View Full Version : Enlarged lymph node in neck - to worry or not to worry?
When it seems my health can't get any worse, it does apparently. Feel like slamming my head against the wall!
So after months of googling different health related stuff I of course sort of know about certain types of blood and lymph cancers. This isn't helping me at ALL considering this morning I felt my neck, and on the left side I felt what I assume is a swollen lymph node.
It is NOT visible in any way, even if I crank my neck. I would say it's around maybe 1cm, feels sort of rubbery and seems to be movable. BUT it's not painful - which naturally scares me because apparently infected lymph nodes are supposed to be tender :sad:
Yesterday while at work I started to get irritated by all the dust around - at the end of the day I wound up with a runny/congested nose and my cheeks were really hot and flushed. I did check my temp and it was barely 36.2C. This morning found that lump.
Pretty much turning in a hypocondriac here. I don't know whether that lump is actually a lymph node or something else. But assuming it is a LN, the abscence of pain makes me think of the C word. Anyone experienced this before? :unsure:
Edit - not actually sure about the movable part anymore, or the rubbery feel.
Also, I've had quite frequent urination for the last few days. Not as bad as a UTI, but comes close?
Edit #2 - Just found out about Hodgkins lymphoma and apparently the main symptom is a painless lymph swelling. And apparently itching - I had a ridiculous itchy patch on my thigh yesterday as well. Welp.
---------- Post added at 13:59 ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 ----------
I think I just found another one just above this one - it is only slightly noticeable compared to the big one, but now I'm even more freaked out :weep:
Whooo STOP! You are thinking all sorts of terrible things.
Make an appointment with your GP and then go and relax and watch a nice film or something with a cup of tea.
My lymph's swell when I am tired and rundown. They can be up for one or two days, then they are gone.
Frequently urinating can be a sign of dehydration. I know, it seems like you are drinking too much, but your body is flushing and cleaning your insides. Drink plenty of water, as Anxiety dehydrates you too as can viruses and colds. And keep yourself nice and warm but with a little ventilation.
Don't for get the honey! :)
Ah, I've been worrying since July now, when nasty symptoms started and just grew worse. Nobody was worried only me, even when more and more symptoms appear - I changed 3 doctors already and have to battle my current one to get even minor tests done!
Getting appointments isn't easy either. So far I've only been lucky to get a phone call from my GP in a week, no set appointment even though I need a follow up blood test in 3 weeks.
I honestly wish I could relax, but after reading lymphoma survivors notes on how they had the same exact symptoms as me - well let's say I've just been bawling my eyes out here. Doc already put me on anti-d's but man, so far it seems I should start using weed or something instead.
I've only had a lymph node swell ONCE in my life and that was an armpit. And I didn't know what it was back then anyway so didn't worry. But now, considering I have so many different symptoms throughout my body (you can check through my post history - that's not even half of it!), I'm just a complete utter mess. And it seems like the doctor doesn't care about my symptoms, he just wants me in the looney house...
Oh and the urination thing is now driving me nuts. I go to the loo, come back to lay down in bed, and instantly feel like I need to go again. This is UTI hell all over again, I also don't think I'm dehydrated cause I believe I'm drinking enough for my weight a day.
The urination thing could be stress then. You could try keeping a diary to see if that is the case.
GP's are useless with Anxiety and Panic Attacks. They don't know what to do with people like us, so I agree with you there.
When I was diagnosed, they did not even tell me the symptoms or what to do, you have more help on here. :)
Ah, I've been worrying since July now, when nasty symptoms started and just grew worse. Nobody was worried only me, even when more and more symptoms appear - I changed 3 doctors already and have to battle my current one to get even minor tests done!
Getting appointments isn't easy either. So far I've only been lucky to get a phone call from my GP in a week, no set appointment even though I need a follow up blood test in 3 weeks.
I honestly wish I could relax, but after reading lymphoma survivors notes on how they had the same exact symptoms as me - well let's say I've just been bawling my eyes out here. Doc already put me on anti-d's but man, so far it seems I should start using weed or something instead.
I've only had a lymph node swell ONCE in my life and that was an armpit. And I didn't know what it was back then anyway so didn't worry. But now, considering I have so many different symptoms throughout my body (you can check through my post history - that's not even half of it!), I'm just a complete utter mess. And it seems like the doctor doesn't care about my symptoms, he just wants me in the looney house...
Oh and the urination thing is now driving me nuts. I go to the loo, come back to lay down in bed, and instantly feel like I need to go again. This is UTI hell all over again, I also don't think I'm dehydrated cause I believe I'm drinking enough for my weight a day.
I also have a swollen lymph node. Mine is just behind my earlobe (on my skull) and has been there for about two weeks. I went to the walk in GP and she told me that it's likely just because I'm run down. I'm still worried about it but I'm trying not to! It's not painless either. I was told if it wasn't big and it hadn't gotten any larger than just keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't get any larger. If it does then see the GP again or if it doesn't go after a month, but mine seems to just be staying the same size. I'll wait another week or two, then visit doc again. :/
As for the urination problem, I know how you feel. I suffer from interstitial cystitis, and during a flare up (and even when I'm not flaring) I literally feel like I constantly have to pee. Certain foods and drinks mess me up too, and so does being constipated as it's pushing against my bladder. Have you always had bladder problems? It can also be a common symptom of anxiety.
Have you seen the doctor about the lymph nodes? Also, have you been feeling unwell lately or had a cold/virus?
Carnation - I don't think it's stress stress related, I think it's more along the lines of infection or something to do with my period schedule, as this started just two days prior to mid-cycle. Or maybe it's the citalopram doing it? Well whatever it is, so far I can at least hold it in, unlike when I had my first UTI and was running back and forth every 2 minutes. But that aside, what I have now is still annoying as heck!
LuSmith - mine is on the side of my neck, maybe two centimeters below the part where the jaw goes upward? If you check this picture http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0901/afp20020901p831-f2.gif it's somewhere around the midjugular area? That's the best I can explain it :) When I stand straight I think the neck muscles hides it and it seems like it's not movable and less of what it is, but when I bend my neck forward or lie down, it's pretty easy to grasp onto. I don't think I had it before, I check my neck pretty much daily, cause I have a big lump on the other side of my neck, which I suspect is a lipoma but my doc couldn't find it (cause I admit it's not easy to find when neck muscles are tight). Only yesterday I felt a bit 'eh' because of nasal congestion and the flushed cheeks. Today I still have the 'eh' feeling nose, again no fever or other symptoms apart from on going throat mucus. I'm just scared this is something big and I've already wasted my time :sad:
The urination thing again, I'm also thinking that I may have cysts, cause I started having ovulation pains which I never had, but I'll have to speak to the doc again about this. The only real problem I had with my bladder was UTIs, had a major one two years ago, then a year later a smaller burst I believe.
But yeah, for the last months I've had severe nerve issues, apparently IBS, a now messed up menstrual cycle, lipoma on my back, undiagnosed nodules in my fingers and constant throat mucus. Aaand I think I had a day or two of cold symptoms like a month or two back. I'm a mess pretty much, hence the anxiety :)
---------- Post added at 19:12 ---------- Previous post was at 18:06 ----------
I am really really anxious now, because I just read this:
"In general, healthy nodes are more likely soft; cancerous nodes are more likely firm, rubbery, or hard. Multiple nodes are more concerning than single nodes, especially if they are dispersed through multiple node regions"
That's two ticked off and now I don't know what to do with myself :weep:
LuSmith - mine is on the side of my neck, maybe two centimeters below the part where the jaw goes upward? If you check this picture http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0901/afp20020901p831-f2.gif it's somewhere around the midjugular area? That's the best I can explain it :) When I stand straight I think the neck muscles hides it and it seems like it's not movable and less of what it is, but when I bend my neck forward or lie down, it's pretty easy to grasp onto. I don't think I had it before, I check my neck pretty much daily, cause I have a big lump on the other side of my neck, which I suspect is a lipoma but my doc couldn't find it (cause I admit it's not easy to find when neck muscles are tight). Only yesterday I felt a bit 'eh' because of nasal congestion and the flushed cheeks. Today I still have the 'eh' feeling nose, again no fever or other symptoms apart from on going throat mucus. I'm just scared this is something big and I've already wasted my time :sad:
The urination thing again, I'm also thinking that I may have cysts, cause I started having ovulation pains which I never had, but I'll have to speak to the doc again about this. The only real problem I had with my bladder was UTIs, had a major one two years ago, then a year later a smaller burst I believe.
But yeah, for the last months I've had severe nerve issues, apparently IBS, a now messed up menstrual cycle, lipoma on my back, undiagnosed nodules in my fingers and constant throat mucus. Aaand I think I had a day or two of cold symptoms like a month or two back. I'm a mess pretty much, hence the anxiety :)
---------- Post added at 19:12 ---------- Previous post was at 18:06 ----------
I am really really anxious now, because I just read this:
"In general, healthy nodes are more likely soft; cancerous nodes are more likely firm, rubbery, or hard. Multiple nodes are more concerning than single nodes, especially if they are dispersed through multiple node regions"
That's two ticked off and now I don't know what to do with myself :weep:
Maybe you should call the doctor on Monday and discuss the new symptoms (the second lymph node) with them and see if you can get an appointment? Or there's always a walk-in if you feel it's urgent? (That's where I went when I was worried! I'm still worried but I feel certain that they would have noticed if it was anything severe when she felt my neck)
I think it's possible it's just being run down as I was told it was possible to get from. Apparently it can also be from having a virus or infection too as it's your bodies way of showing it's been fighting it off. How big are they? Mine is hard and firm too and doesn't move. I feel for you though as I've also been through stress and health anxiety the last few months! :( I think the bladder can play up due to stress, anxiety and periods as well, I know mine does! I do get recurrent UTI's but I usually can tell the difference when it gets too far along.
Sorry to hear you're going through so much! Hopefully you will get some answers and reassurance, whether it be from the doctor or from this forum from others who may have some more experience!
If it reassures you I read this on a doctor's reply to a patient on a forum once: "the chance of a patient having a diagnosis of cancer after showing up to their primary care doctor with an enlarged lymph node was around 1 percent."
