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After some advice - swollen lymph nodes

Mumof3boys84
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Hello all, 

On Saturday I noticed 2 swollen lymph nodes behind my ear / Mastoid bone. I think because of where they are, they're both very noticeable. The one thats mostly at bottom nearer to the lobe feels like a big marble but i think the marble bit i can feel is the end of the bone! I have had really bad hay fever these last few weeks and i know allergens can be the reason but has anyone else ever had these?

I have really bad anxiety when it comes to cancer as my mum died of cancer when i was 24 and ive never gotten over it. And to make matters worse swollen lymph nodes have been a huge pain as my 7yr old son has had swollen nodes for nearly 18 months (ultrasound showed them to be benign).

I want to go drs asap but i know they'll tell me to wait 2 weeks to see if they go down but like everyone else i googled... And now im panicking!! :(

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    Hiya Mumof3boys84, and welcome to the forum.

    Firstly I am so sorry you lost your mum. I lost my mum to breast cancer and I feel the same about finding it hard. I'm also really sorry to hear about your bad anxiety, it sounds like this really affects you, especially when you notice things may be wrong. I don't suffer from hay fever but perhaps this is something you could also tell the GP if you ring? If I were you I would give your GP a ring anyway, I know they might say to wait but I also think just saying to the GP about what's going on and how you're feeling will help you feel a little calmer. 

    And avoid Google! It is never wise to look up your symptoms. My nurse says illnesses can mirror each other so it could be anything and not just the worst thing possible.. when you think of going to Google try to do something else or it'll make your anxiety worse :)

    Take care, and please do keep us posted on how things go.

    Sending hugs,

    Love Jess xx

  • Hello, and thank you for posting.

    I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to say if there is anything the matter, and as other forum users have said it is best just to get changes checked out by your GP.

    Understandably you would have anxiety over cancer with losing your mum at a young age, but do remember that the internet is not a doctor and nodes can be swollen, or feel odd for other reasons.

    Give your doctor a call and be aware that although you have asked for other forum users for their experiences, they will be individual to them and may cause unnecessary anxiety.

    Take care and get checked out, 

    Sarah.

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