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Swollen lymph nodes for almost two years

Eva6
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I've never posted anything hear before but I'm desperate for some advice 

In October 2017 I noticed a lump on the side of my neck with no other symptoms. I had had night sweats on and off for years but never thought anything of it until they started to happen a few times a week. I went to the gp who told me to come back in two weeks if the lump hadn't gone down. This happened for another four months until I finally said that I was either to be referred somewhere for an answer or I was going to make an official complaint.

I had an ENT appointment in September 2018 and by this point I had swollen lymph nodes in my armpit that were unbearably painful. The consultant sent me for an ultrasound biopsy and a CT scan to query lymphoma. The ultrasound didn't show anything so a biopsy wasn't performed and my CT did show enlarged lymph nodes but "not big enough to be worrying" 

I was already really frustrated because I wasn't getting any answers and my health was getting worse and worse. For context I'm at university in Scotland away from home (Ireland), working part time and volunteering so I really didn't need the stress. Not to mention how worried my parents were, and were not a rich family who could afford to fly back and forth all the time.

I had a haematology appointment in December where I was basically told that they didn't know what was wrong with me and they were ready to discharge me. Not only were all my original symptoms getting worse (I now had painful lymph nodes under both arms and in my neck) but I also started to show new symptoms. I had constant kidney infections that couldn't be treated, i was exhausted all the time, my appetite had gone, I was getting headaches everyday and I either had a fever or chills, no in between. I pretty much broke down and demanded to see another consultant which I did in January.

This consultant told me that my scan looked clear and pointed out things they would be looking for. He then booked me an appointment for April which was basically a "wait and see" kind of thing.

Fast forward over two months and my health has gone from bad to worse. On top of everything else, I become breathless quite easily and it feels like there is a lot of pressure on my chest. I know that this could be down to anxiety but I can't help but relate it to everything else. 

Everytime I go to a GP I'm told I'm being overdramatic (I have bipolar disorder which doctors already judge right away). I'm really panicking to the point where I might have to quit my job and uni because my health is so bad and I'm in a constant state of panic.

No one in my family, close and extended, has had cancer so we don't know how to deal with it. I do know that I feel like a complete hypochondriac all the time and I cry pretty much every day over it. Would there be a possible way to seek a second opinion without having to go private which I really couldnt afford? I'm running out of options and if it is cancer I at least want to be given the chance to fight it.

Thank you for reading, any other experiences or advice would be really appreciated so I don't feel so alone in this 

  • Offline

    Hello,

    as we all do but shouldn't i was googling my symptoms as ive had one swollen lymph node the size of a pea at the back of my neck just where the hairline starts,its been about 3 month now sometimes it feels like its smaller but never has got bigger which is good i suppose on the 6th December i was referred for a ultrasound which confirmed its was a very small perfectly looking lymph node and my doctor who gave me the results said that they look for lymphoma and leaukemia and can definitely rule this out now, for past few month ive had trouble/pain with my fully grown wisdom tooth i was given antibiotics what worked for a while now the pain/aching is back the tooth is the same side of the lymph node could this potentially be the cause? Im booking in the dentist to see about having it out as i dont think the full infection has gone? Ive had no other symptoms apart from itchy skin but thats not consistent, im a big worrier when it comes to my health and always thinking the worse, im only 23 and have a 2 year old son and couldnt bear it been anything worse. Any advice would be great

  • Offline in reply to Yasir1234

    Hello Yasir,

    I'm currently experiencing thesame thing ,did you ever find out what it is ?

  • Offline in reply to Bartholemew

    Hi Bartholemew, how are you feeling today? I'm  interested in your health story as it is similar to mine did you get any better yourself or did you get a diagnosis?

  • Offline in reply to scones

    Hello it’s been 6 years so I don’t know if your still active I’ve had swollen lymph nodes in each of my groin my neck and by my ear for about 2 3 years now I’ve been doctors and I’ve had blood tests and I’m vitamin d and iron deficient I get pain in the one in my neck sometimes but for months I’ve had no pain I’m always tired also I dropped loads of weight drastically I’ve been able to put abit back on now but I used to be chunky and struggle to loose weight now I can eat loads and I hardly  put it on also I have another pea sized lump in the middle of my neck that I can move around I get bad rib pain that radiates to the back  which makes my lungs feel fragile I feel like doctors do t care they lies to me first saying I was getting the works when I only had a blood count 

  • Offline in reply to lp21812021

    Hello did you find out what it was I hope your ok now I’ve been suffering the exact same thing for years do you get weak legs do you also get pain in your ribs and legs go weak sometimes when you stand up 

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