swollen gland in neck - talk me down from panicking anyone?!

[emeraldgirl1]

I'm a hypochondriac at the best of times, so suddenly getting two lumpy swollen glands in the back of my neck has freaked me out.

They've been there for about a month, I don't know how suddenly they came up but I think pretty suddenly as one day they were suddenly there.

I think they coincided with an increase in some medication I'm taking but getting swollen glands isn't a recognised side effect of this medication. I will ask my specialist when I see him next week though.

As a paid-up hypochondriac, my mind is spinning around all the disastrous things it could be, which I know is silly. I haven't had a cold or sore throat though (which are the things that usually make my glands swell) and I'm not feeling tired or run-down. And when my glands swell usually, it's the ones under my jaw, not like these 2 are, on the back of my neck.

Should I bother my GP or will they think I'm (surprise surprise) nothing but a worrier?

i am the same believe me ..i know how you feel ,
are the glands just above your hair line at base of neck ?
I have had mine up there many times before often due to a sore on my head that i keep picking ..specially when stressed ..
could be similar ?

They will think you are a worrier- your glands are there to mop up the bugs in your body and fight off infections- so even if you feel okay they might be fighting off something.

You surely do not think it could be cancer?

One of the glands is up above the hairline yes, right at the base of the neck near my ear. The other is further down, but still on the back of my neck... I do have an itchy scalp at the moment but that came on after the glands went up and I think was related to a shampoo that I had an allergic reaction to - what a mess I am, really!!

I wouldn't worry, I have permanently swollen glands in my neck and have done for as long as I can remember. I had an asthma attack and the nurse wrote one of those "medical code" letters to my GP which made some reference to lymphadenopathy (swollen glands), but he didn't seem bothered. Absent other symptoms it is probably an allergy / hay fever, so maybe meds are to blame. I suggest making an appointment with your GP to put your mind at rest.

purplepeony - I think EVERYTHING could be cancer (only half-joking)

The odd thing being that even as I'm worrying, i know I'm being incredibly stupid (and driving my poor hubbie mad). The only thing I know for sure that I do officially suffer from is chronic anxiety... (not a joke)

I just really don't like health niggles that I can't explain. Trust me, I know what an idiot I am.

Go to your GP and get them checked out.

Thanks Tattyhead - I'm sure you're right - the only thing is that I don't usually have swollen glands - or rather I havent for years - so this is more of an unusual occurence for me.

Yes, I love these long words that make things sound scary - lymphadenopathy is a great one!

do they hurt ? or feel tender ?

Can I suggest that you maybe look into having 6 sessions of CBT or hynotherapy? It canbe very helpful for irrational fears and anxiety.
Ironically you see you will be doing your immune system more harm than good by being ina stressed state.

chances are up cos of scalp or is it poss ear problems ?

I to suffer with HA and know how you feel ....

if you are really worried pop to doc to have checked out ,the only way you will put your mind at rest if your really worried and anxious ..

oh and iv tried hypnosis was good but expensive ..

choclab - no, no pain or tenderness.

purplepeony - I'm embarrassed to say that I have had CBT in the past - it's been successful in many very important ways but hasn't helped much with health anxiety... You're right that being stressed is the worst thing for your health!

I'm generally not quite as crazy as this (honest) but for some reason swollen glands really freak me out. I think I'd have to blame a very scary episode of 'House'...

Swollen glands that have been there for a month should always by checked by a doctor, hypochondriac or not.

Thanks belgo...

i know how you feel honest ,you sound similar to me , im trying to keep a lid on a health issue i have right now ...

i tried CBT to but didnt help .

i have had glands up on my neck before and once doctor felt it said i was prob fighting infection of some kind , and also some glands can stay up for much longer after an infection ...he said by him feeling them he can tell if it is one to worry about or not , and they would get bigger quite quickly .

so as iv said , if you are going to be anxious and worried ..make an appt to get checked out and put your mind at rest ...

best of luck x

choclab, thank you!!

I think I will get it checked out, if only to put mind at rest.

While I still have my hypochondriac hat on , did your doctor say that if the gland was something sinister, it would get bigger quite quickly - or the other way around ie that if it got bigger quite quickly, it was perfectly normal?

Really hope whatever it is you're worried about at the moment stops worrying you soon!

He said if was something sinister would be growing bigger quite quickly ...i think

my gland still slightly up but gone down alot , so im not to worried now .
I also had FBC etc all came back fine .

your doing the right thing getting it checked out will put your mind at rest .

let me know how it goes .

im about , i have started a thread on HA as was in a state yesterday , trying to keep calm today ... come join if you like .

best of luck xx

Oh yes, where is your HA thread? would love to come join...

Cool , look under mental Health , and you will find my thread , "Health anxiety ..could do with some support right now" there are others on there to who have anxiety

c u there