Thing is, I just read you should contact your doctor if your lymph node(s) is bigger than a bean. Which I thought they were originally anyway? But mine's the size of the tip of my finger maybe? Definitely not pea/bean sized! :sad: Then again I also read something that a lymph node up to an inch isn't too much of a concern? God I'm so confused and scared now. My father just said he's sure I've just had an allergic reaction to dust, but I'm not convinced because of the size it grew to overnight. I hope hope hope it's only a reactive node, but again, the size is scaring me - it might be even bigger, it's hard to say when you're the one moving the thing, not someone else judging it.
4 months later I still haven't had any reassurance apart from getting a lipoma diagnosed on my back.
1 percent is still terrifying me, knowing MY luck - I'm now getting pings and pangs in my armpit as well, don't know whether the lymph nodes there are reacting as well?? Again one more symptom towards cancer, lymph node stuff that's wide spread :(
We have over 600 lymph nodes in our bodies, Normal size can be up to 2cm. A node that grew as you said overnight, is reactive to something. As hard as it is to do, don't poke and prod it and if it doesn't resolve in a few weeks, then see your doctor.
I had head and neck cancer. I had very obvious nodes that were totally painless, hard as a rock, immovable and they grew and they didn't just pop up overnight. In the 4 months from the time I first noticed them, they had grown to over 5cm and it looked like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck. I highly doubt there is anything sinister going on with you. In fact, I'd bet the farm on it.
Positive thoughts
I'm just wondering now, why is every source saying something different about size? Some, just like you just mentioned, say up to 2cm or an inch is normal swelling, some say anything larger than a kidney bean is abnormal and should be checked pronto. Well, I say overnight, I'm not 100 percent sure about that, I assume I had checked my lymph nodes beforehand because I had actually stumbled upon an instructional article on how to check lymph nodes during flu season, and found nothing then. And I tend to unwillingly check my neck a lot now because I keep checking on the lump that I suspect is a lipoma. Bottom line, just pure assumption.
I do hope your cancer is long gone from the picture? I have heard of baddy nodes being stone hard and them being painless, but what I have seems very similar, i.e. rubbery and painless. I just get heavy uneasiness when I think that if by any chance this is something not so great, I've already wasted precious time by waiting without knowing :/ Especially when you hear every street corner shouting be ahead of cancer...don't know whether that is an actual disservice or not.
Update for today: the neck lymph node is still there, but I accidentally found two more nodes - one is on my SCALP (?!), and the other is not behind my ear, but diagonally away from it. They are both size of small beans, and I assume both are them are visible because they are so close to the surface of the skin.
The scalp one doesn't move I think :sad: Is it because there's barely any movement space on the scalp anyway?? And it's definitely a bit painful to the touch. I also think the big lymph node in my neck has become a bit tender today as well.
I'm really terrified I'm going to find more of the buggers tomorrow :weep: The scalp one freaks me out, and now I'm worried sick because apparently multiple lymph nodes scattered are more likely to be cancerous?? I cried half of the day away yesterday and I literally could barely do my job at work today because of this mess :(
You must sort this out tomorrow and see a GP. Your Mind will not let you rest until you have a Professional opinion. Ask to see a specialist if they try to brush you off. :hugs:
When you say i must sort this out I do hope you're not implying anything bad are you? :sad: Sorry, it's just that my anxiety gets so bad at times, like when docs say 'oh it's probably nothing serious, I wouldn't worry at all', all I hear is the probably, when most peeps would be like ah ok whatevs then lol I know they HAVE to say that because of some sort of regulation, but wow does it put me in a bad spot!
I do hope some sort of infection can cause multiple node swellings :( I'm just worried that they are in completely different spots...
No Hun. Your Mind won't rest until someone looks at them at tells you what it actually is. I got my GP to check me for EVERYTHING last year because I was certain that I had Cancer and cried everyday for weeks on end.
Now, I am so glad I did, even though it was scary for me, it was the best thing to do. :hugs:
Ah you're one of the lucky ones, I went to my current GP multiple times (and this is the 3rd GP i'm going to), and whatever symptom I throw out there he doesn't seem bothered at all lol I WISH I could just get an MRI to see EVERYTHING inside in ONE GO but my doc doesn't believe it's necessary. He may be right, but I still think that would be a nicer method than being pumped up with pills which I don't like taking anywhoo. I do hope they didn't find anything serious with you though?
I'm going to try to pop into the surgery tomorrow morning, but they rarely have any spare appointments so wondering whether I'm wasting time :( I'm just trying to piece everything together, it started from frequent throat mucus, then frequent urination, then congested nose & flushed face, then the lymph nodes. I just can't piece it together to anything and it's driving me nuts! :(
They maybe separate issues GlazedOwl. You could have a sinus problem or post nasal drip like another member mentioned. :hugs:
Believe me, my GP experience was not plain sailing. I had to keep trying different GP's over a period of 3 months. I was at my wits end, because they just kept telling me that I had Health Anxiety and to just go away. I eventually got a GP who listened and the fact that I broke down in his surgery, made him realize how desperate I was.
You see my Mother had Cancer for a decade and my Father; who died last year had Parkinson's Disease and I had got it in to my head that I had both diseases and my Mind and body was even mimicking some of the symptoms.
Don't give up, because this is destroying you emotionally. :hugs:
That's even more worrying, because those sound like flu-ish symptoms, and if they are not connected to the lymph nodes, Iiiiii'm pretty much screwed lol
I've been going to GPs for 4 months now. Been to A&E twice, once dismissed. That's what my doc says, he wants my anxiety under control first then we can deal with the symptoms. He doesn't seem to accept my perspective of my symptoms actually causing the anxiety, not the other way around. Before my symptoms I was stressed, but nowhere NEAR this level! I have work to do, a career to seek, but I'm terrified I'm gonna keep going to doctors, they WILL find something and then it's too late.
My dad got cancer two years ago. Thank goodness stage 1 and he's in the clear, needs a checkup in two months though. His mom had parkinson's AND epilepsy on top, so I know it's not fun. Sorry to hear about your dad; is your mother still with you though?
Gah now that big lump in my neck feels pingy pangy. I do hope it only means it's fighting something virus-y...
Update for Monday: well, just got a call from the duty doctor. I got two more lymph nodes behind my jaw now...She's not concerned at all, apparently it's a normal lymph cycle. Basically need to take ibuprofen up until later in the week and then call them back and see if I need a checkup...Of course my notes were looked through and anxiety was mentioned. Man I feel like I'm brushed off again :(
Listen to me mate. I know exactly what you are going through. God... believe me... The constant prodding, feeling, thinking, not enjoying anything because you know you have this terrible illness.
There are two things you have got to do now:
- Stop prodding your neck, scalp, armpit, groin.
It will be very difficult for you to do so. But you will always find something. Fear and focus will make you feel anything, and anything will feel huge. You will use the info you've found on Dr. Google to diagnose yourself with every doom scenario your fantasy can come up with.
Instead of focussing on lumbs and bumbs focus on your mind. Train your mind. Become stronger then those urges/thoughts.
- Go outside.
Walk. Go grocery shopping. Work. Make plans for a nice meal and prepare it.
You are not going to die. Well... in the end we all are, but years and years will have past. And all this will be a dark memory.
Have a great day!
I know what you must be going through! I myself have horrible bouts of anxiety over my health, especially more so when symptoms show or flare up! Hopefully the ibuprofen will help reduce the inflamed lymph nodes, it's really annoying tho when you just wish a doctor would listen and explain why things are the way they are! I seriously believe sometimes a good MRI or ultrasound scan would help reassure alot of people who suffer from symptoms that are quite scary and help them feel better about the fear of it being the worst case scenario! I know there's been loads of times where I've wished I could just have everything sorted!
Anyway, sorry for rambling on. If it helps I have two awful red raised bumps on my skin and I've started noticing more all around my body which has me frantically worrying it's worse than what the doctor said it is. Just trying to be rational with myself though and tell myself it's nothing serious.
Hope you start feeling better soon and less anxious about it all! If you do need to talk to someone at any point feel free to pm me :)
Baltasar: yeah that's the thing, the constant proding has now become a reflexive habbit of sorts! Sometimes I wish I could just chop my fingers off just to get rid of it! But I can bet even then I'd still find a way to do it lol
I do have plans. I have lovely plans for the end of the week but what scares me is my plans for the future - I'm just scared I don't have one anymore!
Lu: A full body MRI would solve pretty much everything in one go haha but I guess it's a pretty long and expensive procedure so docs don't just hand them out left and right. I understand that, but what's more expensive, 1 MRI or 1 year in the psycho ward? Hmm.
I don't think the ibuprofen will help, BUT. I have a question now. Mr lovely google had two completely different opinions about this so. I was at a friends place yesterday for a few hours, and usually, I'm a person who gets really cold EVERYWHERE and just wear a big hoodie, wool gloves/socks on lol I asked them whether they had the heating on? No they didn't. My face was flushed with red again, like the day before I got the first big node. And then I swear for the whole time my nose and face was blocked like mad, for the first time in my life my eyes were so watery you'd think I was crying. It's basically what I had a day before the lymph nodes, just x10.
My friend said I could've developed an allergy. They do have a furry dog, but there's dust everywhere anyway. I was told to pick up some anti-allergy pills (going to go through the ibuprofen first). Throughout that night, a new node swelled up, it's almost on the same spot as my first big one, just on the other side. My question is, can allergies actually make lymph nodes swell?? Even I'm reluctant to believe cancer would spread IN A FEW HOURS, if so, I'm pretty dead in a few days. Google is split about the allergy stuff 50/50, half of them say NO, no allergies can make lymph nodes swell, half of them say yes, it's part of the immune system and various allergies can make some people's lymph nodes react.
edit. I also think I have nodes swollen on both sides of my jaw joints now, darn this!
---------- Post added at 10:23 ---------- Previous post was at 09:37 ----------
Oh good lord, now more lymph nodes are swollen up under my jawline and I don't get whether there's multiples stuck together or just one in a weird shape - yep feels like I'm dying now :weep:
Strawberry_3
20-10-15, 21:37
Hiya,
I've had an enlarged, more prominent lymph node in my neck for *counts* 9 years. I went to the GP about it when I first noticed it and was told that it was fine, just happens. So 9 years down the line and I'm still fine (apart from my anxiety and hypochondria...)
