Lymph node worries and which scan?

[user000]

Hello everyone
Please help! I'm alone with my 2 kids and stressing
I have had a lymph node in my neck pop up mid august. Shortly after that I was feeling really tired... then went to gp who said I had a sore throat on inspection. Then my little ds got sick with a nasty cough and I developed a rotten cough and heavy cold- the lymph node persisted. It's not grown massively but it's sort of hard to tell as it's almost under my jaw where the tissue feels plump but hard to feel any definition. It doesn't feel super hard or very stuck.
I went 3 times to the gp eventually as I felt so awful they gave me antibiotics, I feel better by the lymph node has stayed. It's not been 2 months plus

I'm due to go away for 4 weeks. My gp referred me for a soft tissue scan by a radiologist. I then saw a eNT consultant about something unrelated (he says) to the lymph and he also referred me for a radiologist appointment but with who he said is an expert who can take a biopsy. The first referral didn't include a biopsy.
All this I am really fortunate to be able to use private health insurance for. I've booked appointments for both- just a second ago I got a call they there is a cancellation for Monday evening for the second appointment with the biopsy
Here is my question:

Do I take the first appointment tomorrow Saturday- it won't be a biopsy but will the radiologist consultant be able to tell
Me
Is all ok (I hope!) and it will dissipate on its own? If it's bad- would the consultant tradiilogist tell me ?

Or do I wait until Monday night (the thought makes me sick) but then I go away Tuesday night so if anything is awful- I have only one day to try get advice?
My health insurance are closed now and I only just got the call about the biopsy and ultrasound appointment- I'm not sure if I can do both??
I just am stressing at the prospect of a weekend worrying with no answerS

I should add
A full blood count came back normal
And I am feeling less tired after the antibiotics... in case that is a positive sign

Have they actually said what information they are hoping to gather from these tests?

Do you have any other symptoms?

I think it's unlikely the radiologist will be able to give definitive results, their report, plus biopsy results, plus any other information will need to be reviewed by the doctor who commissioned them.

It's a very unsettling time.

Thank you

No- they just said as it's persisted for a while we should get an ultrasound
My bloods were normal.

Would you then wait out for the Monday appointment where the consultant is able
To do the biopsy instead of going to tomorrows where I'm already told they can't?

I guess my hope is I'd go tomorrow and they'd say it's nothing and just swollen because of the coughs and colds...
but I sort of know there's also a high chance that won't happen.

As in- it wont happy because they also would need to send results back to my
Gp who asked for them, and then I guess she may need further tests ?
Or if it looks ok would they just say wait 2 weeks and see if it goes down?

Lymph nodes can take months to go down (and they're more noticeable on some people).

My lymph node popped up in May and I was very tired. I went for ultrasound scan in August. I was terrified of cancer as quite a big lump. It was not cancer as a longer bean shape on scan. Apparently if cancer circle shape. I was supposed to have aspiration but told after scan I did not need one. I am still tired and neck aches a bit first thing in morning, a bit stiff on neck.

I was told go back if it gets larger or not gone in a year. Still there, still same size.

Ok thank you everyone this is reassuring !

I've had a horrid series of quite scary health .. situations... maltreatment/ mis diagnosis and then told that I have a genetic risk for bowel cancer so I'm just really anxious and trying to also calm my mind- being alone with the two little ones and working like a manic doesn't help!
That's why I wanted to do the appointment tomorrow but I am thinking it may just tell me nothing

I would go to both appointments, you will be annoyed if you don’t go to the one tomorrow and they could possibly put your mind at ease. My adult son has had enlarged lymph nodes on and off for years, but as blood tests are always ok, it’s never been suggested to look into it any further. Are you particularly run down and stressed at the moment as this can be a cause for swollen lymph glands.

I had a lymph node lump in my neck and they did a battery of tests and in the end they could only put it down to being a virus and the consultant said it would go down on its own . It did go down eventually but took ages

Thank you everyone
I'm nervous my health insurance will charge me for one if I go to both
But my gp referred me for one
And then the ent doctor referred me for the other with biopsy.
Not sure if that makes a difference!? But
My Health insurance company aren't picking up the phone -I've sat on hold for over an hour today and when I tried again they'd closed for the day