View Full Version : Supraclavicular node
I had been a lot better with my anxiety until this. So I got my flu shot in my left arm the first part of October. About a week later my collar bone was sore so of course I was rubbing it and noticed my node then. I kept feeling of it for several days but forgot about it when we moved into our new house at the end of October. The area was still tender like when the seatbelt would rub on it though. I’m sure the node was still swollen. Then two days before Thanksgiving I got my Covid booster and the whole left side of my chest was a bit puffy and my collar bone has been sore off and on since then. Of course the node is still there. My neck feels pretty sore on that side today too. The node itself to me feels soft and movable and more oval shape but I’m no doctor. Anyway I spoke to my regular doctor via zoom call this morning and she scared me to death! She said I could give it another two weeks and if it’s still there she’ll have to order imaging. I asked her if she would be in her office so she could feel it for herself and she said no matter what it felt like she’d still order imaging. She said if nodes are swollen more than six weeks that means they’re not just reactive nodes. I can’t get what she said out of my head! I did have some lab work done yesterday but it was just a complete blood count and comprehensive metabolic panel and they were normal. For those who don’t know or don’t remember I did have breast cancer about nine years ago. Plus I’m 45 years old so that’s not on my side either. The kind I had was supposed to have less chance of recurrence after five years but… I emailed my Oncology nurse to see if I can get in with my Oncologist anytime soon. I’m in Texas now though and my Oncologist is in North Carolina, but he knows my history. I don’t have any new symptoms since I last saw my Oncologist, other than this node. All that said, is there any way to hold onto any hope or believe that this is not cancer metastasis? I have read about people having swollen arm pit nodes and supraclavicular nodes that last a few months after the covid shots but this one started after my flu shot. I can’t stop touching the dang thing either! It’s not noticeable to the eye but when I feel for it it’s there. I’m sure it’s bigger than when I first noticed it too. Anyway I’m a petrified woman at the moment. Thanks for reading.
Hi StephA, I wrote about this exact issue in my Various Health Fears thread a few months - mine was armpit swelling. Mine also happened after my flu jab, and lasted at least 2 months on and off, still gets a bit sore now sometimes.
When I had my 2nd covid jab, I didn't get ill really, but had a sore arm, and a sore and swollen armpit. Lasted about a week or two. But then 2 months after that, I had my flu jab, and I had exactly the same symptoms, but the swollen armpit lasted much longer this time. I kept prodding and feeling it all the time, so don't know if I was making things worse by aggravating it.
I didn't go, or speak to a doctor about, although it did concern me a bit. I did find some stuff online where people had gotten unusual reactions to flu jabs after being covid vaccinated, so that gave me some reassurance.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the reply MrL. I just can’t wrap my head around the doctor scaring the wits out of me by what she said. I’ve read about nodes that can stay enlarged due to poking and prodding. But when an actual doctor tells you something like what she said, it’s like yikes! I think the location is what scares me because of what I have read in the past. My husband said he read some articles saying that the nodes in the armpit and along the collar bone can stay enlarged for months after the covid shots. Of course having cancer in the past also scares me because they will say “because of your history” we need to investigate. It sucks having a history! Anyway thanks again and I hope you’re feeling better today!
Hi Steph,
I can see why you're concerned
Strikes me that your doctor is setting a lower threshold for investigating, though, based on your past
That doesn't necessarily mean anything beyond that it's a good idea to check / she needs to cover her butt. :)
I too have a permanently enlarged (visible!) node in my neck that went bonkers when I got all my covid jabs
I also get swelling from flu shots but less extreme
And I've definitely had nodes that I have enlarged for months at a time due to poking
My money says you're probably fine because of the proximity to the shots.
Certainly wishing you all the best, though - let us know either way, pls!
Thanks kyllikki! I will keep you posted. I haven’t heard back from the Oncology nurse yet. I’m hoping she’s not out of the office. I may call her tomorrow and leave a message. If it’s going to have to be investigated anyway, I’d rather my oncologist do the checking since he knows my history. Of course with all the Covid mess going on I don’t know if he’d agree to see me since I would have to fly there. I certainly don’t want to expose any cancer patients to anything, but at the same time, I do hope to be able to see him. This doctor in Texas is new since we just moved here a year ago. I’ve only seen her in person once and then had the Zoom call this morning with her.
Hi,
Just wanted to say I got a swollen node in exactly the same place on my left side (shot side) from both covid vaccines (exactly 1 week after the shots), was soft & moveable too but sore & felt like I strained my neck or something, soreness went after a week (+ forced myself not to touch it at all - been there done that before :)) and now 3 months later it's completely back to normal size (just checked ;)).
