I hate to say this but cancer tends to sneak up on you, a lot of people here have gone to doctor for something else & have found cancer as well. I'm not trying to panic you like you said you could have a bad virus or something until tests are done it's all just guess work. Good luck.

Billy 

Honestly, it's better not to ask.  Most of us here are cancer patients, so by definition we're going to provide a skewed view of the situation - just like Dr Google.

You're in the terrible situation that you know something is wrong, you've received an emergency referral and you're desperately seeking some form of reassurance.  I'm actually in a similar position myself, right now.  However, since I've been in this situation a couple of times before, I now know that in seeking reassurance, you can easily end up doing the precise opposite and scaring yourself silly.  

Avoid random Googling, and in particular avoid US web sites. Instead I recommend getting information from Lymphoma Action, which is the UK charity. Then just cross each bridge as you get to it, without worrying too much about any bridges which are way ahead and which you may never get to.

I also recommend that as a coping strategy while you're waiting, you actually read up on Mindfulness techniques.  A quick start is this really useful video on How to Meditate in One Moment. 

Please keep us posted with your progress.

Hi,

Thanks for your replies so far. I will check out the links provided, and as you say, the US sites seem to be ‘glass half empty’, so I’ll steer clear!

Dave

I think the bias in US sites is very much related to their lack of a proper healthcare system.  Government and charity sites have to overcome the natural reluctance to incur doctor's bills for symptoms which might naturally resolve on their own. Hospitals are all competing with each other to get the patient's dollars, and if that means laying on the fear factor then they don't hesitate to do it - particularly the smaller hospitals without international reputations. I'm sure their quality of care and outcomes are excellent, but boy the price you have to pay is eye-watering. 

So I recommend sticking to UK sites only. 

I’ve noticed that you are having to get your bladder checked out after having been through the mill with your prostate some years ago. I am really rooting for you and hope the passing of blood turns out to be a one-off. Puts my bleating into perspective a bit!

About 15 years ago, I recall my brother saying he’d had a similar experience peeing, but that thankfully turned out to be a one-off. 

Cheers,

Dave

It's reassuring to hear about your brother; I'm glad it turned out ok for him.  I'm hoping that peeing blood turns out to be nothing, but it was pretty frightening at the time! Fortunately I got to see an emergency GP that same day (Friday) and he referred me, as I knew was inevitable. So now I'm playing the waiting game, but at least I know now there's no point randomly Googling :-)

But please don't minimise your own fears nor dismiss your posts as bleating. That's simply not the case.  Your symptoms are real, and so are your worries. You have every right to express them here. We're here to support each other. 

I'm rooting for you too. Let us know how you get on tomorrow. 

Well, despite having another sweaty night, my voice going hoarse today, spending the day at work with clammy palms and a face so warm it’s probably visible from space, the specialist believes a combination of a nasty virus and ‘silent reflux’ are to blame (Omeprazole and Gaviscon Advance now required). But he has requested bloods and an emergency ultrasound of my submandibular nodes (one being particularly noticeable) to discount lymphoma. I have had EBV at some point in my life, so it’s not inconceivable that this is mono related. Fingers crossed he got it right first time, the scan can’t come soon enough though, as the point pains on my lungs and tightness when inhaling are strange symptoms for me. 

Dave

I, too, am on the omeprazole and gaviscon. A magic combination ;-)

I think it likely that the lymph nodes are reacting to an infection, but the consultant wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't order an ultrasound. Let me know how that goes.

Still rooting for you. 

Bloods taken yesterday (4 lots!), another sweaty night of very little sleep. Laboured breathing starting to worry me more that the fever, weakness and inflamed nodes.

Would lung cancer first show via swollen/tender neck nodes (as they arrived 6 weeks before the laboured breathing)? I’m worried it’s a carcinoid lung cancer at the root of this..........yes, I’m a bloody wuss/hypochondriac but I (unfortunately) have an active mind!