Concerning, focused upper back pain

[darkside4k]

So for the past several weeks I've been having this weird back pain on / off. It's basically right in between shoulder blades on my spine and its very focused just like maybe an inch long area along my spine. Like literally right on or next to my spine. It's a throbbing pain that lasts anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes and then will go away only to come back again later.

The past couple nights I have actually woken up with it, which is very, very concerning to me as nocturnal back pain is not a good sign at all.

I'm really at a loss for what it could be. I had a chest and back X-Ray, as well as neck X-Ray which were all normal. I do not recall injuring myself.

I may have to make another appointment and press for something like an MRI since the pain is still present.

I do know some lymphomas can spread to the back which concerns me since I have been dealing with a lymphoma fear for the last few months.

[AMomentofClarity]

Talk to Hypo27.....he also “has” a lymphoma in his back.

You guys can have your own little support group.

[utrocket09]

So for the past several weeks I've been having this weird back pain on / off. It's basically right in between shoulder blades on my spine and its very focused just like maybe an inch long area along my spine. Like literally right on or next to my spine. It's a throbbing pain that lasts anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes and then will go away only to come back again later.

The past couple nights I have actually woken up with it, which is very, very concerning to me as nocturnal back pain is not a good sign at all.

I'm really at a loss for what it could be. I had a chest and back X-Ray, as well as neck X-Ray which were all normal. I do not recall injuring myself.

I may have to make another appointment and press for something like an MRI since the pain is still present.

I do know some lymphomas can spread to the back which concerns me since I have been dealing with a lymphoma fear for the last few months.


Ya that is not how lymphoma works. Talk to Hypo he apparently has spine cancer too.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Muscular tension most likely. Hypo has spent ages worrying over various cancers believing his symptoms can't be for what many of us on here have been dealing with as an anxiety symptom for years.

It could also be a nerve spasm. They can be quite unpleasant and do throb like a heartbeat.

[Carys]

It staggers me how many xrays and scans are offered, and very quickly, for some people with their health anxiety.

[AMomentofClarity]

It staggers me how many xrays and scans are offered, and very quickly, for some people with their health anxiety.

As we or our insurance is paying, it’s a for profit business just like any other. The medical industry runs on supply and demand just like everything else.

That being said, it’s also HA sufferers who game the system. Going to different doctors, ERs, specialists, etc until you find one who will give you what you want. You can see a pretty broad number/type of specialists without ever seeing a PCP.

[pulisa]

You can see why the private sector want to encourage HA here in the UK too. Loads of money to be made from reassuring the "worried well" with the offer of tests and scans to suit their perceived needs.

[AMomentofClarity]

You can see why the private sector want to encourage HA here in the UK too. Loads of money to be made from reassuring the "worried well" with the offer of tests and scans to suit their perceived needs.

Absolutely! There’s actually companies popping up around here that offer “full body scans” etc completely outside the scope of normal medical care.

The funny thing is though, it’s this wide availability of options that makes me doubt that posters like Hypo aren’t just attention seeking....I mean after 2 years you could have easily gotten any scan/screening you wanted. The fact that people don’t just tells me they don’t really believe they have cancer and instead just prefer the attention they get from claiming they do.

[MyNameIsTerry]

And now we have genetic marker testing. But like the internet, the gun and nuclear fission, science meant to improve mankind and wasn't so much considering how mankind misuse everything.

I've read before how we have a problem with the private sector in the UK performing unnecessary surgeries on people with BDD. It baffles me how doctors get way with stuff like this but then the BMA give many a doctor a slap on the wrist. That worrying old argument about how much training has cost and how much replacing costs pops up which is always a slippery slope for justice.

One look at celebrities and we can see how the private medical sector seems to operate without conscience. Our US members will know it more than we do as our celebs are playing catch up on Hollywood to start looking like some new alien race all in the pursuit of youth. :doh::shrug:

[darkside4k]

Hey everybody,

So for the last 2 weeks or so the pain went away basically completely. Definitely last week while I went to Disney World and was on vacation I literally did not notice it one time and any time during the entire trip and I don't think I noticed it in the several days leading up to that either. However, Sunday, which was the day after we arrived back home, I noticed it returning and now it is back basically. I'm trying not to worry but it's so strange.

