Lump in neck

[BonnieBlueButler]

Hi,

Just before Christmas I found a hard small lump in my neck. It's towards the front and very close to my trachea, about half way down my neck. I assumed it was a lymph node but as I hadn't had any symptoms, was a bit concerned. It didn't go so made an appointment with the nurse practitioner, the only appointment available. She said she could feel the lump and a similar, although smaller gland, on the other side. She wasn't concerned but as it had been there for at least 3 weeks, she sent me for blood tests. She seemed fairly certain that it was a gland.

Bloods all came back normal. I went for a follow-up appointment with a GP today. He examined my neck really thoroughly and told me he doesn't think it is a gland, but instead a lump on the cartridge of my neck. He said lymph nodes are usually further back. He was very unconcerned. I told him it was worrying me but he said as it wasn't changing in size and due to my age (I'm 36), he was certain it was nothing to worry over.

I am still worried though. I have developed health anxiety since having my children; it has got much worth since my son was born 18 months ago.

The doctor told me not to keep checking it, and only to go back if I felt it was getting bigger. Would you go back to see another doctor? It's really not that I don't trust his opinion, but there is clearly a lump there - what is it? I don't want to sit back and do nothing if there is something wrong.

I'm so tired of worrying about my health - even the doctor telling me not to worry isn't putting my mind at rest.

Any advice?

[gordonpym]

Why don't you ask for an ultrasound scan to put your mind at ease? Just say you can now feel it when you swallow and they will refer you.

It could be a thyroid nodule.Thyroid nodule are quite common, but sometimes they become quite big and it's better to have them removed.
But you are saying it is halfway , right so not really close to your thyroid.

[GoodAndBad]

I came onto the health board to see if anyone had been discussing anything like this as I've found a lump very similar to the one you describe and the same place in the last couple of weeks and am driving myself mad with worry! I've just changed doctors due to moving house recently and not got my initial appointment until 18th February which seems like forever away. Thought I would give it another week and if it's not gone I might call to see if it can be moved sooner.

Sorry I have no useful advice, but if I were you I would probably ask for a second opinion or do as the PP says if you're still worried. As I say, no useful advice but sometimes it's nice to know you're not alone.

[Alyosha]

As a fellow HA sufferer I can empathise with how concerned you must feel!

I think the first think you need to know is what will reassure you (2 GPs reassuring you has not been enough so far, I am very similar!) - will it be ultrasound? Biopsy? An ENT specialist examining you? Maybe the GP explaining in more detail why he doesn't think it's anything to be concerned about (i.e. is the lump hard, soft, does it move when you touch it?).

Much of the time HA sufferers will never feel reassured, in which case you have to be honest with yourself and what you really need out of the NHS to feel better.

[BonnieBlueButler]

Hi,

Thanks for the responses.

Alyosha, you have said something very similar to my husband in that 2 appointments haven't reassured me so what will? The answer is, I don't know! I think I will end up back at the doctors in a couple of weeks if it doesn't go and maybe ask for a referral for someone to look at it. The GP agreed that it is a hard lump and feels fairly 'fixed' to the cartilage of my throat - his words. I mentioned that I thought these were the conditions in which lumps caused concern, but he still said it was nothing to be worried about.

My mom suffered from an awful cancer phobia when I was little. It was dreadful - some of my first memories are of my mom crying and feeling for lumps. And now I am terrified that I am heading the same way and that I am going to inflict on my children what I went through. The sane part of my mind sees this, but there is always the nagging voice in my head: what if it is something sinister? How can I not follow up on it?

GoodandBad - I hope you find some reassurance too. It's good to know it's not just me.

[CocoSims]

I know this is a super old thread but I have this exact problem atm, I could've written this! I've got a hard lump on the cartilage on my neck, same place. Been there a while, docs not concerned but I just want to know what it is as it hasn't always been there?! If you see this, what was your outcome? x