Sorry in advance for the long post. I am very grateful that I can reach out to you on this forum.
About six months ago, my dad was diagnosed with Stage IV NH Lymphoma for the second time. A few months later, I felt compelled to check myself and felt a lymph node next to my ear. I went to see an ENT who was dismissive but after some pushing CT scanned and biopsied it (~1cm) - benign. After the procedure, he almost laughed me out the room telling me I was worrying over nothing - quite upsetting. In the month since, I have felt extremely ill - constant right side earache, lost 10lbs or so, unable to eat, persistent cough, swollen throat, shortness of breath, left side abdominal pain. GP gave me a chest x-ray (normal) and tried antibiotics/steroids/inhalers (none helped, virus tests all negative). I then felt swellings all over my neck, saw another ENT who said I had shotty lymph nodes, nothing to worry about usually but ordered an ultrasound. A few days ago, I suddenly felt a few small movable lumps above my right collarbone. Like an idiot, I googled this and read some research papers saying that this area is almost always abnormal (metastatic or lymphoma). Needless to say I haven’t been able to eat or sleep at all worrying until yesterday when I had the ultrasound. Nurse told me thin people commonly feel nodes in collarbone area?
ENT called me to tell me all normal (all neck nodes less than 7mm, he doesn’t worry until 1.5cm) including lump above collarbone. Said I could ask for a biopsy on a collarbone lump if I really wanted, but doesn’t recommend as they are small/procedure has risks and is 100% sure it’d be benign. How can he be so sure with just ultrasound when everything I’ve read suggests any nodes there, let alone multiple, is worrisome? He didn’t offer any resolution to why I’m otherwise still ill, and my GP is also stumped. Does this resonate with anyone? I am not really sure what to do at this point - should I push for biopsy anyway? Go and see another doctor? Or just wait for a few months, hope the pains disappear and do a follow-up. I am Male and early thirties.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