Pop to the GP to have it looked at, but it's most likely 'just one of those things', or you're fighting off a virus :) If you're really worried, they could refer you for an ultrasound x
I think I wouldn't be AS worried if it was only 1 node - but I keep getting more of them! I think I have 6 or 7 nodes in various spots now :sad: Don't think an ultrasound would do much though, apparently even a thing like needle biopsies often come back false negative.
Ibuprofen doesn't seem to be doing anything, considering I've had new ones pop up and flame up within a day. My nose was irritated at work again, and I had a red patch on my wrist, have no idea whether that could be an allergy thing as well. I have a growing node under my left jawline and the whole area feels weird, as if it's a bit enlarged? I'm going to the clinic first thing in the morning tomorrow, but all of this is just driving me bonkers :weep:
Don't think an ultrasound would do much though, apparently even a thing like needle biopsies often come back false negative.
Not true... been there done that!
You're in quite a spiral and I wish there were words that can help.
Good luck and positive thoughts
Fishmanpa, I am in quite a spiral I admit! I take no pride in that :D
But. I came to a new revelation today. I noticed one more red patch on my right wrist at work. Left work, and then noticed a few tiny tiny pink spots on my left wrist, they weren't itchy but I scratched them anyway, to see if they would suddenly itch.
BOOM, red patch. Scratch a line along arm, same thing. This must be some allergy thing, no?? I've found one or two conditions with this on the net, but my skin thankfully isn't raised, it only turns red.
Though I just read those conditions are a first sign of dysautonomia or whatever that's called, and apparently that does not signal a nice life :(
Went into the clinic and one of the docs just called me up, said my symptoms were a bit odd, but his voice didn't seem too worried. Told me to come in for a checkup in a couple of hours, so hopefully maybe I can get some tests done soon. In the mean time I could probably write a book on my arm now haha
---------- Post added at 12:26 ---------- Previous post was at 09:28 ----------
Well, just went to the doctor and showed what's up, he checked my ear temperature and apparently it was 37.3, but when I came back home and used a good old underarm thermometer, it showed 36.3, I'll assume I'll trust the doctor's one? :D Anyway, he scheduled me for allergy blood tests next week, so waiting for that now...
Ah, this is such a vicious cycle now :( The lymph nodes are going nowhere, and that squishy formation under my left jaw is literally making me shake. I keep thinking that the soft ball on the right side of my neck is not a lipoma as I suspected, but something sinister and now it's spread around my neck. And to top that off, I read a lovely article about a man finding out he had terminal cancer after googling his symptoms!
Does anyone know how to cope with anxiety like this?? I highly doubt any doctors will send me for imaging tests to make sure nothing's wrong, and I'm simply brushing my own life away at this rate :(
ashurrutia
25-10-15, 21:31
I have had a swollen lymph node on the lower bottom part of my right side of the neck since at least May 2012. I had an ultrasound in March 2013 and it measured 1.2x1.0cmx0.3 cm. They couldn't find anything else on that side of the neck so they called it reactive. Since I have notice that another lymph node popped up mid neck on the left side just in front of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, this little fellow popped up in November of 2013 when I got a pretty bad cold and just decided to stay. Finally around August of 2014 I noticed a smaller lymph node right next to the one that is 1.2 cm. My experience has been that they appear, they oscillate in size when I get a cold or sick, but they do not seem to grow. I feel pretty good physically, get an annual check up, which includes Complete Blood Count, etc. I could get a fine needle biopsy, but I don't think that it would give me 100% reassurance since they aren't 100% effective which to an OCD mind is just not good enough. So I take a different approach I check it from time to time notice that it goes from ~1 cm to 1.5 cm back down to ~1 cm, so as long as it doesn't grow I don't need to live my life thinking I might have hodkings lymphoma or any sort of cancer. The best reassurance one can have is to have a positive mind that no matter what life throws at you, you are strong enough to beat it.
I think my slight OCD may have a hand in this as well. But how can one have a positive mindset when in many many cases cancer is still a death sentance? :(
My neck is not getting better. The weird dermatographism thing is not going. Loads of mucus or maybe post nasal drip. I just blew out my nose after an embarrasing crying scene and it was mainly clear with a few yellow bits. I also started getting pinpointed chest pains which is nice.
I'm at a complete dead end, I keep trying to glue these bits together and they're only glueing into the bloody C word. And to make it worse it seems like no one under the sun cares, the doctors surely don't :(
And to make it worse it seems like no one under the sun cares, the doctors surely don't :(
Medical Doctors treat physical issues. Mental health professionals treat mental issues. The medical doctors care. They just can't treat what's really wrong with you. I suggest you see the right kind of doctor.
Positive thoughts
But how am I supposed to see the 'right' kind of doctor if I can't get a referral to one? Heck, how am I even supposed to get a referral if I'm not being tested to even find a slight hint of what's wrong with me??
Heck, I've had neurological symptoms for 4 months now, I've had to seek external help MYSELF because the doctors didn't give a damn! After a lot of money wasted, I have not seen ANY results and what does the gp say? Oh you're fine. WELL, my body is saying something completely different!
What's stopping you from seeing a therapist? If you ask your GP for a referral, why would he refuse? That doesn't make sense. I know the waiting lists are long in the UK but at least get on one.
And if you can spend all that money on medical tests (that have shown nothing sinister), why not spend a little on a mental health professional?
Positive thoughts
Hi GlazedOwl, I've got enlarged lymph nodes too (ones I never knew existed!) on my neck so can empathise with you.
I was wondering if you have specifically spoken to your doctor about your anxiety? They should be able to refer you to your local mental health service (mine is LIFT psychology). They should carry out an assessment and work out the best plan of action in terms of anxiety/depression.
What's stopping you from seeing a therapist? If you ask your GP for a referral, why would he refuse? That doesn't make sense. I know the waiting lists are long in the UK but at least get on one.
And if you can spend all that money on medical tests (that have shown nothing sinister), why not spend a little on a mental health professional?
Positive thoughts
I am going to see a therapist. Both for my OCD and the anxiety. Again, this was initiated by me, not the doctor. The GP is only pumping me up with anti depressants and he wants to up the dose. If only those pills actually helped!
And I'm not spending money on tests, it was for physiotherapy after medication did absolutely nothing. Oh and the GP would prob not refuse a therapist referal, oh no I bet he would just love to see me in the psych ward. But am I getting a referral for ultrasounds, MRIs, biopsies for my lumps? Nah. I'm just "imagining" the lumps you see!
Hi GlazedOwl, I've got enlarged lymph nodes too (ones I never knew existed!) on my neck so can empathise with you.
I was wondering if you have specifically spoken to your doctor about your anxiety? They should be able to refer you to your local mental health service (mine is LIFT psychology). They should carry out an assessment and work out the best plan of action in terms of anxiety/depression.
Hi Randara :) Could you describe yours to me? Did you ever search for a cause?
I wasn't the one speaking of my anxiety to my doctor, HE is the one pointing it out to me. Every single time, it's 'oh you are quite anxious', well no [bleep]! I know I'm anxious, I'm anxious BECAUSE I have this and this symptom which you lot decide to ignore. 4 months ago, I was stressed, yes, but I had it under control, I just had to give myself some chill time when work was getting a bit overwhelming, but I got the hang of it. Once I started getting various symptoms out of the blue, that's when my anxiety line started slowly going up.
Oh and the GP would prob not refuse a therapist referal, oh no I bet he would just love to see me in the psych ward. But am I getting a referral for ultrasounds, MRIs, biopsies for my lumps? Nah. I'm just "imagining" the lumps you see!
So you've obviously not asked for help with your obvious illness and as far as the nodes?
I felt what I assume is a swollen lymph node. It is NOT visible in any way, even if I crank my neck.
Perceived and dismissed by medical professionals. You are posting all this on an anxiety forum after all.
Positive thoughts
Hi :) I get what you mean, my anxiety has been pretty high while being ill. It's hard to separate the symptoms of illness from anxiety. I definitely feel like I could cope with my anxiety better if I wasn't feeling so rubbish.
Mines been going on for about 7 weeks now, have been diagnosed with Eustachian tube dysfunction which is blocked inner ears usually caused by a virus. I've had a lot of head pressure and dizziness/nausea and general fatigue along with ear ache and headaches. Not sure why my nodes have swollen, it started with all the ones at the back of my neck for a couple of weeks then they went down. I've now got the right side at the join of my neck and chin swollen for the last 3 weeks, not painful at all and no change in size! I can also feel the one further towards my chin is swollen and that side of my neck feels harder (swollen). None are visible though. I was told that resting is the only thing that helps.
Am seeing the doctor tomorrow to get signed off work for stress/anxiety but will also be asking about this as I feel like this is going on and on. As soon as one thing gets better it moves somewhere else!
Hope this is helpful in some way?! :)
So you've obviously not asked for help with your obvious illness and as far as the nodes?
Perceived and dismissed by medical professionals. You are posting all this on an anxiety forum after all.
Positive thoughts
What do you mean by I haven't asked? I have asked for help with everything - with my neurological symptoms, with my muscle pains, with my changed bowels, with my lumps, OCD, you name it! I am not a person who sees a symptom and just ignores it! I would rather catch a disease EARLY so it goes away EARLY as well. But what am I supposed to do when the doctors are so laid back and not worried? My bowels for instance - I was just brushed off with an IBS conclussion - no testing, no NOTHING - and sent home. Good for doctors, they don't have to go back home and cry themselves to sleep everyday!
And just because a node is not visible through the skin, does NOT mean it's not swollen. I have quite a bit of fat around my neck so I reckon a node would have to be at least 5cm across to be even slightly visible. Well, in most places anyway.
For the last few days I've started getting jaw pain and numbness as well, all along my jawline. Swear to god this is going to end up in me using a knife to cut into my own flesh to see what's wrong! As stupid and neurotic as it sounds, would probably get more solid answers than the vague ones I'm getting so far.
