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General health

Health anxiety and lymph node

12 replies

lionheart70 · 08/02/2016 21:56

Driving myself crazy with health anxiety. I noticed last week I have a hard lymph node in my neck. I saw my gp who said it's a reactive lymph node, probably due to an infection but that I should go back in 2 or 3 weeks if it hasn't gone. Frankly I am terrified - I seem to have lost all perspective. I am not aware of having had an infection and the fact that it's hard and painless is really playing on my mind. Am even thinking of going back to the gp tomorrow but I 'm worried about that too. Please, anyone, some positivity?

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Haggisfish · 08/02/2016 22:04

Have had exactly the same concern. Went to see specialist privately £200 who told me they would only really worry if it was over an inch in length ( get a ruler to measure it!). And then expanded really very quickly. You'll read horror stories on web about an 'innocent lump' etc but these really are very unusual. Have you any other symptoms such as drenching night sweats, weight loss etc?

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RoobyTuesday · 08/02/2016 22:06

Your GP will have felt hundreds of lymph nodes in their time and have not felt anything about yours that causes them any undue concern and have quite rightly suggested you give it a bit longer to see if it resolves. I have a lymph node in my neck which comes up every now and then for seemingly no reason, you may not always be aware you are fighting an infection. I also have health anxiety so I do know how you are feeling but if you go back to your GP you will just be told the same thing tomorrow. A truly hard fixed lymph node that is of concern will not go unnoticed by a doctor and although you feel it is hard unless you have a lot of experience in palpating nodes then you will just have to trust your GP on this one. Have you ever had any help for your HA? Try and stay away from Google, easier said than done I know.

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lionheart70 · 08/02/2016 22:08

Thanks Haggis. I haven't got any other symptoms at all, in fact have been really well this winter. Dh and ds have just had horrible virus so maybe I am fighting that off. Can I ask why you ended up paying to get yours seen to - would gp not refer?

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Seriouslyffs · 08/02/2016 22:08

A couple of times I've 'created' really scary bumps by proddingchecking nodes. Both times HCP were lovely, the second time was after the 2 week protocol was introduced, so I was whisked off for a scan, which really panicked me...
Easier said than done, I know but try not to worry.

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lionheart70 · 08/02/2016 22:10

Thanks Rooby, sound advice. My GP sent me on a great course for anxiety last year but when things like this flare up I find myself regressing

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Haggisfish · 08/02/2016 22:12

I didn't ask for referral as I knew in my heart of hearts I didn't have it, but also perversely needed the reassurance from a consultant. So in my head I couldn't justify using nhs resources!

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RoobyTuesday · 08/02/2016 22:13

It is horrible I know, I've wasted so much of my life worrying relentlessly about my health. I had a course of CBT a couple of years ago which really helped and was very useful, could you ask your GP to refer you?

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mamaneedsamojito · 08/02/2016 22:14

I'm another very anxious person but I've never worried about the random swollen glands in my neck which I get from time to time. The last time was around Christmas and I didn't have any other symptoms. My left side was much more swollen than the right. If you GP isn't worried I honestly don't think you need to be - and this is coming from a fellow panicker!

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Poshsausage · 08/02/2016 22:17

Eek I've got a large two winger width lump under one side of my neck it never seems to go had it st least a year now what on earth are these things about ?

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catscratchingpost · 08/02/2016 22:23

As a fellow health anxiety sufferer I sympathise OP.

I have two relatively large lymph nodes on my neck. Had them for over seven years now! Both perfectly fine.

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iPaid · 08/02/2016 22:23

Our bodies can fight infections we don't even know we've got. We're bloody marvellous!

Health anxiety is awful, OP, but remember your GP will have trained for a decade so is most probably right.

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lionheart70 · 08/02/2016 22:35

Thanks everyone. Am feeling a bit calmer. I think I do need to think about how I deal with my anxiety - probably something to ask about next time I am seeing gp. Not helped by the fact my dad is seriously ill at the mo, so I think I am generally pretty anxious just now.