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So so worried - want this feeling to go away!!

22 replies

Anna85 · 02/03/2011 12:32

My DS is 5 and he has had some lumps in his neck where his glands are for a few weeks if not months.

I took him to doc around a month ago and she said she thought it was due to a viral infection he was getting...which he did have a bug then they are still there few weeks after!!

She is sending us for a blood test to rule out leukemia...so I am worried sick since yesterday! Not been able to eat with worry and the blood test is booked for today although originally was going to be 16th but asked for a cancellation as having Fragile X Screening as well!!

I just cannot help fear the worse, not only leukemia but things like lymphoma etc!! :-(

OP posts:
bettyboop63 · 02/03/2011 12:47

i dont think anyone can say anything except we hope hes ok and its nothing , it can be just still viral you know as things like glands can stay up after an infection for a long time please do your best not to worry for your own health DS needs mummy well so try and think very possitive i had the fragile x test which came out with borderline result ( i thought they woudld say is or isnt ) but the other tests are obviously your biggest worry and im sure the doc is just trying to be a good doc and rule these things out doesnt mean thats what it is, i was scared when my periods were very heavy one month and missed altogether another and had hip pain i went to the hosp had tests and it was two lumps in my womb so was scared stiff and turned out to be cysts and periods went back to normal after a D n C now im fine and i was all dramatic thinking who will look after my DC;s esp my DS with ASD but here i am moaning as per usual and its okay, HE WILL BE OKAY ...good luck x

zzzzz · 02/03/2011 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Chundle · 02/03/2011 13:13

Hi my dd had lumps in her neck very enlarged lymph nodes. It was may last year. They referred to ENT as emergency and we were seen in 2 weeks. They said they were ok and to keep an eye on them an as long as they stayed mobile and movable no to worry too much. They are stil there now an very big and noticeable I wobble them everyday much to dds annoyance just to be on safe side. Good luck and I hope it all works out ok x

Anna85 · 02/03/2011 13:20

They do move..the 2 bigger ones do! The otherside feel like little peas xx

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Chundle · 02/03/2011 13:33

That's how my dds feel they feel like a big string of beads I was told if they are movable they are safe it's when they are solid hard unmovable lumps they are dangerous. Goo luck and still worth getting them checked x

newlife4us · 02/03/2011 13:39

Will be thinking of you today.

My DD regularly, since 11 months (she's now 9) has had long spells with swollen glands and severe lethargy etc. She's had FBCs on numerous occasions to rule out leukaemia. Although she was incredibly unwell on each occasion, I understand that there is usually associated bruising with leukaemia etc. She has more recently been diagnosed by GOSH with periodic febrile syndrome with associated lymphadanopathy. (basically this means she gets ill quite frequently and her glands become swollen.)

I'm hoping your test comes back as negative. If there is something wrong they do come back immediately; hence the longer they take to come back the better the news.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

eaglewings · 02/03/2011 13:44

My dd had lumps like that for over a year when she was 4 or so. i had completely forgotten about them till I read this.
She is now fine, hope it's the same for your child

lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs · 02/03/2011 13:50

DD2 had this last year, she was very poorly in hospital and they also noted that she has lumps in her tummy and inner legs. We saw 3 different doctors in the space of 2 hours, xrays and bloods. She is fine now but was very scarcy, maybe moreso as DH has got leukemia, and hadnt long had his diagnosis. :(

Whole blood counts are back very quickly and if there is anything they will see it quickly. DH had a test in the morning, we had a call at 10pm at night and a dx the next morning.

Holding your hand and hoping his ok. ((hugs))

starfishmummy · 02/03/2011 13:52

Sending good wishes for today. Hopefully it is just the doctor being cautious.

EllenJane1 · 02/03/2011 14:02

Best of British for today. Hoping all our good wishes have some effect and they're like chundle's DC. x

bigcar · 02/03/2011 14:37

hope all goes well anna, hope it tuns out to be nothing.

moosemama · 02/03/2011 15:00

My ds1 had the lymph nodes and glands up in his neck for over a year when he was 3/4 and I was felt just the same as you are feeling.

The gp ran some tests that came back ok, but they referred to a paediatrician just in case and by the time he got to see them they had gone and he was given the all clear.

If the bloods come back ok, ask them to check for Glandular Fever, as its often missed in little ones while they are busy looking at scarier possibilities.

I have been going through similar worries with ds2 over the past few weeks as well. Just about had myself convinced he had leukemia at one point, so my heart goes out to you for what you are going through at the moment. His wasn't glandular, but he was obviously very unwell with no obvious cause. He had all the bloods done to rule out leukemia etc and they were fine. Turns out, it was side effects from his Movicol of all things and he's bouncing around like a spring bunny again now.