---------- Post added at 23:25 ---------- Previous post was at 23:20 ----------
Hi :) I get what you mean, my anxiety has been pretty high while being ill. It's hard to separate the symptoms of illness from anxiety. I definitely feel like I could cope with my anxiety better if I wasn't feeling so rubbish.
Mines been going on for about 7 weeks now, have been diagnosed with Eustachian tube dysfunction which is blocked inner ears usually caused by a virus. I've had a lot of head pressure and dizziness/nausea and general fatigue along with ear ache and headaches. Not sure why my nodes have swollen, it started with all the ones at the back of my neck for a couple of weeks then they went down. I've now got the right side at the join of my neck and chin swollen for the last 3 weeks, not painful at all and no change in size! I can also feel the one further towards my chin is swollen and that side of my neck feels harder (swollen). None are visible though. I was told that resting is the only thing that helps.
Am seeing the doctor tomorrow to get signed off work for stress/anxiety but will also be asking about this as I feel like this is going on and on. As soon as one thing gets better it moves somewhere else!
Hope this is helpful in some way?! :)
I don't know, I feel like it's pretty easy to distinguish between symptoms. At least in my case - because I've been through various stresses through my life, I think I know what kind of reactions I get if it gets too far.
Oh darn, I've never heard of that dysfunction, I do hope it's nothing too awful? How long did it take for your nodes to go down though? Cause mine have been up for more than a week now and they are not going anywhere, if anything they are getting bigger :( And it was so lovely to hear the pharmacist say that allergies do not cause swollen lymph nodes. Feel like crawling into a cave and not coming out!
I have to say that everytime I worry about anything....anything at all... All I have to do is look up swollen lymph nodes, either on here or online anywhere and there are so many millions and probably billions of people loosing their minds over them. At least I am in good company and when I read all the issues and the worries I find that whatever Im worried about is minor compared to what all of you are worried about, no matter what I was worried about when starting to read about your worries..so thanks for helping me break away from my worries reading about yours.
By the way I have had a lymph node in my neck for about 15 years or maybe longer that has been for the most part just slightly elevated up until about a year ago. All of a sudden it was swollen and huge and not only did it get large as a golf ball but it also made the rest of my jaw swell.
My doctor gave me antibiotics and told me to go to an ent. My doctor told me it was probably because of a saliva gland . Anyway I took the medicine and it started going down although it did not go all the way down it did go down most of the way.The ent checked me out and said it was just a lymph node due to bad teeth and sinus issues and nothing sinister and told me if I still had problems to come back to him and he was give me scopes and ct's and mri's and etc etc etc.. well.. then I went back to my gp that proceeded to tell me ,Ok I guess you don't have cancer.. I thought to myself ,,geez thanks for thinking I did..Anyway to make a long story short.........my lymph node still is enlarged and sometimes goes from almost non existence to most of the time swollen to where I can definitely feel it and it makes my neck feel tight as well.
It has spent most of a better part of a year like this back and forth and the doctor said it was from ongoing dental issues and sinus etc...so far I am still around and feel that if the doctor knows its there and I haven't gotten any bad diseases of symptoms then its probably ok. I too have read where many many many people have had huge lymph nodes on them for years and years and years and they are still around to talk about it so I guess we all will live..
Also everyone here is scrambling about getting ct scans and mri's etc.I had a bunch of these and worry all the time about the radiation from them. Now even in the news doctors are getting concerned about the effects of this..its been all over the news..
They said that every ct scan is equal to about 500 xrays and every mri is equal to at least that or more.. It seems like to me that if you are all worried about cancer I would be a bit less anxious about going and getting all these scans.. because it seems that the scans could be causing more cancer than what you think your body is..
I don't know it just all seems kind of weird to me.. but anyway thought I would mention my lymph node and how long I have had it .Other than being uncomfortable and worrisome this last year I don't think there is something really bad about it...Many people say that sometimes lymph nodes just don't ever go down all the way anymore and Im inclined to believe it.. Just a little food for thought..hope nobody minds..
What do you mean by I haven't asked?
This statement infers it.
Oh and the GP would prob not refuse a therapist referal, oh no I bet he would just love to see me in the psych ward.
"Probably not refuse" a referral indicating if you actually asked, he would do so.
Good luck GlazedOwl. I hope you find the answers you seek
Positive thoughts
Good morning :)
The first ones went down after 1 or 2 weeks, have just looked at a calendar and the ones of my right side under chin have been like this about 4 weeks. I'm wondering whether this illness is being extended for so long because I'm so stressed and anxious and am just wearing myself down. The main reason it's been so hard for me is that I've never had this before, I reckon I would have coped better with a cold/flu/cough.
Now I think about it, I was living with my friend earlier this year and she had swollen glands under her chin/neck for ages (must have been about 3 months at least) and was really tired all the time. She went o doctors and had all the blood tests and even an MRI, everything came back clear! They put it down to stress. She's totally fine now, so was just a waiting game.
Thought I'd update after going to doctors - he described the node as being like a grape and didn't seem concerned at all. He said if it hasn't gone down in 2-4 weeks then I should come back. As its not getting bigger or causing pain it doesn't warrant an ultrasound at this stage . He's told me to take antihistamines to try and stop the inflammation in my ears, and also omeprazole as I may have acid reflux without typical symptoms causing inflammation. So fingers crossed one of those things will help my ears get better and will make my glands get smaller!
Hi, Just thought that I would tell you that I have actually read that stress and anxiety can cause swelling of lymph nodes too.. Its weird.. I think it actually has a lot to do with that because people all over the planet complain of the very samethings we do here.
As a matter of fact since posting to you yesterday , the very same lymph node I spoke up seemed to get irritated during the night and feels like it is going from the corner of my jaw on up into my neck and towards my ear. Also neck feels tight.. Funny thing is that at times I have felt this way and all of a sudden the lymph node started receeding and shrank back to almost nothing.
The whole lymph node thing gets to me too.. so guess all of us are in the same boat..Today right now it seems fairly big and expanded into my neck and feels tight and maybe tonight it will be gone down again and not even noticeable.. hopefully.. anyway regardless hope everything works out for you and you feel better.
Deerhunter
28-10-15, 01:15
Ive had the same problem well i think so... I have a node that i think is swollen in my neck its under my jaw in the back going to the neck you cant see it and when you try to feel it it can move around and its slick and rubbery i guess youd say and it doesnt hurt and i can feel two lymph nodes one one each side of my groin where the thigh ends they arent big about half a cm wide and painless also the one in my neck is 3/4 a cm in size i dont have night sweats or weight loss or anything but im coughing up junk and a runny nose i live in between two farm and they are taking out their crops and its dusty and if it helps im 17 does anyone know what wrong do i have cancer? And also the nodes arent hard at all and one more thing the one thats on my jaw i had a ear drum replaced on the same side 7 years ago would that cause it? Please help thanks
mnaha - yeah I myself was never worried about nodes, because they never popped up, even when I had serious flu! I've PROBABLY had one pop up in my armpit ages ago. Well, don't think mine are from a tooth, cause I had mine fixed a few months ago and everything seems fine. And how do MRIs cause radiation, I thought they were essentially big magnets?
Fishmanpa - what I'm trying to say, they will gladly do something about the anxiety bit, but they refuse to do anything about my physical state. And sorry to say this, but I am not imagining it!
Randara - wish mine would be gone by now! It's almost 2 weeks and they haven't gone anywhere, only a new one popped up :( I have to wait a week for my blood tests now, not expecting nice results. Mine feel like very very tight grapes/olives, slightly bigger maybe, and the new one under my jawline feels like a squishy round tablet. It doesn't feel like a regular round shape though... Well fact is they are going nowhere and I'm scared they are getting bigger now. At least the new one is.
Deerhunter - mine feel sort of the same, rubbery, movable. No pain at all, they only start tingling some times. Mine are bigger than yours, so you're in a better boat! Well if you live between farms, stuff like pollen can cause allergies. In my case, I've never had an allergy in my life and I don't think dust can cause all of this really :( But speaking of the coughing stuff, I am CONSTANTLY spitting out clear mucus, sometimes it comes out with one or two yellow bits.
---------- Post added at 09:17 ---------- Previous post was at 09:01 ----------
Update - well, my whole left jawline feels tight and i think there's a small node next to the round one under the jaw. Oh yippee can't wait for something like lymphoma to pop up. Don't you just wish there was a magic pill that took all sicknesses away!
Deerhunter
28-10-15, 13:02
Do you think i should be worried or just stop worring because it is t hard and moveable and i have no other symptoms other than coughing up junk and a runny nose
I think you should just let it go and don't worry about it. Try not to touch it although sometimes when I take my finger and lightly trace over mine it seems to subside. Unless it gets huge I would just let it alone and forget it.. Like I said with my first post there are billions upon billions just like us that have them, some worry others don't . Sometimes if you are lucky they go right down and other times.. they come and go. I think as you age they just kind of stay there in the background.. and come and go.. just one of those things. Don't worry about it.. just relax. .take care and try not to worry..
Had a complete freakout today when somebody from the hospital called, I thought it was regarding my blood test but no, apparently my gp did refer me to a psych doc after all! Well hopefully the new doctor won't think I'm a complete lunatic...
In other news lymph nodes aren't changing but I think the flatish one under my jaw is getting bigger. It's freaking me out because it's kind of irregular shaped on the top - as if it's indented or something :(
Hi GlazedOwl,
That's good that the doctor did refer you on, I hope it goes will with them. Don't worry about what they think, remember tbay it's their job to help people with anxiety and panic and they come face to face with people with these issues daily.
Try to not touch the lymph node. Did you say you'd seen the doctor recently? How about making an appointment at the doctors for 3/4 weeks time, might help give you some re-assurance that someone can have a look at it then.
Sending my best wishes :)
Heya, I just hope I'm not misdiagnosed as one of the looney bin. I might be extremely anxious, but I am sane enough to know I'm not insane (yet!). Hopefully he won't decide to put me on strong drugs or something, I read nasty stuff of how those turn people into walking vegetables! Thanks but no thanks!
