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Chronic Lymph node swelling right side of neck....

Miks77
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Hi I hope this is ok to post here but I feel no one else listens to me. Since March last year I have had swollen lymph nodes in right side of my neck, one submandibular and one right up the top in what I think is the posterior triangle, this one is very hard. I have also had problems with my right eye as in eyelid swelling and now over the last months my eyelashes are falling out, I can’t help but worry this is a carcinoma that has spread from my eye perhaps that was missed???I had a small lesion on the bottom eyelid removed last year in June that came back benign. But have been back to the eye dr constantly since then as my eye is constantly red swollen and definitely not normal like my left one. I have also been to GP on several occasions in the last ten months about lymph nodes and my concerns ( one have me anti depressants and another told me it wasn’t a lymph node on the side of my neck just muscle which he was wrong as Mri showed it was s lymph node)I’ve had an MRI of head and neck which showed nothing abnormal except the enlarged submandibular ( 1.5cm) and a small one which is the super hard one. The drs are not concerned as report stated “ no suspect konfiguration” of lymph nodes?? I have also had 4 ultrasounds done on these over this time they are always there but the ENT says they look ok just reactive??I thought a rock hard lymph node even if under 1cm would definitely warrant a biopsy? Does anyone have any advice regarding the reliability to distinguish benign from malignant nodes on ultrasound? I just feel something is not right as they also throb constantly and my neck aches on the right side? Now since the end of November I have a hard bony lump on my right foot in the middle and left  hip pain in the top area? I have three small children twins 19mths and a 3 year old my husband was diagnosed with MS in 2011( he is ok though and not symptomatic as yet)But I am having such a hard time as I just feel like something is wrong and I’m being completely brushed off by drs and my husband just gets angry at me as I’m always worried about this he thinks I should listen to drs but I just feel I need a biopsy done on these I’m not sure ultrasound is reliable? I am going once again to the eye dr this week and having my eye checked again as my eyelashes are falling out and my eye is irritated again? I’m sorry for such a long post but I just was hoping to hear if anyone has any advice or experience with what I’m going through I literally can’t enjoy my life as I am constantly worried about this .I forgot to mention also I did have a squamous cell carcinoma cut of my stomach in 2015 and two Basel cell carcinomas off my nose in 2016 I know these are not the worst things to have but of course I worry that I now have one in my eye?

thank you for listening to me and I wish everyone a nice weekend.

Mik

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    Hi Miks77.  Welcome to the forum.

    I should start out by saying that I'm not a doctor and I have no medical qualifications.

    Sometimes it's difficult to accept it when tests can find nothing wrong. But the situation is that you've had an MRI scan and four ultrasound scans, and all have come up with nothing suspicious found. These scan types are both highly reliable and if there was something to find in your lymph nodes, the ultrasounds would have found it. Reactive nodes are very common and nothing to worry about; they're nodes which are swelling in reaction to some nearby infection. Have you discussed with your eye doctor whether the swollen nodes could be due to an eye infection? 

  • Offline in reply to telemando

    Hi Telemando

     

    thanks for your reply! I know lymph nodes can be reactive and it’s normal I just don’t understand why they never go away? After each test I definitely felt relieved as of course I don’t want them to find anything I’m just concerned especially as one is really hard and has never gone down? And the submandibular gland is also always up?will ask again about my eye and lymph node connection because from what I’ve read it could definitely be related which is why I’m also worried that it’s something more serious as my eye has never been like this either until last year when this all started? I guess as a mum as well I want to make sure they really have ruled out anything sinister as my children are my whole world and they definitely need their mama! So you think ultrasound is a reliable test to see if they look suspicious and warrant a biopsy? Thank you again for replying to my message I do appreciate it as I don’t feel I have anyone to talk to about this anymore!

    have a great weekend 

    Mik

  • Offline in reply to Miks77

    Hi Mik.

    Ultrasound is definitely a reliable test for lymph nodes. After four such scans with nothing suspicious found, I think you should be reassured.

    Sometimes lymph nodes don't go down.  They simply stay harmlessly swollen after the infection that triggered them to swell has been dealt with. 

    As for your eye, I think you should share your fears about cancer with the eye doctor. I don't really know what the possible symptoms of cancer might be, but I've had enough eye infections to know that your symptoms do seem similar to what I've suffered. But as I said previously, I'm not a doctor. 

  • Offline in reply to telemando

    Thank you Telemando! I will mention it to my eye dr for sure this week.Im glad to hear that ultrasound is a reliable test to see whether lymph nodes look suspicious.

    Take care

    Miks

     

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    My son aged 20 now has had swollen lymph nodes since he was 15. They first started after he burst an ear drum and had an ear infection. He had several courses of anti biotic, but they stayed swollen. He had a biopsy and they were benign. They have not gone away since and sometimes become enlarged and painful too. Other times they subside, but are still present. Doctors have previously said not to worry as there are no other symptoms. 

     

    He's now complaining about having some swollen nodes in his groin area so I've suggested he goes back to doctors to get some more advice.

     

     

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