It's an upper back pain kind of in between my shoulders. I'm worried it is lymphoma or colon cancer that has spread to my spine. However, would that disappear for at least like 10-12 days entirely and then come back? I can kind of trigger it if I bend my head all the way down and like try to touch my chin to my chest. Anyone else ever experienced this kind of focused pain / tightness / soreness in this area?

I haven't been having many other symptoms other than that.

[AMomentofClarity]

Hey everybody,

So for the last 2 weeks or so the pain went away basically completely. Definitely last week while I went to Disney World and was on vacation I literally did not notice it one time and any time during the entire trip and I don't think I noticed it in the several days leading up to that either. However, Sunday, which was the day after we arrived back home, I noticed it returning and now it is back basically. I'm trying not to worry but it's so strange.

It's an upper back pain kind of in between my shoulders. I'm worried it is lymphoma or colon cancer that has spread to my spine. However, would that disappear for at least like 10-12 days entirely and then come back? I can kind of trigger it if I bend my head all the way down and like try to touch my chin to my chest. Anyone else ever experienced this kind of focused pain / tightness / soreness in this area?

I haven't been having many other symptoms other than that.

Welcome back darkside. Happy New Year

[BlueIris]

Honestly, it sounds as though you were able to relax and have a fun vacation, which is awesome! Now you're back, though, you're tensing up again and the pain's returned.

I get this fairly often myself, and it's horrendous. Maybe ask your wife to give you a shoulder rub to help loosen things up?

[fightOrflight]

I'm not a doctor but it sounds like stress, the muscle cramped up and caused pain. You were able to relax and it went away, now your stress is back and the pain is back. I had a recurring neck pain, shoulder blade pain, shoulder pain, lower back pain. It comes and goes, I got x-rays no cancer. They wanted to do an MRI about 2 years ago and I declined. So far it's all good if it had been cancer I'd be dead by now. I rarely get pain nowadays, only if I sleep on the wrong position or look at my phone with my neck bent down(chin to chest) for too long.

[darkside4k]

Still dealing with some mild mid, upper back pain between my shoulders kinda right on spine. Bums me out makes me worry I have cancer that had spread to my spine or even primary spinal tumor.

I had an X-Ray (back and chest) which was clear. A spinal tumor might not show on an X-Ray though. :/

Trying not to stress but I'm pretty worried about this.

[utrocket09]

Still dealing with some mild mid, upper back pain between my shoulders kinda right on spine. Bums me out makes me worry I have cancer that had spread to my spine or even primary spinal tumor.

I had an X-Ray (back and chest) which was clear. A spinal tumor might not show on an X-Ray though. :/

Trying not to stress but I'm pretty worried about this.

They do show up on x ray. So that saying they do not always show up is false. You had an x ray which was clear. Let it go

[darkside4k]

Woke up with mild pain in same spot again today. I’m legit worried. Why am I waking up with pain after just laying in bed? It shouldn’t be hurting at all.

I’m worried I’ll have to go back to the doctor and push for more tests. It’s almodt been a month since this pain first appeared. It did disappear for about 7-10 days over Christmas and New Years but I am so bummed that it has returned.

It’s right in between my shoulders on my spine and seems to be more the right side of the spine that is hurting.

[pulisa]

You could always try a TENS machine

[megan91]

Woke up with mild pain in same spot again today. I’m legit worried. Why am I waking up with pain after just laying in bed? It shouldn’t be hurting at all.

I’m worried I’ll have to go back to the doctor and push for more tests. It’s almodt been a month since this pain first appeared. It did disappear for about 7-10 days over Christmas and New Years but I am so bummed that it has returned.

It’s right in between my shoulders on my spine and seems to be more the right side of the spine that is hurting.

I go to bed with no pain and wake up with pain allllllll the time. Maybe it's the way you sleep or your bed/pillow.

[darkside4k]

I think I'll have to go back to the doctor.

The back pain is still present today. I still believe it feels different than other back pain I've had in the past. Also, that area of my spine is tender to touch if I press on it with my finger. I don't really notice it being tender if I am just sitting in a chair, etc. Secondly, the presence of the enlarged lymph nodes in my neck (1.9cm confirmed on ultrasound) lead me to believe I have lymphoma that has spread to my spine.

I'm frustrated that I feel like I'm not able to get a doctor to take it seriously but I guess I will have to be persistent. I went to an ENT doctor last week and she did not feel anything concerning in my neck from the outside.

I guess I will go back to my primary care doctor and report the back pain is still present (started a month ago - though was gone for about 7-10 days over Christmas vacation). Also will report that combined with the lymph nodes in my neck have me very concerned I have cancer that is spreading and would like to investigate more to determine if that is the case.

