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Original poster

Lump in my neck - ?carotid aneurysm?

34 replies

mears · 11/07/2006 14:53

Blikni' heck. Went to see GP about a lump in my neck that I have had for 4 weeks with no symptoms of infection etc. I was a bit concerned that I might have something suspicious going on (hypochodriac) however he thinks I might have a carotid aneurysm and is referring me to vascular surgeon! Bloody hell

Might be nothing though.......

OP posts:
Jasnem · 11/07/2006 14:58

Hope you get seen soon.

Marina · 11/07/2006 15:14

Your status as indispensable (not to mention clued up) health professional should ensure a swift referral though mears surely?
Hope you get seen really soon, it sounds so alarming.

Highlander · 11/07/2006 15:20

eek, mears, sorry to hear about this. Hope it turns out to be nothing.

You could really wind up your doc by saying, 'well, I was reading on the internet' then produce a sheaf of papers

Original poster
mears · 11/07/2006 18:44

Thing is I can't find much useful on the internet. Perhaps (if that is what it is) I have always had it and not noticed. Maybe it means nothing.

Hopefully a refeerral won't take too long. I am sure a little scan couldn't be too hard to arrange.

OP posts:
Original poster
mears · 11/07/2006 19:04

Anyone good at searching might be able to find useful info. My googling has not turned up much.

OP posts:
jenkel · 11/07/2006 19:12

I have quite a large lump in my neck and have had since I had mumps and then meneigitis when I was about 12. Apparently its a swollen gland, that has never gone down after an infection. My Mum had it checked out when I was younger and I checked with my GP a couple of years ago and he said the same. Totally harmless, it does tend to become more obvious when I am under the weather, my uncle also has something similar. There is a operation that will remove the lump but you end of with quite a bag scar, the GP said the scar looks worse than the lump so best to leave alone.

tubismybub · 11/07/2006 19:13

I have a lump in my neck too (on the side quite low down) I thought it might be a gland as it quite soft and moveable. but now i'm worried (i'm a bit of a hypochondriac i'm afraid anyway). do you mind me asking what your lump is like?

Original poster
mears · 11/07/2006 19:22

It is a small bulge in my neck which I can feel quyite easily. I thought it was a swollen gland but i didn't have any signs of infection at all. I noticed it about 4 weeks ago and it has been bothering me. The reason the doctor want it seen is that it is pulsating and he thinks itis the shape of the carotid artery. Ie doesn't think there is a lump under it which could be making it more easy to feel. I am not convinced but do think it needs checked out.

OP posts:
Original poster
mears · 11/07/2006 19:22

It is a small bulge in my neck which I can feel quyite easily. I thought it was a swollen gland but i didn't have any signs of infection at all. I noticed it about 4 weeks ago and it has been bothering me. The reason the doctor want it seen is that it is pulsating and he thinks itis the shape of the carotid artery. Ie doesn't think there is a lump under it which could be making it more easy to feel. I am not convinced but do think it needs checked out.

OP posts:
sugarfree · 11/07/2006 19:50

Right,first,don't panic until you see the vasc team who will probably send you for Dopplars and/or scan.
The outcome will be a)Leave alone (for time being and check in a few months or for good) or b)surgery, or c)it's not a carotid aneurysm and they will refer you onto someone else.

Can I just repeat,no panicking until you know more ok?

Can you phone the vascular secretary and see what their waiting list is like? I would also suggest that if you notice it getting bigger you get yourself to a&e so it gets looked at sooner rather than later.

smoggie · 11/07/2006 20:09

Mears I hope you are seen soon and your mind can be put at rest. Def worth ringing the sec. to see what the waiting times are - it's also sometimes worth saying that you can go at short notice if they get a cancellation - sometimes they ask you to ring out-patient appts to let them know you are able to do this.

