Enlarged lymph nodes - anyone?

[summerday25]

Hi - I just wondered if I could have some stories, positive or negative, from anyone who has been through what I’m going through.

I went to the GP on Xmas Eve. I’d been feeling ill since the summer when I went into hospital with chest pain and a heart rate of nearly 200, which reduced by that evening without any intervention. The hospital said my bloods were all clear and that I’d had a severe anxiety attack. Referred to cardiology, but still waiting although this has been expedited since. Over the following months I went back to the GP consistently with pain in my head, joint pain and extremely poor mental health to do with health anxiety. Asked GP numerous times do I have cancer, all said no but you have extreme stress and anxiety due to lifestyle and work. Gave my job up and had a few months out. On Xmas Eve the GP told me I had an enlarged lymph node but wasn’t worried and did nothing, didn’t tell me to come back. In Feb I went to a and e again with chest pain, again bloods, ecg and chest x Ray clear - told me I have extreme anxiety but gave me meds for acid reflux too, which they said could also cause the chest pain.

i went to the GP last week as i still have this lymph node up in my neck. The first thing she said was cancer, I had a huge panic attack and asked what kind to be told it could be blood cancer and she was putting an urgent referral through. I’m going back this week for a full body examination. I’m living in absolute despair at the moment. I’m a single mum to three, one of whom is starting their GCSE’s this coming week and the other who is younger and has autism. I’m terrified!!! I keep thinking I’m going to die, why didn’t they want to keep an eye on it when they found it at Xmas?

my anxiety is through the roof and I’m feeling constantly sick and anxious. Has anyone been through this? I don’t know what to do with myself!! They’ve referred me to the mental health to try and help with my anxiety but in the meantime I’m beside myself with worry for my children.

You’re suffering with health anxiety so stories from people with enlarged lymph nodes are no good to you whatsoever and just feed your anxiety further, causing the loop

sounds like you’re constantly at the doctors so one of those visits needs to be discussing better treatments for the real problem here

I would think it’s reassuring that all your bloods keep coming back ok. Lymph nodes swell for all sorts of reasons not just cancer. I think the issue is your health anxiety

Health anxiety is debilitating! You poor thing - you are having a rough ride at the moment - don’t let your thoughts run to the worst case scenario - they are on the case - your bloods were clear so that is a good sign👍

Most enlarged lymph nodes are not cancer, OP.
You've had plenty of tests recently which were all normal.

Sorry you’ve had such a tough time. It sounds like they are absolutely doing the right thing to expedite your referral. Please don’t panic. The cancer referral means you will be seen very quickly. I was seen 5 days later with surgery 3 weeks after that. Mine is cancer, but 90% of referrals on the cancer pathway turn out not to be cancer.

Just do everything they tell you to do and make yourself available for all appointments. You will likely be referred for an ultrasound and fine needle aspiration biopsy. This is really easy and fairly painless. You might have a CT scan and an MRI as well. All with the goal of checking to make sure you are well.

The great thing is these things are pretty definitive. You will have an answer relatively quickly and then can move forward. Either dealing with it, in the very small chance it’s cancer or focusing on getting your mental health better if it’s not. Sending you positive vibes for good news soon.

Try not to worry , I had an enlarged lymph node in my neck and following a battery of tests it was just put down to a virus . I was told the node would go back to normal in a few months and it did . No recurrence.

I have had an enlarged lymph node in my neck for over 20 years. I found it mid 20s, freaked out and went to my GP who wasn't concerned at all. It's not gone down at all, and I never think about it.

I have also suffered health anxiety and so I know that overwhelming sense of terror that grips you and the real physical symptoms that assault you. The sad thing is that reassurance is always fleeting in these scenarios but I hope this post offers you some small comfort.

Thank you for your understanding all. It is a huge worry, mainly because my children only have one parent and I keep worrying about them. I know my anxiety is overwhelming but because they kept putting everything down to that it’s the reason why last week was the first time I’d been since last year. It’s reassuring to hear some of the input you’ve all given so thank you for that. I am trying to keep on top of my anxiety, one of my parents had stage 4 a few years ago and was seriously ill though they are here now for which we are so thankful. @mindutopiai’m so so sorry to hear that it’s affecting you right now and I really genuinely hope that you will get through this and be ok at the end of it all.