[AMomentofClarity]

I think I'll have to go back to the doctor.

The back pain is still present today. I still believe it feels different than other back pain I've had in the past. Also, that area of my spine is tender to touch if I press on it with my finger. I don't really notice it being tender if I am just sitting in a chair, etc. Secondly, the presence of the enlarged lymph nodes in my neck (1.9cm confirmed on ultrasound) lead me to believe I have lymphoma that has spread to my spine.

I'm frustrated that I feel like I'm not able to get a doctor to take it seriously but I guess I will have to be persistent. I went to an ENT doctor last week and she did not feel anything concerning in my neck from the outside.

I guess I will go back to my primary care doctor and report the back pain is still present (started a month ago - though was gone for about 7-10 days over Christmas vacation). Also will report that combined with the lymph nodes in my neck have me very concerned I have cancer that is spreading and would like to investigate more to determine if that is the case.

Good luck!

[WiseMonkey]

I think I'll have to go back to the doctor.

The back pain is still present today. I still believe it feels different than other back pain I've had in the past. Also, that area of my spine is tender to touch if I press on it with my finger. I don't really notice it being tender if I am just sitting in a chair, etc. Secondly, the presence of the enlarged lymph nodes in my neck (1.9cm confirmed on ultrasound) lead me to believe I have lymphoma that has spread to my spine.

I'm frustrated that I feel like I'm not able to get a doctor to take it seriously but I guess I will have to be persistent. I went to an ENT doctor last week and she did not feel anything concerning in my neck from the outside.

I guess I will go back to my primary care doctor and report the back pain is still present (started a month ago - though was gone for about 7-10 days over Christmas vacation). Also will report that combined with the lymph nodes in my neck have me very concerned I have cancer that is spreading and would like to investigate more to determine if that is the case.

Various aches and pains are a part of ageing, yes even when you're in your 30's. They can also be muscle tension. Not every ache or pain is a cancer, you are obsessed with cancer.

Doesn't it strike you as strange, the number of (perceived) cancers you've had and that your morbid thoughts about cancer aren't real plus you haven't died?

Your poor partner/wife must be ready to throw in the towel for a new model...you must be so much fun to be with!

Just think about how quickly your cancer symptoms would disappear if that happened :lac:

[darkside4k]

Why would I have a persistently enlarged 2cm lymph node in my neck if I did not have lymphoma?

[utrocket09]

I think I'll have to go back to the doctor.

The back pain is still present today. I still believe it feels different than other back pain I've had in the past. Also, that area of my spine is tender to touch if I press on it with my finger. I don't really notice it being tender if I am just sitting in a chair, etc. Secondly, the presence of the enlarged lymph nodes in my neck (1.9cm confirmed on ultrasound) lead me to believe I have lymphoma that has spread to my spine.

I'm frustrated that I feel like I'm not able to get a doctor to take it seriously but I guess I will have to be persistent. I went to an ENT doctor last week and she did not feel anything concerning in my neck from the outside.

I guess I will go back to my primary care doctor and report the back pain is still present (started a month ago - though was gone for about 7-10 days over Christmas vacation). Also will report that combined with the lymph nodes in my neck have me very concerned I have cancer that is spreading and would like to investigate more to determine if that is the case.

Darkside don't you feel bad at all for people like my aunt whom actually have cancer? In fact my aunt is so weak and frail she cannot even sit up. Not only can she not sit up from weakness and pain, she cannot function.

Your obsession with cancer is sick, what fun you must be when you are not here insisting you are ill.

[venusbluejeans]

Darkside don't you feel bad at all for people like my aunt whom actually have cancer? In fact my aunt is so weak and frail she cannot even sit up. Not only can she not sit up from weakness and pain, she cannot function.

Your obsession with cancer is sick, what fun you must be when you are not here insisting you are ill.

Unfortunately it is the nature of the beast when in the grips of health anxiety. The sufferer will obsessively post about things and mostly not take anything in and it can come across that they do not care about others or ignore any advive given to them as their thoughts are very strong. I do not suffer from HA but see it everyday on here and get just as frustrated and angry as anyone else about the persons inability to see past their own situation and sometimes just want to shake some sense into the person suffering..... I guess it is like any mental health disorder, you never know how debilitating it can be until you actually suffer from it yourself.....


