About 6 weeks ago I was at a friends house and had a shot of alcohol. I have drank before and never had any problem like this. I got an excrutiating burning pain behind the ears. When I drank soda later it was fine but when I tried the alcohol the burning started again. About three weeks later, I found a grape sized nodule near the carotid or parotid artery in the neck(not sure which exactly) it's not sore or painful, but it feels attached. My scalp and the cartilige portion of ears itch to the point of scabbing and bleeding, but no other parts of my body really, really itch. I'm always burning up or freezing, but rarely sweat regardless of how hot I get even before this. I'm tired all the time but have a hard time sleeping at night but feel exhausted no matter how much I sleep. I also feel several tiny hard nodules in my arm about three inches from the elbow and a few in other areas. Any body think I need to be worried or are these symptoms probably unrelated? I don't have insurance so I don't want to run to the doctor if it's nothing to worry about. Please give details if you have any advice, knowlege or suggestions.

[This message has been edited by godgurl (edited 07-29-2003).]

yes, these are some of the symptoms of the lymphomas...particularly the discomfort with alchohol.
you def need to get it checked out. i am not trying to scare you, and i am not a doc, i am just being upfront about your symptoms. you can look up symptoms and diagnosis for lymphomas on many dif web sites.

Good Luck!

I agree, you need to be checked out by a MD. You have several of the symptoms; reaction with alcohol, itchy skin, inability to sleep, tiredness, and the night sweats. It could be something else but to be on the safe side a good check up is the best plan. Most of us have financial problems but don't let that stand in the way to a visit to the MD. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck and God Bless.

Yes i agree go and get it checked out after all your health comes first.

The alcohol sensitivity is definitely a heads-up!

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's in 1989, but I know I had symptoms for several years before that. One of the most irritating was that after drinking wine (I was a light, social-occasion drinker) my throat would itch and annoy me (on the inside).

Because it was such a bizarre symptom, and not anything I'd ever read/heard about on the "Warning Signs of Cancer" list, I just chalked it off to cheap wine.

It was not until I was actually diagnosed with Hodgkin's and read up extensively on the disease that I found out about the alcohol reaction. I don't know why that sensitivity occurs with lymphoma, but I guess in this instance, alcohol could be a life-saver if you pay attention to your body.