Lymph Node above right collarbone- major relapse

[panicperson]

Not been on this site for years, but still taking medication for anxiety.

earlier this week I found a thickened area in my breast. I went to the GP and he said he’d refer to the breast clinic regardless of his examination, as I’d noticed a change.
He examined me anyway, and checked LN under arms and neck. He said I had a slightly enlarged LN above my right collarbone.

He sent the referral to the breast clinic and I asked “if all is ok in breast, what do I do about this LN?”
He said to just ignore it.

ok- so off I went to Google and I and now convinced I have lung cancer that’s spread.
no breast cancer- lung cancer.
I’m more worked up that he found it and not me- so surely that’s concerning hey.

I’m so upset and annoyed that I’m now 100% on spiral mode. I’m even finding people online with the same symptoms who have cancer, and becoming obsessed with their stories.

not sure if I need reassurance or sympathy- but felt I needed to reach out for help.

[quaglenga]

I'm not sure of your age etc but please just remember the statistics and let them do the talking - it is SO unlikely to be cancer and the fact you hadn't noticed the LN shows it probably is nothing. It is difficult but if we want our anxiety to improve we have to trust health professionals when they give their opinion. He told you to ignore it, so do that. I have a LN in my groin that has been slightly enlarged for over a year and a half but my Dr told me that can just happen and not to worry. As long as your LN is softish, moveable and not the size of a golf ball, you are honestly fine. Don't touch it and it should go away.

The reason you have found countless stories of people who have cancer is because nobody goes online to post when a LN comes up and then goes away again or is nothing of concern, people only write about these things when they find themselves in the worst case possible so your perception of reality is naturally skewed by this. Focus on your appt at the breast clinic and go from there - but don't panic about that either, 98% of people referred to screenings like this end up with a benign diagnosis.

If you want your anxiety kept under control you just have to get off Google, that is the single best thing that helped my anxiety. Hope it all works out well :)

[panicperson]

Thanks for replying. I’m 37.

You make good points- thank you.

I've obviously got more symptoms now- as anxiety took hold and mimics all these illnesses!
how is the brain so clever at that!

I did get breathless when walking dogs but think I’m unfit. But now I’m breathless just walking around the house- the joys of anxiety!

[Spider64]

Hey how’d it go at clinic?hope alls good.