Help! Swollen lymph nodes advice needed

Hello. I have been a visitor to these pages a lot of the past 2 months but i thought I needed to post. 

almost 2 years ago I started to get anxiety symptoms, very generalised , just feeling ‘off’ these could present very mildly or escalate to panic attacks. dizziness etc. 

I quit drinking for 3 months as I thought this may help.. it didn’t. Although my anxiety is very generalised I think health anxiety has caused me to spiral into this, I have been scared of the doctor my whole life and had a through minor health issues such as asthma and chronic ideopathic urcataria, which are now both non symptomatic . 

In January I found two swollen lymph nodes in my neck, one lower down on the left quite small (less than a cm) and one on the right ( about 1.5cm longer and thinner) even though I was petrified I patiently waited 2-3 weeks then visited my new local GP. Told her I was very anxious (was mid panic attack when I was seen) and she had a feel. She said she could feel nothing. So I tried very hard to show her where the slightly bigger lump was. She eventually found it and said it was a muscle, I disagreed, she then said maybe a small swollen lymph node and she was not concerned at all 

may anxiety calmed and I went about my life for a few weeks until now.. they still havnt gone down. It’s been 7 weeks in total now nearly 8 I’m not sure if they have grown as sometimes I feel like they have but then the next day they feel back to how they were. 

My anxiety is ridiculous especially at work and I am in a constant loop of fight and flight. I had to leave today. I am convinced I have lymphoma. I’m scared for my children and my family. If I feel any slight itch I believe it’s an additional symptom. My neck has now been aching for about a week and I am not sure it’s from touching them so much or not.. I had one night that I woke up with a night sweat but again, this could have been panic. 

I am now absolutely petrified to go back to the doctor. 

please be kind :( 

Parents
  • I would absolutely recommend going back to the doctors. As Sharza suggested, see another doctor, no harm in a second opinion.

    Healthy anxiety can reek havoc on your physical and mental health.

    Best to trust your gut if you feel that something is not right. Best wishes

  • Oh I 100% want to, it just took me so much strength to go last time and be told oh it’s nothing it was such a relief but now I’m going to have to relive that and possibly prepare for bad news. 

    living with health anxiety for so many years it’s like my ultimate fear is now coming true 

  • Bless you, I really do feel for you.

    It can be really difficult to advocate for yourself with the medical profession at the best of times.

    I ended up calling 111 because I couldn’t get into my GP. I was sent to AAU, they were amazing. In two days I had blood tests, chest X-ray, two CT scans. One month in I have had two biopsies too. I feel that I have skipped the risk of the GP dismissing my symptoms and sending me away.

Reply
  • Bless you, I really do feel for you.

    It can be really difficult to advocate for yourself with the medical profession at the best of times.

    I ended up calling 111 because I couldn’t get into my GP. I was sent to AAU, they were amazing. In two days I had blood tests, chest X-ray, two CT scans. One month in I have had two biopsies too. I feel that I have skipped the risk of the GP dismissing my symptoms and sending me away.

Children