Thank you for your thoughts greatly appreciated xx 

i had had tonsils out years ago all good and hope yours goes well xx lots of nice smooth ice cream afterwards 

well I’ve been referred for scan in nodes and thyroid and biopsy just waiting for a date now. Would like to feel more human soon and stop being in a daze!! But hopefully not long wait and are pushing through quickly x hope opp goes well on the 13th for you thoughts with u x

Sorry you have got to join the waiting game. It's not easy. I'm struggling today for the first time in a few days. 

Worried about how we will manage financially, how long I might be poorly for or need treatment for once they find out what it actually is. Had some wine last night so I don't think that has helped. I've got really bad palpitations too. 

Hope you get your date soon. 

Hi Halfcent,

Financial problems often arise in conjunction with a cancer diagnosis. Have you thought of applying for some help?

You may well qualify for some benefits to help you over this difficult spell. It is worth asking Macmillan about these. Your local Citizens' Advice Bureau could also help. You may find that Macmillan has an advice centre in your hospital. If not, phone your local office.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been looking for a forum like this for some months, and I’m so glad I have come across a group of other people that will be able to understand how I’ve been feeling.

It started last year when I noticed a large lump under my jaw on the right side of my neck. My gland on the other side was swollen too, but the one on my right side was larger and was fast growing and painful. I experienced severe fatigue, body aches, loss of appetite, and other general flu like symptoms. My GP referred me for a blood test to test for mono and any other issues, but the results showed nothing. I started experiencing pain in my armpits and groin, so I returned to my GP and they did a body examination feeling for lumps in my stomach but again found nothing, so I was told to go away and return if I saw no improvement.

Luckily things started to improve after about 2 months, but about a month ago I had swelling in the lymph’s under my tongue which caused painful swelling in my chin under my jaw. Again this cleared up within about 1 1/2 weeks.

But now I’m experiencing it in my neck again, swelling on both sides and experiencing aches and pains all over my body, as well as the fatigue and lack of appetite that I’d been experiencing the first time around. I feel like I should go back to my GP but I feel like I’m going to be given the same blood test and told the same thing about going away and coming back again if it doesn’t improve. 

I’m sure you will all be able to understand how the tiredness and weakness effects your day to day life, and the general worry that something is happening in your body that we just don’t understand - and neither do the doctors!

I wish you all the best of luck and good health in your journeys, and I hope that everyone can find answers to put their minds at ease.

Kindest regards,

TamsinRose

Hi TamsinRose0ck,

I am glad to hear that you have found this forum and, I expect that you will find it extremely helpful, throughout your cancer journey.Tiredness and weakness can certainly go hand in glove with cancer - I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer in the past 9 years and have an appointment to remove a melanoma from my face at the beginning of March. I was totally exhausted for the first 6 years of my treatment and, if you are still experiencing this, I would suggest that you go back to your GP and say that you are not happy with the way you feel and that you want a referral to the clinic.

If your GP does just the same as last time, ask for a second opinion from one of the other GPs in the practice. Everyone is entitled to a second opinion.

Do please let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi TamsinRose. Welcome to the forum.

I should start by saying that I'm not a doctor.

You (and your doctor) are in the awkward situation that the most likely explanation for your symptoms is that you're suffering from a series of viral infections. There are many wild viruses in the environment which mutate rapidly to evade the immune system, and which can cause the miserable symptoms you're experiencing. I know I've gone through similar sequences of infection followed by some recovery, following by another infection, and so on.  For this reason, I ask you not to assume that you have cancer and to remain optimistic.

I suggest the appropriate action now would be to return to your GP and share your fears openly. Your GP may be able to set your mind at rest, or may refer you for some more tests (blood, ultrasound, etc) with the intention of setting your mind at rest.  And as @Jolamine says, if your GP is unhelpful, you can ask for a second opinion. 

Hi guys,

Ihope you’re well, I’m 21 years old and I’ve been reading through some of this thread out of wanting some closure on swollen lymph nodes. For just over a month I’ve had swelling under my right armpit which is visible frontward facing. If I manage to have a feel deeper there is a small hard lump which I believe to be a swollen lymph node. After pressing it continues to ache for a few days after it worsened. I first noticed it  when I were lying in bed just over a month ago and I thought originally it were just my t shirt ruffled up under my armpit, I then had a poke and it became painful and I noticed the swelling , I also got Ill that week which I know can make these symptoms arise. After getting gradually better from being ill the swelling were still there a few weeks later. I’m now Ill again with a cold and the pain has come back. 

I have been been to the doctors several times about it because I suffer from acute anxiety and am due to get a breast screening next monday. Since I can feel it there Ita constantly on my mind and I really want some peace of mind. I had blood tests, a CT scan and an x-ray on my chest over the Christmas period to check if my lungs were okay as I suffer from asthma too and everything came back fine appart from slight clotting. 

Another thing I feel I should mention is that I am always feeling under the weather; for example, tiredness, upset stomach, coughs and colds etc. I can’t remember the last time I felt well which further adds more worry.

ive recently tried to change my diet by cutting out meat ( I may consume it once a week or so and is usually some chicken) and intake more vitamins. 

I know googling the symptoms is probably the worst thing to do but I feel I’m not getting the answers I need from the doctors as they’re all pretty brief with it eventhough I’m losing sleep every night over it. 

Thank you,

Holly x

Hi Holly,

I'm so sorry to hear about your health worries. If you had cancer I would have expected it to show up on your CT scan and also in your bloods, so hopefully there is a simpler solution to the way that you are feeling.

I am glad to hear that you have an appointment at the breast clinic next Monday. They will carry out a series of tests for you and the results of these should be back within 1-2 weeks. This will certainly determine whether or not there is anything sinister there, so you are doing the right thing.

Doctors are caught on a cleft stick with this, as they don't have the right equipment to run the necessary tests and therefore don't want to scare patients.

Here's hoping that you get more good results. Do please let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Holly

As always @Jolamine has given you some useful information.

Although I'm not a doctor, I would like to add some further comments. Swollen lymph nodes are very common, and nearly always due to infection.  Lymphoma, on the other hand, is not a very common cancer.  Feeling under the weather, particularly in the winter, is nearly always caused by a viral infection, or a series of viral infections. Lymph nodes naturally swell in response to an infection (it's part of their job) and may remain swollen for as long as the infection persists. Once the infection is over, a node may naturally remain swollen for several weeks, and occasionally a node never returns to normal.

So, please try not to panic.