Heh, I just wanted to ask about prodding lymph nodes...Cause I kept checking the flat-shaped one under my jaw all day (and it was more OCD than anxiety), and I swear it is twice the size now that it was in the morning. Do lymph nodes actually react that much to touch?? The emergency doc did check my neck and had a feel around, he said I probably have an allergy as well as some sort of infection on top. Thing is I do not have any infection symptoms! And I tried getting an appointment in 3 weeks time for something else, but reception said they are all booked up :( It's not the easiest thing to get help these days...
I reckon they can react to being touched a lot, if you think that you're constantly touching a sensitive area it's going to get 'inflamed'. Maybe the only symptom that you're getting from the infection is tha your lymph nodes are swollen. Did the doctor recommend any medicines?
Ah I had the same at my doctors, managed to get one by saying that the doctor told me to book one (which she had). Think the receptionist took pity on me haha. Still took 3 weeks though! Your surgery should have a cancellation list so might be worth calling up tomorrow and asking if they can put you on that so you can get an appontment someone else can't make.
I did take ibuprofen for 3 days when the duty doc called me up, but then I got to actually see a doctor and he only suggested I try antihistamines because I had a case of dermatographism or whatever it's called? He then ordered a full blood count and a RAST test, so I'm waiting for monday for my results :) He said we'd check what the bloods say and then probably go for a skin test for the allergies, don't know the name of the test though? The thing is he took my ear temperature and he said I had a slight fever (37.3) but i came back home and my temperature was 36.3, underarm though.
So hell knows really, I just expect the worst! I am annoyingly jumpy now and finding it hard to deal with myself sometimes. 4 months ago I was a completely different person, and now it's symptom after symptom and it's only getting worse :(
:( I know exactly how you feel, it's like one thing goes away and another one pops up. Things are getting to me now that I would never have thought twice about previously, it's so frustrating.
Good luck for Monday. You've had the test and just have to wait now, try not to worry as it won't help you and it won't speed the results coming back. Maybe plan something you enjoy doing over the weekend to distract t you from waiting?
Also, you'll be fine seeing the mental health doctor (not sure what proper name is!) when I've told my CBT counsellor my fears and anxieties she has said that they are almost exactly the same as other people going through anxiety. It's great to be able to speak to someone trained in mental health who knows what they're on about!
Exactly - I had one set of severe symptoms start to die down, then come back, then start to go away again, then something else hit, now this! And hearing doctors say 'eh you're fiiiine' just doesn't help, it really doesn't! If you have symptoms that shouldn't be there, there IS something wrong, it can be something minor causing massive symptoms, but it's THERE! And I'd like to know how to deal with it.
Yeah the waiting game isn't that fun. I do have plans for the weekend, sadly working on Sunday. I'm both waiting and dreading monday really!
It'd be great if the dr could talk through the symptoms and explain how they all relate, but realistically they're super busy and don't have time for that (through no fault of their own). I'll keep an eye on this post on Monday for an update, keep positive and have a good weekend :)
Heh, I just wanted to ask about prodding lymph nodes...Cause I kept checking the flat-shaped one under my jaw all day (and it was more OCD than anxiety), and I swear it is twice the size now that it was in the morning. Do lymph nodes actually react that much to touch??
Absolutely!!
I wanted to add something to this concerning poking and prodding. There was a member here that was convinced he had lymphoma (for years!). He always posted about swollen nodes. He poked and prodded to the point that several nodes were shoddy and permanently swollen in his groin. He probably went to more than a dozen different doctors and had more tests than most have in a lifetime but he still wasn't convinced. Of course, all tests were negative but he just couldn't accept that. The nodes got so bad from the constant poking and prodding that nothing would convince him otherwise. He eventually found a doctor that did an invasive procedure... surgery under general anesthesia to remove the nodes. They were biopsied and all was negative. He STILL couldn't accept that. His threads toward the end of his participation on the forum were basically everyone saying "get help for your anxiety".
Everything points to something benign based on the doctors you've seen and the tests you've had. Certainly nodes can swell from allergies. Even something as simple as a pimple can cause a node to swell. I'm not denying that you may have a swollen node or two but what I believe is that it's a logical and benign reason. I'm sure your blood work will show no serious issues.
Positive thoughts
I feel for the guy though, fear does that to you! And stuff like OCD doesn't help either. I do believe that I could get as bad as wanting to get stuff biopsied, no matter how badly I'm scared of general anesthesia. The thing is, how is this pointing to something bening if I haven't even had my first test back? Since yesterday, I believe I have around 7 swollen lymph nodes - by pure accident I made a new one much worse :(
I had a bit of a stiff neck and thought I'd try to lightly massage the back of it. I discovered a little ball which instantly freaked me out, but I didn't think it was a lymph node because it felt like it was right over a tendon or something. But it was just a node right next to the cramped muscle, and because I kept prodding it not knowing what it was it's now bean big, and I have a slightly swollen one in almost the same spot but on the other side of the neck but I'm leaving that one alone! But the new one has been annoying me all day and I think the skin over it was actually slightly red, and I only lightly brushed over it today.
I'm really upset that it's been more than two whole weeks now and the nodes are going nowhere, AND new ones are popping up in completely different places now, I don't think anything not sinister would do that, especially after reading that small things usually only cause one or two swollen nodes in the first place :( And now both the front and the back of my neck are affected and I still have that weird flat shaped node which is freaking me out...
Everything points to something benign based on the doctors you've seen and the tests you've had.
This is from your post just a few months ago.
...finally saw my GP, literally went into his office with tears in my eyes. After a long convo he said those are typical symptoms of a pinched nerve in the neck. He tested my mobility and did the hammer thing on my arms, and he said it's most likely my neck.... I got a call back from my doc - he said your blood results are back in (apart from thyroid, which now I know is fine) and they are fine, apart from a sliiiight lack of iron (I'm pretty much anemic for like 3 years now...), FBC and bone stuff is all normal.... The doctor that saw me was very lovely and I had a full examination that lasted for more than half an hour I think. She did the same examination my GP did, just a more extensive one. I could bend in all ways, she couldn't feel anything in my abdominal organs, she checked my spine, looked through previous bloodwork etc. She listened to my freaked out ramble about cancers, MS and so on, she was very understanding and said it's pretty much unlikely because I'm only 23, my blood test is perfectly fine etc. She said pinched nerves...
Just before leaving I remembered I have a sort of lump next to my lower spine on the left side - one day I was checking that spot so much that I was actually sore the next day! ,,,,She reassured me that it is nothing to worry about and that I should seek a therapist. She also said that they COULD do an xray, but she did not see the need.
Like I said, the tests and doctors feel this is a benign issue and not serious. In the three months since this post you've had spinal cancer, heart fears, lymphoma, lady parts fears and back around to your lymph nodes. Your constant poking and prodding is definitely aggravating things. Again, I'm sure your current blood work will all check out fine. Based on the severity of your anxiety, I don't know if you can accept it but hopefully in time you'll find a way and be able to move on and live you life.
Positive thoughts
Yes I've had many fears, but NOT WITHOUT REASON! A simple pinched nerve in the neck will NOT result in me not being able to sleep because my legs go painfully numb, I STILL don't have an explanation to that after 4 months of struggle, and I just can't take 'oh don't worry' for an answer. Heart fears are standard when I've had problems in the past. Lymphoma still stands. Female parts still stand as I still have unexplained new pains. I am NOT willing to accept any new pains/symptoms without an explanation on why I'm getting them! I'm sure many people have heard of many stories of people brushing off simple symptoms to then find out way later that it's too late. No thanks, don't want that.
Update on the lymph nodes and tests. Lymph nodes staying, waiting for more of them to pop up cause why not! Got a call from the clinic today, and my blood is being retested next week. Apparently everything seemed fine apart from low iron and something about dust mites was mentioned? The letter I received didn't mention anything either. I popped into the clinic to ask, and the lady seemed confused at the form, as apparently everything said 'within norm' but a dust mite note was added - but it wasn't with any of the blood tests.
SO - at least TWO more weeks of anxiety ahead :( Why would they retest me if everything seemed fine?? Something MUST be wrong if the blood's getting retested, but they don't know what they're retesting me for! God this is a never ending circle!
Hi GlazedOwl, maybe it was borderline low iron and they want to double check before prescribing iron tablets etc.
Also, if they thought it was something serious I'm fairly certain they wouldn't wait so long to call you back in for tests!
I know it's hard but you've got to trust, if they say the only thing 'wrong' is low iron then believe it. I hope you're not worrying too much.
Hi GlazedOwl, maybe it was borderline low iron and they want to double check before prescribing iron tablets etc.
Also, if they thought it was something serious I'm fairly certain they wouldn't wait so long to call you back in for tests!
I know it's hard but you've got to trust, if they say the only thing 'wrong' is low iron then believe it. I hope you're not worrying too much.
Nope, pretty sure it's not for the iron as I've already picked up my iron prescription today :whistles:
I am worrying and only because I don't have the one thing I need to take that worry away - solid enough answers.
Doctors don't give me any answers as to what all of this is, they just tell me not to worry, so I just go on and find my own answers. So far the answers are sinister, thus I have pretty much burried all my hopes and dreams so far :weep: My life is at a complete standstill and now even my father, a recent cancer survivor, thinks I have something bad going on.
Do you think he might be worried because he can see that you're so upset/anxious at the moment. He may be thinking that it must be bad to be making you feel the way you do, that doesn't mean that you have got a terrible illness.
I really feel for you and really hope these iron tablets work for you so that your mind can be put at ease. :hugs:
Course he's worried about my anxiety, but he also knows small things go away quick. He was the one that told me he used to get golf ball sized lymph nodes in his neck, but he also said those would go away in a day or two. NOT stay for weeks on end...
I know the iron won't help and it has nothing to do with my lymph nodes. I've been on them for quite a while 2 years ago or so, because I was deficient and chronically fatigued. None of the fatigue lifted after the use. Now I'm finishing off folic acid and that hasn't helped as well; I believe my fatigue is not anemia based, but hypermobility based, cause since I've been diagnosed by a chiro all of that makes sense.