What is health anxiety?


Health anxiety is an obsessive and irrational worry about having a serious medical condition. It’s also called illness anxiety, and was formerly called hypochondria. This condition is marked by a person’s imagination of physical symptoms of illness.
Or in other cases, it’s a person’s misinterpretation of minor or normal body sensations as serious disease symptoms despite reassurance by medical professionals that they don’t have an illness.
What’s the difference between concern for your health and health anxiety?

If your body is sending you signs that you’re ill, it’s normal to be concerned. Health anxiety is marked by constant belief that you have a symptom or symptoms of a severe illness. You may become so consumed by worry that the distress becomes disabling.
If you’re concerned about your health, the rational thing to do is see your doctor. With health anxiety, you’ll feel extreme distress about your real or imagined symptoms even after medical test results come back negative and doctors reassure you that you’re healthy.
This condition goes beyond having a normal concern for one’s health. It has the potential to interfere with a person’s quality of life, including their abilities to:


work in a professional or academic setting
function on a daily basis
create and maintain meaningful relationships



utrocket09 I send my love and good wishes to your aunt.... cancer is a horrible disease which doesn't care who it hurts :weep: I have lost several people in the past couple of years through cancer and it is an awful and cruel thing to watch. I also send a huge hug to you. when cancer affects a family sometimes the people around the sufferer get forgotten about a bit when they are hurting too watching the person suffer... I will keep my fingers crossed for you and your aunt.

[utrocket09]

Unfortunately it is the nature of the beast when in the grips of health anxiety. The sufferer will obsessively post about things and mostly not take anything in and it can come across that they do not care about others or ignore any advive given to them as their thoughts are very strong. I do not suffer from HA but see it everyday on here and get just as frustrated and angry as anyone else about the persons inability to see past their own situation and sometimes just want to shake some sense into the person suffering..... I guess it is like any mental health disorder, you never know how debilitating it can be until you actually suffer from it yourself.....



utrocket09 I send my love and good wishes to your aunt.... cancer is a horrible disease which doesn't care who it hurts :weep: I have lost several people in the past couple of years through cancer and it is an awful and cruel thing to watch. I also send a huge hug to you. when cancer affects a family sometimes the people around the sufferer get forgotten about a bit when they are hurting too watching the person suffer... I will keep my fingers crossed for you and your aunt.

Thank you. I can see how HA impacts people. But, with Darkside and Hypo this has gone on for pages and years with various types of cancer

[Elen]

Thank you. I can see how HA impacts people. But, with Darkside and Hypo this has gone on for pages and years with various types of cancer

And that is part of the HA cycle.

It is very frustrating for those looking in, but it is up to us ourselves to avoid threads wind us up.

[Dc1980]

How funny... I’m having EXACTLY the same symptoms, been trying to tell the brain to stop putting 2+2 together and coming up with 473838.

I came here thinking I’ll have a look to actually relieve my concern. This thread has done just that!

Very hard to say, but just chill. Try to take note of when you notice things happening. Guarantee you it’s when you’re idle, the minute you’re busy it goes away. If it’s that, it’s your mind having a bit of fun. Let it happen, play it down and it’ll all go away.

[venusbluejeans]

Thank you. I can see how HA impacts people. But, with Darkside and Hypo this has gone on for pages and years with various types of cancer

It is annoying and completely frustrating when you see the same sort of patterns again and again and the members show little sign of trying to help themselves and to be honest I an think of quite a few members who will still be here in a few years posting about the same things as they won't challenge their health anxiety and get totally absorbed in it.

I have got frustrated before and posted in frustration at members showing the behaviour. but then realised that they won't even acknowledge or read the reply let alone take it in as they only read and take in what they want to and that is normally that other members confirm their fears as they are adamant they have the illness.

They seem happy in their own HA world and will not listen to any sort of sense... but they will still post as it is part of their obsession.

In some cases the best way to stop replying to the member and stop giving them the 'reassurance' and attention because they will not listen to any of it unless you tell them they may actually have the illness they think they have (which 99.9999%) of the time they don't.

Why would they post on an anxiety forum and not an illness related one IF they think you have that disease?? ... Because deep down they know they don't have the disease but have HA.

To me HA is a completely bizarre and confusing illness for me as I don't suffer from it..... I just don't get it sometimes.

[pulisa]

Not all people with HA behave like this though. We don't all crave attention-quite the opposite-so it's more about what is in it for people who are comfortable with being hypochondriacs and don't want to change their "status".