I had an enlarged lymph node near my ear and I also panicked when my GP gave me this look and asked about cancer history in my family. Had an MRI and all clear. I get the anxiety, it's horrible isn't it? Hope you're all clear too, OP.

@TheWiseGooseglad to hear you had the all clear! Did they give you any other idea as to what it could be at the time? My GP just bounced on cancer straight away and gave me no other ideas as to what it could possibly be. Did you have it for long?

Your GP was incredibly unprofessional to say what she did - especially given your history. That’s appalling.

Most enlarged lymph nodes have nothing to do with cancer.

@summerday25 was it the same GP who told you not to worry back in december? I agree with @faerietales it was very irresponsible to reverse her opinion with no other options. Some lymph nodes never go down ( like I say above I have one in my neck) and it doesn't mean anything. That's what my GP told me 20 years ago!

It was a different GP, the one is December didn’t seem too bothered really. Said possibly a recent infection I’d had. I’ve actually rung up today and asked to see a different GP for my further examination this week, as she wanted to check out the rest of me to see if there were anymore. Don’t get me wrong she wasn’t horrible or uncaring, just flung it at me with no further explanation! Now I think I’m going to die and just feel constantly panic stricken!

No. They didn't tell me other than it is a enlarged lymph node. I think it's still there but not growing in size and it's been 3 years now.

That’s reassuring for me, thank you. Obviously I’m hoping it’s not the worst possible thing and can be more easily explained.Seems like there are lots of other reasons potentially too. I mean, before December how long had I had it for then? Before last summer I rarely went to the GP, my health anxiety has only really come on since last summer.

I get an enlarged armit lymph node when my immune system is low - had it for about 20 years

Try not to keep touching it OP if you are, only it won't help. I know it hard not to worry but it genuinely could be lots of things before cancer. I had to go through investigations for lymphoma in my 30s and it was horrendous. Bloods, chest xray, whatever the big scanner is where they insert dye. My hospital consultant wanted to rule it out because I'd had a temperature for 3 months and had extreme fatigue. He was concerned but it still turned out to not be cancer, it had just been a terrible virus that had resulted in chronic fatigue. I felt so ill I was convinced it was something terrible. The stress will not be helping your body recover either, it's such a vicious cycle. It's tough, I'm sorry.

It does feel so tough. I’m trying not to touch it but now I know it’s there I feel like I’m just keeping an eye on it. I have a chronic health condition also and my CPAP machine sits right over it every night so I’m not sure if that makes it worse. I’m trying to eliminate stuff - I’ve lost no weight, I don’t really get night sweats, I’m generally tired anyway but that’s due to my currently health condition - similar to muscular dystrophy - and the sleep apnea. I’m just stressed to a stupid point. I just want my babies to have their Mum still.

I was told the night sweats had to be drenching to be a symptom. As in your pyjamas are soaking. Stress will also make you sweat at night but to a far lesser degree. I hadn't lost weight either and I was told it was reassuring I hadn't.

I hope you get a different GP who will put your mind at rest this week.

Thank you. Well I’ve had nothing like this and I’ve definitely not lost any weight, so I’m hoping that these are positive signs. I’m back to see a different GP tomorrow morning so we will see I suppose. I just don’t feel ‘ill’!

So, I saw the second GP on Weds and he was great. He says it’s around 2cm which wouldn’t normally be a concern. He felt my tummy and couldn’t feel anything there. Mentioned to me that although he can’t 100% say it’s not a cancer that he feels it is unlikely given lack of symptoms eg no weight loss, pain anywhere, no night sweats. Feels the other GP was right to refer but I certainly shouldn’t have been given just one option as to what is causing it. So, although I am still a bit worried I feel less anxious than I previously did. Still waiting for the ultrasound but having bloods done today. It’s made me look a bit more at my health too and I went and had my horrible copper coil out which has been causing me to have horrendous periods, pain and low iron for years.

Great news OP. The waiting bit is so hard but hopefully once the tests are back and clear, you'll put this behind you.