Long Term Bilateral Enlarged Neck Nodes - Lymphomas Message Board

cutigergirl · 01-09-2006, 09:20 PM

Any input would be appreciated!

I have an easily palpable small grape sized node on each side of my neck-in exactly the same place on both sides. Above each of those, I can feel a small, pea sized node. I am tall-5'8 and skinny-128 lbs. They have been there for at least 5 years. They are pretty squishy and very movable. They worry me a TON though! My doc says since they are bilateral, the same size on both sides, movable, etc..that they are fine(enlarged due to past infections), but to keep an eye in case they get larger. All he said was that they seemed long. As a child I had mumps, 14 strep infections, 10 ear infections, 2 bouts of pneumonia, etc..Ive always been sickly and had my tonsils removed due to them being permanently infected. I lost about 7 lbs last April (none since), doc says this is due to the food poison I had and immense stress Ive been under all year. Haven't had any other "symptoms" so to speak. I always worry about this being lymphoma and it is also impacting my life to worry so much. Does anyone think this sounds like lymphoma? I keep touching my nodes and I know that is bad too. I have no other noticeable nodes anywhere else either that I can find or the doc can find.

Do you agree that bilateral is a good sign?

hilery79 · 01-12-2006, 11:54 AM

Hi,
I don't know if this will make you feel any better, but I also have a couple enlarged lymph nodes under my chin(on both sides). They popped up about 2 years ago and since I was worried...I constantly messed with them. Well, I pointed them out a few times to a Rad. Oncologist I saw for thyroid cancer and he said they would probably stay permanantly enlarged from me touching them so much. They're both slightly over 1cm(a little smaller than a marble), but he said since they felt smooth...were moveable and not growing anymore...he didn't think they were anything to be concerned about. I still worry about them, but it helps to know it is possible for swollen lymph nodes to stay permanantly enlarged.