Enlarged Lymph Node after Vaccine or Cancer

Hi,

I’m extremely anxious as the doctor has found an enlarged lymph node under right arm, it’s quite deep and hard to feel which is why I haven’t noticed it before now. I’m being referred but until then I’ll be in a complete panic.

i had my lymph nodes removed from under my right arm 9 years ago due to melanoma and the lymph node which is enlarged (no pain) is in the same spot as the original affected node but under the opposite arm. 

I had my AZ Covid jab 9 weeks ago, is it even a slight possibility this could have caused it? Has anyone had a swollen lymph node for this amount of time after the jab? ....I’m absolutely petrified of reoccurrence 

 

Thank you 

  • Hi Mrs.CMS.

    I am not a doctor and I have no medical qualifications.

    I believe the AZ vaccine can rarely cause swelling of lymph nodes, but probably not for 9 weeks.

    That said, most of the time a swollen lymph node simply indicates that it's fighting off an infection. The node swells, maybe becomes painful, and remains swollen until the infection has been dealt with, which can take  up to 4 weeks or longer. In a person with no previous history, most doctors don't worry about a lymph node until it's been swollen for 4-6 weeks, and even then the vast majority turn out to be harmless. 

    Since you didn't know about the node until the doctor discoverd it, neither of you know how long it's been swollen. So I suggest that your GP is simply being ultracautious because of your previous medical history. 

     

     

  • Hi, 

    Am not a doctor but I had my first AZ jab on April 10th and the swollen lypmhnodes under left arm where I was jabbed lasted till mid-June. It then subsided into a welt which was not tender or sore. The second jab on June 25th in the right arm this time, nevertheless fired up the same lymphnodes under the left arm annoyingly and mid August, it is still a bit lumpy and can be slightly tender to the touch. I know that I can have an exaggerated autoimmune response to allergens and this could be why my lymphnode is hyper. Apparently, it is all very normal.