Ill since November. Now discovered a second lump

[Jaydep92]

Hi, so I’m not sure where to start I’m just looking for anyone who’s maybe had similar symptoms or advice. So November noticed a lump in armpit quite firm doesn’t move much. Referred to the rest clinic they looked only and said it’s just a blocked sweat gland No actual scan done. So I was ok with that then I start feeling more unwell my epiglottis actually appears in my throat everything’s sore & swollen. A&E said you have a swollen epiglottis here’s so ibuprofen, not much help. Then it continued as a sore throat no more visible epiglottis so I was referred to ENT who couldn’t see anything but redness half way down and said perhaps Reflux. I haven’t had any symptoms but gave the PPIs a try and Gaviscon, haven’t helped much. Now I’m experiencing sore throats, a really horrible Strangulation feeling at the base of my neck daily like I can’t breathe..

im fatigued constantly. I have a red swelling in my bottom lip which has been sore for months. Constant body aching. And now I’ve discovered swelling in the left side of my neck and collar bone area. Dentist today said it’s nothing to do with my teeth and it’s not a gland. So now my anxiety is even more through the roof and I’m worried it could be something very bad as it’s tight and isn’t comfortable to lay down with.

I have a one year old and I just feel at such a loss and a bad mum as I’ve not been able to concentrate on him for all this time through pure worry and anxiety of not being around for him in the long run, I’m going back to the useless doctors Monday about the neck lump etc and tightness. I’m not even sure why I’m writing all this maybe I just need to vent and see if anyone has experienced anything similar.

Has the armpit lump gone away? If so then they were probably right about it being a blocked sweat gland.

The strangulation feeling could be anxiety. Not saying there isn’t something else going on, but the strangulation feeling may not be part of it. You sound very worried and that’s what anxiety makes you feel like. I’ve had it myself, you feel like someone has their hands around your neck squeezing. Slow your breathing and look at addressing your anxiety.

Its good that you’re going to the doctor. Get some blood tests. Get your neck checked, I bet it is just a gland after all. Dentist’s aren’t doctors. It could be a minor throat infection or something. The chances of it being serious are very small. The fact it started after you began to worry about your armpit could also point to anxiety as a cause.

By all means get the lump checked out. But it sounds like you may be stringing isolated symptoms together to form a terrifying Frankenstein-illness.

A proportion of your symptoms are likely attributable to the anxiety itself and the added fatigue of being the mother to a young child. Anxiety symptoms can be utterly terrifying, ranging from a suffocating sensation to repeated vomiting.

Book the appointment, then take a step back. The medical professionals that saw you ruled out major causes. You’re in good hands. Give yourself permission to put the health concern on hold till then.

@Lumiodes no the armpit lump is still there don’t think it’s changed size but I can’t be 100% sure. I had some bloods done a few weeks ago and all was apparently normal minus my white blood cells which were slightly raised. I went to the doctors about the neck lump and they said it’s definitely swollen but didn’t think it was a gland and then the dentist said the same thing. It’s actually putting pressure on my shoulder and both my collar bones are aching. It all just feels never ending.

Hi, this is one of those situations where you have been let down it sounds like. Only scans can tell you what is happening here and you should have got one at the breast clinic and will need one now for the further swellings, as well as a referral for the lump. Anxiety doesn’t cause swellings, it comes as a result of not having answers. If no scan/specialist referrals are sorted, then complain to PALS. Hope all turns out well!

It’s super rare for a neck lump to be cancer. If it was cancer your blood results would be abnormal. Perhaps you have a benign lump and the rest is anxiety. It does need checking out, I would push for a scan and biopsy, but you need to consider that at least part of your symptoms are anxiety. Certainly the strangulation feeling is very likely to be anxiety.