Hope to find an answer here

john21a

Hello All
For the last 3-4 weeks i have been having soreness under my armpits. None of the doctors can feel a swollen node. The pain seems to change intensity. Some days it's worse and some days there is less pain. I also started to have a swollen lymph node in my neck 3-4 days ago. I went to doctor again and he said that my neck node is a bit swollen but nothing serious. I had a CBC blood test which came back normal. I also have soreness around my perineum area (top of my thighs near my private parts) but once again no sign of swollen nodes there. Could pain associated with lymphoma change intensity? one day its worse and another day less pain? Also could lymphoma be scattered around the body like this? I'm very worried and this was the only place i was hopeful to get information about my symptoms because the doctors are not taking matters seriously. Been two 3 doctors. I also had an ultrasound from my stomach for another reason 6 weeks ago which came back normal. Not sure if that might show anything. But the pain under my armpits (going on for 4 weeks now), the pain near my testicles (going on for two weeks) and also the swollen node on my neck (4 days), isn't that enough proof that there is something wrong with my nodes? I'm 21 years old male.
God Bless
John

allmost60

CT scan
Hi John,
A CT scan would give you more answers. I had obvious swollen nodes in my groin and neck(could feel them) and after having a CT scan with contast dye, numerous tumors were also found in my stomach. So yes, Lymphoma can be scattered around different areas of your body. I didn't have any pain with my swollen nodes/tumors, so I can't help you there. I was non-symptomatic and didn't think for a minute the swollen nodes were cancer. Get it checked out completely...you are young and still strong, so finding things out sooner than later would be the best thing to do. Be sure to let us know how your doing.
Best wishes...Sue (Follicular NHL-grade2-stage3-typeA-indolent-Diagnosed June 2010) age 60

john21a

allmost60 said:

CT scan
Hi John,
A CT scan would give you more answers. I had obvious swollen nodes in my groin and neck(could feel them) and after having a CT scan with contast dye, numerous tumors were also found in my stomach. So yes, Lymphoma can be scattered around different areas of your body. I didn't have any pain with my swollen nodes/tumors, so I can't help you there. I was non-symptomatic and didn't think for a minute the swollen nodes were cancer. Get it checked out completely...you are young and still strong, so finding things out sooner than later would be the best thing to do. Be sure to let us know how your doing.
Best wishes...Sue (Follicular NHL-grade2-stage3-typeA-indolent-Diagnosed June 2010) age 60

Hello Sue
Thanks for the
Hello Sue
Thanks for the answer, Hope you are doing fine
I had a CT scan from my head about a year ago because of headaches which came back normal. I also had two ultrasounds in the past 2-3 months from my stomach. All normal. Had 2 blood tests the last one being done two weeks ago, again all normal. I must admit i do suffer from hypochondria but this its not me imagining things. The node in my neck is swollen, the doctor confirmed but my family physician thinks there is nothing wrong with me. I haven't been sick in the past year so it cant be my body fighting off a virus or anything like that. Since the pain is scattered around could it mean that if i do have lymphoma its in advanced stages?

bluerose

john21a said:

Hello Sue
Thanks for the
Hello Sue
Thanks for the answer, Hope you are doing fine
I had a CT scan from my head about a year ago because of headaches which came back normal. I also had two ultrasounds in the past 2-3 months from my stomach. All normal. Had 2 blood tests the last one being done two weeks ago, again all normal. I must admit i do suffer from hypochondria but this its not me imagining things. The node in my neck is swollen, the doctor confirmed but my family physician thinks there is nothing wrong with me. I haven't been sick in the past year so it cant be my body fighting off a virus or anything like that. Since the pain is scattered around could it mean that if i do have lymphoma its in advanced stages?

25 year lymphoma survivor here
Hi John. A few things I will try to share with you on this topic.

First off a possible good sign for you might be that cancer, for mahy people -especially lymphomas - doesn't hurt. Now having said that I suppose it can depending on where it is, stage etc. but I didn't have any pain with mine when it first appeared in my groin area. Now just because you have a lump in your groin doens't mean it's automatically cancer but all that should be checked out for sure and a CT of that area - abdomen and pelvis is totally what you need to do.

Unfortunately when someone has been seen as a hypochondriac in the past they can be ignored when they have medical issues, or they feel they have, and that you need to be careful of but I believe that we should all trust our instincts and you have had doctors confirm swollen lymph nodes so it's not like you are making that up. I would get another opinion if I were you. If you can get to see an oncologist who deals in lymphomas that would be best but sometimes you have to be diagnosed first to see one. I got to see an oncologist to follow me even though my cancer was done long ago so it is possible if you fight to be seen. It's your body and your life, what will a couple of tests do to harm you? Nothing, better safer than sorry.

