I’m 18 and think I have Lymphoma

I feel like I shouldn't be on here but I don't know what to do. I'm 18 and relatively healthy but I think I may have lymphoma. A lump appeard on the left side of my neck about a month and a half ago. Before Christmas I went to get it checked by a GP, I may be wrong, but it felt to me like they were concerned. They took blood tests the same day and they came back normal. I then got a call just a few hours later that I needed and ultra scan and they confirmed it was a swollen lymph node. I was quite relieved until they called me in again for a second scan and a biopsy. This time I saw the scan and it didn't look right. All the nurses were extremely kind, but to the point they were treating me as if I were a child? Maybe they sensed I was sh*tting myself. But again, it felt like they were concerned, I'm not sure. I had the biopsy on Christmas Eve and I understand that it's New Years and people are busy, but I'm so scared. Everything was happening so quickly and urgently and now there's no news. I just need to know what I'm dealing with here. I can't think about anything else, I can't get out of bed. But that might be because I'm really tired all the time :/ which I read is a symptom. Apart from being tired, the only other symptoms I have is a rash on my stomach, itchy skin and when I drank last night at New Years, the lymph node ached like hell. I feel selfish being so worried, my grandad died a few days before Christmas from cancer and I haven't been in the right mind space to support my dad or even be a positive influence. I can tell I'm draining everyone and i hate it. Although 2020 was horrendous, I was so ready for 2021. I would be going into it with a new relationship, I was ready to finally pass my driving test, see friends again and get my diploma. But all that could change with one phone call and I'm terrified. Sorry for rambling.

Milly

  • hey thanks for your reply:), it's so frustrating not knowing what's going on and constantly being told not to worry by family, but i too need to push to get answers as i am a total wreck atm! i literally can't go a day without crying about it and even at work i'm going to the back to search it! i really hope we all get the answers we want and can stop worrying as it's not the best start to a new year! 

  • Thank you for replying, knowing you're not alone makes all the difference. Yeah it's weird I didn't realise that irritated skin could be linked either until I looked up the symptoms for lymphoma. Please let me know how you get on, fingers crossed it's nothing serious.

    Milly xx 

  • Hey, thanks for replying!

    it really helps knowing that other people are going through the same experience. Let me know if there's any news.

    Milly xx 

  • Hey please don't worry about the biopsy itself, it's a weird feeling but relatively painless. I completely understand how you feel. I'm already so physically exhausted and waiting is making me mentally exhausted as well. I'm just so drained, I'm meant to be going back to uni soon and haven't managed to get any work done. I couldn't imagine the pain of having to work in a warehouse right now, so well done for carrying on but make sure you're taking care of yourself:). I hope you get your answers soon, let me know how things go.

    milly xx 

  • Hi,

    I'm supposed to be going back to uni this week too but don't want to go back until I have some answers, I haven't been able to do any work either as I'm filled with worry it's such a horrible start to the new year. Hope you get the biopsy results soon and that they're all good xx

  • hey just to update, going to call doctors again tomorrow as the past two days there were shut111 referred me to my gp so wasn't massively useless imo. i have since developed a strange sharp pain at the top of the side of my neck just under my ear which comes on with certain head movements and read it could be due to a tumour so that has panicked me more, hopefully i'm just overreacting but it just seems to be more and more bad symptoms coming my way:(

  • Yes I have that pain as well, kind of going up the side of the neck right? But I think it might just be to do with the pressure the lump is causing (on nerves or something maybe) so i wouldn't worry too much. I've also been trying to call these past few days and no ones been picking up. I'm going to try again tomorrow aswell.

    milly xx 

  • yeah it's just at the top of my neck under my ear, not constant or anything just when i move in a certain way, the fact it could be pressing on nerves worries me more as that sounds quite sinisterfinally managed to get an appointment later today so hopefully find some answers soon, keep me posted if you do too x

  • Hi there,

     

    ive just got some questions please. 
    1) was it painful

    2) was it big 

    3) did it grow 

    4) did you have any other symptoms? Even if you didn't think so at the time?
     

     thank you x 

  • an update on my situ, i went to doctors today and was told it doesn't feel like anything to worry about which is quite reassuring however still not entirely sure as i don't know how they can tell and he didn't really have any answers, however said he would book me in for blood test since i was so worried. so not sure how to feel x