Being send to a hematologist because of persistent raised neck gland. Scared.

[letdownandhangingaround]

Ok, so I was feeling awful for months. Really tired, daily headaches, feeling weak etc. Tbh, I was kind of putting that down to not getting enough sleep, but I went to the doctors anyway and she did some blood tests. Came back I was quite severely anemic. Since then, I have been taking iron tablets and within a few days, I was feeling human again. I hardly ever get headaches now and it's such a relief. I then had another blood test, to make sure I was responding to the medication, but whilst I was there, I asked my GP to check my neck, as I can feel several raised glands. She can only feel one, but I've had that for months, since last summer I think, cos I remember feeling it on holiday. Anyway, she agreed it needed watching and told me to come back in a couple of weeks to check it had gone down, cos I was getting over a virus at the time, so was hoping that's why my glands were up.

My hemoglobin levels have come back normal on the next blood test, but my white blood cells were a little low, which again, could be to do with the virus that I had. Nevertheless, it was quite alarming.

I have had a 3rd blood test and my hemoglobin levels were still ok and actually my white blood cells were back to normal, so I was relieved. I then did some research and found out that the nasty things, which I was obviously wanting to rule out, don't necessarily show up in your blood.

I went back to my GP last week and she could still feel the gland was swollen, so she has referred me to the hematologist. I am seeing them next week and I'm really worried. She said it was probably nothing to worry about, but that I had an emergency appointment. They'll probably do an ultrasound and then take it from there.

I think maybe I'm more worried because it was only 2 years a go that I had a cancer scare, which seemed to go on for ages. It really effected me emotionally, as I really genuinely believed I was very poorly. From finding a cyst, to being given the all clear, it was about a month and I don't think I got any sleep tbh. Awful time. Of course I was very lucky to get the all clear, but I think that's maybe why I'm getting so worked up about this appointment.

Has anyone got any experience with this?

Thanks for reading.

Damn! Typo in title. Hate it when that happens.

Being sent to a hematologist, not send grrrrrr

This is bound to be scary. If GP has done lots of blood tests I'd have thought they'd know if you have any cancer markings.

Ihad something similar to you and did get diagnosed with lymphoma but it was diagnosed really quickly. It took only days from first concern raised about lumps in neck and other symptoms which I hadn't realised were connected by GP to getting in the system and although the treatment wasn't pleasant and was long, I am cured.

I am sorry you are going through this. Do you have anyone win RL to talk to?

overthemill, I'm so glad you're now better. Must have been an awful time for you. How long has it been since you got the all clear?

Can I ask what your other symptoms were?

I do have people to talk to yes and everyone is trying to reassure me, but it's so hard, because you know really they're just trying to make you feel better and that actually, nobody knows.

Many people have swollen glands which turn out to be nothing serious. Having slightly low white cells which are now back to normal is not unusual either.
Try not to worry. Doctor is just being cautious.

No its not I am under haematology because of persistent neutropenia (low white blood cells) they can't find a cause so are just monitoring it try not to worry x

Thank you Idotry and EnlightenedOwl

Just realised I've been spelling haemotologist wrong. Bloody spell checker! Slightly off the subject............

Trying really hard not to just expect the worst. Not sure I'm succeeding. I just hope I get the results on the same day. Wishful thinking maybe

at my haematology appt you have your blood tests done and results back in about an hour and the doctor goes through them with you straight away. That's for straightforward blood tests like FBCs and liver function - for more involved tests might take a few days for results to come through.

Doesn't have to be anything scary, I have had problems with the glands in my neck since I was about 15 (nearly 20 years ) . They are larger than normal and when I get a bug they swell up massively (think golf ball sized). The docs reckon that they became over sensitive during a bout of glandular fever. I've had scans, blood tests and biopsies as well as operations to remove 3 of the worst but the problem lingers. After the last op I asked the consultant what the diagnosis was. He said I was just a lumpy person

I have a permanently raised neck gland. It's scarred from a virus years ago - went up and never came down. As it's never grown my GP has never referred me.

Sounds like your bloods are all normal now which is an excellent sign and you isn't discount it.

Cautious GP I'm sure given you've ticked the fatigue box, but you know that's now resolved. I bet you'll be told it was just one of those things in your haem apt.

At least it hasn't just popped up and you know it's not grown since last summer so v unlikely to be anything sinister.

I also have a permanently raised neck gland. I had glandular fever when I was 18 and just appear to be lumpy. Best of luck with your tests.

Thanks everyone

I'm hoping I'm just one of the 'lumpy people'.

Sorry, had crisis and no mn possible!

Treatment ended jam 2013 and declared cured April 2014. Symptoms were: night sweats, itchiness (really really bad), overwhelming tiredness, huge lumpy glands, constant being ill with coughs colds etc. all of which I could put down to menopause, 3 kids, two jobs, hay fever etc so stupidly didn't seek GP advice until about 8 months after huge lumpy glands. Saw locus Friday, my GP Monday and haemotologist the following week when had full range if tests inc bone marrow biopsy. But GP told me on the first Wednesday he thought lymphoma. It was Hodgkin's- really curable. It all started mid June and was having chemo beg august.

I hope you are ok. It's the waiting that's so hard . I couldn't sleep with worry of how to tell 3 kids if mummy was ill! But on fact they were amazing.