Lymph nodes - Please help

[sunflower7]

I have 2 lymph nodes in my neck that I can feel. One is about half way up on the right side and the other is at the base of my neck where my shoulder meets my neck. I am so worried about about them. I keep checking them and the one halfway up seems to have got bigger. I can feel a small bump when I brush my finger down my neck that I could not feel before . I have been checking it everyday for a couple of weeks and am really scared. Everything on the net tells you its cancer and I am really anxious. I am 23 weeks pregnant and know its not good for the baby. I keep getting thoughts about not being here for my Husband and baby . I have had a full blood count and its normal but know that cancer does not always show up in blood tests. Please can ANYONE help me.

[bloxy]

So sorry that you are worrying over this

Speaking from experience, the more you mess with lymph nodes the more you will be able to feel them. They can take ages to go down and even touching them just once a day can keep up. So best advice is to not touch them for a couple of weeks.

Remember some nodes can remain palpable due to not ever going back down properly after an old infection, I believe these are called shotty nodes. If you've had a full blood count and your doctor hasn't seemed concerned, I would take some reassurance from this.

If you are concerned that one has become larger, maybe take another trip to the docs just to make sure, but they will probably advise you to stop touching them and give them chance to return to normal...remember touching them can irrate them.

Of course googling will come up with worst case scenarios, that is why it's so dangerous for HA sufferers to do. There are more NON serious reasons for being able to feel nodes than serious ones.

[sunflower7]

Thanks. I am so scared. Its difficult to stop touching them but I will do my best. Its confusing as some sites says its normal to be able to feel them and others say its not. I am a mess about it. Thanks again for your advice x

[HelenLouise]

Hi! I've been through this several times and am kind of having a panic about it again now.
I can feel three lymph nodes which have been there since I was 3 years old (i'm 20)
I am constantly worried about lymphoma even though I know that its unlikely as I have had them so long.

Sometimes though, lymph nodes swell due to a common infection and never return back to there original size.

I'm sure that that is all that has happened with you! I honestly wouldn't worry if all your bloods are fine !

xx

p.s there is a thread on page two or 3 of the health anxiety page asking how many people can feel lymph nodes. It's been going for years and if you look at how many responses it has you will see how many people can feel there nodes !

Try not to worry

[sunflower7]

Thank You also. I never even used to check for them and now my anxiety levels are sky high. I keep thinking its getting bigger on its own and so difficult not to touch it. Its a vicious circle but I need to stop checking them. I am so scared. I hope you get over your panic about them. I am sure yours are fine seeing as you have had them for so long. Thanks again x

[macc noodle]

I am pretty sure that if you had lymphoma then your full blood count would not have come back as OK - there would more than likely have been an indicator in levels which would have prompted further testing.

It is more than likely that your body is just fighting a virus and you need not worry.

But, please if you are still worried, go back to the GP and explain why you are worried and see if they can put your mind at ease once and for all.



Jan
x

[Theskyisalwaysblue]

Hey there,,,

lymph nodes can also come up due to having an auto immune disease - relax they are NOT fatal! there are 86 types all together and can easioly be monitored with steriods - trust me - i know this from a long history of it! its going to be ok! x

[Razorleech]

Heya, real sorry to hear that you are suffering. But I too recently spent about a year prodding and poking my lymph nodes in my neck, believe me, after going to the doctors to get it checked out which was insanely hard for me to do, turns out it was fine, what I didnt know, is that it is perfectly normal for lymph nodes on one side to be really swollen...cheers internet for not telling me this.
I spent about a year thinking that I had throat cancer. I am sure you will be fine, remember look at the symptoms you dont have instead of the ones you do and try not to google anymore, prodding and poking just makes your nodes bigger trust me, I just got out of a cycle of doing this

Best of luck with everything

[london]

if you had a blood count your fine if there was some thing bad your lymph count would be high dont worry your fine god bless

[sunflower7]

Thanks for your help. I am really trying not to prod myself but its so hard. I keep thinking the one higher up is getting bigger I went to my Doctor and they could see how anxious I am so have agreed to send me for an ultrasound on my neck. I am so scared. Dont know how long I will have to wait for the appointment