[BlueIris]

Pulisa, that's it exactly. For some of us, the last thing we want is for people to notice we think we're dying.

[venusbluejeans]

Not all people with HA behave like this though. We don't all crave attention-quite the opposite-so it's more about what is in it for people who are comfortable with being hypochondriacs and don't want to change their "status".

Completely agree with you Pulisa. nowhere near all of HA sufferers are like it at all and sadly all the focus goes on to those who do show the behaviours as they are very much 'in your face' with all the posting, where a lot of the other HA and other anxiety sufferers get left by the wayside a bit on the forum.

To be honest I have no idea how to 'fix' things, we can't stop members from posting, We can't ban people for posting lots. We can merge the threads which we do do so the posts are contained into one, but people still post.... we have asked people not to post on the threads which annoy and frustrate them as it just feeds the beast... but no matter how many times we say it people still do it seems... but happily some also have taken it on board and have learnt that it just feeds the thread.

Hope you have a peaceful evening :hugs:

[darkside4k]

Still dealing with the back pain. It seems worse if I try to stretch that area or squeeze my shoulder blades together. I can also feel it sometimes if I look down and try to touch my chin to my chest.

Anyone else ever had this?

Really worried it’s bone or spine cancer. The X-Ray didn’t show anything.

[pulisa]

Still dealing with the back pain. It seems worse if I try to stretch that area or squeeze my shoulder blades together. I can also feel it sometimes if I look down and try to touch my chin to my chest.

Anyone else ever had this?

Really worried it’s bone or spine cancer. The X-Ray didn’t show anything.

Not even the slightest bit of wear and tear? You must have a pretty healthy spine. Lucky you.

[Carys]

Soft tissue pain, i.e. sore muscles.




Really worried it’s bone or spine cancer. The X-Ray didn’t show anything.


Well, thats great news isn't it - nothing there OF ANY CONCERN AT ALL.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I think our more mature members will tell you just how many aches & pains you are in for as you age. I'm only 43 and have learned a fair bit in the last 5 years!

I reckon the people I've known in their early twenties with persistent back pain, some who got all the way to back braces and 6 months off, could tell you about how just because you aren't old you can't struggle with a bad back. Anyone who's overdone it physically, not just the guy but in what we would call back breaking work, would tell you how they have lots of aches & pains.

None of them were HAers, it was just a pain in the bum and part of life. For some, it was a condition to treat but not what people on here worry about, something that is resolved and life goes on as normal after having symptoms much more advanced than yours. No cancers. So, why must is be one in your case?

[nomorepanic]

get a massage or see a physio and get the muscles sorted. No cancer though

[darkside4k]

Still having the weird back pain right on my spine in the upper back between my shoulders. It will occur for several seconds then go away, then come back, then go away, etc.

Has anyone else ever had this? I'm growing seriously concerned as it's been over a month since this started.

I think I will have to go back to the doctor.

[utrocket09]

Still having the weird back pain right on my spine in the upper back between my shoulders. It will occur for several seconds then go away, then come back, then go away, etc.

Has anyone else ever had this? I'm growing seriously concerned as it's been over a month since this started.

I think I will have to go back to the doctor.

Sounds like a muscle. If that is it, not much they will do for you other than send you to physical therapy to stretch out the muscle. Trust me, I
someone has terrible back muscle issues.

[livethelife]

hello Darksidek4 - when I first read your post I thought that I may have posted it a month or so ago - I have pain in the same location - I have never had pain like this before - it is between my shoulder blades and right on my spine - when the spot gets pressed I can feel it. It mostly is a burning feeling that I have most of the day but somedays I do get some relief from it. Yesterday was great because it wasn't hurting at all but today it is back to the normal burning pain. I am trying not to google but I am often not successful with that. Plus I have googled so much in the past over the years that I know the symptoms pretty much by heart of all the things that I worry about. I woke up in the middle of the night last night and started panicking because I have also been a bit constipated which isn't normal for me. Then I remembered that I took Advil the day before and that always gets me. But this back pain has really sent my anxiety through the roof. It has been around since early December. I did see my GP just before Christmas and she was not overly concerned. I had blood work done then - your typical stuff - CBC, renal, liver etc and it all came back normal. I will see my GP again next Tuesday and will request an xray this time - I am petrified of having this done for what it might how. Bone cancer has been a long standing fear for me.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Sounds like a muscle. If that is it, not much they will do for you other than send you to physical therapy to stretch out the muscle. Trust me, I
someone has terrible back muscle issues.