But yeah. Lymph nodes. Not in a happy place and feels like I'll ever be in one now :(
Right I've done some extra reading yesterday, and feel free to call me crazy on this one. Could all of this be a sensitivity to mold? My room and spots throughout the house suffer from the typical black mold you see every now and then - I did bleach clean one corner of the room a couple of months back. But now my whole window is covered in the thing, and the corner near it as well!
I read that toxic mold can cause a RAINBOW of symptoms, including cancer?? Heck knows what TYPE of cancer, but whatever. Does anyone know anything about mold toxicity and such? Should I consider changing houses? Are there any tests I can take to find out whether I have fungal infection or whatnot?
So tempted to start reading about mold induced cancers but I feel like that isn't such a great idea with my state of mind :doh:
Now multiple lymph nodes are popping up in both of my armpits. I honestly don't know how much more of this I can handle :weep:
My CBT counsellor recommended I download this app on my phone, it's called iworry - Maybe it would be helpful to you? Just to try and control your worry.
I've also got this app called MindShift which is pretty good, helped me a lot when I was really bad having panic attacks and anxiety.
I'll try to look those apps up, thanks :) It's very difficult to control worry....I just came back from a googling session, I just couldn't stop myself :( and of course my worry meter is over the top now - I keep thinking that the unscanned squishy lump in my neck (defo not a lymph node, no worries there) is some sort of cancer. Might be, who knows - haven't had any sort of scan on it after all.
Lymph nodes going nowhere of course. Looking forward to the blood test, but my anxiety levels are all over the place, which isn't making my life any easier!
I hope the apps help! It's worth a try.
Maybe you could try and make some incentives for yourself to stop googling. Or set yourself a limit on how often you look, and give yourself a 'prize' of you stick to it? My counsellor suggested a thing like that to me this week.
Ah I think I've tried those methods but anxiety won over anyway :D
Edit - scratch what I said, managed to get the blood test slip and going to go to the hospital for the tests, seems much quicker than the clinic.
Does anyone know whether lack of sleep can mess around with the glands? I only slept for an hour and it seems like the gland on the right side of my neck is almost the size of the big grape-y one on the left :(
I have been worried about a lymph node behind my ear - not helped by me having an ESR (sed rate) that is through the roof thanks to arthritis...and an ESR as high as mine can be a symptom of lymphoma. There's that scare that it's been put down to my arthritis when, in fact, it could be something else entirely.
Today my anxiety went through the roof about the lymph node for no apparent reason and I ended just going to the walk-in centre and having it checked. The nurse practitioner said that it was fine and not to worry about it - although, like others here, I always wish I'd asked how she knows that. It would make our life so much easier if they gave us a list of reasons WHY it's nothing to worry about.
Anxiety is a bit calmer now, although I have made a docs appt for a couple of weeks in case it doesn't go (gone are the days of next day appts!). The nurse didn't tell me I needed to do that, but will need to for my own peace of mind. 2nd opinion, and all that, I guess. Now I've shoved a plaster over the top of the node so I can't keep touching it.
But, looking at stats today, I worked out that, at my age, I stand a 1 in 7754 chance of having either lymphoma during the next five years. 10,000 people get diagnosed in the UK each year - in a population of 64 million. That means that 0.00015% of the population will be diagnosed with lymphoma this year. These, I guess, are pretty good odds for those of us who worry about lymph nodes!
Lifelonganxiety!
12-11-15, 23:26
Just so you know, I have 3 lumps under my right jawline, two moveable, one not. Two moveable under my left jaw. A non moveable node in the middle of my neck on the right side, a large soft mass in my clavicle on the left side, a large rubbery mass under my right under arm, a large hard mass in my lower back, one small hard moveable lump in each shin and a long rubbery mass in my right groin.
I've had all of these for at least 15 years that I've noticed. These kinds of things do happen and are harmless.
Don't ignore the warning signs of serious illness, but don't just assume anything you might notice MUST be serious. In all likelihood it's just you and the way your body is. Nobody is perfectly formed, asymmetry and bumps do occur, in all of us.
I only know of these bumps because I went looking for them over the course of years. It sucks about Health Anxiety, but just know that you probably would never have noticed your bumps if you didn't try to find them!
Well thing is you shouldn't ignore any bump in your body that's not supposed to be there. Of course, esp. if it's growing. Thank goodness mine's not, but I still want it checked. Heck knows whether it's sarcoma lump or just fat, at the end of the day I don't know without imaging tests!
Lymph nodes staying and bugging me. Although loads of tiny ones have popped up over my right underarm and it's sky-rocketing my anxiety now! And guess what - I just read the blood test slip I got (still haven't gotten to the hospital as my schedule got jumbled), and it says NOTHING about immunology, they're only doing iron studies! AFTER already prescribing me iron tablets! Makes me so mad! Especially when I OR the admin ladies don't know what the stand-alone 'dust mite' note means on their system! No explanation whatsoever :( I'm gonna see if I can get an appointment ASAP, cause this is ridiculous - 3 weeks of ballooned up lymph nodes with more to come, and no cause in sight! I'm still digging myself a grave and doctors don't seem to see that :(
Lifelonganxiety!
13-11-15, 00:27
Would imaging tests actually help you or would you just say they probably missed something? If it's the first, then you should get them done, I imagine through private health as the NHS seems reluctant to do this.
And no, you shouldn't ignore bumps and lumps in your body. But you should also not immediately think they're the worst thing. You've been evaluated, you've done the research - everything and everyone say's it's nothing serious, right?
Would imaging tests actually help you or would you just say they probably missed something? If it's the first, then you should get them done, I imagine through private health as the NHS seems reluctant to do this.
And no, you shouldn't ignore bumps and lumps in your body. But you should also not immediately think they're the worst thing. You've been evaluated, you've done the research - everything and everyone say's it's nothing serious, right?
I honestly believe they would help me. The thing is, I DID want to have xrays/ultrasounds done privately (for different things, not the lymph nodes), but even then you need a referal from your GP, but do you think I managed to get to that stage? No, not really.
To be fair I think they've barely scratched the surface when it comes to evaluation.
Well, some days have passed and as mentioned previously still have the tiny nodes scattered within a small radius under my arm, they are wayyy too close for comfort. AND - now I have a swollen lymph node down the curve of my neck, above my collar bone (don't ask me just how many articles saying swollen collar bone lymph nodes signal cancer I've read :unsure: ) - at first I thought it was a blood vessel or a tendon or a muscle or something, but it clearly bobbles around and is oval shaped like the rest of the swollen buggers.
This is snowballing downhill fast along with my mental state, and I don't know where to go from here. I have a doctor's call scheduled but it feels like it's going to be pointless - just going to get brushed off again with no reasonable explanation on what the heck is going on with me. Joys of life!
Well now even the mental health doctor I saw said I would feel better if I had some answers! Just wonder why my GP doesn't feel the same! :sad:
The more I keep trying to find an answer the more I think this is lymphoma - especially now that I have palpable nodes in 5 different areas :weep: Does anyone know what can cause body wide gland enlargement, because so far the only cause I have found is cancer :sad:
Lifelonganxiety!
20-11-15, 21:59
I guess what I'm trying to say is, are they actually nodes you're feeling? I have lumps and bumps all over my body. I think some are lymph nodes that have been up for years (under my jaw, in my neck) but I also have large lumps in my armpit on one side, and lumps on my left collar and right groin area. They've been there forever, it CAN be normal.
You've been to the doctor who isn't concerned, and believe me they would be if they felt something.
Lifelong has a point. GPs in the UK were even given a new set of guidelines earlier this year with regards to early referrals for anything they thought might even have the smallest chance of being cancer.
That said, we're all like it or we wouldn't be it. I went to the walk-in clinic last week with my lymph node (well, I wouldn't leave it at home, I guess!) and she told me it was fine, but I'm still worried about it, all the same.
I think one thing that would help me, and this is something I'm planning to do when I go to the doc with something like this in future, is to simply ask "how do you know?" So, if we go with a raised lymph node, and the Doc says it's fine, don't worry about it," I'm going to say "please tell me how you know that." And that's not me questioning them, but me saying "if you explain it to me, I can digest and perhaps accept it better." The same goes for a blood test that is not normal "but nothing to worry about" despite the web screaming cancer at us. I think if we have things explained we might be able to worry less.
In other words "your raised lymph gland isn't anything to worry about because it's small, is movable, isn't getting bigger, and isn't the right texture to be a lymphoma" is of more use to us than "it's nothing, don't worry about it."
Lifelong, yes I am pretty much 100% sure those are lymph nodes I'm feeling. Sadly, just because a doctor isn't concerned doesn't mean there's nothing going on :(
Darinfan, I don't think the doctors are that interested in referals, considering how the NHS has been coping recently. But anyway, I've had doctors sort of explain things to me here and there but that didn't really help with the anxiety at all. It might be just me, who knows.
Bad news is that hurray I now have a swollen lymph node in my groin as well (it moves, but is really really hard)! Oh well, guess that's all areas covered!! I don't think anyone can make me believe that an allergy can cause lymph nodes to swell in the neck, underarms AND groin at once, so the only answer I really see now is mister C. Good news is I'm seeing a doctor in a few days, bad news, I think I'm just going to get brushed off again because oh my blood tests seem fine. Is there any polite way I could basically beg my doc to send me for serious testing, or am I just stuck with this until I'm not breathing anymore?
Hi GlazedOwl, You could ask for an ultrasound. My doctor suggested to me that would be the next step if mine stayed swollen for 2 months. Can't guarantee that they would agree for it to be done but it's worth asking next time you go :hugs:
I was going to try an ask for an ultrasound anyway, because I have a lump in my neck which I believe is a lipoma but I just want to make super sure. But I heard ultrasounds aren't that fantastic when it comes to lymph nodes??
I don't have a clue I'm afraid, only know about them because my doctor suggested. However I have now moved so will be with another surgery so will see what they say. I suppose the only other option is MRI? But I'm guessing they're hard to get!!
TBH any test seems hard to get! Well today's progress is that I'm going to be referred to a skin specialist, because we think the constant skin reactions and the lymph nodes are somehow connected. He did check the new ones as well, and yep, I wasn't imagining things! He did say it wouldn't be odd for lymph nodes to pop up everywhere if the skin is involved - I had to sort of agree considering it's the biggest organ we have!
