Are positive lymph nodes usually or often swollen?

bbugs
bbugs Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I'm awaiting lymph node dissection and am very concerned about possible lymph node involvement. I have no signs of swollen lymph nodes and am hoping that's a good sign.

Comments

  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #2
    I would say it probably is a good sign, but waiting for results is definitely not fun. Just keep busy an occupy your mind with other things till the time comes.

    Best wishes for a good result. seof
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #3
    Waiting for test results is never fun, and of course we cling to all positive feelings~ and no swollen lymphnodes is a good thing to have positive feelings about!! For the record, I DID have positive lymphnodes ( 3 of the 15 removed were cancerous) Much as that distressed and even frightened me, March marks 5 YEARS since my surgery! So yes, Sister, there is life~ Before, During, and After Cancer! Wishing you luck and a long, happy, healthy life!
    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #4
    I don't know if it's a good sign- maybe it is. I had positive nodes and I did have discomfort - it felt like I had an infected cyst - they also showed as inflammation on an early scan.

    Keep thinking positive thougths because waiting is the worst part - like the others said staying busy is the best. If you're here in the midwest you'll probably have the opportunity to shovel snow-being mad about the snow would be a distraction for me!!
    She
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #5
    I wish you the best. My experience was that, even tho at my pre-surgical 'face to face' with my surgeon his opinion remained absolutely not lymph involvement, I woke up with a drain and 8 less lymph nodes. Which, of course, signaled chemo with all the trimmings....

    My point? Well, breast cancer was my SECOND cancer in 6 MONTHS...not related...now, 3 years post my first diagnosis....I am CANCER FREE from BOTH, and am living an active, healthy life. You WANT them to find as much as they can, if it is there....and then fight like HECK....the long run will be a cancer-free life!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • bbugs
    bbugs Member Posts: 2
    #6
    Thank you SO much to everyone who is writing back to offer insight. Even though I'm still sort of in the scared/stunned phase of this, it's heartwarming to see how much support is out there. Yes, I'm trying to keep busy. The waiting really is the hardest part.
    Kathi, do you know what made your surgeon think that there wouldn't be any lymph node involvement?
    By the way, my tumor was 1.2 cm, grade 2, ER+/PR+, Her-2 neg, some LVI.
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #7
    It was very clear in my own battle that lymphnodes were involved when a lump grew in my armpit in one week to the size of a golf ball. I had been exhausted for years and now the pain and sickness was growing at a rapid rate prior to my own stage 3 IDC breast cancer with 11 out of 21 positive nodes. One breast had a lump on the same side of the armpit lump and I knew at that point deep inside that I had cancer and it had spread. I found the first lump 8 months prior to the second one growing.
    I was fortunate at the time and my young age of 36 that I was very ill and there was horrid pain to boot due to nerve involvment. They say I was very unusual at the time. You have much that looks good in my eyes and HOPE is a four letter word.
    Tara
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #8
    bbugs said:

    Thank you SO much to everyone who is writing back to offer insight. Even though I'm still sort of in the scared/stunned phase of this, it's heartwarming to see how much support is out there. Yes, I'm trying to keep busy. The waiting really is the hardest part.
    Kathi, do you know what made your surgeon think that there wouldn't be any lymph node involvement?
    By the way, my tumor was 1.2 cm, grade 2, ER+/PR+, Her-2 neg, some LVI.

    Yes, no swelling, no enlargement of the areas he palpitated. He was pretty confident. After surgery (he HAD warned me as a matter of course about drains...if I had them, my lymph nodes were involved...) his face was right near mine, sort of looking like Eyore, and I remember him saying, in a rather shocked voice "Kathi, I was wrong. The sentinel nodes were involved. I took the next 5 nodes down into your arm. I am so sorry".
    Turns out it was JUST the sentinels...but still became stage II....chemo time...my drains came out in a week...started exercising to regain my arm movement.

    Not the best news, but as I said, better they found it all out, so I could get the proper treatment!

    Hugs, Kathi

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