Battling Cancer / How did you get diagnosed?

Brandi4128

Hey All, 

So my story starts about 6 years ago or so. I have always been a bit on the unhealthy side. I am 32 yrs old and have three children. My issues started off with a mass on my liver that was about 3in, They biopsied it threw CT but they hit a blood vessel and my lungs filled up with blood so it was stopped and I was rushed to intensive care. Never the less they didn’t get the biopsy! Doctors decided it was benign and life went on. They had it being monitored every 6 months. At this time I really had no symptoms besides stomach problems (nausea) and going to the bathroom all the time. Which had become normal. I had always been sick as a child due to sever asthma. I had my tonsils removed at 15 and appendix at 16. As the years passed I was diagnosed with reflux, IBS, migraines, sleeping disorder. In 2011 I started having major fatigue and major nausea and was constantly in the doctors for strep. (although never actually tested positive for strep) just prescribed antibiotics based off the white puss and blisters in my throat. He sent me for allergy testing and it came back severely allergic to all nuts and many other things. At first I believed this was the answer to all my symptoms! I did feel better without eating peanut butter and I did put on weight which was a first for me! I went from 89lbs to 110 over the next year. In 2012 the migraines became more frequent, night sweats, aching joints, soar throats with white stuff, mild fever, pain in right side by liver, pain in groin area, anemia set in, swollen glands, and just feeling under the weather. I was tested for mono, strep, all my blood came back fine except anemia, tested for rheumatoid arthritis, and a few others but all neg. They did an exploratory surgery on my stomach and found a few very small hernias they fixed but that was all. The symptoms came and went and at times I would feel better during the day and then by night it would return really bad. I went to the doctor a few times during this period and every time it was a sinus infection or strep or the flu. Although still never tested. My son has constructive airway disease and is only 7 so I spent a lot of my time with him in hospitals and worrying about him. I trusted that I must just get sick a lot. Now skip ahead to this year when everything seemed to come crashing down! The migraines started closing in on me from the normal 3 times a month to EVERY day, vision changes, extreme pressure in my head, pressure in my ears, neck, chin and pretty much everywhere, swollen glands, elbow pain, and other joint pain, then suddenly my legs started itching (At first I thought it had to be allergy’s) but it was just my legs, (little on my arms) rash on my face, This last month I went to a new Doctor and listed all these symptoms. I had blisters in my throat again and I said can we check for strep? Test came back negative. It must be mono than.... Nope tested negative. They also screened for any type of virus or bacteria and non was found. She then referred me to ENT since we didn’t know what was wrong. ENT appt a week later and he asked a lot of questions (didn’t talk much) numbed my nose, stuck a scope down my nose and into my throat. (Scared me a bit since this was my first appointment) said ok lets get a CT. Next appointment after results were in the Doctor said I needed surgery to fix a very mild deviated septum, and there was some blockages, air pockets and pulups. He REALLY didn’t talk much he said this should fix you up and scheduled the surgery for next week. I know this board is for people diagnosed with cancer and I have not been. That being said I have felt for a long time that it might some type of lymphoma. My grandfather died of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and my other grandfather of Colon cancer. My father has cancer and my grandmother breast cancer. Yes I may just be worried indeed...But why haven’t they biopsied my lymph nodes? Will this surgery help me to find my answers? Do I need to actually tell my doctor I want them to look for cancer? I'm worried about the surgery because the pressure and head pain is already so sever every day, and my doctor said it may be worse right after surgery. Any advice from you all would be greatly appreciated. Thank you