Although I completely forgot to mention the new gland I found in my groin :( It's sitting deep and seems to be hard and doesn't really move - does anyone know if that's only because of where it's positioned, as in it's in the 'groove' where the thigh and the pubic triangle meet? Honestly don't know how long it's been there as I found it accidently after having a sort of panic induced ocd attack! Should I call my doctor back about this or just wait until I see the dermatologist?
I've nearly just fainted - I wanted to wash up quickly, took of my shirt and saw loads of tiny red spots on my upper right chest, all within a 3cm circle. Wasn't there yesterday and I know this is a typical sign of leukemia, I don't know whether I should go to A&E now :weep:
Call 111, they'll tell you whether they think you should go to a and e or make a doctors appointment. Otherwise you could go to your local walk in centre if you feel you need to see someone today.
After the last time I called them I'm really sceptical of the service, but I think I won't have a choice soon :( Honestly feel like I'm going to pass out every few minutes
Don't let the last experience you had put you off calling again. It sounds like you're having a panic attack, are you doing something to help calm yourself?
Well I think my panic attack literally pushed my body too far, cause instead of maybe calling someone I just fell asleep for more than an hour. I think what I will prob do is call my clinic on monday and see if I can speak to someone :sad: Cause so far swollen lymph nodes + this type of red rash = blood cancer to me. But then I remember the lymph nodes and the allergic reactions I had and my skin still reacting to light sratches....aaaand the cancer suddenly doesn't add up!! Could petechiae (sp?) or whatever it's called be caused by an allergy/skin condition? This limbo health phase is going nowhere :( I took some pictures just in case I have to ever show them to a doctor. For now I'll probably just end up taking some calming tablets, as I'm waiting for my anti-d repeat.
I think they are one of those very vague symptoms that could be caused by anything from allergies to a muscle strain to crying too much to bruising to medication side effects to, yes, Leukaemia. I get them thanks to my arthritis, for example - and, apparently, autoimmune disorders are quite a common cause.
I went to the Doc yesterday with an enlarged lymph node and night sweats - and linking this with the very high sed rate in a blood test in September looked like a clear checklist of lymph cancer symptoms to me. When he told me that there was nothing to worry about, I asked him WHY - and I think this can be a good tactic. Therefore instead of just him or her saying "it's fine, stop worrying," they are saying "this is why you should stop worrying." And that makes a big difference for me when it comes to accepting their comments. When everything was explained (the sed rate is normal for someone with my arthritis/the lymph node isn't cancerous because it is small, movable, soft, gets bigger and smaller, and more than likely is simply reacting to psoriasis on my scalp; the night sweats aren't severe enough to be anything to worry about and are more than likely caused by my new meds or anxiety itself), it made sense and stops me worrying...until something else happens!
As Darinfan said, there are so many things that it could mean. A lot of them won't be harmful to life threatening. And the other point about asking why the doctor has come to that conclusion is a really good idea! I did that te other week as I've been getting headaches on one part of my head and the doctor said that it was referred pain and all linked to the nerves/muscle my head and ear (which was causing it all). Definitely put my mind at ease knowing why the headaches were happening!
I hope you are feeling better now, it sounds like the little sleep you had helped and put you in a more rational mind. X
Just wanted to thank everyone again for the replies. My mind is now racing not only because of the 'rash', but a new finding...which I really wish I had found before I went to the doctor on friday...I have two lumps in my right breast. Add the rash and the billions of tiny lymph nodes in my right underarm, you can guess what my conclussion is!!! Both of the lumps seem to be squishy and have well defined edges, like little balloons, and are sort of on top of the breast tissue? Problem is, the big one is VERTICAL in comparison to how breast tissue grows. And yes I did the stupid mistake I always do and googled. Of course verticallity means cancer :( I had NONE of these abnormalities a month ago. Safe to say I am running to the clinic first thing in the morning! My body is literally spiraling out of control :(
My body is literally spiraling out of control :(
You're definitely spiraling but it's not your body. I hope you find some relief.
Positive thoughts
Again...why does everyone basically say I'm imagining things? :(
Again...why does everyone basically say I'm imagining things? :(
From what I see:
You started this thread a month and a half ago convinced of something sinister. You were at the doctor on Friday "I went to the doctor on friday".
Nothing was found that warranted further examination and based on the fact you're hyper-focused on your nodes, there's no way you neglected to mention it.
You say there are " billions of tiny lymph nodes in my right underarm" when it's physiologically impossible.
So yes, IMO, you're imagining things based on normal bodily functions and anomalies. You're also posting all this on an anxiety forum.
I truly hope you seek help and find relief from your anxiety. I have a daughter your age that suffers from anxiety and depression, I made sure she got help (therapy and meds). She was just here visiting for the holidays and she's doing great!
Positive thoughts
Well you can't say nothing was found if I'm being referred to a specialist? Fact is I had nodes appear, doctor thought it was infection, one month later not only have they not gone away, MORE have appeared. I should've probably put billions in quotation marks, because I only used it as a highlight word. I have A LOT of tiny lymph nodes in my underarm, of course I can't count every single one, but fact is it's not one, not two, the whole AREA is full of them. It's hard to describe without giving you a physical example, I will be honest. The doctor I saw definitely agreed that I am not imagining it and they are there.
And just how is an anomaly a normal thing?
Hey I even went to a psychiatrist that my main GP sent me to! At the end of the meeting the psychiatrist basically said, yeah you have anxiety, but I think your GP was a bit borderline by sending you here. But I did go, I am doing my part.
I believe it's going to be one of those sleepless nights I haven't had in a while now. Just want to be at the clinic as soon as possible, and just pray to all the gods that these new lumps aren't malignant. Knowing my luck though.
Well.. hopefully they'll get to the bottom of things and it will be a benign issue.
Good luck and positive thoughts
Deerhunter
07-12-15, 00:06
Hey it's me again i finally got into the doctors office and I told them about how I'd been sick and showed her the lymph node and she said that I had a viral infection that it was normal to have them with viral infections and me beening 17 years old they can also swell do to just my body changing. I went to the doctors about a week and a half ago and the node went down the day after my appointment then a couple days later I felt for it and it was barely noticeable well then I started poking it again now it's back up�� I've had this node for around 4 to 5 months it hasn't got any bigger (3/4 cm not even 1cm) it's always been kinda soft, rubbery, and very movable so what should I do just stop worrying about it because I don't have any other symptoms or should I go to a different doc?
Hey it's me again i finally got into the doctors office and I told them about how I'd been sick and showed her the lymph node and she said that I had a viral infection that it was normal to have them with viral infections and me beening 17 years old they can also swell do to just my body changing. I went to the doctors about a week and a half ago and the node went down the day after my appointment then a couple days later I felt for it and it was barely noticeable well then I started poking it again now it's back up�� I've had this node for around 4 to 5 months it hasn't got any bigger (3/4 cm not even 1cm) it's always been kinda soft, rubbery, and very movable so what should I do just stop worrying about it because I don't have any other symptoms or should I go to a different doc?
Stop poking and prodding and go on with your life.
Positive thoughts
Deerhunter
07-12-15, 00:32
Do you think it would have gotten much bigger in 4-5 months if it was cancer?
Do you think it would have gotten much bigger in 4-5 months if it was cancer?
Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts. If indeed it was sinister, you would be quite ill by now.
Positive thoughts
Deerhunter
07-12-15, 00:41
Alright thank you
As usual, things are not going well. I just found out I'll have to wait over 3 MONTHS for my specialist appointment. By then I might as well be dead. To keep of track of things I now have TWO barely movable rubbery lumps in my groin. First it was one big lump now a chickpea size one right next to it popped up. The blood rash is now gone, but I am pretty sure it's a legitimate symptom in the big picture. I just don't know what to do now - I am at a dead end, time keeps on going and the docs aren't fussed :(
Remember that all GPs now have to follow the new guidelines for a referral within 2 weeks if they have any reason to suspect cancer - they're not going to ignore those guidelines. For some reason he/she doesn't suspect that - perhaps you could relieve your anxiety a bit if you ask WHY they don't suspect anything serious?
What I say won't help, but still I guess I will say it.
Years ago, I had a swollen lump on my neck. I worried and poked and prodded. It grew. I saw the doctor who scared the sh** out of me by sending me to a specialist. Even though my doc said it was probably nothing, I did not believe him.
The ENT looked at it and said that guaranteed it was a lump and wanted to look down my throat. I said no way are you doing that! I will gag. He said that I either do that or he would send me to the lab for a needle biopsy which meant that someone would stick a needle in my neck a few times. I said, Bring on the needle!
Long story short: it was nothing but possibly an infection aggravated by my poking. I had an answer, quit poking, and it went away.
No one here can say for sure what you have or don't have, but reading through this thread, I see a progression of symptoms based on anxiety. Oh yes, it is entirely possible that you are terminally ill from cancer, but based on what you have said, it doesn't seem likely.
But one never can be too safe. I have a loved one who waited to go to the doctor for too long, and now she has terminal cancer. However, personally, I have had many perceived illnesses that were nothing. Every new symptom scares me because I just KNOW it is a sign that I am going to die.
So every day I worry that I will die is another day that I forget to live.
The problem with anxiety is that we all say "what if" which prevents us from really sitting back and saying what in our minds we realize. "This is nothing."
The other thing that your docs may know us that even with all of the tests in the world, you may still sit back and wonder if they missed something when you next feel that symptom which you just know is a real terminal illness. Despite having tests that proved nothing is wrong, you mind will play tricks with you and keep you worrying until your last breath unless you can overcome this anxiety.
Deerhunter
14-12-15, 21:05
Can cancer lumps come and go? I have a swollen lymph node under my jawbone kinda going down my neck the doctor just said that it was there because I had a viral infection it was about 3/4cm wide now it's pretty small can barley tell its there but I was wondering if it's cancer can cancer shrink? I know I'm prob am over thinking this whole thing but I'd still like to know
---------- Post added at 21:05 ---------- Previous post was at 20:46 ----------
And I'd like to add that this "lump" has been there for around 5 months and it hasn't got any bigger than 3/4cm it's movable and kinda soft not hard or rough it's slips away when you press on it but like I said its barley noticeable now so what should I do should I be worried about cancer or am I just freaking out for no reason?
