Lump in muscle under arm, sarcoma?

[Michael_coventry]

Hi everyone.

Bit of background, I have been a long suffering health anxiety sufferer but I finally conquered my demons a few years ago with a combo of drugs and cbt.

These last few months it has reared it's ugly head again however. I have found a lump in my arm it is connected to the muscle about 2 inches away from my armpit. It ws first discovered in October. And I left it. I saw a gp in Dec who said it was so small not too worry, just keep an eye on it.

I think it has grown ever so slightly since then but it is still no bigger than a pea, it is visible when stretching the skin though. It is hard and it is not easily moveable. I am terrified it is a sarcoma. I have Google and Dr tend to poorly diagnose them and are often left until they are theme size of a golf ball.

I am back on citalopram and started up cbt as the Dr thought I needed too.

I can't shake the fear and altough I know sarcoma is rare and only accounts for 1% of all cancers I still tell myself it is what I have.

Do we have any sarcoma sufferers in or anyone who has experience the same sort of issue. I am so cared even to go Dr god knows how I will feel if I need to have scans.

Thanks for reading I hope to get some advice or support.

Thanks
Mike

[unicorndusy]

Hey,

I too have had this fear due to a lump on my lower leg, however since having an ultrasound they said it’s nothing and should be left alone unless it starts hurting in my day to day life (it gets really painful during treadmill exercises) but I’ve worked my workouts around it etc so it does not cause me as much pain. If your doctor thinks it’s a cyst then that’s what it is. They are qualified to recognise a sarcoma and differentiate between that and a cyst, trust me. Also sarcomas would be very painful and it would be so so obvious that it was cancer. If you’re really worried then you can always see your doctor and I don’t think they would send you for scan because of the size and location of the cyst. It’s very common to get them where yours is.

[Sammyeb27]

Hey I'm so scared I have sarcoma from a lump in my labia. I wish doctors would focus on being safe and trying to find out what lumps are asap. The sarcoma I think I have has a very poor prognosis and the fact my doctors are not trying to quickly find the problem is worrying me so much. I hope you get a diagnoses and clear idea of what your issue is soon. I have hope you are okay because like you said, sarcoma is rare.

[Carys]

Hiyer, I noticed you recently started another thread about this labial 'lump'. That thread has been closed, but it got me thinking....not about you personally.... but about why people with HA post here over and over again asking for opinions. Doctors have done checks, doctors have given opinions about still people post asking 'has anyone had this, was it ok, was it nothing to worry about?'.

This approach has two problems; the first problem is that trusting the very dubious similarity between your symptoms and those of someone who is a stranger online has no real validity. They could think they have the same as you, you could think they have the same, but you both in acutality could have very different things. ONLY the DOCTORS know what they've seen, and they aren't too concerned about what you are presenting with. Why not trust them?

The second issue is; if someone says 'oh I had that it was nothing', would you believe them, for more than a few minutes, hours or days? NO, that's not how it works - and that's why people come back time and time again asking the same question. Continually searching out people who tell you that you have 'nothing to worry about' only works for a short period of time. I mean you didn't trust what the doctor said, so why would you trust somebody you've never met online who has no medical training ? YOU and YOUR active brain take over after this reassurance and before you know it the fear and panic has set in again, and more opinions are sought.

The human mind doesn't like to not have an absolute answer. For example when you have a mammogram, they don't give you instant results....you have to wait a few weeks. Its a hideous wait, but in the period of waiting some people start searching online to find out what it is they are 'feeling'. It will NEVER give them an answer, NEVER. They swing wildly between it being the worse cancer scenario, and the most benign nothingness. In your situation you have been TOLD its more than likely nothing at all, but instead of accepting that you are sending yourself back to the 'waiting for results' stage with your HA mind. Searching, searching.....

The cycle needs to be broken. The trust in your doctor needs to be fostered. You need to read articles on HA, and learn the techniques for dealing with the overwhelming need to search and post.

I hope you don't take this as criticism of you, its not, its just some thoughts I had that might be helpful to you?

[Michael_coventry]

Hi everyone,

I have posted about this issue before and have coped well to leave it alone for a few months but I am starting to worry again now.

I discovered a lump in my left upper arm near the muscle about 3 cm from the armpit. I first noticed it in october2017 and dr said it was not worthy of any treatment as it was too small.

Since then it appears to have grown slightly and is worrying me. It is still small relatively, smaller than a marble. It is soft to touch but doesn’t move much.

I am still scared it could be sarcoma? I have watched videos on YouTube and a orthopaedic specialis says that unless lumps are big then not to worry?

I am trying really hard to not touch it every half hour and not google but I am struggling again. I am worried aswell about going to the dr as the anxiety levels will shoot up high if I’m required to have any scans or tests.

Anyone had experience of sarcoma or share my fears? I have no other symptoms at all other than the lump.

A bit of help or advice be nice.

Thanks all 😊

[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.