Swollen lymph nodes can simply mean an infection too but again that needs to be discovered as to why they are swelling - you don't just leave symptoms like that. You can also ask about an MRI of the groin area and maybe stomach area too - abdomen and pelvis, that will tell them alot too.

Stress is not good for your immune systom no matter what you are fighting so that in itself needs to be under control and what helps stress is ANSWERS. Having a CT of the areas of concrn plus maybe an MRI if they see fit can reduce your stress and give you answers.

Try not to worry about things which haven't been diagnosed, step by step get the tests that will give you the answers and again I would seek out another opinion.

Keep us posted and blessings to you and yours.

Bluerose

john21a

bluerose said:

25 year lymphoma survivor here
Hi John. A few things I will try to share with you on this topic.

First off a possible good sign for you might be that cancer, for mahy people -especially lymphomas - doesn't hurt. Now having said that I suppose it can depending on where it is, stage etc. but I didn't have any pain with mine when it first appeared in my groin area. Now just because you have a lump in your groin doens't mean it's automatically cancer but all that should be checked out for sure and a CT of that area - abdomen and pelvis is totally what you need to do.

Unfortunately when someone has been seen as a hypochondriac in the past they can be ignored when they have medical issues, or they feel they have, and that you need to be careful of but I believe that we should all trust our instincts and you have had doctors confirm swollen lymph nodes so it's not like you are making that up. I would get another opinion if I were you. If you can get to see an oncologist who deals in lymphomas that would be best but sometimes you have to be diagnosed first to see one. I got to see an oncologist to follow me even though my cancer was done long ago so it is possible if you fight to be seen. It's your body and your life, what will a couple of tests do to harm you? Nothing, better safer than sorry.

Swollen lymph nodes can simply mean an infection too but again that needs to be discovered as to why they are swelling - you don't just leave symptoms like that. You can also ask about an MRI of the groin area and maybe stomach area too - abdomen and pelvis, that will tell them alot too.

Stress is not good for your immune systom no matter what you are fighting so that in itself needs to be under control and what helps stress is ANSWERS. Having a CT of the areas of concrn plus maybe an MRI if they see fit can reduce your stress and give you answers.

Try not to worry about things which haven't been diagnosed, step by step get the tests that will give you the answers and again I would seek out another opinion.

Keep us posted and blessings to you and yours.

Bluerose

thank you bluerose
went to
thank you bluerose
went to my family physician today, he ordered a chest xray and also an xray from groin area. He assured me that there is nothing serious going on. He also ordered a CBC blood test once again. If all the chest xrays come back normal should i be feeling better about it not being lymphoma. As you guys said the pain pretty much tells me it's very odd for it to be lymphoma and also the size of the node in my neck is not that big. You can't even tell its swollen looking at it but when you touch it feels a bit swollen, thats what the doctor said. So should xrays make me more comfortable with this whole thing?
god bless you

bluerose

john21a said:

thank you bluerose
went to
thank you bluerose
went to my family physician today, he ordered a chest xray and also an xray from groin area. He assured me that there is nothing serious going on. He also ordered a CBC blood test once again. If all the chest xrays come back normal should i be feeling better about it not being lymphoma. As you guys said the pain pretty much tells me it's very odd for it to be lymphoma and also the size of the node in my neck is not that big. You can't even tell its swollen looking at it but when you touch it feels a bit swollen, thats what the doctor said. So should xrays make me more comfortable with this whole thing?
god bless you

Hmmmmmmmm, hard to say
Xrays will be one more piece to the puzzle I guess but CT's are better of the areas. I don't remember if you said you had CTs of your neck, groin and armpits??? If not I would push for CT's. I know now they know that you can get radiation from CTs but with your symptoms I still think I would push to get a set done of those areas. If you did get CTs of those areas, how long ago was that?

I wouldn't get CTs too often but I do think that these swellings should be monitored every 6 months apart at least, or less. If nothing else, for your piece of mind. I worry a little about your label of 'hypochondriac' because sometimes people who have a bit of an obsessive issue with symptoms aren't taken as seriously as they should be when things do come up that are bothering them. Your doc sounds like he is trying to do further testing though so that's good. Just remember that you should know your body best so if you truly think there is something wrong then push for answers. I think you know the difference, way down deep, as to what is wrong when it is.

Now swollen nodes can be infections too as I think I mentioned before. Are you sure you aren't showing signs of other types of infections? Even early arthritis or things like that can show up in swollen nodes with the inflammation is my understanding.

However I am not going to second guess you or your doctors but just saying that you need to ask as many questions as you think you have to of them to make yourself feel at ease and cared for.

Lymphoma doesn't classically hurt but the one rule that I have seen firm in most cancers is that there are no set rules, everyone can present differently. That's the hell of it. Still your symptoms are in key lymphoma areas but then again, could just be a coincidence and maybe nothing at all. I hope that is the situation for you.

Take care.

Bluerose