Hard pea-sized lump in neck.

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting. I think the exact same thing has been brought up before in these chats but it's driving my crazy and I need to vent. About 7 weeks ago I found a small hard lump on the right side of my neck (around about the middle of the right hand side - not too near the front or back). As ridiculous as it sounds, it feels like a small hard ball (doesn't move) and has a tail. I imagine it to look like a tadpole and I can follow the tail with my fingers for about 4-5cm. It's particularly hard if I turn my head to the left. I don't know if it's something that's always been there as I don't check my neck regularly. I only noticed it because I had changed my skincare routine and felt it then. I phoned the doctors but couldn't get a quick appointment so was offered a nurse appointment. She felt the lump and said she didn't think it was anything sinister and wanted to keep an eye on it. She didn't feel the rest of my neck though. She sent me for bloods which came back as normal. I asked what the next step was and she's referred me to ENT. My appointment is December 16th at 9:15am. Since then I can't stop feeling my neck and I've found two more lumps. One is next to this original lump and moves slightly and it is pea-sized and the other is at the other side and moves and is pea-sized. I have quite bad health anxiety (I have diagnosed myself with everything you can think of over the past few years - had none of them obv) so am driving myself crazy. I don't know if these lumps are just normal nodes/glands and I've just never felt them before as I've never checked. I don't know if I'm searching so much that I'm finding normal lumps that have always been there. I have had a slight, mild cold this week so it could be that I suppose. I haven't had any other symptoms except a very mild cough and a bit breathless. I have been tired but not exhausted or fatigued. The past couple of days the top of my back has been a bit sore but not agony or anything. I usually don't feel it until I remember about the lump, which is making me think it's in my head. I have been mega stressed the past two months with moving house (whole thing nearly fell through and it caused a lot of stress) and I'm a primary teacher teaching under Covid conditions. I also live myself and and live in an area which is currently Tier 4 (Scotland), so I have a lot of time at night where I've nothing else to think about. I'm so worried abut the whole thing and spend my free time feeling my neck and googling (worst thing I can do, I know). I've already convinced myself it's Lymphoma. Sorry for ranting but I'm so worried and don't know how I'll wait another week.

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  • Hi Lynsey0302,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat. I'm sorry to read of your worries about this. It sounds like you've been through a lot of stress recently and I'm sure this isn't helping.

    However it is good you have a referral booked - this will be an opportunity to find out more and also to ask any questions and discuss any concerns you have. Try to make the most of this appointment by doing all this.

    In the meantime I would encourage you to avoid touching the lump, and also to avoid Googling. Both of these things don't help and only increase worry. The information on Google will often be irrelevant or outdated too.

    Try to keep yourself busy while you wait for the appointment, to keep your mind off things.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

Reply
  • Hi Lynsey0302,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat. I'm sorry to read of your worries about this. It sounds like you've been through a lot of stress recently and I'm sure this isn't helping.

    However it is good you have a referral booked - this will be an opportunity to find out more and also to ask any questions and discuss any concerns you have. Try to make the most of this appointment by doing all this.

    In the meantime I would encourage you to avoid touching the lump, and also to avoid Googling. Both of these things don't help and only increase worry. The information on Google will often be irrelevant or outdated too.

    Try to keep yourself busy while you wait for the appointment, to keep your mind off things.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

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