Hi, I have been having horrible symptoms for over two years now. Long story short, my ENT though it was lymphoma, but when my CBC, ANA, SED rate came back all normal he said I didn't have cancer and sent me home. Not to be dramatic, but I feel like I am dying. My body just feels awful and the doctors I have seen tell me its an infection and give me antibiotics. I never get better though. I just want to give up now. Here are my symptoms if you want to know or you can click on my name to view my post its called, "Please help"
-Swollen painful lymph nodes in neck (they are not round, but in long strips)
-Chest pain and shortness of breath
-Infections (mainly throat even after tonsillectomy year ago)
-Low grade fevers practically every day
-Severe Itching at night
-Night sweats and chills (actually I have sweats during the day now too)
-Extreme fatigue
Thank you everyone for listening to me complain
~Nicola
The following user gives a hug of support to *Nicola: Gwwjr (02-03-2012)
Hi, I have been having horrible symptoms for over two years now. Long story short, my ENT though it was lymphoma, but when my CBC, ANA, SED rate came back all normal he said I didn't have cancer and sent me home. Not to be dramatic, but I feel like I am dying. My body just feels awful and the doctors I have seen tell me its an infection and give me antibiotics. I never get better though. I just want to give up now. Here are my symptoms if you want to know or you can click on my name to view my post its called, "Please help"
-Swollen painful lymph nodes in neck (they are not round, but in long strips)
-Chest pain and shortness of breath
-Infections (mainly throat even after tonsillectomy year ago)
-Low grade fevers practically every day
-Severe Itching at night
-Night sweats and chills (actually I have sweats during the day now too)
-Extreme fatigue
Thank you everyone for listening to me complain
~Nicola
If you do not trust your doctor's assessment get a different doctor. Cancer symptoms are usually not as dramatic as a bacterial infection. But, can have dramatic side affects if allowed to go until it is obvious. Chronic fatigue syndrome acts a lot like what you are describing and the medical community is coming around to believe it is caused by a virus that does not go away after a sore throat, or flu or pneumonia. The self immune system does not recognize the virus as being non-self and either does not kill it off, or the virus overwhelms the immune system that recognizes non-self and uses it up all the effective virus fighting cells. Anyway getting checked out is more important than what the label for the illness turns out to be
I was wondering, can I have cancer even though it didn't show up in my blood tests? Does anyone have any similar experiences and knowledge? I would really appreciate any reply.
Hi Nicola,
Sorry you continue to feel sick and that the doctor doesn't seem to want to do further testing! I have a friend who has non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, which is much more serious than Hodgkins Lymphoma from what I and she understand. It's very hard to cure but can be managed. The kind you are asking about can either be cured or have long remissions.
Your symptoms, of course, could match many illnesses; however, since you have swollen lymph nodes which do not go down with antibiotics, in my opinion you should seek a second, and possibly a third opinion. I believe it is possible to have normal blood tests at the beginning. My friend waited a year before the doctors finally diagnosed her non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. The doctors first thought she was having urinary tract infections; then her doctor insisted that her discomfort was from being depressed. (she wasn't depressed - just felt very tired, had lost weight, had various aches and pains)
They finally took a CT scan and found that she had Lymphoma.
Thankfully, she is a lot better now after having chemo - she hasn't lost her hair.
I don't know whether this information will help you or not, but I really do think that you should insist upon following this up until you have learned what is causing your symptoms. You are feeling sick, and that's just not normal! Please ask for further testing even if it means seeng several different doctors. Good luck!
Thank you so much Girlcat for you reply! Were your lymph nodes painful? People including my doctor are telling me that I have nothing to worry about because my lymph nodes are painful? What were your initial symptoms? I can't express how much your responses mean to me, so thank you so much!
yeah, i can understand your concerns, i've been suffering a irritating itchiness below the skin, almost within the meat of my neck for about a year and a half, i have had doctors X ray it, and ultra sound it, and all i got was "enlarged lymph nodes" as a response and it never went anyfurther then that. I am going to see a throat, ear, nose specialist jan 14th, but theres nothing worse then googling your question about "what causes enlarged lymph nodes?" and the 2nd hit you get is cancer. rather ominous, and I for one am hoping that it isnt that, and only just an ear infection thats taken up residency for a prolonged stay. I also have a weird click/thump (for a lack of real terms) sometimes when i swallow, and all i can think is its a tumor in my esophagus that my adams apple keeps running over. I do shift work so im constantly fatigued, but one symptom i have that you dont, is constant sinus drain. I can spit for about 5 minutes, before my mouth is dry, and this sometimes causes me to gag violently, lol. I guess this is the happy feel good forum for healthy happy people.
My husbad had fluid drained from his abdomen originally and cancer was found. He has normal blood tests all along and they cannot identify the cancer, but are treating him for cancer somewhere in the GI area.
Hi there- i would have thought after 2 years of symptoms that if it was cancer it would surely have created some abnormal blood results- especially the red and white cells.... definitely see another doctor though because you are still feeling so unwell.. Ask for a scan for piece of mind. All the best...
Can you have cancer with normal blood tests? 
Re: Can you have cancer with normal blood tests? 
