View Full Version : Lump next to ankle bone
I have a semi-hard lump next to my ankle bone on my left leg, I’ll be going the docs on monday but I’m freaking out about cancers.
Anybody else ever had this?
You're going to the doctor tomorrow. I'm sure its nothing. "Told Ya So Gang" on standby ;)
Positive thoughts
Doctor said it was fine. He felt the area and said it was bursitis. I told him I was worried it was a cancer like sarcoma and he explained to me that it was fluid filled and in his opinion it didn’t seem likely to be anything to worry about and that he could feel its edges and it was roughly the size of a bean. “You’ll die one day but it wont be from this.”
He told me to look out for pain, swelling and throbbing as they can be signs of infection which will need to be treated but if it does become infected it’ll be obvious. Other than that, I can check it once a day but then keep on some loose socks and don’t prod it, don’t lean on it and it should go in 2-3 weeks.
Can’t help but still be a bit worried due to health anxiety but he’s a very good Doctor so I’m going to do my best to keep calm about it. I hope this helps anyone in the future who might have a similar issue.
When it goes away or if anything else changes I’ll post an update. Thank you.
Courtesy of your friendly neighborhood "Told Ya So Gang" ;)
https://media.giphy.com/media/c1bE9RQ1epJZkjzb62/giphy.gif
Positive thoughts
I got very anxious over the weekend after reading lateral bursitis of the ankle is very rare and my lump is only 1cm. I went back to the doctors and saw another GP for a second opinion, he was happy to give me one and told me he didn’t think it was bursitis but a ganglion cyst on the tendon. I flat out asked him how do we know it isn’t a sarcoma? He said because it wiggled side to side slightly and it felt squishy (it feels firmer at certain angles) he didn’t think it was a Sarcoma.
He told me if it becomes painful, gets bigger or is still bothering me in a months time he can aspirate it but it may come back or they can have it removed.
I’m still worried it’s a Sarcoma as I read a bunch of stories online, but you all know how health anxiety is, I’m still considering having it checked privately, it’s an internal struggle.
Don't waste your money, I've got a couple of ganglion cysts and they feel unmistakable.
Good to know, bit worried that I read they aren’t common in men though.
worried that I read.....
Dr Google always feeds dragons...
Positive thoughts
Update:
I kept worrying so I paid to see a Podiatrist at a private hospital. His opinion was that It was a ganglion cyst and the evidence wasn’t there to suspect it was any sort of cancer. He said I could get and ultrasound if I wanted more evidence but the only way to be 100% sure would be to remove it but he didn’t believe it was necessary.
So thats it, 2 GP’s and 1 Podiatrist all believe it is fine. My head is spinning from how much stress I’ve felt lately and my options are simple, get an ultrasound, get it removed or just keep an eye on it now and again.
At the minute I just want to rest and not think about it, I may talk about an ultrasound with my gp in a month or so but we’ll see. Thank you for everyone for your support and once again I hope this helps anyone struggling with the same issues.
I asked my gp for an ultrasound and one has been set up for the 11th. Terrified obviously even though I’m the one who asked for it, I’ve convinced myself it is something sinister.
Had my ultrasound, got my results then and there. I was told it was benign and it’s a joint effusion not a ganglion cyst. So 4 opinions now, 4 different results but theses guys could actually see in my ankle. I hope they are right, I flat out asked is it a sarcoma and they said no it was nothing sinister.
I feel drained and I’m struggling to believe the result especially since I haven’t injured my ankle and I’ve read so much about misdiagnosis. I just need to rest now, the stress is the thing I know for sure is killing me at the moment.
Once again I hope this helps anyone in the future going through the same situation.
Sorry you're having a rough time; I know that sometimes the fear is easier to believe than the opinion of somebody who isn't living it.
Work on the anxiety, though, and the rest will fall into place in time.
