Lymphoma Fear

[smoothie]

Hello again everyone!

I just can't get lymphoma out of my mind. I noticed a small lump in my neck a few weeks ago, its wiggly, pea-sized, not painful and i dont think it radiates heat. (The neck's a pretty warm place anyway). Then last week I think i noticed a lump on my collarbone thats a bit bigger than the first one. Same as before, wiggly, no pain, no heat.

I did just get over a sinus infection but I thought i would be over it by now and my lymph nodes wouldve gone down.

I probably dont have lymphoma as i dont have night sweats and im not very itchy. I get occassional abdominal pains but thats probably anxiety. My appetite WAS reduced for a while but now it's back in full force. I also dropped 14lb/a stone at the end of August because that's when my anxiety started, and, tmi, i couldnt stay out the bathroom. :blush: But have not dropped a pound since. I also had a blood test done recently and it came back clear. And since lymphoma's a blood cancer it would have showed something sinister if i had it, right?

But two things are putting some doubt in my mind, the neck lumps themselves, because they're only on the left and i've never noticed them before. And, we're gonna get tmi here, my last period was weird, it was heavy (not overly heavy i suppose, i never leaked but i still had to go to the bathroom quite frequently) for quite a few days and i know lymphoma can cause heavy periods. Although I have a hormone imbalance and benign cysts on my ovaries and I think that could've been a cause too.

I suppose I can explain a way out of all my symptoms but still, hmm.
I think I just got a little worried today because I felt bad, headaches, a tad nauseous, probably just all anxiety. And I always feel worse earlier in the week!

[smoothie]

I found another lump in my neck today, its at the back left side. My older neck lump is on the front left side. It feels harder but that might be because theres more muscle around it or something idk. They don't seem to be big but im not sure. My parents can't feel anything but theyre so prominent to me!

The first lump was there for about a week, then i had a sinus infection. Everything's been a bit weird since then. Something was up with down below (might've been a uti but it cleared after a week) and then I seemed to catch another cold last week, but it was like it only lasted 3 days! Then i noticed the new lump today. These supposed frequent infections are freaking me out. I also have a canker sore because a week and a half ago i stupidly stabbed my gum with my toothbrush. But it still looks red (not sore).

I don't really have any other symptoms. I'm not fatigued, losing weight, losing my appetite, etc. But I think i've gotten itchier but it might be my imagination.

I had a blood test a few months ago for something else but it came back clear.

[ashyam83643]

Hi Smoothie,
You might have caught a viral infection. have you checked your blood work.

[Angelica Schuyler]

Lymphoma survivor here!

From what you describe, you definitely don't have lymphoma. You're supposed to be able to feel your lymph nodes in certain locations and normal ones are just as you described: about the size of a pea, wiggly, and not hard or seemingly "glued" to one location.

Normal blood work is a great sign. You're absolutely right that signs of blood cancers show up in labs, especially WBC, RBC, and platelets. No problems? No cancer!

Your recent weight loss and heavy period can be linked to anxiety. I stop eating when I'm anxious, too, and can lose a significant amount of weight. Anxiety and stress also mess with my period, and I'll bet it did the same to you.

You've already shown in your post that you know, logically, that you don't have lymphoma. You know it's just your anxiety messing with you. You got this.

[smoothie]

Lymphoma survivor here!

From what you describe, you definitely don't have lymphoma. You're supposed to be able to feel your lymph nodes in certain locations and normal ones are just as you described: about the size of a pea, wiggly, and not hard or seemingly "glued" to one location.

Normal blood work is a great sign. You're absolutely right that signs of blood cancers show up in labs, especially WBC, RBC, and platelets. No problems? No cancer!

Your recent weight loss and heavy period can be linked to anxiety. I stop eating when I'm anxious, too, and can lose a significant amount of weight. Anxiety and stress also mess with my period, and I'll bet it did the same to you.

You've already shown in your post that you know, logically, that you don't have lymphoma. You know it's just your anxiety messing with you. You got this.

Thank you! That's really reassuring. :)
I might book a docs appointment juuust to make sure. I've felt really anxious lately and another lump has appeared just a bit further back from my old one.