FWIW I'm a fellow neck-lumper here too.
I had an 'oh shit' moment in the shower 3 months ago, found a lump about an inch across and got an urgent private referral, they tried to get a biopsy but blood just oozed out and it disappeared only to return the next day. THen I had an ultrasound which showed no blood at all running through it or around it - v strange. The lump is still as yet un-named and I'm off for an MRI on Friday to get more info on it before they decide to take it out. THey think it's close to the axial nerve so might be a bit tricky to remove (slight risk of residual nerve damage to arm!). FWIW the other potential names they came up with were'brachial cyst' but it's in the wrong place for that or 'haemangioma' but we now know there's no blood so it can't be that. They're sure its v v v v benign though.
Personally I think something just 'popped' during labour and there's a cyst or somthing that has filled up, but I just want to be sure.
Good luck!

UCM · 11/07/2006 21:01

I had a lump on the back of my neck and went to the Drs, like you I felt nothing just this lump, about half inch across. Dr sent me to hosp immediately and I was in there a couple of days waiting for a biopsy when the consultant asked me if I owned cats. Apparently 'cat scratch disease', yes that's what its called honest, can cause this. I wasn't aware that one of my cats had scratched me tbh, but some anti biotics cleared up lump. Big phew from me at the time as I came out of hosp on xmas eve and I thought I had the big C.

UCM · 11/07/2006 21:06

sorry Mears should have added, hope you get it sorted soon.

hub2dee · 11/07/2006 21:43

No clue about any of this, but hope you get a non-serious diagnosis quickly. Your family's having a bit of a hard-time health wise, at the moment !

X

JanH · 11/07/2006 22:27

Not sure how relevant this is but I had a nasty neck lump several years ago - it turned out to be just a harmless cyst but had to be removed by surgeon under GA, rather than GP under local, because it was close to the carotid (????) nerve (or parotid? does that exist?) and there was a risk of nerve damage/wonky face.

It was OK and I have a thrilling scar on my neck (which nobody notices ).

Hope yours turns out not to be serious, mears (and all the other neck lumpers. We should form a club).

Original poster
mears · 11/07/2006 22:45

Thank you all for your reassuring messages. I have had a couple of 'oh shit' moments tonight and I hope the Dr is wrong. He was a very nice locum who was looking my symptoms up in this 'how to diagnose dictionary' LOL.
He thought it was all very interesting. The other thing he said it could be is a carotid tumour!!!

OP posts:
hub2dee · 12/07/2006 17:57

any news ?

Original poster
mears · 13/07/2006 21:45

Nope. Phoned Doc yesterday and asked how long he thought it would take to be seen. I told him I am a tad concerned and also I am supposed to be going to malawi in September but don't want to start getting vaccinations if the lump is related to gland problem. He said he would phone hospital for advice and get back to me. I can only assume he hasn't managed to get speaking to a relevant person yet. Referral letter has been sent already marked urgent.

OP posts:
hub2dee · 13/07/2006 21:53

Hope it doesn't jeopardise your trip. That would suck.

Original poster
mears · 14/07/2006 20:52

Have got an appointment at hospital on Wednesday. Fingers crossed it is just a lump of fat

OP posts:
sandradee · 14/07/2006 21:14

I have not read all this thead so apologies if I am not with it.

I have a small lump in my neck and I've had it since I was 16. I'm 36 now.

I think it can be quite common. Hope yours is nothing to worry about too x

DollyP · 15/07/2006 20:54

Wishing you well mears and hope it's nothing !

Very jealous of the malawi trip, BTW

Take care
XXX

Original poster
mears · 21/07/2006 23:16

Went to see vascular surgeon. Felt lump in neck and said " that needs scanned". Will be done in next 2 weeks. Argghhh.....

OP posts:
JanH · 21/07/2006 23:18

Ooooh noooo - fingers and toes crossed here, mears (they have to scan just to make sure what it is, don't they? Doesn't mean it's bad news?)

Original poster
mears · 21/07/2006 23:21

Lovely doctoe did say it is highly unlikely to be a carotid aneurysm then said, 'if it is then we will deal with it'. Just wish I could get the scan yesterday so i know.

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