So confused and scared

kya_towe

I am about 6 months out from gastric sleeve surgery for weight loss. Since then I have been having dull abdominal achiness off and on and feeling mildly bloated in my abdomen. Initially I thought it was constipation then I thought maybe I was just pre-menstrual. One day while lying flat on back I was rubbing across the top of my abdomen and I felt a lump on the upper left side kind of right below my breast. The area was mildly tender when I pushed on it and I noticed it reproduced that abdominal achiness I was experiencing. I went back to my surgeon who examined me and thought it was my spleen that was swollen. Well CT of the abdomen ( with IV contrast) showed that it is a condition called mesenteric adenopathy. After the CT scan my PCP called me with the results while I was driving home starting with the words "I want you to pull over" I thought I would crash the car. Her tone was like she was giving me my death sentence. I immediately went home and accessed my electronic chart online and read the report myself. What is scaring me is that the radiologist's impression included the words "suspicious for lymphoma". No organs were found with a mass and my spleen was fine. 

What I have found on mesenteric adenopathy has said it can be caused by infection, inflammation and in fact cancer. So the next step is biopsy. The CT was last week and I'm still waiting to get an appointment day and time. I've done a chat on ACS and asked about the correlation between mesenteric adenopathy and lymphoma and their data base did not indicate a correlation however the radiologist must know something right? why else would he include that in his impression? From what I've read I guess it is possible to have lymphoma without a laundry list of symptoms but other than this tender area in my abdomen I have been feeling fine. I'm not really sure what question to ask of the group. I'm really scared, I feel alone (not much support) and can't stop crying

 

OO7

Breathe

I am a follicular non Hopkins lymphoma patient, stage IV grade 2 and doing incredibly well.  INCREDIBLY. 

Lymphoma is very treatable yet it doesn't mean it's not terrifying in the beginning. 

You need a biopsy before that diagnosis given so right now don't go there. I hope your not part of this group but if you are you came to a great place for support.  I too don't have much, thankfully I don't need it.  Hang in there one day at a time.

 

lindary

dr's guess

My PCP found a mass in my abdomen after I was complaining about some problems. She ordered a CT scan which showed a suspicious mass so I had to go back for a biopsy. The Dr who did hte biopsy made a comment that the mass looked like lymphoma but the biopsy would tell them for sure. It threw me a little since my PCP had not mentioned the possibility of cancer. Yet, I don't feel like I was surprised. I figured the Dr that did the biopsy had seen so many CT scan pictures he had the experience. The biopsy showed he was right. This was 3 years ago. (Yes I found out just before Christmas.) Stage 4 and I am 2 years in remission. 

philr828

lindary said:

dr's guess

My PCP found a mass in my abdomen after I was complaining about some problems. She ordered a CT scan which showed a suspicious mass so I had to go back for a biopsy. The Dr who did hte biopsy made a comment that the mass looked like lymphoma but the biopsy would tell them for sure. It threw me a little since my PCP had not mentioned the possibility of cancer. Yet, I don't feel like I was surprised. I figured the Dr that did the biopsy had seen so many CT scan pictures he had the experience. The biopsy showed he was right. This was 3 years ago. (Yes I found out just before Christmas.) Stage 4 and I am 2 years in remission. 

Good Luck

I had no symptoms and had a growth on the roof of my mouth and then a biopsy and a series of tests tell me I have stage 4 lymphoma that spread in the bone marrow. I had 2 treatments 2 weeks ago and have 5 more which end in May. No pain and I am sure I am looking forward to a long life like you. Merry Christmas

 

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

Wait

Your symptoms do not currently shout 'Lymphoma !' Speculation at this point is meritless. The biopsy will reveal what this spot is.  Lymphoma usually does not cause pain, unless an organ is being pressed upon.   Spots in the mesentery are more linked to Peritoneal malignancy than Lymphoma, especially among females (oddly, Peritoneal cancer consists of ovarian cells, even if the ovaries themselves are disease-free). 

For now enjoy the season if you can and we will all hope for negative results, which most likely you will get,

max

PBL

A more likely explanation

I am not a doctor, but...

You mention fairly recent major surgery in the very same area...

I imagine that prior to that surgery your abdomen was examined to ascertain your state of health and the feasibility of the procedure. Any pre-existing adenopathy might have been detected on that pre-op exam. Since that apparently doesn't seem to be the case, at this point I would assume that your current issue is a consequence of the surgery.

Hasn't any one of the medical professionals you've seen brought up the possibility of a nosocomial infection or perhaps an inflamatory process resulting from your gastric sleeve procedure?

PBL

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

PBL said:

A more likely explanation

I am not a doctor, but...

You mention fairly recent major surgery in the very same area...

I imagine that prior to that surgery your abdomen was examined to ascertain your state of health and the feasibility of the procedure. Any pre-existing adenopathy might have been detected on that pre-op exam. Since that apparently doesn't seem to be the case, at this point I would assume that your current issue is a consequence of the surgery.

Hasn't any one of the medical professionals you've seen brought up the possibility of a nosocomial infection or perhaps an inflamatory process resulting from your gastric sleeve procedure?

PBL

Very insightful

Your answer seems very insightful to me, PBL.

I had laproscopic removal of the gall bladder 5 years ago, and then removal of the prostate 3 years ago, all through the exact same area of the abdomen (some of the laproscopic incisions overlap).  After so much cutting, I later had laproscopic hernia repair also in the exact same area.  So, I have had 3 laproscopic surgeries of the lower abdomen, with the same access holes cut thro9gh 3 times.

I have been to the ER with pains that were later determined to be just scar tissue tearing.   Like you, I also would suspect tearing from the surgery to quite plausibly be the culprit here as well.

max