Lymphoma ?

tired682

Last June I started coughing  and lost my appetite. I  lost 30 lbs. in about 6 weeks. Violent nausea without feeling sick, just violent wretching. My chest started to burn in the back inside. I sweat at night, not drenching mostly around my neck. I was xrayed 3 different times and had my esophagus and stomach scoped and 2 ct scans and a pet scan. They found inflamed nodes behind my heart and a tumor in my rt. lung. They removed them in late Oct. and the symptoms disappeared for 2 weeks and have since come back They were benign. After the surgery I had terrible night sweats at home that I've never experienced before but they subsided after the second week. The pain is back in my chest and I can't eat very much, so I know something is still wrong but the doctors want to scan me again. I really don't know what to think at this point.

Have any of you experienced similar symptoms, can Lymphoma show benign symptoms? I would sure appreciate any suggestions as I'm losing faith in my physicians. I can't keep working like this, I'm getting weaker. 

Thanks

Mark 

 

Unknown

Tired

I had similar symptoms for years before being diagnosed with lymphoma but not the violent nausea. I did have night sweats from the shoulders up. Unless your Doctors are completely incompetent,  I seriously doubt you have lymphoma. I say this because of all the different scans coming up negative. I am not a doctor so take my advice with a grain of salt. I would suggest a bone marrow biopsy and ask to be thoroughly checked for some sort of parasitic infection. As far as lymphoma tumors, they are by definition a collection of cancerous B-cells.

Could the relief you experienced after the surgery be the effect of some of the meds or even maybe the anaesthesia?

Hope this helps a little. Good luck.

 

Garry

tired682

unknown said:

Tired

I had similar symptoms for years before being diagnosed with lymphoma but not the violent nausea. I did have night sweats from the shoulders up. Unless your Doctors are completely incompetent,  I seriously doubt you have lymphoma. I say this because of all the different scans coming up negative. I am not a doctor so take my advice with a grain of salt. I would suggest a bone marrow biopsy and ask to be thoroughly checked for some sort of parasitic infection. As far as lymphoma tumors, they are by definition a collection of cancerous B-cells.

Could the relief you experienced after the surgery be the effect of some of the meds or even maybe the anaesthesia?

Hope this helps a little. Good luck.

 

Garry

Thanks Garry, the ct scans

Thanks Garry, the ct scans showed the tumor and inflamed nodes and the pet scan showed "concerning" cell activity. Thats why they recommened their removal. When they did the actual biopsy they were benign. One doc. thinks maybe severe bronchitis another tb of the lymph nodes but none of them know, but i keep losing weight and I'm getting weaker. I guess I'll go with one more scan but i don't know what that will change, more inflamed nodes in my chest which won't explain why they are inflamed.

dowgirl

tired682 said:

Thanks Garry, the ct scans

Thanks Garry, the ct scans showed the tumor and inflamed nodes and the pet scan showed "concerning" cell activity. Thats why they recommened their removal. When they did the actual biopsy they were benign. One doc. thinks maybe severe bronchitis another tb of the lymph nodes but none of them know, but i keep losing weight and I'm getting weaker. I guess I'll go with one more scan but i don't know what that will change, more inflamed nodes in my chest which won't explain why they are inflamed.

Second opinion

Have you thought of taking a second opinion? 

Thanks

dowgirl

tired682 said:

Thanks Garry, the ct scans

Thanks Garry, the ct scans showed the tumor and inflamed nodes and the pet scan showed "concerning" cell activity. Thats why they recommened their removal. When they did the actual biopsy they were benign. One doc. thinks maybe severe bronchitis another tb of the lymph nodes but none of them know, but i keep losing weight and I'm getting weaker. I guess I'll go with one more scan but i don't know what that will change, more inflamed nodes in my chest which won't explain why they are inflamed.

Second opinion

Have you thought of taking a second opinion? 

Thanks

dowgirl

tired682 said:

Thanks Garry, the ct scans

Thanks Garry, the ct scans showed the tumor and inflamed nodes and the pet scan showed "concerning" cell activity. Thats why they recommened their removal. When they did the actual biopsy they were benign. One doc. thinks maybe severe bronchitis another tb of the lymph nodes but none of them know, but i keep losing weight and I'm getting weaker. I guess I'll go with one more scan but i don't know what that will change, more inflamed nodes in my chest which won't explain why they are inflamed.

