View Full Version : Swollen Lymph Node on neck
It’s been a long time but I’ve found myself back here.
I took a flight at the beginning of Nov, had a really painful case of airplane ears after landing and after taking medication for a few days I was unable to get my ears to pop and it sounded like a plastic bag.
A week after I got home I noticed on the left side of my neck I had a swollen node, naturally I played it and I couldn’t keep my hands off it. After I got home I looked in the mirror and noticed it was a rather large lump. I immediately made a doctors appointment for that Monday, I saw the doctor and he automatically assumed it had to do with my ear pain from the travelers ear. He ordered a CBC, and a CRP test, a white blood cell differential and an ESR test. And sent me home on Bactrim for 10 days. He emailed me saying that the test results came back as an infection or inflammation indication... most of the symptoms I was having have cleared up. No longer have a fever, body aches, chills,
But the node on my neck is still enlarged and I have a phone appointment with him tomorrow and I think he wants to get a CT scan of my neck if the node wasn’t gone after a 10 day treatment.
I’m doing my best not to freak out, because the node is still there, it not getting bigger, it’s no longer sensitive when I touch it. I can move it around slightly, it feels soft slightly rubbery when I push on it. It’s not red, or growing in size, it’s not hot or warm when I touch it..
Overall I just feel myself slipping into that panic mode again... because now I’m scared that because the antibiotics didn’t make the node go down my mind is racing.... and I can’t help but let my imagination go wild on what this thing is.
I’m still working and overall feel good..
Just can’t help but start to stop panic.
I'm a Head and Neck cancer survivor. First off, the meds stay in your system for a bit after you finish them and it may take another couple of weeks for the node to settle. It's mobile (mine wasn't), rubbery (mine was hard as a rock and totally painless) and hasn't grown (mine did noticeably). You also tested positive for an infection (my bloods were clear).
Poking and prodding it will only prolong the healing process. You know this but you have to resist the urge to feel it. You can also make it go shotty by doing so. Talk to your doctor and see what he says. It's only been a couple of weeks since this started and you really do have to give it time to heal.
Positive thoughts
I'm a Head and Neck cancer survivor. First off, the meds stay in your system for a bit after you finish them and it may take another couple of weeks for the node to settle. It's mobile (mine wasn't), rubbery (mine was hard as a rock and totally painless) and hasn't grown (mine did noticeably). You also tested positive for an infection (my bloods were clear).
Poking and prodding it will only prolong the healing process. You know this but you have to resist the urge to feel it. You can also make it go shotty by doing so. Talk to your doctor and see what he says. It's only been a couple of weeks since this started and you really do have to give it time to heal.
Positive thoughts
Thank you for the reply Fishmanpa, I did a follow up this morning per doctors request and he wants to run the blood tests over again and send me to an ENT, so I suppose we will see where that goes. I am trying to stay level headed and keep the dragon out of my head, it’s just hard when you already struggle with the anxiety of it and now have to deal with a symptom that could potentially be serious. Or could be absolutely nothing which is what I am trying to stay focused on. I was feeling vulnerable at the time when I posted this and just wanted some support From the group. I’ll try posting a photo again, it feels a lot better to me but it’s still enlarged on the left cervical neck node.
He's practicing CYA medicine, doing his job and that's a good thing even though I know it ramps up your HA.
One step at a time ya hear? And a photo won't do a thing. No one here can diagnose from a photo. Heck, even a medical professional can't ;)
Positive thoughts
Just a follow up for any future HA friend, today I had an appointment with an ENT specialist, the node was measured at 1cm to 1.5cm which is under the 2cm mark they were also movable and he said this is most likely a benign case. He then gave me a numbing against and stuck a camera up my nose, and down into my throat looking for signs of anything. I watched it all on a tv screen and it was painless, he walked me through everything he was seeing and told that everything looks normal. I am having blood work done again to check white blood cells and CRP levels. And just as a full no stones left unturned I am having a Ct scan with contrast on my neck this weekend. I will do a follow up post for closure when I get these tests back.
Update: blood work all came back with normal values after antibiotics, CT scan came back all normal except finding one cervical node measuring 1.6cm x 1cm and a few others that were enlarged but under 1cm in size. The doctor says this is likely caused by reactive from the infection. However I am still concerned that the node on my neck is still enlarged after a month, although it is smaller, I asked if he would suggest a biopsy at this point to rule out any underlying conditions that may also be coincidental? I am also concerned with the of the largest one being 1.6cm long by 1cm wide.
I will be getting a clotting blood test done on Saturday, and then a fine needle biopsy of the node done on Thursday. After the results come back from the biopsy I will do a final update, right now my mind is racing with panic about lymphoma because of the nodes still being somewhat large and noticeable after antibiotics and a months worth of time passing.
