it all started around July time. I started to experience extreme itching with no rash on my chest neck and arms. I went to the doctor and was told it was eczema even though my skin was clearly not dry. I went back again and was prescribed a different cream. Went back again and was prescribe antihistamines. Went back again and was prescribed steroid tablets. Went back again and was prescribed antidepressants. Went back again and was prescribed more steroids and more antihistamines. At this point the itching was all I’ve and unbearable to the point I could no longer wear a bra of long sleeves and it was just so so itchy. I couldn’t go out or go to uni. Work was absolute hell. But I didn’t feel I could take time off because I was itchy? Eventually, at the end of December just before Christmas my doctor arranged a blood test. The results came back that my white blood cell count was extremely high as well as as my inflammation levels. He arranged a non urgent CT scan. In the time I was waiting for the scan I started to experience night sweats and also shivers (one extreme to the other). I ended up going to hospital at the beginning of January this year as I was in complete agony in my neck and my armpit and 5 lymph nodes had swollen up. The hospital adviced I go back to my GP and arrange and urgent referral to the haematologist (blood cancer specialist) which scared us. This was done. When I saw him he said I looked very helpful and he could only feel one lymph node (the others had gone down). He explained he wasn’t worried and it could be glandular fever but to have a CT scan and ultra sound. I had my scans and a few days after the severe pain returned. My dad called the hospital and spoke to a cancer nurse, she reassured him that when the lymph nodes are hurting it is very unlikely that it is cancer and more likely to be an infection so this made us feel better. The haematologist received my scan results and said a lot of my lymph nodes were swollen internally so arranged a biopsy. I had this and two weeks later went for my results. They weighed me and I had gained a stone! A massive symptom of lymphoma is weight loss so this made me feel better. I went into the doctors room with my parents and he said he Is very shocked at my results because even now I still look really well. He explained that I definitely have stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma but I am having a PET scan tomorrow in case it is stage 4. Then we can discuss treatment. I think people need to be made aware of these symptoms especially itching and do not hesitate to push your doctor into running tests. At the end of the day doctors are only human and they clearly aren’t as aware on symptoms of uncommon cancers a maybe they should be. I am not blaming them because I am extremely grateful for all they have done to help and the care some of them have shown. However I know that if my skin had been examined and itching taken more seriously from the start, my lymphoma may not be advanced and that is the thing that is upsetting me the most