Second opinion

Have you thought of taking a second opinion? 

Thanks

dowgirl

tired682 said:

Thanks Garry, the ct scans

Thanks Garry, the ct scans showed the tumor and inflamed nodes and the pet scan showed "concerning" cell activity. Thats why they recommened their removal. When they did the actual biopsy they were benign. One doc. thinks maybe severe bronchitis another tb of the lymph nodes but none of them know, but i keep losing weight and I'm getting weaker. I guess I'll go with one more scan but i don't know what that will change, more inflamed nodes in my chest which won't explain why they are inflamed.

Second opinion

Have you thought of taking a second opinion? 

Thanks

dowgirl

tired682 said:

Thanks Garry, the ct scans

Thanks Garry, the ct scans showed the tumor and inflamed nodes and the pet scan showed "concerning" cell activity. Thats why they recommened their removal. When they did the actual biopsy they were benign. One doc. thinks maybe severe bronchitis another tb of the lymph nodes but none of them know, but i keep losing weight and I'm getting weaker. I guess I'll go with one more scan but i don't know what that will change, more inflamed nodes in my chest which won't explain why they are inflamed.

Second opinion

Have you thought of taking a second opinion? 

Thanks

dowgirl

tired682 said:

Thanks Garry, the ct scans

Thanks Garry, the ct scans showed the tumor and inflamed nodes and the pet scan showed "concerning" cell activity. Thats why they recommened their removal. When they did the actual biopsy they were benign. One doc. thinks maybe severe bronchitis another tb of the lymph nodes but none of them know, but i keep losing weight and I'm getting weaker. I guess I'll go with one more scan but i don't know what that will change, more inflamed nodes in my chest which won't explain why they are inflamed.

Second opinion

Have you thought of taking a second opinion? 

Thanks

dowgirl

tired682 said:

Thanks Garry, the ct scans

Thanks Garry, the ct scans showed the tumor and inflamed nodes and the pet scan showed "concerning" cell activity. Thats why they recommened their removal. When they did the actual biopsy they were benign. One doc. thinks maybe severe bronchitis another tb of the lymph nodes but none of them know, but i keep losing weight and I'm getting weaker. I guess I'll go with one more scan but i don't know what that will change, more inflamed nodes in my chest which won't explain why they are inflamed.

Second opinion

Have you thought of taking a second opinion? 

Thanks

tired682

dowgirl said:

Second opinion

Have you thought of taking a second opinion? 

Thanks

Yes, so far I've seen a

Yes, so far I've seen a gp, thoracic surgeon, pulmonary specialist and a gastro...? (stomach doc.) I'm very open to any  suggestions

.I really don't know what kind of doctor to go to for this. Somebody suggested an internist, but I really don't know.

Thanks Dowgirl, I guess that's what I'll have to do if this scan doesn't show anything different.

 

 

onlytoday

tired682 said:

Yes, so far I've seen a

Yes, so far I've seen a gp, thoracic surgeon, pulmonary specialist and a gastro...? (stomach doc.) I'm very open to any  suggestions

.I really don't know what kind of doctor to go to for this. Somebody suggested an internist, but I really don't know.

Thanks Dowgirl, I guess that's what I'll have to do if this scan doesn't show anything different.

 

 

Biopsy

Tired,

 

Sorry you are going through all of this.  I am wondering if your biopsy was checked by an independent lab?  Usually a hospital will send it out to have it verified by a large teaching hospital lab.  The only other suggestion I can come up with is to go to an oncologist.  Since you are concerned about your docs possibly missing something and you are not seeing any improvement maybe that would be a good option for you.  You certainly cannot continue on the path that you are on without any relief.

 

Best of luck to you.

 

 

tired682

onlytoday said:

Biopsy

Tired,

 

Sorry you are going through all of this.  I am wondering if your biopsy was checked by an independent lab?  Usually a hospital will send it out to have it verified by a large teaching hospital lab.  The only other suggestion I can come up with is to go to an oncologist.  Since you are concerned about your docs possibly missing something and you are not seeing any improvement maybe that would be a good option for you.  You certainly cannot continue on the path that you are on without any relief.

