Lymph Node Worries

[Lily777]

Hello all,

My OCD and anxiety have been flaring up recently, and i've been obsessing about every little thing. I'm in nursing school and we're covering lymph nodes right now. I had a bout of worrying about lymph nodes a little over a year ago, and i got over it. But i started feeling my neck, and feel the same ones once again. They're about an inch and a half above my collarbone, which is what worries me. They don't appear to have changed in size or texture. Logically, i know that doctors have looked at me and were not concered, i've had blood work that has come back normal, and i've had an ultrasound on my neck that was normal. Plus i know it's been quite sometime since they were discovered and most certainly would have changed. The irrational part of my mind is saying that something is definitely wrong. If it were something malignant, they would have definitely and noticeably grown by now, right?

Thanks for being so supportive everyone. My family gets a little tired of me obsessing over things, and it gets really hard sometimes and I feel really down about myself. I'm really thankful for this forum and everyone who helps me!

[Lily777]

Anyone? :( I'm feeling pretty down right now and i can't stop feeling my neck for lymph nodes. I know it isn't helpful. I feel like after year, they would be much bigger if something were wrong, right? I'm just having a bit of a panic attack and need a rational voice.

[ToughLuck]

There's nothing to worry about.

If something was wrong, a year down the line you'd have a lot more to worry about! The fact that they haven't changed shape or size, that doctors have reassured you there is nothing to worry about and the fact that bloodwork hasn't shown any issues shows that you really have nothing to worry about.

If there were something severe to worry about, you'd certainly know about it a year down the line

Long term health anxiety sufferer myself. I know it doesn't help in the slightest when somebody tells you that you're fine. Even when a doctor tells you you'll just think about all the things they didn't check and the fact that they could so easily have overlooked it! The fact is they are so used to seeing people who are really sick, that they can almost tell straight away when something is and is not right.

[Lily777]

Thank you for the reply and reassurance; i very much appreciate it.

The location of the lymph nodes are most concerning to me, as they are near my collar bone. I've just read about forms of lmyphoma that are slow growing, and i'm afraid that's what I may have. I also read a story of a man that had lymphoma, and the tumor in his spleen was causing him to have acid reflux. On my CT scan in my March, there was what they thought was a cyst in my spleen and I have been having acid reflux for the best two weeks. So of course my mind is connecting the two.

I've gone into an absolute panic about the possibility of having lymphoma. My only symptoms are the enlarged lymph nodes in my neck near my collar bone. And the acid reflux, which may or may not he related. I couldn't even focus in class today because i'm so worried and sick over this :(

[Lily777]

I've absolutely convinced myself I have follicular lymphoma at this point. I feel so sick from this :(

[Unknown_User]

Hi Lily, am new here to the community, ive replyed and made a post my self, so for me not to reply to you would be dumb, as of a other post i read was pretty similar, the culprit is anxiety, i took accutane for ance, and thought i could feel my liver failing, yeah sounds ****ed up, its a cruel thing, i understand it more, but am still recovering slowly, all the best, deep breaths, your safe x

---------- Post added at 01:39 ---------- Previous post was at 01:36 ----------

and i suffered for months cause of it, really bad pressure in my head and ears. understanding and just letting it be is the cure, am closer than ive ever been, steps at a time x

[Lily777]

I went to the doctor today about my lymph nodes. He didn't seem concerned at all, but sent me to an ENT specialist to put my mind at ease. I know I should feel better but i don't. Two of my lymph nodes are bigger than one centimeter, and i read that means cancer. Does anyone out there have palpable lymph nodes larger than 1 cm? I'm so scared, please help me.

[Lily777]

I have all these bruises on my leg, and i'm in an absolute panic that it is definitely lymphoma. Someone please help me rationalize this; i feel awful :(

[Lily777]

I saw the ENT specialist today. He did not seemed worried at all about my lymph nodes; however, he offered to just take the largest lymph node out so we can know once and for all, and ease my mind. Part of me wants to do the biopsy because then i'll know for sure, but i'm held back because of the possible complications from the biopsy. Has anyone had a lymph node biopsy? If so, what was your experience like? Or does anyone have any advice to me? I don't want to put myself through an unnecessary procedure, but i also want some answers. I'm very conflicted!

[Lily777]

Today was just awful; i had a full on mental breakdown over my lymph nodes, especially the one near my collar bone. Does anyone have a lymph node near their collar bone? Please, please help me :(