Enlarged Inguinal Lymph Nodes to be Removed Wednesday

Hi Everyone,

im new to this site, so please let me know if I post anything I shouldn't. 

At the end of March, I began having pain in my right leg. It spread to the left, and by the end of the week it was everywhere. I was also suffering from insomnia, terrible night sweats. 

A few weeks later I noticed a swollen lymph node on my thigh. All of my labs have been normal, but I was on antibiotics just in case it was Lyme Disease. The lymph node has grown, and now there are three more in the same area, almost following a line on the inside of my thigh to my pelvis. They are not painful, but tend to itch sometimes. They are not rock hard, but definitely not soft by any means. 

So since there has been no diagnoses, my surgeon has decided to be aggressive and remove multiple swollen nodes for biopsy. I can't believe it could be cancer, since I'm also losing my hair, having some memory issues and such. And I've not seen that as a symptom of Lymphoma. 

I have had a full body nuclear bone scan that was negative, as well as MRIs of my pelvis and abdomen that just showed pleural effusions on my lungs. 

I'd love to talk to anyone if they have had similar issues, and also want to know what to expect after the surgery. 

Thanks!

Ada

Comments

  • AdaMarie
    AdaMarie Member Posts: 2
    A little more information...

    Since I've gotten sick, I live on major pain medication, can barely get out of bed to help my husband with our children and have not been able to work. I've been in bed for 3 months now. I've been nauseous since the beginning and take Zofran in order to eat. 

    I've seen Rheumatology, and they've ruled that out, although there is still a Lupus question. 

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,811 Member
    AdaMarie said:

    A little more information...

    Since I've gotten sick, I live on major pain medication, can barely get out of bed to help my husband with our children and have not been able to work. I've been in bed for 3 months now. I've been nauseous since the beginning and take Zofran in order to eat. 

    I've seen Rheumatology, and they've ruled that out, although there is still a Lupus question. 

    Geeze !

    Ada,

    Whatever you have, anything that keeps a person in bed for three months is serious.  I think the doctor is well-advised to do the biopsies.  I have a cousin with advanced Lupus, so that is a reasonable possibility also, but the biopsy would detect that as well I suspect.  Occasionally advanced lymphoma will cause the chest fluid you described, but it will not cause hair loss. 

    In your situation, I would be begging for answers as soon as I could get them.  The clean bone scan is a good thing, but MRIs are not the best for detecting lymphoma; CTs are much more effective.

    I hope you share what you learn regarding this,

    max