Enlarged lymph node in neck

[Sma81]

Hi everyone

Really need a bit of help here. Going out of my mind :(

About 4 weeks ago I came down with a really bad cold and bad sore throat and tonsils. Went to doctors who gave me antibiotics for tonsillitis but the pain in my tonsils was worse on the right side. Finished antibiotics and generally felt better although right tonsil still hurt and would be painful when drinking hot drinks for some reason. It now feels slightly better and not as painful, but usually hurts first thing in the morning and is sometimes accompanied with an itchy ear on the same side. I suffer with tonsil stones too so thought this may have something to do with it?

I then felt an enlarged gland in the front of my neck. It's not noticeable with the naked eye, but I can feel it with my fingers if I push down. It feels like a little kidney bean and is larger than the other side. It doesn't hurt at all when I push it and feels quite firm. Went back to doctors and he said gland was up and there was some redness at the back of my throat. He's now sent me for a blood test which I had this morning as I'm allergic to penicillin I'm limited as to what antibiotics I can have and he didn't want to give me more in case I didn't need them and develop an immunity, hence the blood test first.

Since my cold cleared up I've had a slight post nasal drip and low grade sore throat so don't know if I'm still getting over it, but dr Google has reliably informed me that painless nodes = lymphoma so I'm now going crazy :(

Blood tests back on Monday but feel like I'm going to stress all weekend about it. I'm a 25 year old male, no fever, night sweats etc and generally feel well other than my throat.

I'm now staying well away from Google and am trying to stop poking the node but any help would be appreciated!

Thank you

[Agib33]

Hey there. I just wanted to say that though it is firm that is not automatically a negative thing. The fact that you are battling sore throats and such is reassuring that this is a reactive node. I would tell you to try and relax, but obviously we aren't able to relax bc we are here. Please keep us updated after you see your doctor! :) also poking at it will aggravate it more, so do your best to keep your hands off of it!

[Sma81]

Thank you Agib :)

Blood tests back today as completely normal. Haven't worked out whether I think that's a good or bad thing yet lol

I'm going back to the doctors soon to hopefully get an ENT referral and get properly checked out. Fingers crossed I get some sort of answer!

[sammie13s]

Ask for a scan on your throat if it will put you at ease. I'm awaiting a scan on my throat x

[Fishmanpa]

I'm a head and neck cancer survivor. While I'm not a doctor I can tell you that what you describe doesn't present as cancer. All the circumstances including your age weigh heavily that it's a benign issue resulting form your recent illness.

I disagree with additional testing for reassurance. Your doctor will make that call if they feel it necessary.

Positive thoughts

[Sma81]

I'm a head and neck cancer survivor. While I'm not a doctor I can tell you that what you describe doesn't present as cancer. All the circumstances including your age weigh heavily that it's a benign issue resulting form your recent illness.

I disagree with additional testing for reassurance. Your doctor will make that call if they feel it necessary.

Positive thoughts

Thanks Fishmanpa.

I've seen some of your posts before and was kind of hoping you would comment on this! Thank you for your reassurance, it's much appreciated.

I just find myself in a tough place sometimes and always feel like I need someone to show me a scan or a test that proves something either way. I'm 25 and buying my first house with my girlfriend this year, but almost feel like I can't plan ahead for the future because I might not be here, or might be battling a disease. I'm okay most of the time but often have little blips in the day where I panic!

I'm at the stage now where I feel like I can't have anything other than the big c, so it's difficult.

I really do respect your opinion though and I'm glad you're doing well nowadays :)

[mnaha]

Fishmanpa, I was wondering if you could tell us the conditions of when you got throat cancer and how it progressed "the details" of the swelling and such please? I too have a lymph node or something under the corner of my jaw that is on my neck in front of the muscle. I had strep throat about a year ago and that and all along my neck was very swollen and the doctor gave me antibiotics and it went down but not all the way but most of the way.