[Angelica Schuyler]

I'm glad to help! Going to the doctor to double-check can't hurt, but maybe give it a few days to see if the nodes shrink up. Try not to poke at them too much in the meantime. I've inflamed a few nodes before by constantly checking them.

[swgrl09]

Not a doctor, but to me wiggly and pea-sized is not worrisome at all. I have tons like that, some even bigger that docs were not worried about.

Angelica - That's inspiring about you being a survivor! I hope you are doing well now.

[Ellient]

I have tons of little pea sized and some bigger like swgrl09 all over. I haven't ever bothered to get them checked as I assume it's normal, no harm getting them checked out though if you feel like it.

I believe usually in lymphoma they are quite big lymph nodes, my nan had lymphoma and her nodes were huge.

Glad to hear you are a survivor Angelica, take care.


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[smoothie]

Hi all. I hope you’re having a great new year.

I am too. But there’s still that thing at the back of my mind.

I cannot get over this fear of lymphoma.

It started with a few lumps in my neck in September that waned occasionally but now they’re there all the time. I may be imagining and exaggerating it but I feel like behind my ears is swollen and I’m constantly checking my armpits and I feel something but it’s probably ribs or muscle.

I have no other symptoms either, no itching, fever, night sweats, weight loss. Anything. I only really have a slight loss of appetite. So why can’t I shake this fear? :huh:

[Jonathan3132]

Your a hypochondriac. I though I had lymohoma becausee a couple swollen nodes on the neck. Guess what caused by anxiety. Bro it's all stress related Symphoms man. It's a new year move on. I bet your healthy.

[OutOfExile]

Swollen lymph nodes are an extremely common trigger for health anxiety - the forum is full of posts just like this.

For what it's worth, I had 2 episodes of pretty severe anxiety triggered by something lymph node related. Most recently I noticed one palpable node on the right side of my neck, and a smaller one on my left, where I had absolutely convinced myself was something sinister. Two doctor visits, one CT scan, and a month of blind panic later, turns out it was nothing but my own anxiety. I can still feel them if i look for them, and it's been about 9 months since the first time I noticed them.

What I found extremely helpful was challenging anxious thoughts. For you, focus on the fact that (1) You're not even sure what you're feeling - if even you think it's probably muscle or bone, then it's certainly not clinically swollen lymph nodes. (2) If you think something (swelling in this case) is due to your imagination than it almost certainly is. (3) Appetite loss is a common anxiety symptom, probably due to you getting yourself worked up over lymphoma. (4) As for the lumps on your neck, 'being there all the time' is in fact what all lymph nodes are - they're permanent fixtures and part of our anatomy. Lymphoma tends not to be particularly sneaky - if the lumps haven't swollen to the size of golf balls over the past 4 months, then you're fine.

Hard to see when you're in it, but this sort of thing is just your anxiety running wild. Try to relax and enjoy the new year!

[Halle0587]

I fear this same thing. My mom was diagnosed stage 4 melanoma 2.5 years ago. One tumor removed, a few clinical trial doses (before she wasn't allowed anymore due to stomach issues), she's been NED since her surgery, praise God! I however had HA since before she was diagnosed, only amplified by her diagnosed and the birth of my son. I have to be here for him, so I have to catch things early. It only makes my anxiety worse.

I have had pains behind my knee since around thanksgiving. I was told it was vericose veins making my legs feel heavy. I only have one that I can start to see (spidery veins) behind my left knee. I can't see any on my right. The ARNP I see said they are really under the skin and sometimes can't be seen. Anyway, I have had plantar fasciitis since I was pregnant. I wear flat sandals with zero support (Florida life) and bare foot around the house, I'm a Stay at home mom and online teacher so I'm home often bare foot. I've googled and read the fascia muscle could be to blame, but also Lymphoma. Two drastic sides of the spectrum. It doesn't help that 10 months ago I convinced myself I had lymphoma in my left armpit breast area mostly, but also the right,. I was told there weren't any lumps or swollen nodes and cancer isn't bilateral. I went back every two weeks complaining until I finally got busy and forgot about the pain. Plenty of people on here said it could be anxiety due to tense muscles or spray deodorant helps. Now I have left neck pain, I saw a chiropractor a week and a half ago, didn't help much for too long. I have horrible posture and I am on my phone a lot during nap time and in the evenings. I'm also currently snotty nosed and have popping in my ears (frequent fluid in the ears here) but I've never had this tight feeling in my neck. I don't know that I've ever had visibly swollen lymphnodes either. I don't notice swelling in the mirror, but I definitely feel tense. Today I had my husband check for nodules comparing to the other side. He felt tense muscles only, but he's not an MD so that relief was short lived.
I cried in the shower. I have so much anxiety I hate it. I'd love to leave it back in 2017. I made huge strides last year, (After armpit gate ended at the beginning of April, I was consumed with buying a house so I felt better and distracted, so the rest of the year, until the vein situation in December was doc free!) but this is a definite set back.

