scary symptoms

tanyab
tanyab Member Posts: 2
in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1

Hello everyone.  I am new here.  I just have a few questions. I have a swollen lymph node on my neck that comes for 4 to 5 days and causes pain in my neck as well as my arms then symptoms go away for a few weeks then come back and then it starts all over aging the same cycle. Has anyone had these symptoms before diagnosis?

 

Thank you very much 

Comments

  • Sten
    Sten Member Posts: 162 Member
    #2
    Go see a doctor

    Hi tanyab,

    Only the doctors can tell what your problem is. Go and see a good one soon. Good luck!

    Sten

  • tanyab
    tanyab Member Posts: 2
    #3
    I have been for an

    I have been for an ultrasound. Just waiting for the results. The wait is killing me and so is the pain for the swollen lymph node. And thank you for the luck. I feel like I am going to need it.

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #4

    Unless you have already had lymphoma, I would recommend that you be cool and see good doctors. One thing is that lymphoma nodes, at least in my experience, are generally painless. Given your symptoms, I would suspect something like an infected tooth. However pursue a diagnosis and don't settle till you get one. A simple needle biopsy should do it. Best of luck.

  • OO7
    OO7 Member Posts: 281
    #5
    I did not

    In my experience, my cancer presented in a node on my chest close to my underarm.  I had it for about ten years, no pain and it never went away. It grew.  MANY mammograms, ultrasounds  and years later no one ever thought anything of it.  Crazy.  It wasn't until a node in my neck grew, it was only painful because as it was growing it had no space.  At the time I also had all the classic systems of lymphoma but I discounted every one of them.  As someone once told me, I can be very convincing.

    That is the scary thing, cancer often goes undetected until later stages.

    Be vigalent and stay on top of things.  Needle biopsy is a simple test but can be inconclusive.  It's definitely worth a try,  if your doctor doesn't mention it, I would.  Because of my history, I would also get a second opinion.

    Good luck, I hope it's an infection.

     

     

     

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #6
    unknown said:

    Unless you have already had lymphoma, I would recommend that you be cool and see good doctors. One thing is that lymphoma nodes, at least in my experience, are generally painless. Given your symptoms, I would suspect something like an infected tooth. However pursue a diagnosis and don't settle till you get one. A simple needle biopsy should do it. Best of luck.

    Agree

    Tanya,

    Like GKH, my understanding is that cancerous nodes almost never hurt (they sometimes hurt adjacent organs that they might press against, but they themselves do not ordinarily have any pain).  Also, cancer does not "pulsate" -- swell up and then go away, and then reswell.  It stays in place, although the ability to feel it via touch can vary, depending on other factors (where it is in the body, unrelated fluid retention, etc.).

    I also would request the needle biopsy. It is easy, painless, and relatively inexpensive. But peace of mind is priceless.

    max

  • lindary
    lindary Member Posts: 711 Member
    #7
    OO7 said:

    I did not

    In my experience, my cancer presented in a node on my chest close to my underarm.  I had it for about ten years, no pain and it never went away. It grew.  MANY mammograms, ultrasounds  and years later no one ever thought anything of it.  Crazy.  It wasn't until a node in my neck grew, it was only painful because as it was growing it had no space.  At the time I also had all the classic systems of lymphoma but I discounted every one of them.  As someone once told me, I can be very convincing.

    That is the scary thing, cancer often goes undetected until later stages.

    Be vigalent and stay on top of things.  Needle biopsy is a simple test but can be inconclusive.  It's definitely worth a try,  if your doctor doesn't mention it, I would.  Because of my history, I would also get a second opinion.

    Good luck, I hope it's an infection.

     

     

     

    nodes

    My experience is the same. My thyroid was off and I was having a bout with constipation every 2 weeks. When I told my Dr about the constipation she decided to do a manual examine and that is how the enlarged node/tumor was found. When we did the CT scan I had also developed pluerisy in one lung. There is no way to tell how long it had been there. 

  • oldcaliforniagirl
    oldcaliforniagirl Member Posts: 5
    #8
    A little familiar

    My husband, before being diagnosed with NH type B follicular lymphoma had swellings in his neck and armpit that grew and receded, and grew again.  This was going on maybe six, eight months before diagnosis.  Maybe sooner, it's been a while.  I don't remember if he had any pain with them or not.  The cancerous nodes got hard and stayed hard -- this was different.  These swellings were larger, softer.  They eventually stopped happening as often.  We never found out what they were and we have no way of knowing if they had any relationship to the lymphoma.  Maybe it was a physical response of the lymph system to something not being quite right???

    If I were you, I'd be looking for a diagnosis from some medical folks.  My husband didn't, but he later had symptoms he couldn't ignore.  In his case it was lymphoma.  I wouldn't pretend to make a guess in your case -- could be any number of things I would think. 

    Good luck and take care of yourself!

  • oldcaliforniagirl
    oldcaliforniagirl Member Posts: 5
    #9
    A little familiar

    Sorry, accidental post.  Please ignore I can't delete it.

Discussion Boards