Here's hoping its something equally as simple for your ds.

keepingupwiththejoneses · 02/03/2011 16:04

I just had to reply to you. My son had the exact same thing, a big lump on the side of his neck. I turned out to be just the remains of a virus he had had 4 months before. We had all the bloods taken and everything.
Try not to worry, what the doctor has told you is worst case, really. Good luck xx

moosemama · 02/03/2011 17:41

Just realised how dreadful my typing was. Blush

My apologies, dd has decided sleep is for the weak and I am obviously very weak. Blush

pinkorkid · 02/03/2011 18:30

We had similar experience with dd very noticably enlarged lymph nodes in neck, underarms and groin due to repeated episodes of infected eczema. Were given same advice that if they moved easily not to worry but we can pop a needle in just to be sure. It turned out to be fine but it is horrible having to wait. Hope it all turns out fine and that you hear soon.

Anna85 · 02/03/2011 19:59

His blood test results were
Hb 12.6
White Blood Cells 12 which I understand is a little elevated!

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moosemama · 02/03/2011 20:26

Hi again

What did the doctor say about the results?

This is a list of normal parameters for blood test results.

His Haemoglobin seems ok within the normal range of 10-14 for children, but his white cells are slightly raised. That said, white cells can be raised for a number of reasons, recent viral infection being one of the most usual suspects.

As I understand it, in leukemia the WBC would be A LOT higher and his Hb would be reduced. Also, I recently read a paper that said a half decent heamatologist (sp?) would be able to recognise the damaged cells that indicate leukemia pretty much straight away.

There are also several different types of WBC and the levels of individual types are the best indicators for what kind of illness might be implicated in the rise. So if you're still unhappy with the GPs explanation of what he/she thinks is going on, perhaps you could ask for a breakdown of the WBC?

Anna85 · 02/03/2011 20:44

Well not spoke to GP yet! I work in A & E so got one of the docs there to look over DS. He could feel the lumps and also a few palpable ones in the groin.....but said he couldnt say 100.1 % anything was wrong but would check with paediatrician tomorrow!

He had Liver function tests, CRP etc which were all normal and he seems fine in himself.

He had this virus 2-3 weeks ago so surely WBC still wouldn't be raised I wouldnt have thought!

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moosemama · 02/03/2011 20:58

It could be that his WBC has been dropping as his body wins the battle with the virus. Some of these viruses can hang around in the body, battling with the immune system, winning then losing then winning etc. Once the body's beaten the virus enough to reduce the symptoms, very often we aren't even aware that our bodies are still fighting, because we feel so much better.

Its a really good sign that he seems fine in himself and that all his other results came back normal.

I was convinced ds1 had something dire, as he had lumps in his neck like huge bunches of grapes for month, upon month, upon month, but he was fine in himself, his bloods were pretty much normal and that's why they weren't concerned about him. Had he been debilitated and lethargic or in pain they would have been much more concerned.

Conversely, ds2 has just spent a few weeks really debilitated and weak, congnitively fuzzy/confused and getting repeated instances of styes, tongue ulcers etc. His bloods came back as Hb marginally low, WBC normal, but the GP was more worried about him because he was so obviously poorly.

When I had pneumonia a few years ago, my WBC was apparently over triple the normal range, so it was immediately obvious there was a problem that needed dealing with, despite my symptoms not fitting. They took several more sets of bloods over the next couple of weeks to check my count was coming down and once it was approaching the normal range - although still slightly elevated - they didn't feel they needed to do anymore.

I'm probably not doing much to reassure you here, I know. I would be worrying just the same if it were one of mine, its only natural. Try not to torture yourself though, all the signs seem to be suggesting that there's nothing serious going on and at least everything is being thoroughly checked out, so you can at least be reassured by that.

Hope you get the answers you need to reassure you when you next speak to the GP or one of the other docs.

lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs · 02/03/2011 23:03

having dealt with it for nearly 2 years, 12 is not an indicator of anything other than a possible virus or low level infection.
To put it this way, DH wbc was 440 at time of dx. He has always been told anything below 50 isnt classed as high and his normal wbc now his doing well sits between 10-14.
I hope this is helpful :)

Anna85 · 03/03/2011 19:38

Hi - doctor thought it was all okay and that pathology would have called if there was a problem.

WBC seems fine just his platlets were a bit high but think this could be due to a infection/virus he is getting over! x

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moosemama · 03/03/2011 19:54

That's really good news.

Hope its help to set your mind at rest.

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