10-month swollen left supraclavicular lymph node (Hodgkins?)

Hi there, first time posting here. I'm a 27yo man. Wondering if any of you can shed some light as I feel paralyzed with worry. Here it is.

 

Oct '19 - I had a bacterial infection for which I took penicillin for a week. It helped but seemed like it wasn't enough.

Nov to Jan - I was basically on and off being ill, taking paracetamol and coughing but no fever.

Early Nov - That's when I first noticed a had a swelling perched on my left collar bone that has to this day not gone down.

Jan to Feb - About of month and a half of being healthy though that supraclavicular lymph node stayed swollen.

Mid March - Fell ill practically overnight with mild to mediocre shortness of breath and extreme heaviness in my chest. I thought it was Covid and talked to 111 about 5 times but was never tested and had no fever and almost no cough at all though I did have sore throat. 

May - My shortness of breath (which came and went on episodes followed by sharp chest pain) got worse and I was prescribed doxycycline which helped almost immediately, but then I relapsed and was again prescribed more doxycycline. All this was done over the phone and I hadn't had any contact with a doctor nor been tested for Covid.

June to July - I was more or less healthy, no shortness of breath or pain but my lymph node was still large as always.

Late July - Finally met with a doctor, specifically for that lymph node. By then I also had a swelling around the lower end of my sternum - don't remember when I first got that but it's rather large (maybe an inch in diameter) and I mismissed it as Xiphoid process. I never felt it as being at any point small - rather, it seemed that a bone piece that had previously been hidden was now visibly protruding. The doctor arranged for a blood test on that day (the results of which were all normal) and said that the lymph node swelling warrants an ultrasound check. Interestingly my blood test included a check for Covid antibodies and it turned out I had none. Of course I may have had them earlier since as far as I understand they only linger for a month or two. 

 

The situation now is that I cough occasionally, wake up sweaty sometimes, and sometimes have mild shortness of breath, especially at night, along with some pressure on my chest. I have not had any fever this whole year. No apparent weight loss either. My lymph node has sometimes been very swollen to the point where you can see it in the mirror, but then it would return back to its normal swollen size over the course of a day. It feels immobile and hard to the touch. It turned out that the doctor had forgotten to book me for an ultrasound *rolling eyes* and so I'll be having a phone appointment with him on Sept 9th. Usually I am very healthy but these past 10 months I've repeatedly been up and down which annoyingly overlaps with the pandemic. My worry is that these infections might be due to a Hodgkin's lymphoma because it's been 10 months and even when I've been healthy in that time period my lymph node has remained swollen.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks for reading this long-winded post...

Parents Reply Children
  • My lump is about the size of a golf ball, left side above the collarbone. 
     

    Wednesday. - lump appeared  double the size and was inflamed. (It's worth noting I've had a lump in the area for about 4 years, always just viable in pictures, was told it was probably a cyst and Drs never did anything about it. )
     

     Thursday - Gp appointment telephone, sent photos in and she called an hour later, said she was sending me for a ultrasound as I've had a bump there for a while ans prescribed antibiotics. 

     

    friday - ultrasound rang and booked me in for Monday evening. (Today) 

     

    My anxiety is going through the roof, considering it was a 'I'm sending you just to check' it's all a bit quick. 
     

    antibiotics have calmed it all down, removed the soft inflamed layer and now left a hard area. still painful in the area. 
     

     

  • I know what your going through can be very stressful as ive been there recently. I also know that as humans we tend to think of the worst thing possible especially with the help of dr google. My advice is to try to distract yourself, be around friends and family more. Lets your drs do the hard work (it seems their doing their best for you with fast scans in times or severe delays). Also considering the lump has been there for such a long time without any other symptoms popping up is rather good but its always good to get these things check out as soon as possible. I wish you all the best and please keep us updated 

  • Thank you. 
     

    ive been taking the dogs out more, just to stop the Dr Google usage. 
     

    I'll keep you posted, fingers crossed it's just a cyst! I can thank my dad for these. 

  • Ultrasound done, Lots of screen shots taken by the Dr, was in there for about 10-15 minutes. 
     

    Dr didn't say anything about what she found but did ask if I had more appointments booked, which I don't. She then said I should expect the results from the GP within the week. 
     

    Waiting game won't be as long as I expected. Going to give the GP a call in the morning and as them how to proceed. Will I need to book an appointment for the end of the week or will the Dr ring once the results are in. 
     

    fingers crossed!
     

     

  • Hi, 

     

    Dr Called today with Ultrasound Results, she said it was inconclusive from the Ultrasound so she is sending me for a MRI, pre blood test is booked for Thursday. 
     

    no news is good news I guess. 
     

    will keep you posted.