worriermama
08-05-18, 10:50
Hi all,
Well, ten weeks ago while I had a nasty cold I broke out in some small hives. They never really went away, but they are well controlled with antihistamines. I am seeing an allergist and just had labs drawn for a workup for the hives (two weeks for results).
I was feeling okay about things until I discovered one new palpable lymph node on the right side of my neck, and that an existing palpable one on the left side of my neck has gotten bigger.
So now with the hives/itching plus the lymph nodes I'm terrified it's some kind of lymphoma.
The brand new one on the right feels smaller than 1cm and is pretty movable and squishy so that's somewhat comforting. The older one that has grown somewhat is still *I think* smaller than pea-size but it feels kind of flat/long. It's also more rubbery and fairly fixed in place which of course scares me. But again I have a vague sense that it's not a totally new one.
The itching feels pretty mild and superficial in the sense that it's easy to relieve with scratching and it doesn't wake me at night or anything. I would say that overall the hives were worse when this first started and have improved a bit. When it first started I was getting bigger angrier red patches and more frequently, and had some welts. Now I am mostly just getting smaller patches a bit less frequently unless my skin is irritated from some kind of friction/pressure which can make it flare up.
I have a two year old and a four year old so we have a lot of germs passing through our house. Before I noticed these nodes I do remember feeling like I had a bit of a mild sore throat and some post nasal drip in the mornings for several days. I think that was the week before I found the nodes.
If anyone has some words of comfort I could really use them right now. And thank you for reading this.
---------- Post added 08-05-18 at 02:50 ---------- Previous post was 07-05-18 at 23:21 ----------
2:30 am and I just woke up in a panic.
I am going to try to reframe things here.
-I don't think my nodes technically meet the criteria for "enlarged."
-I do not have a fever.
-I have not lost weight.
-I don't have night sweats apart from my normal hormonal sweating that happens every month before my period (very normal for me, not drenching just damp)
-I have had lymph nodes pop up before, including two that were fixed in place and hung around for many months before shrinking (under jaw and behind ear)
The hives are a mystery and very annoying but apparently a cause for hives is never discovered in 80% of cases.
I am under a lot of stress which is known to cause or contribute to hives, eczema, etc.
I have a personal history of sensitive skin, allergies, hives, and rashes.
My husband said yesterday that he felt under the weather, like he was fighting off a virus.
Going to try to get back to sleep. Thanks for reading.
Well, ten weeks ago while I had a nasty cold I broke out in some small hives. They never really went away, but they are well controlled with antihistamines. I am seeing an allergist and just had labs drawn for a workup for the hives (two weeks for results).
I was feeling okay about things until I discovered one new palpable lymph node on the right side of my neck, and that an existing palpable one on the left side of my neck has gotten bigger.
So now with the hives/itching plus the lymph nodes I'm terrified it's some kind of lymphoma.
The brand new one on the right feels smaller than 1cm and is pretty movable and squishy so that's somewhat comforting. The older one that has grown somewhat is still *I think* smaller than pea-size but it feels kind of flat/long. It's also more rubbery and fairly fixed in place which of course scares me. But again I have a vague sense that it's not a totally new one.
The itching feels pretty mild and superficial in the sense that it's easy to relieve with scratching and it doesn't wake me at night or anything. I would say that overall the hives were worse when this first started and have improved a bit. When it first started I was getting bigger angrier red patches and more frequently, and had some welts. Now I am mostly just getting smaller patches a bit less frequently unless my skin is irritated from some kind of friction/pressure which can make it flare up.
I have a two year old and a four year old so we have a lot of germs passing through our house. Before I noticed these nodes I do remember feeling like I had a bit of a mild sore throat and some post nasal drip in the mornings for several days. I think that was the week before I found the nodes.
If anyone has some words of comfort I could really use them right now. And thank you for reading this.
---------- Post added 08-05-18 at 02:50 ---------- Previous post was 07-05-18 at 23:21 ----------
2:30 am and I just woke up in a panic.
I am going to try to reframe things here.
-I don't think my nodes technically meet the criteria for "enlarged."
-I do not have a fever.
-I have not lost weight.
-I don't have night sweats apart from my normal hormonal sweating that happens every month before my period (very normal for me, not drenching just damp)
-I have had lymph nodes pop up before, including two that were fixed in place and hung around for many months before shrinking (under jaw and behind ear)
The hives are a mystery and very annoying but apparently a cause for hives is never discovered in 80% of cases.
I am under a lot of stress which is known to cause or contribute to hives, eczema, etc.
I have a personal history of sensitive skin, allergies, hives, and rashes.
My husband said yesterday that he felt under the weather, like he was fighting off a virus.
Going to try to get back to sleep. Thanks for reading.