[smoothie]

Im sorry for posting so much but I’m in a really bad place at the moment.

I’ve had a small neck lump since September. Maybe I’m imagining it but then one popped up behind it and behind my ears feels lumpy too and give an occasional ache but idk.

Recently, I developed pain in my left armpit. First it was just the occasional ache but now it’s very frequent. Obviously I’m panicking a little. I also get the occasional ache in the area of my spleen in my abdomen. Plus my right hand is really dry but that’s probably because it’s winter and it’s my dominant hand and I’m sensitive to creams.

I don’t know. I had a complete breakdown last night and this morning. It feels like I’m not going to see 2019, despite not actually being diagnosed w anything. :weep:

(I don’t have any other lymphoma symptoms or illnesses, but it’s just worry worry worry.)

[smoothie]

Hi all. sorry this isnt in my general health worry thread.

i just feel so miserable. i have had what i think is a swollen node in my neck since september. i was ill with two back to back colds just after i noticed it but it never went down. there is another lump just behind it. i cant feel anything on the other side of my neck.

i think the nodes behind my ears on both sides are bigger too? or maybe im just hyperaware.

im not sure if i have anything in my armpits. cant tell whats a lymph node and whats muscle/ribs/something else.

lastly, and huuuge tmi. but i have a lump in my genital area on both sides of my, well, vagina. could be a cyst but they feel similar to whats in my neck. i dont think they were there before. i thought there werent any nodes right in the genital area but then i read somewhere that there were. :weep:

i dont have any other symptoms of lymphoma. no weight loss. no extreme fatigue. no night sweats. no severe itching or fevers. i have lost my appetite and have an almost constant feeling of general unwellness. but i just cant help but be convinced.

its hard for me to make a doctors appt as the only days i can really do so to avoid clashing with uni classes is wednesday and thursday. last week my mum was going to make one for me but she forgot. a few weeks before that I phoned too late and they were fully booked. this week theres a red weather warning for today and tomorrow.

another worry i have is a brain aneurysm. im autistic so i get angry really easily and that makes me worry a lot about my blood pressure. sometimes i feel a sensation in my head and sometimes i feel a twinge in the same area when i yawn. :weep:

im sorry. im just so bad, mentally, at the moment

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.

Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.

It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.

[au Lait]

I’m sorry you’re having a rough time. Remember that you’re not a doctor, and can’t diagnose yourself. you are most likely feeling things that are normal but assuming the worst due to anxiety. You can’t shake the fear if you’re not doing anything to treat your anxiety. Start with what you know you do have (health anxiety) and go from there. Focus on treating that and give yourself something to concentrate on other than your lymphoma fears.

[muffin2311]

HELLO, EVERYONE, CAN SOMEONE HELP ME. I'm a 17 y/o girl and at the moment I have a bit of a sore throat, a cold and a cough. IS IT NORMAL TO HAVE A SWOLLEN LYMPH NODE BESIDE MY TRACHEA? It's NOT MASSIVE ONLY ABOUT 1.5CM AND ITS MOVEABLE, BUT PAINLESS. i HAVE SEVERE HA IM ON 150MG OF SERTRALINE ATM THANK YOU EVERYONE SOMEONE PLEASE REPLY ASAP, IM FREAKING OUT:unsure:

[golddustgirl1000]

I've been getting these lately.. in my armpits.. its been alternating armpits for 3-4 weeks now.. one will swell then shrink, then the one next to it swells.. then one pops up in other armpit..

Mine are always painful too.. trying not to worry.