Yep, or maybe a nerve. I've noticed ever since having anxiety that I get more nerve issues and especially in the worse periods.

[darkside4k]

Upper back pain is back today. I’ve had periods of it seeming to be totally gone but then it comes back. Like out of the last 10 days I’ve noticed it maybe on 3-4 of them. Does this sound like cancer? Really worried :( I still feel like it’s lymphoma or other cancer that has spread to my bones.

[Midnight-mouse]

Like out of the last 10 days I’ve noticed it maybe on 3-4 of them. Does this sound like cancer? Really worried



Nope, I definitely wouldn’t expect cancer symptoms to come and go, not at all. I’ve seen my fair share of them too sadly.

My bet would be something to do with posture while sitting/standing, how you are sleeping -maybe even needing a new mattress or pillows. Or an exercise you’re doing or even the lack of exercise at all.

Positive vibes,

Mouse


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Carys]

Like out of the last 10 days I’ve noticed it maybe on 3-4 of them. Does this sound like cancer?


I will say this one more time, though really by now you should be saying it to yourself all the time to dismiss this whole 'cancer back pain' thing!


CANCER doesn't come and go, pain from it doesn't come and go.

[nomorepanic]

get a massage or see a physio and get the muscles sorted. No cancer though

This ^^^^

[darkside4k]

I’ve been worrying I have lymphoma for around 6 months now. The bumps I can feel on my neck do not feel particularly larger in that time frame.

However, I have been having weird upper back pain that is very focused on my spine, so I am worried it is lymphoma that has spread to my back. So maybe it is obvious? The pain lasts a few seconds to a few minutes and can happen several times a day.

Would lymphoma be more symptomatic after six months of being untreated?

[Carys]

SO, what happened to the colon cancer that started late December?

[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.

[KK77]

SO, what happened to the colon cancer that started late December?

Absolutely! We're listening, Darkside...

Glad threads were merged :shades:

[utrocket09]

I’ve been worrying I have lymphoma for around 6 months now. The bumps I can feel on my neck do not feel particularly larger in that time frame.

However, I have been having weird upper back pain that is very focused on my spine, so I am worried it is lymphoma that has spread to my back. So maybe it is obvious? The pain lasts a few seconds to a few minutes and can happen several times a day.

Would lymphoma be more symptomatic after six months of being untreated?

So wait..now you have colon cancer and lymphoma? Sorry...hard to believe that. You would be sick as a dog. I watched my aunt die of cancer, she passed away on Monday afternoon from a cancer in the same family as lymphoma

Pretty sure you don't have cancer

[MyNameIsTerry]

So wait..now you have colon cancer and lymphoma? Sorry...hard to believe that. You would be sick as a dog. I watched my aunt die of cancer, she passed away on Monday afternoon from a cancer in the same family as lymphoma

Pretty sure you don't have cancer

Really sorry to hear this :hugs::flowers:

I know you've mentioned a few times about how ill she was with cancer and it must have been a very hard time for you and your loved ones. People on here will offer you support if you need it.

[darkside4k]

Really sorry for your loss utrocket09... hope you are holding up :(

Regarding colon cancer: I did worry about that for a bit back in December because of some constipation issues but that has cleared up and hasn't really been present the last month or so.

One thing that is bothering me is the back pain is kinda spreading down my back now. I feel it down lower than I used to occasionally. Still close to the spine. This makes me think maybe it is cancer that is spreading down my spine. I went to my GP doctor on Monday and he did another X-Ray. Again was clear. But, if the cancer is in the soft tissues of the back due to lymphoma I know that wouldn't show up on X-Ray. :(

[utrocket09]

Really sorry for your loss utrocket09... hope you are holding up :(

Regarding colon cancer: I did worry about that for a bit back in December because of some constipation issues but that has cleared up and hasn't really been present the last month or so.