I wish I saw this sooner to help ease your anxiety, I have a lump next to the outside right ankle. Mine is different though, its hard as bone and doesn't move at all. Its been there for a few years. Like you, I freaked about sarcoma. I saw my GP and she suspected a bone spur and sent me for an Xray. I had the xray, yep bone spur (calcified something or other from past injury most likely). I couldn't drop it, so a few months later I saw a podiatrist and he agreed by exam and xray, bone spur. Its been over a year and its still there, still the same.
Had my ultrasound, got my results then and there. I was told it was benign and it’s a joint effusion not a ganglion cyst. So 4 opinions now, 4 different results but theses guys could actually see in my ankle.
4 professional opinions from 4 trained doctors and all have one thing in common.... BENIGN! ;)
Positive thoughts
Thanks everyone for your support. I’ve just come back from the GP, the first one who said it was bursitis as I was concerned about the diagnosis of joint effusion as I had read they are painful, swollen and caused by severe injuries. I had also read more sinister issues such as PVNS and synovial sarcoma can mimic them on ultrasounds.
He explained to me that the painful ones caused by injuries are the ones that concern them and that painless swellings happen all the time in joints from awkward twists or movements joints don’t like. He said bursitis, ganglion cysts and joint effusion are basically the same thing as far as he is concerned, a swollen sack of fluid between the joint.
I mentioned my fear of the misdiagnosis and he explained he couldn’t read the ultrasound better than the people who took it and he respects their opinion as they are quite sharp on this sort of thing so he doesn’t think there is any risk of being misdiagnosed but if I still wanted another opinion he will send the ultrasound to the private orthopaedic surgeon and I can set up another appointment to see them.
He doesn’t know how long I’ll have it for as he said leg problems tend to stick around for a while and joked about welcome to being part of the lumpy joint club and mentioned about seeing a physiotherapist as they might be able to help or diagnose any issues that may have caused it.
I’ve decided to go back to the private hospital to discuss my worries and the results of the ultrasound, I know I’m going in loops a here but I just wanted to get everything checked thoroughly. My appointment is on the 23rd and I’ve decided if he thinks theres nothing to be concerned about then thats the end of it.
I had my appointment, he essentially said the same thing as my GP and said his opinion hasn’t changed from learning it was a joint effusion but he hasn’t seen the ultrasound yet and will contact me this week when he has. He also set me up on the NHS list to have it removed as I’m very distressed about it and that should be in around 9 months, however if he thinks the ultrasound doesn’t seem right he will let me know and I can have the surgery privately ASAP. He also told me physiotherapy wouldn’t do anything so I needn't bother with it and he has no idea of the original cause.
I know I’ve been feeding my anxiety lately by reading about sarcomas and the like and people who have been misdiagnosed so I need to do my best to stop reading into anything. If anyone else ever goes through this I hope these posts will help you.
I’ll post again after he contacts me.
I haven’t updated in a while because the specialist still hasn’t looked at my Ultrasound for a second opinion as he’s been out of the country. I’m not doing great, my GP is just dismissive now and I understand why but I’m certain it has grown bigger. Mentally I feel pretty messed up. I’ll update again when I hear anything.
Finally spoke to the specialist he said the ultrasound looks fine to him, though he hasn’t spent the 6 years training in that field he feels confident in his working knowledge that it looks relatively standard to him. He also said hopefully the surgery won’t be too far away and that’ll be the end of my worries. I hope so. I’ll update again if something relevant happens.
I spoke to the Sarcoma Support Line and they asked me to go back to my GP and ask for my Ultrasound to be sent to the Hospital in the City close to me so a Sarcoma specialist team can take a look at it. They said it was to put my own mind at rest as they would have expected it to have grown significantly since I first found it if it was a Sarcoma and I’ve done very well by having an Orthopaedic Surgeon look over my Ultrasound.
The one thing they keeps getting to me mentally is that the people who did the Ultrasound said it wasn’t a cyst it was a joint effusion, which are very different and you have them drained, but the surgeon keeps acting like it’s a cyst and has talked about how he can quickly slice it out. It doesn’t add up.
