So this is a long one, but I’ve been looking through these posts and I’d really like to talk to someone about my experience and my anxieties. I’m a 30 year old single mum, working full time and studying for a batchelors. Up to last year, I smoked for 16 years, ate terribly and hardly exercised.
In Nov 23 I had a bad bout of Covid (I’ve had it before, but was just a cold type experience) I was bed bound for about 3 days and took me about a week to recover. After this, my impacted wisdom tooth got infected so I went to the dentist who did an overall check and noticed I had an enlarged lymph node and told me to go to the GP. Went to the GP and he referred me for a 2WW urgent referral for potential head and neck cancer. Saw the consultant, had an ultrasound and they said nodes in both sides of my neck are enlarged but look to be reactive, and to come back after Christmas if they hadn’t gone down.
Jan 24 went back and the lymph nodes still enlarged, but now one of my tonsils was also enlarged. They sent me for contract MRI, ultrasound, more bloods and fine needle biopsy from both nodes.
follow up with my consultant last week who said that MRI showed no cancerous abnormalities, although my thyroid is enlarged although advanced thyroid blood tests all clear. Also said that both my tonsils are enlarged symmetrically and they are not sure why. Biopsy was clear. Consultant signed me off with reactive lymph nodes and thyroiditis.
I do have health anxiety - however am struggling with the facts;
- just ONE of my tonsils is sticking into my throat suddenly (don’t understand how they are symmetrical on MRI but only one sticking out). First of - why?! Why are they suddenly enlarged for no reason? why is only one sticking out?
- Thyroiditis - why is there no reason for the enlarged thyroid? Bloods are fine ?!
- Lymph nodes - why are they so big?
Along with weight loss (but I’m eating very healthy now) I’m just confused why all of this is happening together and I’m left wondering why I have been signed off without any explanation? I’m scared they’ve missed something or if there is cancer elsewhere.
it’s been 4 months since this all started and I’m just losing my mind :(
if anyone has had a similar experience I’d really appreciate the opportunity to talk it through!
