Swollen Lymph nodes

[KJE2282]

I am 28 years old, have a wonderful husband and 2 beautiful daughters. Since having my second daughter, I have suffered from anxiety (mainly health anxiety) and slight depression. I have a constant fear that I am going to get cancer, die and leave my loved ones to fend for themselves. It petrifies me thinking about it.

3 weeks ago, I found a hard lump behind my left ear. I went to the doctors and they send to monitor it and to come back if it hasn't gone in two weeks. Well it reduced in size dramatically and is now very small but I can still feel it. It is moveable, and soft (more like flesh) and it doesn't hurt.

However, I have found another two small lumps on the back of my neck that I have also been told are swollen lymph nodes and that they should disappear too.

The doctor has told me that if they haven't completely disappeared within 6 weeks they will run blood tests to find any underlying infection. He assures me that this will be nothing serious, but I am still worried. Can anybody tell me what they would be looking for or if they have had similar experiences.

I am not ill at all, feel very stressed and tense all of the time, which is causing me to have headaches. I am constantly prodding and poking my neck to find something else, which I am sure is probably making it worse and not allowing the nodes to heal. Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

[HelenLouise]

Hey!

I've been through this recently!

I had swollen nodes and they went down dramatically but I could still feel them.

I went to my doc who did a blood test, which showed a slight infection.

It could be anything that causes it - my doctor thinks mine are down to allergies. :)

Some people just have larger nodes though - I have had one for all of my life and for my own peice of mind i'm getting it removed but nearly 100% of the time these things are nothing to worry about!
:)!

xxx

[KJE2282]

Hi HelenLouise,

Thankyou for replying.

The Dr has told me that he will do blood tests if they haven't gone down within the next two weeks, but I am so worried it is something sinister. I have noticed a few spots on my scalp which I thought may be making other nodes swell to fight that infection, but my mind always goes back to the worst possible case scenario.

Can I ask, what do your enlarged nodes feel like??

I am so tense all the time that my neck aches and consequently I get awful headaches....and I am constantly poking and prodding my neck to try and check for more. I am so paranoid.

[HelenLouise]

I know how you feel! I was an absolute wreck when i was in that position.

But lymph nodes can swell for any reason ...even a spot nearby so i honestly doubt its something bad.

the one node i'm having removed is round and moveable and kinda firmer then the rest but still not hard. (sorry its a bit hard to explain haha) and the other nodes are a lot smaller, very soft and moveable.
I think poking the nodes actually makes them swell more and can bruise them, so try to refrain from prodding them haha! i know its hard - i do it all the time.

Its more likely that you have an infection, allergy or something minor. Even if your glands haven't gone down within two weeks, don't assume the worst because with somethings like the glandular fever virus - they can stay enlarged for ages.

I tested positive for glandular fever =( which could be why my other glands are slightly swollen so that could be the case for you too. - (i had no symptoms either)

In your 1st post you said you node reduced in size since you first found it - that on its own suggests that your body is responding to an infection as if it were anything sinister your gland would have stayed the same or gotten bigger.

good luck and I hope you are ok :) xxx :hugs: