Pamela

this is obviously a worrying time for you and the not knowing and testing process can sometimes be unbearable.

the body produces lumps and bumps for no apparent reason sometime and although I am now cancer free, underneath I am still a normal person who still gets lumps and bumps.

just watch Dr Pimple Popper.....amazing but slightly disturbing woman!

however, you are now on a treatment path, but it a tad difficult in these conditions.

my advice is just to keep yourself busy and I guess being a single mum, there is not a time when you are not.

keep chatting on here, we have all been through testing and beyond, although we are not medically trained, so can't satisfy your desire for an answer, but we can help you get there.

hang in there, there is a brilliant process working in the background, even in these different times.

so how are you doing today?

vatch

Thanks for replying Vatch, Im turned into a cleaning demon, as its easier to distract myself with practical things, so one advantage will be a cleaner house.

Daytime is not so bad, the worse is during the night, I tend to have a couple of hours sleep then Im awake with my thoughts going round and round, tend to fall asleep again round about 5 then my daughter comes in and bounces on the bed around 6.30 lol.  Im desperately trying not to be such a grump with the kids, some days are better than others.

I guess I was disheartened by the GP saying he needed to do the referral but it likely couldnt be done, if I hear nothing by Monday I may ring the hospital directly to ask if this is truly the case.

Thanks again

Pamela

Hey Winnie! Thanks for checking in! 
 

I have my MRI scan tomorrow so that's a positive for me however I broke down yesterday as I found a lymph node about the same size as mine on my collarbone on my 17 month old sons collarbone but the otherwise and I'm freaking out! Booked an appointment with the doctor who sees me but he's no in till next Friday but I guess that gives me two weeks to see if it goes down which they usually ask you to do anyways but I'm super sad! How are you getting on? X

I'm sorry to hear about your son , hopefully it will all gone down by the time you see the dr. I'm ok thanks , still worrying . I have an mri scan this coming Saturday with contrast on my neck . I updated above about panicking and ending up in A&E last Friday  . Just trying to stay distracted until i know what's going on. 
Let us know how you get on tomorrow with your mri scan , wishing and hoping for all the best xx

It was the radiology consultant, she would have been the one reporting on it, but ENT were not happy, but at least Im prepared and its not going to be a complete shock.  And if it turns out to be something benign, even happier x

Best of luck Becks, hope it goes well.  Im sure little man will be ok, kids are so resilient, does mean lots of extra mummy hugs though xx

Oh bless you it's so scary isn't it! 
 

Saturday is coming! Hopefully we will both get answers soon! My ent consultant although he's actually maxiofacial but specialises in head and neck cancers he gave me reflux medicine I'm waiting on to try whilst he waits for my mri report, not sure if it's of just my neck as I've said I have collarbone and armpit lymph nodes too! I think if anything they feel a tad smaller but then I think they are big again haha! 
 

such a scary time! 
 

thank you! Let me know how you get on Saturday xx

Aww thanks so much Pamela! 
 

I hope your results do turn out to be benign! I've seen lots of research saying both tonsil cancer and lymphoma can be very easy to treat! But hopefully it's neither! Do you mind me asking if your nodes were large? I also have something on my tonsil looks like a blister which is freaking me out but my priority is my son! Hoping it's gone before his appointment next week but it's exactly like mine free flowing and under the skin although his feels bigger but the space is smaller he has had a temp since yesterday so going to see how he gets on :( x

My lymph node is huge, around 4cm x 2cm, its hard and doesnt move very much, it was pulsatile but not so much now.  I would think if your son has a temp, hes likely fighting an infection and the lymph node is quite rightly doing its job, fingers crossed it will go down in a few days.  I know what you mean about the kids though, if this was on them I would not have waited before going to the GP. Hope your both ok at your appointments x

Afternoon everybody!

had my MRI today, I wasn't aware it would be a contrast scan and when the lady explained to me that there's a small chance that it can pass into breast milk, I completely freaked and thought I feel awful that I'm responsible god my son having a lymph node in his collarbone and chickened out of the contrast! 
 

done loads of research and its such a tiny risk and looks so much clearer and as my nodes are small I think I really should have went ahead with it. The lady said to me she would take some images get a radiologist to check them and see if the contrast was needed to which they said they could do it without but now I'm thinking what if they are too small/assumed okay and then really something dodgy is missed but it's done now, I'll just explain my fears when the consultant calls!!

how is everyone else doing?x

Hi Becks , 

I'm glad you got it done , they won't take any risks with missing anything so I'm sure if the images are viewed by a dr and they say they are ok they will be ok . 
my mri is a neck with contrast on Saturday , do you mind me asking how long it took and if your whole body goes in? I'm so scared . 
fingers crossed for your results soon xxx

Yeah that's what mine was head and neck mri with contrast, but I didn't have the contrast because I panicked but truly wish I had as I read it can light up cancerous tumours that cannot be detected on mri alone! 
 

As my lymph nodes are quite small I'm gutted! But I freak about anything going to my son! 
 

they said with the contrast it's about 50 minutes all in all. Mine was about 20-25 without I guess the dye has to go through you! 
 

ive had and mri before for my coccyx, so knew roughly what to expect, yes whole body goes in! I will prepare you though they do but like a neck brace around and over your head so it's kept in place and you can't really move it! The machine is loud but the earphones and earbuds make it okay and it vibrates too buts really not scary I promise, I relaxed eventually and was almost going to fall asleep haha! There's a panic button if you worry and they talk to you to let you know when it moves etc.  X

Yeah that's what mine was head and neck mri with contrast, but I didn't have the contrast because I panicked but truly wish I had as I read it can light up cancerous tumours that cannot be detected on mri alone! 
 

As my lymph nodes are quite small I'm gutted! But I freak about anything going to my son! 
 

they said with the contrast it's about 50 minutes all in all. Mine was about 20-25 without I guess the dye has to go through you! 
 

ive had and mri before for my coccyx, so knew roughly what to expect, yes whole body goes in! I will prepare you though they do but like a neck brace around and over your head so it's kept in place and you can't really move it! The machine is loud but the earphones and earbuds make it okay and it vibrates too buts really not scary I promise, I relaxed eventually and was almost going to fall asleep haha! There's a panic button if you worry and they talk to you to let you know when it moves etc.  X

I don't think I could feel any more scared than I do but I'm sure I'll get through it somehow . It's also what they might find that's panicking me . Roll on Saturday. Hope you get some answers soon and don't have to wait too long xxx

That's exactly how I felt when I went for my ultrasound... I had my mind set that they wouldn't say anything other than it's lymphoma. I honestly couldn't even say my name or date of birth because I was crying and she said are you scared of the ultrasound I said no lol I've had a baby I'm scared of... and she had to finish the sentence for me "what they will find" like I was that scared. I was fine for the mri until the contrast situation and I'm gutted I didn't do it but that's it now it's done. 
 

Would happily do it again for peace of mind lol! I'm at that stage now where I just want to know what's wrong if it's bad to move forward or I want my worse case fear ruled out properly now! 
 

there's a health anxiety page on facebook called health anxiety community - it's got about 600 members - you might find it useful (not suggesting you have health anxiety - I do lol) but it's about people supporting each other when nervous about their health xx

Well they confirmed today that it was squamous cell carcinoma, however they said it is absolutely curable, if I took nothing else from the meeting, it was that.  They said it was stage 2, with 1 lymph node involved, due to be moved to a different hospital for surgery in a few weeks after my PET scan, strangely I feel more relaxed, as my biggest fear was that it had spread, he said he would be very surprised if it did and that I am a very good candidate for surgical removal, so at least I feel like I have a path now.

On the MRI front, please dont worry, it really is ok, a little bit claustrophobic but you have the panic button, try to close your eyes and relax.  Good luck, let us know how you are.

Becks, Im sure they will be able to see enough on the scan without contrast, if the other operator thought that it was an issue they would have given you the statistics to try to persuade you, so please dont worry.  x

Heya Pamela ,

im sorry it turned out to be cancer but absolutely thrilled that they can cure you . I imagine knowing what is wrong is sort of a relief and now you know what you are dealing with you can face it head on! Wishing you every success and strength , we know you can do it . 
 

stay in touch and let us know how you get on and will be thinking of you xxx

Hey Pamela!

I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis however im relieved that you have your answers, a great prognosis and can finally start your journey - you are being such a brave cookie! I wish you all the best and hope it's easy as it can be for you! It's one hicccup that you are going to smash and pop it in your distant memories before you know it!!

thank you for the reassurance, only time will tell!

lots of love,

becky x 

Hey  just reading theses now as im been sick for week  i thought i had the flu or something till then  when i checked my  mouth yesterday  to notice ive loads of lumps back of my throat and large spots on back of my tounge  and also lumps on both sides  of my tounge :( im in consent  pain  ive also buring pain on one side of my ear and i havent eat in  two days  as starting  get to painful  im just hoping if i ring up that il be seen to as each day im feeling more worse 

Hello, 

came across this thread as I'm having a similar experience and just looking for answers and some reassurance. I've been going through this for about 3 months now, just started feeling like my throat was closing up (I had bad acid reflux for a while) so I had appointment with nurse which didn't offer a solution they thought it could be an infection and gave me drops which I didn't take as it didn't seem right. Weeks went by feeling panicky and like I can swallow or breath... everyone just thinking I'm crazy. Got a phone call with the doctor who prescribed acid reflux meds but I was trying to explain that I can feel lumps when I swallow etc and also can feel lumps on the side of my neck. He told me they won't do anything for that unless I'm coughing up blood... brilliant. I've had unbearable anxiety attacks to the point I had an ambulance come out as I felt like I was going to drop dead. Over a mo th later finally got a blood test, came back with high iga levels they thought it could be celiacs but that came back negative so back to no answer again. Rang doctor for emergency appointment as at my wits end, he finally gave in and booked an US for my neck but that's not till 12th of Jan.. feel so lost and scared. I can see a lump growing in the back of my throat on my tonsil just want answers and it's taken over 3 months to get them.... just terrified.

Hi everyone.

I have got a small lump on my left tonsil just underneath it. to describe its position, it is barely seen just behind the tonsil sac. When I push the left tonsil with stick, it comes out. kind of a size of a small pea. I have realized it on the 17th of Feb. I was eating my dinner and I supposed something stucked to my left tonsilits. First I suppose it might have been a tonsilit stone. Since I have suffered a lot of those stones, I may say, once in a month in both of my tonsils. I spoke with my GP and been asked for FBC. My white bloodcell count was a bit lower 2.8. My GP asked again in the same week. Then I started to fear about it. It came and WBC is 3.2. Then that made me a bit worried. Once I have looked up internet I found this forum and I d like to chat with you and get some experience from you. I have got an appointment on the 1st of April. However it is really too long for me to wait for it. 

What do you think that I need to do?