 

Best of luck to you.

 

 

I know they did a preliminary

I know they did a preliminary biopsy in the operating room. The doc said if it was positive then they were going to resection my lung right then and there, however it was neg. They sent it somewhere for further evaluation and that confirmed the original neg. finding. Would an oncologist look at me without a diagnosis of cancer? I thought I had to be referred?

Thanks Biopsy

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

Possibly...

Have the docs consider if it is Sarcoidosis. This is an inflammation of the lymph nodes, usually in the chest, and they often go inside the lungs. My sister-in-law has this, and it took four specialists several months to sort it out.

Sarcoidosis is NOT a form of cancer, but it is rare, and can look a lot like lymphoma on a CT.

 

max

Unknown

unknown said:

Tired

I had similar symptoms for years before being diagnosed with lymphoma but not the violent nausea. I did have night sweats from the shoulders up. Unless your Doctors are completely incompetent,  I seriously doubt you have lymphoma. I say this because of all the different scans coming up negative. I am not a doctor so take my advice with a grain of salt. I would suggest a bone marrow biopsy and ask to be thoroughly checked for some sort of parasitic infection. As far as lymphoma tumors, they are by definition a collection of cancerous B-cells.

Could the relief you experienced after the surgery be the effect of some of the meds or even maybe the anaesthesia?

Hope this helps a little. Good luck.

 

Garry

Parasites

I mentioned parasites because of my time in the tropics. One particular one which I had was toxoplasmosis gondi. It is spread by cats, sheep, goats and other domestic animals plus wild game. There iseven an outbreak in UK which is hardly the tropics. I had swollen lymph glands, fatigue, flu-like symptoms and nausea. It can also infect the brain. It is usually not serious but can kill. There are many other single cell parasites to be concerned with Which present similar symtoms Including benign tumors. Just a thought.

cathyp

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Possibly...

Have the docs consider if it is Sarcoidosis. This is an inflammation of the lymph nodes, usually in the chest, and they often go inside the lungs. My sister-in-law has this, and it took four specialists several months to sort it out.

Sarcoidosis is NOT a form of cancer, but it is rare, and can look a lot like lymphoma on a CT.

 

max

Hi Mark,
How frustrating to

Hi Mark,

How frustrating to not feel well and have no answers.  I don't want to sound like I'm looking for something that isn't there     but have you considered another patholgy opinion?  My frozen section, while on the operating table, was malignant thymoma and the independent lab was Hodgkins Lymphoma.  For my breast cancer, I had 3 labs do an analysis.  Sometimes over analyzing produces some anxiety but perhaps in this case it can relieve some anxiety.

Good Luck Mark,

Cathy

NANCYL1

LYMPHOMA??

Mark:

I had a regular checkup by my Internist in January 2012, which included a blood test.  The test showed a high white blood cell count.  My internist sent me immediately to an Oncologist/Hematologist at a nearby Cancer Center.  I had the following tests there:  CT SCAN, PET SCAN, ENDOSCOPY, BONE MARROW BIOPSY, and BLOOD TESTS.  Diagnosis:  I have B CELL LYMPHOMA.  (mild) 

I am going through RITUXAN infusions for two years.  Thus far the White cell count, Red cell count and Platelets are now back to normal.

The diagnosis of cancer was a surprise to me.  Symptons that I was ignoring were not really much:  Tired, some night sweats, loss of appetite.

Sorry to hear that you are having such a bad time.

How about another opinion?

Nancy

 

 

 

 

 

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Possibly...

Have the docs consider if it is Sarcoidosis. This is an inflammation of the lymph nodes, usually in the chest, and they often go inside the lungs. My sister-in-law has this, and it took four specialists several months to sort it out.

Sarcoidosis is NOT a form of cancer, but it is rare, and can look a lot like lymphoma on a CT.

 

max

Ask doc about...

The more I re-read your stuff, the more struck I am about how it sounds almost exactly like what my sister-in-law went through for six months before numerous doctors figured out her problem. She, too, had several nodes biopsied negative for lymphoma over a long period of time.

I would specifically ask the docs to rule out sarcoidosis as a possibility.    The lung invoilvment is classic sarcoidosis.

max

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