(20M) Persistent Itch, Worried it's Lymphoma

[cheshire997]

For the past couple of weeks, there's been a persistent itch on both my arms (although it's more frequent on my right arm). At first I didn't think much of it but yesterday, I noticed a few bumps on my arms. They're tiny and scattered apart. I don't think they're swollen lymph nodes (I've had swollen lymph nodes before and the bumps look too small to be that). They don't hurt unless I press down really hard. They're slightly reddish (although it becomes colourless every now and then). Most of them aren't in the areas of itchiness.

I have no idea what's going on. The best way I can describe the itch is that they're the same kind of itch you get with a rash or a mosquito bite. There's no rash on the areas of itchiness. They come and go several times a day. I haven't changed soaps or shampoos. I don't have any allergies. I'm not on any medication. The itch just won't go away. I'm scared it's lymphoma, itchiness being one of the symptoms.


I've been largely free of health anxiety for the better part of a year and a half. There have been a few minor scares now and again, but this is the largest one so far. I'm terrified.

[nomorepanic]

Why can't it be something more obvious like:

dermatitis: inflammation of the skin.

eczema: a chronic skin disorder that includes itchy, scaly rashes.

psoriasis: an autoimmune disease that causes skin redness and irritation, usually in the form of plaques.

I bet you have googled itchy skin and cancer and found Lymphoma :winks:

[cheshire997]

I've actually had eczema on my back since I was a teen. I don't have eczema on my arms and the eczema never itched like this. The thing that's worrying me is that there are no rashes or redness or anything of that sort in the areas of itchiness. And yes, haha, I Googled it. Tried to fight it for a while but eventually just caved in.

[nomorepanic]

Well you will always find cancer when you look for it.

If it doesn't go away then see a doctor for advice.

[doglover1967]

I was once convinced (after a long break from HA) that I had lymphoma due to full body, absolutely relentless itching. I had not started any new meds, new soaps, food, etc. I was sleeping only a few minutes a night due to this ridiculous itching. I started eliminating things that I’d been using for years, thinking maybe they’d changed their formulas. No change. Almost three weeks I’d been itching 24/7 and bordering on exhaustion due to scratching myself bloody all night, I went and had my usually prescriptions refilled. That night I remembered my dr had increased the dosage of my blood pressure meds. Not changed, just doubled the mgs of the same medication. I saw her the next day and she reluctantly changed me to a different medication (reluctantly because this one was controlling my BP perfectly) and the itching stopped within 2 days.

All this to say you may not realize something changed, but it may have.

Of course this could also be anxiety, cause we all know too well how it can manifest in the body!

[cheshire997]

So for the past couple days, the itch has somewhat subsided. It's not completely gone but it's definitely occurring less frequently. I was starting to put the whole thing out of my mind.

Then, this morning, there was a persistent itch at a spot on my right arm. I scratched at it for awhile, and when I was done, this red bump appeared on the spot. It's soft, squishy, doesn't hurt. The bumps I found previously are still there, they haven't changed sizes or anything. I'm freaking out right now.

It just doesn't feel like a health anxiety thing. I've had bouts of anxiety before, I've had aches and bowel problems and trouble swallowing. I've never had itchiness before. And I don't know what these strange bumps on my arms are. Still worried it's lymphoma.

[LunarCoffee]

You haven't really described the bumps much, but I also had some red itchy squishy bumps recently. How big are they? If they're small, it could be due to clothing reuse (like if you don't wear a new shirt every day), the sun, random irritants in the air, but definitely not lymphoma. Lymphomas are hard and immovable, and unless the bumps are mostly under the skin and are very hard, then there's no way it's lymphoma.

[cheshire997]

You haven't really described the bumps much, but I also had some red itchy squishy bumps recently. How big are they? If they're small, it could be due to clothing reuse (like if you don't wear a new shirt every day), the sun, random irritants in the air, but definitely not lymphoma. Lymphomas are hard and immovable, and unless the bumps are mostly under the skin and are very hard, then there's no way it's lymphoma.

Thanks. I was relieved for abit after reading this. The swollen red bump from yesterday has reduced to the same size as the other bumps on my arms. One of the initial bumps I noticed has also reduced in size. I calmed down for about an hour but then I remembered something and started freaking out again.

- GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION AHEAD - I remembered I had an ingrown hair cyst in my pubic area that popped up a few weeks ago after I shaved. I shave and cysts have popped up in the past so I didn’t think much about it. But now I’m freaking out, wondering if it’s not a cyst but a swollen lymph node. It’s hard and swollen, it doesn’t hurt. I tried popping it but that hasn’t worked.

[SetYourMindFree]

Thanks. I was relieved for abit after reading this. The swollen red bump from yesterday has reduced to the same size as the other bumps on my arms. One of the initial bumps I noticed has also reduced in size. I calmed down for about an hour but then I remembered something and started freaking out again.

- GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION AHEAD - I remembered I had an ingrown hair cyst in my pubic area that popped up a few weeks ago after I shaved. I shave and cysts have popped up in the past so I didn’t think much about it. But now I’m freaking out, wondering if it’s not a cyst but a swollen lymph node. It’s hard and swollen, it doesn’t hurt. I tried popping it but that hasn’t worked.

First and foremost, when lymph nodes flare up, there is absolutely ZERO way to confuse it with something you can pop. If it is on the skin, it isn't a lymph node. 2nd, itching is not a classical sign of lymphoma. Can it be a sign? Yes but it without a large swollen node, night sweats, weight loss, severe fatigue, etc, is not concerning by itself. I have also never heard of lymphoma itching being symmetrical on your body, as you described. My wife on the other hand has eczema that flares up on her thighs on the exact same spot on each thigh. It comes and goes and you described.

[cheshire997]

I went to the clinic today and had a GP look at the lump at my pubic area. He looked at it and poked and prodded at it for a few seconds and said it was most likely an infection from accidentally nicking myself while shaving. I explicitly asked him if it was a swollen lymph node and he said no.

I'm still a bit skeptical though, as the lump feels like it's under the skin and I don't think he took longer than a couple of seconds inspecting it.

I want to thank everyone who's replied. I know I probably sound crazy and delusional, but right now, I'm seriously worried and convinced I have lymphoma.