I hope everyone's had a nice holiday season so far. I've been away for a bit while trying to keep my brain intact.
Sadly my lymph nodes are staying. That, and spreading :( All the neck ones are stable, one of two groin ones on the right side has probably? gone down by a microscopic amount, the one right next to it is the size of a large chickpea. Very scary that they are so close together, but most anatomy pictures I've seen depict them as overlapping anyway? Anyway, I believe a new node popped up on the left side of my groin now.
On top of all this, I'm getting blood rashes now. One of them was due to too much scratching - my arm suddenly had a sudden intense itch that I just couldn't ignore, and the tiny blood spots appeared right away. So this was two days before christmas. Then on christmas morning I wanted to see whether it has started to go down a little, and I felt like I was going to stop breathing when I saw a large cluster of small purple spots a few centimetres away from the red spots. I had NOT injured or scratched this area at all, a friend of mine told me that I probably just strained my muscle by carrying bags, but a strain bruise would be one big spot, not 15 tiny ones.
I'm also getting more and more sudden random itch spots as well (the type you can't ignore). It's not a generalised itch like the one talked about on lymphoma/leukemia pages, but I'm still counting this as a symptom of some kind.
I have to wait until march before I can see the dermatologist, but I don't know what to do in the meanwhile as the evolving symptoms just keep pointing at something that shouldn't be ignored :(
I'm just going to vent here and say that I've noticed that I'm getting pretty numb from all of this. I've tried to do some more research after my brain nagging over and over, and oh boy, 'course every single symptom - general adenopathy, rubbery nodes, itchiness, rashes - leads to some sort of lymphoma. I'm barely reacting anymore, it's as if my brain knows what's coming. Anyway, to the point, was wondering whether anyone knew if there were any other disorders that could possible mimic lymphoma? :read:
For the last week I've been getting pretty bad itches in different places. It doesn't seem to be trigerred by anything, it just comes on - usually on my chest near my shoulder, or somewhere along my arm or thigh and specifically, top of my right foot. Wouldn't say it's severe itching, but annoying nonetheless. I'm trying not to do anything about it because of the insta-redness. As I wait for my allergy appointment, I'm still bouncing ideas between either the worst, cancer, or the-not-so-great-either mold exposure. I don't fancy moving out just yet, but I would if I KNEW it was the mold doing this, how can you tell though? Then again, if it is the case, and I don't know about it, I'm spending at least two more months in exposure. Which isn't great.
Does anyone think I should contact my doctor about the itch issue? It seems like such a minute detail, but is getting just ever so slightly unnerving (esp. with anxiety over my shoulder). Or should I shrug it off?
anxious2016
13-02-16, 16:52
how are things going glazedowl? Have you figured anything out?
how are things going glazedowl? Have you figured anything out?
Thanks for asking :) Things have slightly moved along since whenever, thought I'd update this for future reference or any lost soul wandering around the depths of google.
I had an ultrasound done earlier this week. Complete scan of my neck, and I asked the doctor in charge whether he could check my inguinal area as well, as there was a lump that keeps going up and down, and it feels like a 3cm mass, drives me nuts I tell you!! Anyway. Neck scan took a few minutes, was getting scared when he'd stop at a spot, but at least I know he was thorough. He said everything in my neck seems fine, lymph nodes and other bits looks correct size, shape, no indication of any nasty C words. Just please no one point out that oh ultrasounds aren't great at detecting cancers - I've read that in at least 50 articles by now, I'm honestly trying to battle this HA and trying my best to trust the doctor.
I asked about the inguinal area even though it wasn't on the ultrasound order, and luckily the doc was nice enough to spare me a few extra minutes; even though he said he hasn't scanned that many leg areas, surely if he can see a lymph node in the neck, he can see one in the leg (if not, please don't tell me, my sanity's hanging onto bits as it is :D ). Anyway, again, very thorough, he did not see anything abnormal. The thing is, that lump unluckily had shrunk massively before the visit! The last two months I've been seeing a pattern - just as that time of the month starts, that lump goes down massively - still pretty big, maybe 2cm in my mind?? Squishy though. And then it goes back up again! Maybe it's not even a lymph node, just overgrown fat/muscle tissue?? Well at least it's *fingers crossed* it's not a sarcoma lump, so that's good.
So anyway, ultrasound results good, but considering I have health anxiety, it doesn't help for long does it...Because I have slight OCD, I kept checking my clavicle area, and one day I just had a massive ocd attack where I kept prodding the left side on and on and on trying to find something. Well I think I aggravated the area so much there IS a lymph node there now, small, movable and squishy. Can you actually make lymph nodes appear by aggravating an area?? Please someone say yes...
Anywhoo, that's my rational thought process. 98% of the time it's my irrational mind thinking and now I'm pretty sure that clavicle lymph node is cancer. Back to the drawing board eh :( :sad: I'm even considering seeing a private gp now, but I think I will see how much I can live with my HA first.
P.s. sorry for bumping up an ancient thread
Complete scan of my neck... my neck seems fine, lymph nodes and other bits looks correct size, shape, no indication of any nasty C words... he did not see anything abnormal... ultrasound results good...98% of the time it's my irrational mind thinking
P.s. sorry for bumping up an ancient thread[/SIZE]
Glad you did ;) Can I say with respect.... "Told Ya So!" :winks:
Positive thoughts
Well the story's not over yet! Good news is always good, but I still don't have answers (yes yes I realise I might never get a solid answer but hey). Why did they come up in the first place when there WAS no infection, and why did they SPREAD? I swear there are stories in the 100s on the net of people with different strains of lymphomas and whatnots who describe their symptoms to be just like mine. I do try to stay away from those sites as much as possible nowadays, but you get my point :read: It's not easy to hear someone say they had multiple lymph nodes for over 6 months with normal tests just to later find out they had hodgkins or something similar. Not cool. Who says that can't be me? I do hope it isn't, but when you don't have solid answers, 'what ifs' are very strong.
Anyway news on the lymph front, I wanted to see how the two nodes on the right inguinal side where doing, size hasn't changed but to my surprise one of them was ever so slightly painful. Hadn't poked them in weeks so dunno what's going on with that one! It also feels harder than what I remember it being... not rock hard, but quite on the hard side.
In the 6 months since you started this thread, you would be very physically ill if something sinister were going on. I watched as a node the size of a pea grew to a golf ball in six months!
Nahhh... nothing to see here other than a raging case of anxiety I'm afraid :shrug: Sounds like you're coming to some kind of terms and that's good.
Positive thoughts
Bumping this thread again as I'd rather have everything in one place instead of multiple threads all over the place.
Can't remember whether I mentioned this but the dermatologist I was meant to see pretty much just shoo'd me away. That's one way to deal with patients I guess.
Progress with lumps though :sad: Since suffering from I assume was a bad round of hayfever (even though the blood test said I don't have hayfever - yeah right, my literally bleeding sinuses had something else to say about that), I had maybe 5 lymph nodes pop up on the left side of my neck. I think there's only 3 left, but they've stayed for a few weeks now. Pretty sure they're staying here for the collection...And just this morning I completely accidentally discovered a small pinhead size lymph node under my jaw bone, next to one of the enlarged nodes on top of the jaw joint. Thing is, this small bugger is hard and immovable :sad: I'm trying my best not to freak out and avoid touching it, but my lurking OCD is not helping. And on top of that, I'm not sure whether this bugger is matted with the other gland or not! Bad feeling about this...
And not only this, a couple of days ago the lump in my groin that seemed not to show up on ultrasound changed. It has now formed a small movable lump on the side of it. I am now in a panic that the ultrasound doctor made a mistake and either a) didn't tell me it was a lymph node - and a lymph node with an attachment is a pretty sure sign of cancer, or b) it's not a lipoma like I thought but a malignant tumor.
My anxiety attacks had died down to a certain level but this has now shot it up to new levels and I'm stuck popping calming pills like mad. I have no idea what to do, considering my GPs will definitely not do anything because ALL they see is anxiety and nothing beyond that. Do I finally go to a private doctor to see what they think instead, or shall I wait longer to see where this goes? :sad:
I think you already know the answer to this X You're constantly checking nodes, and they don't like to be prodded around. They react, swell and get knotty. Please, I know you're going through hell but will reiterate what has already been said - cancer does not calm down, shrink. It gets bigger. You have had an ultrasound that has told you have nothing concerning - and why would a doctor keep the fact from you?
You've been worrying about this for a long time, you've got to work on accepting that your HA is misinforming you - you don't present with significant symptoms of it and you don't have it. Maybe try and work on your belief, which is skewed. You're ok x
I understand the prodding bit. I wish I could stop it, but now I don't do it because of anxiety, but more because my ocd has taken over! Then again, both go hand in hand don't they :read: I just don't feel comfortable when new nodes join in on the enlargement party :sad: Don't really care about the ones on my neck, cause I'm pretty sure my sinuses messed them up, but what about the hard one behind my jawline? Reasonable to think that's from the allergy as well, but I still don't know what to think when medical articles tell you to go see a doctor straight away when your lymph nodes are multiplying?
Both of my minds - both reasonable and unreasonable - are difficult to manage. I know HA is blinding me a lot of times, but my reasonable mind looks at reality as it is - yes it's unlikely your body is killing you, but it IS true that lymphomas sometimes do not show up in blood tests or something and anything along those lines. This 'look at both sides of a coin' type of thinking usually helps, but not with health it seems!
These last two days have literally been hell because of that groin lump. Thank goodness today the tide went down a little and my brain let my voice of reason echo around for a while. I know it won't last for long though, but it's a nice change. I've seriously damaged the skin above the lump so I think I'll be forced to stay away from it so the skin can heal. I still really want to call up a doctor about this, because even though this is a small change, it's still a change in a lump that isn't supposed to be there in the first place :(
Hope your doing better now, I have a small, hard lymph node in my armpit and it's been 5 months, still going strong and trying to deal with the anxiety of it all. It's very difficult.
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