Didn’t go well, GP refused to send the US over, Nurse on the support line called them but GP wouldn’t change their mind. It wasn’t even a GP I’ve ever met before, they were just going by what was on the record that the US was fine and required no further investigation. Once again I asked why the US people said it was an effusion that can only be drained but the surgeon said the opposite and it should be sliced out but once again I was given no answer.
It’s all so very damn tiring, I’m going to set up a private MRI appointment and see who I can get to look at it privately. It’s getting too much. I just want clear answers but I keep getting different ones and being blocked by my GP’s so I have to do things privately.
Has anyone here ever had a joint effusion that was painless and presented itself as a lump? I can’t find anything online about effusions with these symptoms.
Still pursuing a diagnosis for a benign issue I see :lac: Why can't you just let it go? We all have lumps and bumps and they're not sinister.
Regardless, I hope you find peace...
Positive thoughts
Because of the constant different diagnosis from the different people I’ve seen and the type of foot sarcoma I’m worried about is constantly misdiagnosed until later stages. I understand the typical and healthy reaction would be to let it go but when one person tells you one thing, then another tells you something else and just shrug at you when you mention the difference in diagnosis and symptoms not adding up you feel very insecure.
my biggest worry at the moment is that the people doing the ultrasound told mr it was a joint effusion, which can only be drained.
When I went to my GP to ask about joint Effusions after reading they are swellings of the entire area, painful and only last a month or two which is the complete opposite what I have he had no answer and told me to not worry about it.
my Orthopaedic surgeon ignored the effusion diagnosis and said he could slice it out and draining would be pointless. However you can’t remove joint effusions as it’s the capsule swells with fluid leakage, not a growth. When I asked him how did I get a joint effusion without injuring my ankle he just shrugged and said I must have injured it severely.
The nurse at the Sarcoma helpline I explained this too was confused about the diagnosis but in the end she was blocked by a GP I’ve never met from helping me and said she couldn’t do anymore.
Something doesn’t add up and I just want a clear answer.
I haven’t posted for a while but there isn’t much to add, I’ve seen my doctors and talked to them about my worries and was dismissed, I’ve asked for a referral to see a sarcoma specialist at the private hospital and been denied which is crazy since I’d be paying for it.
So all I can do is wait for my surgery next year. I’m hopeless.
You could carry on dealing with your anxiety.
What would be the point in seeing a sarcoma specialist when you plainly don't have it?
You could carry on dealing with your anxiety.
What would be the point in seeing a sarcoma specialist when you plainly don't have it?
I’m on the waiting list for a higher tier of therapy since I’ve done CBT.
Synovial Sarcoma is hugely misdiagnosed and needs specialist attention to be diagnosed correctly.
Had my pre-surgery assessment, blood test, mrsa swab, ecg and blood pressure checked. Blood pressure was fine, still waiting for the results for the rest of it. The lump has actually shrunk to almost nothing so I’m not sure whats going on and need to speak to a doctor. The nurse at the hospital couldn’t comment in it.
Well that sounds like good news.
Now you can relax and take control of your HA.
I have a large ganglion cyst on the outside of my right leg above the ankle. I flipped out when I first felt it... seemed to come up overnight and I went straight to the doctors. She prodded it... shone a light through it (good test to see if it is just fluid - it glows if it is just fluid) then said you have a good ganglion cyst. I was relieved and was like ok... what now. She asked was it sore.. I said nope. She says ok it might go away on its own thanks for coming in. Oh ok then. LOL
That was nearly this time last year.... the lump went down for a day or two over the summer but has pretty much stayed the same shape and size (4 cms long by about 2 cms wide and pretty firm but I can push the fluid in it back and forward). The NHS in the UK wont aspirate it unless it is causing serious issues. Mine isnt and its purely from a cosmetic viewpoint I would like it shrunk but Im happy to wait and see if it goes down itself.
Just an update for anyone with a ganglion cyst on their ankle... mine after 15 months has started to reduce in size.
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