The doctor was concerned and he sent me to an ent an the ent check me ,no scope or anything and pushed and prodded everything. It hurt like all get out when he pushed in on area.. the one that is still swollen or raised. He said "is that it" and I said ugghhh yessss .. Anyway he and my doctor are in the same facility and they had done blood work and everything and he checked it thoroughly and after my visit with the ent I saw my doctor and he said "well you don't have cancer" so I was relieved..

So the raised area seem to go down most all the way if I can remember correctly but over time it is slightly raised and hurts sometime and sometime not. My throat seems tight up into my ear at times and my swallowing seems weird but then sometimes not. I think it might be from me paying attention. I can eat food ok and water but sometimes it feels tight up into the jaw and throat and always the ear. I do have TMJ and have been thinking this is mostly that..but worried.

I have no fever , my appetite is good and no real cough. I have flem a lot in my throat an congestion but my throat feels a little tight now and I seem to be having problems swallowing but then I don't have problems swallowing food.

I also have been rather tired lately but we stay up all hours and it usually takes a few days to keep from being tired. Lately it seems that I get out of breath easily but then I am not sure its really out of breath because my nose stays stopped up and I have to breathe through my mouth so that weirds me out also I haven't been walking as much as usual so I am wondering if that might be the issue or its just anxiety?

I am concerned with throat cancer and also that I feel a little out of breath..How do you know if you are truly having issues with your throat and issues being out of breath or its just anxiety?

As I stated in a previous post.. could something bad happened in just seven months.. cancer? heart condition ? anything like that at all and how could I know if I haven't been to the doctor? Or is it just worry and anxiety causing all this? You have experience with all these so I thought I would ask. Thanks

[mnaha]

Hello? Fishmanpa? What's up? I know you read this as you have answered every other post on here. Any reason not to tell us about what happened to you please?

[Fishmanpa]

My story is pretty well documented. Two heart attacks, triple bypass, stents and Stage IV head and neck cancer survivor. Been there done it. Suffice it to say, 99.9% of what I read concerning node symptoms don't present like any H&N cancer I know of. I'm not a doctor but in the few years I've been part of the forum, I've not seen one case. Of the 10's of thousands of posts and fears I've read, I can count just two that actually had a serious issue and they're doing well. That's about the size of it ;) Suffice it to say, that most here are in much better physical health than I am ;)

Positive thoughts

[mnaha]

I get it.. and thanks for answering.. I guess I need to go back through all your post and read the saga.. I was just curious with you perhaps explaining how things progressed and how it was obvious or not obvious then maybe some of us would say "oh that isn't me" But I guess I can understand that after years and years of talking about it and expressing in 1000's of post it can be a drag. I am grateful to you for being here and expressing your opinions of others maladies because it seems to help them.. But .. I did have more to my post before last that if you might take a gander at .. questions that perhaps you could answer. It would be greatly appreciated. Have a good evening and thanks again.

[Sma81]

I think I may have found the answer. I looked at the back of my throat in the mirror today and saw a white spot on the same tonsil that's been hurting, which is the same side as the lymph nodes that are up.

After grabbing a cotton bud and having a poke around, it appears to be a tonsil stone lodged in pretty good. Managed to get some of it out but couldn't get all of it. Haven't had any bad breath or anything which is why I didn't immediately think of it, but after checking it out online (I know, I know), I'm almost certain this is responsible for my symptoms. I've also seen they can cause swollen glands.

I certainly feel a bit better now! Thanks for your comments though guys :)

[mnaha]

My story is pretty well documented. Two heart attacks, triple bypass, stents and Stage IV head and neck cancer survivor. Been there done it. Suffice it to say, 99.9% of what I read concerning node symptoms don't present like any H&N cancer I know of. I'm not a doctor but in the few years I've been part of the forum, I've not seen one case. Of the 10's of thousands of posts and fears I've read, I can count just two that actually had a serious issue and they're doing well. That's about the size of it ;) Suffice it to say, that most here are in much better physical health than I am ;)

Positive thoughts


Hi,

Just wanted to say thanks again for the info.. I think you are correct that most of us are just worriers and although its hard we just have to come to terms that we don't have what you did or cancer.. I am glad you are here to tell us that you know what it is to have our worst fears come true and what we have is not what you had or could be. I thank you again.