Moving on to lymphoma worries

[cattia]

How do I deal with moving from one set of symptoms to the next? Every time I'm convinced that this time it's not a false alarm. I went to the Dr today about the feeling of food stuck in one side of my throat when I swallow. She said my throat looks fine but she said I have a swollen gland in my neck on that side (front of neck, about half way down). She said it's probably just swelled in response to an infection but to come back if it's still there in three weeks. I haven't been ill or had an infection and for all I know it could have been there for months as I can't feel it myself. I just don't know how to deal with yet another period of waiting and worrying. I also have my smear test in the morning so I'll be waiting on those results anxiously too.

[pulisa]

If you can't feel it yourself how will you know whether it is still "there" in 3 weeks? Is your GP aware that you have HA? Would it help to have a white blood count done to rule out infection? I think I would ask for an ultrasound if my blood count was normal.

[Fishmanpa]

Just the fact your "moving on" to another fear just affirms the real illness is not physical. Our bodies react to all sorts of stimuli and 99.9% of the time it's benign and just the way our bodies work. Look at the bright side, you won't be thinking as much about the urinary symptoms ;) PS... DON'T POKE AND PROD!

Positive thoughts

[pulisa]

Waiting is awful particularly when you won't be able to make an accurate assessment yourself.

[cattia]

I've booked an appointment in three weeks to get the doctor to check it seeing as I can't really feel it myself. I try to make a point of not checking nodes since I know it will make me worry and I was actually dreading that she would say I had a swollen node which she then did. She seemed to think it was caused by infection but I know I haven't had one recently.
Fishman, yes, I think the fact that the urinary symptoms have subsided is what's set me on a new course of worry. There was a time when I could go months between worries but now it's constant from one to the next. When a doctor notices a physical anomaly like this it really sets me off. Last few times I had a blood count my white cells were on the low side and at the time I googled and it came back with some cancers as a possible cause. I'm too scared to Google again and I know it will only make me worse. I should add all my results were within normal limits, just ferritin and leukocytes low end of normal. I know I'll have to wait ages for an ultrasound, HA makes me just want answers right now.