren't.

Honestly, if they were serious you'd probably know by now. It's not always easy to trust your doctor in situations like this, but for your sanity, you must. If I were you, I'd schedule a yearly checkup (if you haven't already) and every year, just have the doctor do a quick check, both of the nodes and other body functions. For all the months in between - have you considered talking to someone? It can be more helpful than you think.

[GingerFish]

I am the exact same. I had an ear infection last year and a Malteaser sized hard lump came up behind my jaw and a little pea sized one in my neck did as well and even though I knew I had an infection and the doc said they were normal, I still worried and poked about at them for well over 6 months. I was convinced I had lymphoma. A year on, they are still here and the same size. Probably all that prodding I did made them stay up. I was using them like a stress ball!

[JoeDragon]

...a Malteaser sized hard lump came up behind my jaw...A year on, they are still here and the same size.

I've had the exact same thing for about 2 years now, except it's pea sized and hasn't grown or shrunk.It's on my right side.