Worried about lymphoma

[ShaunRyder]

No I wouldn't be concerned, the doctors would know if there was something to worry about and they would have you in for treatment ASAP.

If in a week or so you are still obsessing over the nodes I would go to the doctors, not to get them looked at but to help with your anxiety.

And as glassgirlw said, do not touch them at all!

I'm glad you have got good news from the tests 😊

[O_O]

Thanks Glass and Shaun, I really appreciate your thoughts. You're probably right. I'll just try not to think about this tomorrow or over the weekend and hopefully things will be better next week.

[O_O]

I'm not doing very well at not thinking about it 😬 I keep thinking what could have caused my WBC to drop from what it usually is.

Also, some labs say 5 is the lower normal limit, so I'm only just within range.

[glassgirlw]

I'm not doing very well at not thinking about it  I keep thinking what could have caused my WBC to drop from what it usually is.

Also, some labs say 5 is the lower normal limit, so I'm only just within range.

I understand your concern because it’s so crazy difficult to not worry about things when we have real symptoms. Just can’t turn off the mind.

I know you’ve been through the wringer with HA over the past few years. What types of things did you do to help stop the googling? Because I think you’re going to scare yourself silly if you sit there and do that while you wait for the nodes to decrease in size.

I still don’t think it will do any good to go be seen again by your doc so soon after your blood results. I think they’ll still want to give it a week or two, then possibly retest the WBC just to see if there’s any changes. Or, by then, the nodes may have gone down and no retesting will be necessary!

[pulisa]

I have my results. My doctor texted saying everything was normal.

I think my results look... ok. But to be honest I'm not entirely comforted. My white blood cell count was 5.6 (range 3.6 - 11). I've had my white blood cell count done on three other occasions throughout the course of my life, and it has always been above 7.

So to me, it looks as though my white blood cells are dropping. Coupled with the lumps, I'm a little concerned. I know my doctor won't have compared this result to my previous results - she'll just have seen it's in range and given it the ok.

I could really do with others' input here. Am I right to be concerned? Should I go back to my doctor?

At the very least I still have these big lumps, which aren't going anywhere, and I'm starting to feel a bit ill now. If nothing else, I must have an infection?

I'd really appreciate people's thoughts on what I should do now! Thanks guys.

What should you do? Absolutely nothing in terms of going back to the GP. Your white blood count is entirely NORMAL. There is no pathological "drop"-it is NORMAL. Mine is always around 4.

What do you have? Escalating HA which could turn into a repeat of your last "episode" which completely overwhelmed you.

Be very careful and welcome these very reassuring test results or choose to go back to how things were when you became obsessed with tests to the detriment of everything?

[O_O]

I understand your concern because it’s so crazy difficult to not worry about things when we have real symptoms. Just can’t turn off the mind.

I know you’ve been through the wringer with HA over the past few years. What types of things did you do to help stop the googling? Because I think you’re going to scare yourself silly if you sit there and do that while you wait for the nodes to decrease in size.

I still don’t think it will do any good to go be seen again by your doc so soon after your blood results. I think they’ll still want to give it a week or two, then possibly retest the WBC just to see if there’s any changes. Or, by then, the nodes may have gone down and no retesting will be necessary!

Yes, I guess so. But the other thing I just thought as well was that I was on prednisolone recently (a fertility related treatment) and that should actually raise my WBC. So the 5.6 might be falsely inflated and it's actually lower.

I can't stop thinking that it's weird that I have these big nodes that won't go down AND my WBC is dropping despite oral steroids.

[glassgirlw]

Yes, I guess so. But the other thing I just thought as well was that I was on prednisolone recently (a fertility related treatment) and that should actually raise my WBC. So the 5.6 might be falsely inflated and it's actually lower.

I can't stop thinking that it's weird that I have these big nodes that won't go down AND my WBC is dropping despite oral steroids.

wouldn’t your doctors office know about your recent medications though? And have taken that into account? If you’re truly worried and can’t let it go, maybe just ring them up and ask those questions. But - when they give you the info you HAVE to accept it - and not keep questioning. I’m just concerned for you after your last HA episode that this could go bad for you quickly. I think you’ve made great progress and hate to see you slide backwards.

[O_O]

wouldn’t your doctors office know about your recent medications though? And have taken that into account? If you’re truly worried and can’t let it go, maybe just ring them up and ask those questions. But - when they give you the info you HAVE to accept it - and not keep questioning. I’m just concerned for you after your last HA episode that this could go bad for you quickly. I think you’ve made great progress and hate to see you slide backwards.

My GP didn't know... I'm having my fertility treatment with a clinic separately. I know you're right and I shouldn't get too overwrought. I should carry on as normal, and I'll try to. I just think all these things are strange.

[pulisa]

They are not strange. Your bloods were normal-your interpretation of them isn't and is skewed by your HA.

[O_O]

They are not strange. Your bloods were normal-your interpretation of them isn't and is skewed by your HA.

Ok. You're probably right. I just want these lumps to go away. The one in my jaw is quite uncomfortable. I feel a bit ill. I hope they go away soon.