Posted some links on another thread https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?243238-Lymph-Node-above-collarbone-react-to-vaccine&p=2020213#post2020213, seems it's pretty common with vaccines.
All the best
Tom
Thanks tomtom! Still haven’t heard back from the oncology nurse. I suspect she’s super busy right now right after the holiday’s but if I don’t hear from her I’ll try calling her tomorrow. It’s usually easier to reach her by email but… The node is still the same and of course my anxiety is through the roof. I’m so scared I can’t sleep much. I know worrying won’t change anything if this is something bad, but dang, it’s hard for me. Trying to stay positive but it’s a struggle for sure! Thanks again.
Butheavenknows
06-01-22, 20:32
I’ve had swollen nodes (1-2cm) in my neck for almost two years now (and maybe longer but that’s when I started checking a lot!), I got them scanned by a specialist and he said they may never go back down and just forget about them. I think it’s really irresponsible of your doctor not to give you more context, nodes can stay up forever and still be reactive, either reacting to new viruses that you’re unaware of, or ‘shotty’ ie raised and stay raised just though the body’s own peculiarities. Obviously if they’re huge and hard they should be investigated, but even then they may well be reactive and not go down to their original size.
Hope you get some answers soon, good luck.
Thanks for sharing your experience Butheavenknows. Still no word from the nurse, so I don’t know if some of those folks are also working from home due to covid or what. Even if they are I’d still think there would be a way for them to check email and phone calls. Anyway, I’m pondering whether or not to go to an Urgent Care to get a doctor to check it and go from there. Normally I don’t like going to those but if I try to get in with another general practitioner I’d have to wait longer because of being a new patient. It took six months to get in with this doctor. I saw her in person in May to get established as a patient so she did give me an exam and ordered labs but she’s not wanting to see anyone in person now. Do any of you think I should just go to an Urgent Care? Not that I want to be exposed to any illness going around but my doctor won’t see me in person so I’m kind of at a loss. Ugh. Thanks again!
....I get you Steph, and your fears here. Can I just ask, I presume the jabs were given in your non-BC surgery side ? It seems that you have some cause and effect going on here, it seems strange that it would be days after the first injection that your nodes came up - like the co-incidence would be surely very strange after so many years to get a new primary or recurrence (or metastatis) happening at the same time ?
I've done a quick medical journal search and it seems there are plenty of studies to support nodes (particularly axilliary types) being raised for a long time after vaccination. For example -
Thirty-six per cent of patients had reactive ALN until 10 weeks post-vaccination; reducing in frequency and intensity with time. Women were more likely to have reactive ALN compared with men. The frequency and intensity were higher in patients aged <65 years compared with those aged ≥65 years. However, no difference was found between both vaccine types in our study cohort.
The 'having a history' is so troublesome at times, there is generally an over reactive-ness I have experienced myself. Its kind of 'good' in one way, but it also makes you incredibly nervous I know. I know my response won't have helped too much, but I was just wondering what you think you might decide to do, get another opinion ?
After further reading, it does appear that after 6 weeks they image anyway.......
Lymphadenopathy after COVID-19 vaccination can confuse physicians
Imaging should be performed prior to vaccination or postponed for at least 4–6 weeks after COVID-19 vaccination unless a patient has an urgent clinical indication.1 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8178535/#bb0005) When imaging is required after vaccination, institutions should document COVID-19 vaccination information, including date(s) of vaccination(s), injection site(s) [left or right, arm or thigh], and type of vaccine in a patient questionnaire that is readily available to radiologists.1 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8178535/#bb0005) , 4 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8178535/#bb0020) Recognition of supraclavicular lymphadenopathy as a self-limiting immune reaction in the setting of recent ipsilateral arm vaccination against COVID-19 may reassure patients and avoid unnecessary aspiration or biopsy of lymph nodes. More conservative approaches, such as observation for at least 6 weeks until resolution or short-term follow-up with ultrasound to ensure resolution of lymph nodes, are recommended rather than immediate biopsy of the nodes in patients with axillary and/or supraclavicular lymphadenopathy after recent ipsilateral COVID-19 vaccination.
......I think your PCP could have been a bit more gentle and reassuring with you though, considering your background. There are certainly plenty of incidences of supraclavicular lymphadenopathy documented, as even people on here are talking about, so I hope you aren't worrying too much as he/she could really have been more supportive and given context.
....I get you Steph, and your fears here. Can I just ask, I presume the jabs were given in your non-BC surgery side ? It seems that you have some cause and effect going on here, it seems strange that it would be days after the first injection that your nodes came up - like the co-incidence would be surely very strange after so many years to get a new primary or recurrence (or metastatis) happening at the same time ?