One thing that is bothering me is the back pain is kinda spreading down my back now. I feel it down lower than I used to occasionally. Still close to the spine. This makes me think maybe it is cancer that is spreading down my spine. I went to my GP doctor on Monday and he did another X-Ray. Again was clear. But, if the cancer is in the soft tissues of the back due to lymphoma I know that wouldn't show up on X-Ray. :(

Seriously...if you had any lesions it would have shown on an x ray. My aunts cancer ate away at the soft part of her bones. Believe me, if you had it you would have other symptoms and you probably would not be able to walk

[Carys]

Regarding colon cancer: I did worry about that for a bit back in December because of some constipation issues but that has cleared up and hasn't really been present the last month or so.
Right, there we go, so wrong again Darkside. Wrong for the 100th time. You need to do something about this - jumping to cancer for every minor issue is abnormal. I'd put a LOT of money on this not being some sort of spine/bone/soft tissue/vague in my insides cancer stuff.

[darkside4k]

Just found out a family friend died of Lymphoma 3 weeks after being diagnosed. They were apparently not even sick prior to their diagnosis. Really sending me into a tailspin with my bumps in my neck for the last 6 months and back pain the last 3 months.

[Scass]

I can see why that would send you spiralling, but you don’t have what they had. Keep telling yourself that.


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[darkside4k]

This honestly has me extremely depressed. I was somewhat finding assurance in the fact that "well, surely I would be more sick by now after 6 months of having Lymphoma"... but this person wasn't even very sick just weeks before he died. I just feel like I've been thrown into a dark hole and I'm not sure how I will recover from this. I have another ENT appointment on March 4 to get another opinion on my neck bumps.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Darkside, I'm very sorry to hear your have lost a friend. :hugs: It's very understandable that this will throw you into a tailspin as your emotions will be all ovet the place.

This very sadly does happen, as I'm sure many of your HAers know from the stories you find online, but be very careful making any comparison. There can be other factors in play in cases like this and some people don't go to see doctors for various reasons which can end up costing them (very sadly).

I hope you all have the support you need at this time but obviously this place is somewhere you can be supported.

[livethelife]

Dark side - I think I posted earlier on this thread. Your story could be my story - except for the lymph node on the neck (I don’t have that). But spine pain right between shoulder blades for almost 3 months. Once in a while I have a day or two where it feels better. The last 3-4’days have been bad. I saw my doctor again today. I had an X-ray a month ago and it was normal. In late December I had blood tests - normal. I had more blood tests done today and will have those results shortly. My doctor will call me at the end of her day. I have requested time off work because i am not coping well. I also requested a CT scan of entire torso. My fear is a tumour somewhere that is making something press on my spine. I am not sure when the CT scan will be done. It might not be for 1-3 months but I’m in the queue. In the meantime i will try Physio and acupuncture to see if I can get some relief.

[darkside4k]

Did you ever find out anything? I’ve had 2 X-Rays now. I still have some good days and some days where I notice more instances of pain. The pain is never constant. It lasts for a few seconds then goes away. Multiple times a day on the bad days. Some days I never notice much pain at all.

I still think I have cancer that has spread to my back. Most likely Lymphoma.

[KK77]

I still think I have cancer that has spread to my back. Most likely Lymphoma.

Do you have palpable lumps in your back then? Any profuse night sweats, abnormal weight loss?

Or just aches and pains in back which tend to come and go?

[darkside4k]

No palpable lumps in the back. No fever of sweats. I have two nodes I can feel in my neck. A pea / bean size one in my groin and back pain.

[darkside4k]

So, I've been worried about lymphoma for 7 months now. It started with feeling a node in my neck in August 2018.

To be honest, I do not feel like that particular node has increased in size much in those 7 months. Maybe not at all that I can tell. Around the same time I also noticed a groin lymph node... about the size of a pea maybe. I have worried about this constantly for 7 months. I have seen one ENT doctor 2 times, and she could not feel anything concerning on my neck (she did not feel my groin). That was in December.

On Monday I saw another ENT at a different hospital. Neither her or her resident seemed to feel anything concerning in my neck. I'm not sure if her resident could feel anything at all really. She really felt around for a while trying to locate what I was showing her. The doctor said she didn't feel anything concerning but to be sure they would do a CT scan in a few weeks. She said anything concerning probably would have presented itself more obviously in 7 months.

So, I kinda left the appointment feeling a little relieved. That makes 2 separate ENTs that haven't felt anything particularly concerning.

However, after my appointment I noticed I feel like my groin node is a bit bigger or more prominent than it used to be. Like it feels closer to the skin. It feels about the size of a purple-hull / black-eyed pea under the skin. Should I be concerned about this? I have read on the Stanford University website for Lymphoma exams that groin lymph nodes can actually be quite large and still be normal - up to 3cm even before being clinical concerning and it also says enlarged groin lymph nodes are quite common.

