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Lump in neck and having to wait for 8 weeks.

sammi86
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Hi all, I am new to this forum, but hoping someone on here can help reduce my anxiety somewhat please! For several months now I have felt unwell. I have felt super exhausted, anxious, depressed, emotional, confused. I have been having nightweats, itching-mainly my scalp, but in other places too. I have been feeling dizzy and shaky and generally run down. I have been having terrible headaches and pain in the back of my neck. A couple of weeks before Christmas I noticed a painless pea sized lump in the left side of my neck. I ignored it for a while, assuming maybe I had an infection or something. But two weeks following Christmas, the lump was still there, 

 

I went to the GP who agreeed there was definately a 1cm swelling  that was solid. I am a 36 year old generally healthy mum of three- But when I was ten years old, I had bladder Rhabodomyosarcoma. I finally got put in remission at twelves years old and my remission finished at twenty one. But with my past history in my mind, my GP sent for urgent bloods. My bloods came back normal- apart from extremely low ferritin, high white blood cells and high platelets. I went back to be re-examined two weeks later and the GP again agreed it was still there, and perhaps has grown to 1.5cm, so I was refered to two week urgent care-ENT. I never received my appointment, so I called them and have been told due to covid, I wont be getting an appointment for 8 weeks! I am now taking ferrous sulphate for my low ferritin (iron deficiency) and with regards to fatigue, heaches and dizziness etc I am feeling so much better! However I am carrying on as normal, trying not to think too much into this lump but really, I am really anxious about it, not having any answers for at least 8 weeks for me is unbearable. Please if anyone can offer me any advise to calm me down, I would really appreicate it. What are other people's experiences?

 

Sammi X

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    Hi sorry to read what your going through.

    Have you contacted your gp to explain what you've been told? The 2ww is set for a reason and shouldn't be 8 weeks. Ask if they can expedite your app to get it sooner.

    Louise xx

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    I agree with the above poster, your letter from the hospital should have a number for the local 2ww pathway team- call them and explain that 8 weeks is well out of the target and you need to be seen before then. Don't take no for answer- tell them you have a history of cancer and the lump is growing rapidly so it would be negligent to be delayed. 

    Lymph nodes swell for multiple reasons, some of which we never get to the bottom of! And most of which are harmless. Whilst neither you or I can be sure what has caused the lump to appear at this point, please try not to assume anything, especially if it's informed by Google! It could be anything from a cyst to an infected gland to something else altogether. The waiting is the hardest part. Keep busy and always bring your thoughts back to the facts- lumps and bumps are one of the most common reasons we go to the GP and they are frequently benign. 
     

    Good luck. Chin up x

  • Offline in reply to Danzieeeee

    Thanks for replying. I contacted my GP surgery today who told me "When your GP referred you to this service, they should of made it clear that in our trust we are not able  to have patients seen within the 2week timeframe due to the pandemic. You will be seen accordingly as you've already been told when you telephoned the 2ww pathway." I know the pandemic has a lot to asnwer for, but I am really shocked and disgusted that this is going on. 

     

    I know most lumps are harmless and although I mostly believe this is the case for me, with my previous history, its easy at times for the back of my mind to question it. 

  • Offline in reply to sammi86

    Hi, I had my ent appointment today. He felt 4 small lumps on the left side of my neck but said he wasn't at all concerned and was sure they are benign. He said as I am skinny its probably that my nodes can be felt easier. Yet he couldn't feel any of the other side. My throat appeared to be healthy. He is sending me for an ultrasound on Friday to be sure. If anything looks out of the ordinary the will do a biopsy there and then. I still feel somewhat anxious about it all! You hear all to ofen of professionals saying it's not concerning only for it to turn out to be cancer after all. Has anyone been told their neck lump was not concerning and it was cancer? I am still having night sweats and some days of itching. I have lost 6lbs despite eating more-im always hungry! Aside from that & a sore throat I feel fine x

  • Offline in reply to sammi86

    Hi Samimi86,

     

    I've got 4 nodes swollen on my left side of my neck, one of which is near the collarbone.

    I went to ENT 4 days ago he felt them and didn't say much apart from umm and ahh, looked at my throat and said it doesn't look like the healthiest but I do smoke, said it could just be swollen lymph nodes but booked a scan for next Tuesday.

    I've lost 2 stone in a month, I also have blood and large clots from my rear, lower back pain, loss of appetite even though I'm making myself eat 3 meals a day, and just feeling unwell.

    I've a colonoscopy getting done tomorrow to look inside and see what's what.

    I'll be sure to write once I've had colonoscopy and scan done to let you know findings.

     

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