I've done a quick medical journal search and it seems there are plenty of studies to support nodes (particularly axilliary types) being raised for a long time after vaccination. For example -
The 'having a history' is so troublesome at times, there is generally an over reactive-ness I have experienced myself. Its kind of 'good' in one way, but it also makes you incredibly nervous I know. I know my response won't have helped too much, but I was just wondering what you think you might decide to do, get another opinion ?
Hi Carys! Yes I get all my vaccines in my left arm since the cancer was in the right breast. I know you certainly understand my fear, being a breast cancer survivor yourself. I am thinking about going to an urgent care on Monday since my doctor doesn’t even want to examine me in her office. I know they’ll probably need to order an ultrasound, but I was mostly upset about her demeanor. This was a Zoom call and her body language just rubbed me the wrong way. She really didn’t want to hear what I had to say and she basically told me that no matter what the node felt like it’s most likely bad news, if it’s been swollen for over six weeks. Now I know I’ve read on here and other places that some people have had enlarged nodes for longer than that. I guess it’s the location of this one that has me nervous. But like you said the timing of it with the all the shots should make me less nervous. I know I should’ve stopped poking and prodding it but once I found it, I wouldn’t leave it alone and I messed with it several times a day. I don’t do it as often, but when I do, I still see how far I can push it around and feel it at least a couple of times a day. Oof! I know I am dumb to be doing that. You did help me with your replies and I truly appreciate it.
After further reading, it does appear that after 6 weeks they image anyway.......
......I think your PCP could have been a bit more gentle and reassuring with you though, considering your background. There are certainly plenty of incidences of supraclavicular lymphadenopathy documented, as even people on here are talking about, so I hope you aren't worrying too much as he/she could really have been more supportive and given context.
Thanks for all this info as well! She was not very supportive. I think eventually I’ll be seeking a new doctor. I don’t expect to be babied, but a little bedside manner goes a long way.
I hope all is well with you, Carys. Thanks again!
Yes, those doctors who understand the human mind and treat the 'whole' person, rather than just the body, are scarce it seems. It needs to be a 'partnership', with equal respect on both sides in order to work and certainly sounds like yours isn't going to work long-term. I actually found it quite interesting to read some medical papers on this node issue and vaccines, as obviously multiple vaccines over a year are not usual for a large percentage of the population - so there are certainly some interesting physical responses being thrown up in the process (the supraclavicular lymphadenopathy being one of them) . I don't know or understand 'Urgent care' (although it has been explained to me in the past) but would it now make a difference having someone feel them, as they will probably order the same diagnostic scans anyway, or would you be hoping that you encounter someone who can offer more a reasoned 'bedside manner' and alternative reassurance ? Im not a node checking person, but if I felt pain and as 'we' are trained to check those around the neck and shoulder after BC, then I can't say that I'd not be prodding a bit also, so don't feel too bad.
I’m hoping it’s just due to all the shots I’ve had in the arm. It’s usually just the flu jab I get, but that obviously changed when the covid shots came out. Urgent Care is just a walk-in clinic. I just thought going to one I could at least get a doctor to examine me. You’re right in the fact that maybe I should just let my doctor order the scan though. Then after that I could search for another family practitioner. I’m not a node checker normally. When my Oncologist feels for nodes he doesn’t dig deep. He just runs the pads of his fingers along the collar bone. I wish he was in Texas where I am instead of North Carolina. I don’t think it’s safe to fly due to covid. Planes are germ magnets as it is. Plus I don’t want to take a chance on flights being cancelled and be stuck in an airport. Ugh. Dang covid!
I have an appointment this morning with a nurse practitioner at the doctor my husband goes to. Didn’t sleep a wink last night. My collarbone is still sore when I move certain ways, lay a certain way or if the seatbelt hits it wrong, so that’s also worrying me a bit. I’m not sure if they’ll be able to tell me much today, but of course a physical exam will be the first thing they do, so I guess we’ll get that out of the way. Prayers are appreciated.
You got it, Steph. Let us know. Wishing you the best.
Thanks kyllikki!! The nurse practitioner felt it and said it didn’t feel hard or fixed. She said she felt one that was bad once in that area on someone and said she’d never forget how it looked and felt and said mine didn’t feel that way and it’s not sticking out. She said they have a sonographer that comes in on Friday’s, so I went back this afternoon for an ultrasound. The sonographer said she wasn’t seeing a lymph node. I assume she meant she didn’t see any that were concerning though. She said it looks like tissue and a ligament. Of course she still has to send it to a radiologist for analysis. Will have the results back Monday. I should be relieved but I’m still a bit anxious. Dang anxiety!
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