I'm trying not to worry about this but I'm worried the groin lymph node is indeed showing signs of Lymphoma. :/

[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.

[ankietyjoe]

So, I've been worried about lymphoma for 7 months now. It started with feeling a node in my neck in August 2018.

To be honest, I do not feel like that particular node has increased in size much in those 7 months. Maybe not at all that I can tell. Around the same time I also noticed a groin lymph node... about the size of a pea maybe. I have worried about this constantly for 7 months. I have seen one ENT doctor 2 times, and she could not feel anything concerning on my neck (she did not feel my groin). That was in December.

On Monday I saw another ENT at a different hospital. Neither her or her resident seemed to feel anything concerning in my neck. I'm not sure if her resident could feel anything at all really. She really felt around for a while trying to locate what I was showing her. The doctor said she didn't feel anything concerning but to be sure they would do a CT scan in a few weeks. She said anything concerning probably would have presented itself more obviously in 7 months.

So, I kinda left the appointment feeling a little relieved. That makes 2 separate ENTs that haven't felt anything particularly concerning.

However, after my appointment I noticed I feel like my groin node is a bit bigger or more prominent than it used to be. Like it feels closer to the skin. It feels about the size of a purple-hull / black-eyed pea under the skin. Should I be concerned about this? I have read on the Stanford University website for Lymphoma exams that groin lymph nodes can actually be quite large and still be normal - up to 3cm even before being clinical concerning and it also says enlarged groin lymph nodes are quite common.

I'm trying not to worry about this but I'm worried the groin lymph node is indeed showing signs of Lymphoma. :/


My thoughts are that you should try sitting on your hands more.

[darkside4k]

I'm pretty bummed out tonight. I swear the node in my neck now feels a bit bigger than it did the other day too. :/ ... With possible two lymph nodes now growing I really do fear that I have lymphoma. I can't believe this is happening.

[BlueIris]

You haven't had any of the other diseases you've been worried about, so given the givens, I feel fairly confident in saying you don't have this one.

[utrocket09]

I'm pretty bummed out tonight. I swear the node in my neck now feels a bit bigger than it did the other day too. :/ ... With possible two lymph nodes now growing I really do fear that I have lymphoma. I can't believe this is happening.

There is not anything happening. After 7 months if you actually had something, you would have been more ill by now. I had an aunt father in law with cancers similar to lymphoma. Believe me, you would have had other symptoms.

Just because a node is growing means nothing. I have nodes growing...guess what not cancer

[Carys]

My thoughts are that you should try sitting on your hands more.

This ^

[darkside4k]

Would I really be sicker though? I feel like I've read several stories where people didn't know they were even sick and then boom they have stage 4 lymphoma. Or people who just kinda have some slightly enlarged nodes for 6 months then boom find out it's actually lymphoma. That's what terrifies me.

[BlueIris]

Have you ever had a disease you believed you had before?

[utrocket09]

Would I really be sicker though? I feel like I've read several stories where people didn't know they were even sick and then boom they have stage 4 lymphoma. Or people who just kinda have some slightly enlarged nodes for 6 months then boom find out it's actually lymphoma. That's what terrifies me.

Do you have fatigue, weight loss ? No...

Do you know how rare it is that people have cancer with no symptoms?

There are people actually suffering from cancer. If you have to question if you have cancer, chances are you don't have it.

[KK77]

Do you have palpable lumps in your back then? Any profuse night sweats, abnormal weight loss?

Or just aches and pains in back which tend to come and go?
I asked the above before and you replied "No" :lac:

[JB33]

Hi Darkside,

I’ve been following your posts and this morning say and read almost ALL 80 pages of your fear around EC and stomach C. I must say I was amazed at the amount of tests and investigations and also could sympathise with you ... to an extent. Then I read a new thread about colon cancer and worried you would chase this down the rabbit hole again then I read this about back pain.

One thing people reiterated again and again was for you to get help psychologically .... have you done this? If not? Why not?

You’ve had more tests than anyone I know the chances of you having what you dread are almost zero, yet you almost seem to chase it looking for a diagnosis. In reality you’re putting yourself in more danger by doing so.

I echo everyone else in the previous threads too, please get psychological help as this is the real problem otherwise next month it will be another cancer of some kind. The irony is this chasing and stressing is far more dangerous for you. The post that Carys made on the last page really sums up that us HA suffers chase things and can make it worse.