Very Stressed, Thinking I Have Lymphoma Posted: 12-06-05 12:34pm
Would first like to introduce myself. I
am a 29 year old female who at the age of
16 contracted mono and strep at the same
time. I was always told that you could
only get mono once. I would also like to
add that I am a "hypochondriact" I suffer
from mild depression, general anxiety
disorder and obsessive compulsive
dissorder! Yes I am a mental mess.
I worry about being sick all the time and
have convinced myself that I have cancer.
It's no laughing matter, I end up
suffering from sever panic and anxiety
attacks from this negitive thinking.
Anyway for my question: this past october
I had a nasty cold/flu, horrible head
congestion and plugged ears. The cold
eventually ended up in my chest and im
still coughing from it. During the second
week of the cold/flu I noticed a swollen
pea sized lump that was soft and movable
non tender underneath my right jaw/chin.
I freaked out because it didn't hurt and
poked at it until my entire side of my
throat hurt.
November third I developed a nasty ear
infection, left ear opposite side as the
swollen lymph node. I ended up in the er
because the pain was so bad. At this
point I was and still am convinced that I
have lymphoma. The er doctor felt the
nodes. Looked in my throat and ear and
told me she didnt feel I had lymphoma and
told me to stop poking at them. I felt
better mentally for a week or so and then
started to poke at the swelling again. It
was still the same size. 5 days later
while taking a shower, I decided to feel
the swelling again. This time it was
bigger and I fear I have more swollen
nodes. Sometiems they are tender and
bother my ear, I feel pressure inside my
ear with a dull pain.
A friend suggested mono but I had already
had it, is it possible that mono could
reactivate? I am a highly stressed
individual and the nodes poped up during
my cold.
I am not looking for a diagnosis just
wondering if what I am speaking about
sound firmilar to anyone.
I also posted this on the mono forum
here... I am so freaked out, I can't
think about anything else other then
lymphoma!
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Crystal1111
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 102 Location: Florida
Posted: 12-06-05 13:53pm
Of course the best thing to do is to get a
medical opinion and go from there. But
remember, those with anxiety disorders
such as you (and me) tend to overreact and
exaggerate things that are most likely
harmless. The lymphatic system is in a
sense a filtration system. Glands swell
frequently even for the smallest things
such as a cold or a cut on the arm. It's
true. If you have a cut near a lymph
node, it may swell in an effort to prevent
infection. It's not surprising that you
have a swollen node or two after what
sounds like a nasty respiratory infection.
I would recommend jumping to that
conclusion before you jump to a more
serious and rare one. I hope that eases
your mind some. But, again, it's always
best to get a professional opinion and
that should really ease your mind.
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Kassandra
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Posts: 4
Posted: 12-06-05 14:27pm
Thank you crystal!
I did speak to a er doctor who informed me
that she used to work in a ent office. I
think she told me that to add reasurence
since I was doubting her finding on my
lymph nodes. She did agree that they were
swollen on both sides and that was
november 3rd.
Does anyone know if prodding and poking a
lymph node can keep them big? I have read
that they get irritated just by touching
them.
Anyway, im so scared all the time and I
have these thoughts that play out in my
head. Negitive thinking all the time. I
always thought that I would be dead by the
age of 30 and well, im 29 now.
Thank again
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sandyallen
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 4580
Posted: 12-06-05 15:12pm
Are you on any meds for your anxiety and
stress? My suggestion would be to talk
to a dr and write every thing down before
you go so you will not leave anything out,
at least it will help to relieve your
stress to a doable point. Their are a
lot of support groups to that can help
along with coming here as you are not
alone, their are a lot of people that
suffer with this and with your glands
swelling you might just need a med to help
this along.
Good luck!
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Crystal1111
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 102 Location: Florida
Posted: 12-07-05 08:56am
Poking at and constantly touching your
lymph nodes can definitely make them sore.
I think anyone that suffers from anxiety
or hypochodriasis knows this well.
Believe me when I say you are not alone in
your negative thinking. Many fear dying
young and some even believe that their
negative thoughts will cause illness.
You are young and now is the time to get
working on your anxiety. There is some
great advice in this forum regarding how
to ease anxiety or panic. Read through
some success stories. I'm 31 years old
and have been this way for as long as I
can remember. I am on medication now and
constantly do behavioural modification.
There are some great books out there too.
As for swollen nodes, I believe it's just
your body trying to clean out a bacteria
or an infection. I've had swollen lymph
nodes many times for various reasons and
none of them were serious. Let us know
how you do!
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Gemquist
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 1 Location: Wisconsin..Somewhere...
Posted: 01-17-06 12:45pm
You have no idea how much of a load it
takes off of my shoulders to see that
someone is experiencing nearly the exact
same thing as me.
My dad recently died under extremely
traumatic and graphic circumstances.
I moved into my cousins expecting stress
relief and a solid place to stand so as
to heal, but this was a mistake, the
stress was made worse.
About a month later, I began having
headaches in weird places, and paying
extra attention to places of my body. I
began to believe that I was in serious
danger, and suspected aneurysm as the
culprit. It moved from aneurysm to brain
cancer as I was shocked to notice
(something I had for awhile) cherry
angioma on my chest. (red dots that occur
mainly in the elderly but sometimes in the
younger as well). I also had nausea
mainly in the morning, but other times as
well, and sometime during my stay I caught
the flu.
I've had a bump under my chin for
sometime, it is just as yours, small (pea
sized), and slightly movable. I started
believing it could be this, and that, and
cancer, and hypertension.
I have never been a hypocondriact before
in my life.
After reading the many posts here my mind
has been put to ease, and seeing that you
experience much similar symptoms, I can
only tell you that from my experience it
is stress.
My uncle is a doctor, and he checked me
out, turns out I just need to get a little
bit of sun exposure and look forward.
Fearing death, and scouring the web and
med books for answers to my problems isnt
helping me get any more healthy.
Hope this post is a decent tribute to
these forums, considering what they have
given me, and I hope this post may help
you a little.
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jiggypuff
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Canada
Posted: 01-17-06 15:36pm
Hi kassandra
could you read my post I added in here
last week
"question to the doctor" on the 14th
my nodes went down but one stay a wee bit
big just changes in the body doc said but
I built up a fear & anxiety now trying
to get over it but it is hard I keep sec
guessing.
Anytime you want to chat.
Polly
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tonyaannet
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Jan 2006 Posts: 1 Location: texas
Posted: 01-18-06 22:36pm
Kassandra. I had to tell you, I had the
exact same problem. My Dr. Found a
swollen lymph node in my neck while I had
strep throat. I totally went off the deep
end I was positive I had lymphoma, I
became obsessive about the lymph node I
touched it constantly. I went to many drs
even tried to have it biopsied, the dr
said if I was his daughter he wouldnt even
do it, and it was fine. This all went on
for months until I got on a low dose of
xanax and luvox. It "cured" me.
The most important thing I want you to
know is all of that was 10 years ago and
the lymph node is still there today.
I hope this make you feel better.