Update: blood work all came back with normal values after antibiotics, CT scan came back all normal except finding one cervical node measuring 1.6cm x 1cm and a few others that were enlarged but under 1cm in size. The doctor says this is likely caused by reactive from the infection. However I am still concerned that the node on my neck is still enlarged after a month, although it is smaller, I asked if he would suggest a biopsy at this point to rule out any underlying conditions that may also be coincidental? I am also concerned with the of the largest one being 1.6cm long by 1cm wide.
I will be getting a clotting blood test done on Saturday, and then a fine needle biopsy of the node done on Thursday. After the results come back from the biopsy I will do a final update, right now my mind is racing with panic about lymphoma because of the nodes still being somewhat large and noticeable after antibiotics and a months worth of time passing.
You say it's getting smaller. Cancer doesn't get smallee, but I totally understand your angst. The getting smaller part would be a huge factor in keeping me calm if I were you.
You say it's getting smaller. Cancer doesn't get smallee, but I totally understand your angst. The getting smaller part would be a huge factor in keeping me calm if I were you.
It is making me feel better and I am thankful for the bloodwork being clear and the CT being clear, except for the nodes themselves. The only reason they are even bugging me is because even though it’s improved it bugs me it’s still there. I’ve included a photo for everyone to see.
Bottom left is a few days after I noticed it. Top left is after full antibiotic treatment of 10 days. And the right photo was taken about two weeks ago.
Just an update in case anyone was following or stumbled across this. And since I hate when people start threads and don’t follow up.
I had my Core Needle Biopsy done today. The procedure itself was painless and I even opted out of the sedation based on the advice from the nurse, I took the option of local anesthesia, which was two injections in the neck. The surgeon took about 8 samples from 2 nodes 1 from the largest node measuring 1.56cm long by 1cm wide. And samples from the node close to it.
I will wrap this post up with the findings when I get them sometime next week. Now the long worried waiting game, until I get a phone call with my results.. wish me luck ! Pretty scared right now of the unknown.
Final update:
Core biopsy returned as inadequate, so out of 8 samples taken the highly trained specialist who’s been doing this for 14 years multiple times and day for his career failed to get an adequate sample while using an ultrasound guided needle.
At this point my doctor feels that we need to play the wait and see game. He feels that whatever is going on is benign in nature, and that based on the facts and tests that have been presented and done. It does not represent the need for further invasive testing at this time.
So I guess that’s where it’s at. I have to trust that this doctor from John Hopkins knows what he’s doing and try to continue on with my life with a possible lump on the side of my neck for the rest of my life.
Cheers!
WiseMonkey
04-01-19, 22:12
Final update:
Core biopsy returned as inadequate, so out of 8 samples taken the highly trained specialist who’s been doing this for 14 years multiple times and day for his career failed to get an adequate sample while using an ultrasound guided needle.
At this point my doctor feels that we need to play the wait and see game. He feels that whatever is going on is benign in nature, and that based on the facts and tests that have been presented and done. It does not represent the need for further invasive testing at this time.
So I guess that’s where it’s at. I have to trust that this doctor from John Hopkins knows what he’s doing and try to continue on with my life with a possible lump on the side of my neck for the rest of my life.
Cheers!
This is good news for you and you can always get your Dr to check out the node when you see him/her next. I take it not all the 8 samples were 'inadequate'. Did he give any reasons for the inadequate sample/s?
If you had anything more serious going on you would have other symptoms which you don't have. I think you need to take the very experienced Dr's word for it that your node is benign. I know some people have lymph nodes that go up and down depending on whether they have infections or not.
ps. keep your fingers off it, leave that to your Dr :)
Doctors words “unfortunately all the samples the special took were of muscle and fat tissue and not tissue of the node itself.”
To be fair this node that’s swollen is a level 3 node that between muscles and it hard to get. The only reason I got the biopsy anyway was that I was concerned that the lymph node was still swollen after the course of antibiotics. Even though it did reduce in size.
He told me that the size of nodes he expects to see from a bacterial or viral infection in the cervical neck area is 1.5cm and mine is 1.56cm. And it’s the only one of its size in the area, some others are inflamed but under the 1cm mark.
He suggested that if I wanted to be sure. Give it 6 months and get another CT scan with contrast. To check the size of the nodes again. But that it was only for my curiousity and not medically required as he feels it’s the left over scar tissue from the infection I had and that the node would remain this size permanently.
He told me that while he studying lymphoma in college he was reminded of a lymph node on himself kinda like me. And that he got all scared about it and monitored it, and it’s been that way for 27 years.
I have faith in his knowledge. It’s just scary to have a constant visible reminder of a swollen enlarged node on the left side of your neck, that also happens to be one of the earliest signs of lymphoma. Mix that with being a hypochondriac, and that explains why I’m back here 🙂
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