Hi guys,
I'm new to this forum, but ive read quite a few posts before deciding to post myself. I probably should stop reading posts to be honest, cause it just makes me worry more, haha!
And I know I should wait for my results before stressing more BUT i'd love to hear if anyone had similar experiences.
In April 2017, I noticed what I thought at the time was a lymph node under my jaw line, on the left side of my neck. This is a common occurrence and even though I wasnt sick at the time, I figured my body might be fighting something off and I ignored it.
After roughly 4 weeks.. the node was still there and the more I felt it, I realised it was two lumps next to eachother. One slightly smaller, but i could feel both easily and if i turned my head, they protrude slightly. They're really hard, and not really mobile. I went to the doctor, and he put me on a course of strong antibiotics and put it down to an infection.
A week later, antibiotics finished, no change in lumps, the doctor put me on another, stronger course of antibiotics, still thinking infection. At this poing I'd not had any other symptoms of any kind.
Second course of antibiotics did nothing and now itd been 6 weeks. The doctor sent me for generic blood testing, not very concerned. Bloods all came back fine. I wanted him to do more, as i wasnt happy to just ignore this after so many weeks, so he did another set of bloods looking for more specific, but also broader things. Cat scratch fever etc. All came back fine again. At this point it'd been 8-9 weeks and no change, no results.
The doctor seemed unconcerned but he sent me for an ultrasound to set my mind to ease. The ultrasound didnt show anything obviously sinister. The lumps measured at 2cm in diameter and 2.5cm in diameter. He said most likely lymph nodes and to ignore them now. He said the next step would be an FNA but only if he thought there was some thing sinister going on and he didn't.
So, I let it get off my mind, and I kind of forgot all about it for a bit. Fast forward to December 2018 and I notice the lumps are both still there. I notice ive been feeling tired, struggling to get up in the mornings, low in energy, not going to the gym, a day at work exhausts me etc. The lumps feel pretty unchanged, not sore but can be uncomfortable to lay on sometimes im not sure why. I figure the tiredness could be due to it being christmas and being busy at work but i dont even know.
I went to a different doctor, wanting more answers this time. Again a series of blood tests and again nothing showing up. The only thing that changes was that my thyroid flares up - TSH fluctuates between being in the 2s to being in the 6s, but doc says thats fine and cant be causing enlarged lymph nodes. I tell him they first popped up in April and he seems alarmed so once he sees a course of strong antibiotics dont help at all, he writes an FNA referral. I did the FNA on Wednesday and I'm waiting for the results. Should be in by Tuesday, but ever since i did it, ive felt so uneasy and nervous. I cant keep it off my mind.
Just some extra info that could be relevant
Age: 25, no health issues, no history of lymphoma in family (history of bowel cancer tho, granfather)
Generally lead a very healthy lifestyle, i eat well, i barely drink, i dont smoke
The only other thing that happened in April/May during the lymph node swelling was some face rashes - theyd last about a wk and nothing the doctors prescribed made them go down (steroid cream, antibiotics). It was red and blotchy with lumps on my cheeks and forhead mainly, hot and itchy. This hapoened three times, lasting a week to 9 days each time and then it stopped happening. Hasnt happened in months and unsure of cause. Other than this, no health problems.
Hoping to have some answers on Tuesday, but would love to hear if anyone had swollen lymph nodes for 6 months for no apparent reason and it was nothing to worry about?
