Lump in neck with other symptoms - Worried - Lymphomas Message Board

monique manna · 10-26-2006, 01:38 PM

I have had this lump on the right side of my neck for some time now (over a year) and I have had feelings of fullness in my head (pressure) Two cat scans and an MRI of neck and head and an MRA of head showed normal. I have been to the er room for this on one occasion because the pressure was very bad and I felt I needed medical attention right away. After I was seen and blood work done it showed that my Neutropphils count was high(79.2) range= 43.0 - 72.0% / Lymphcytes Low (14.2) range = 18.0 - 43.0%. My segs for the Differential Manual were high 78 range = 25 - 62% and lymphs low 15 range= 20 - 52%. I was also told the lumpo in my neck was a swollen/infected lymph node (2 doctors confirmed this) The ER doctor suggested I bring this to my doctors attention, which I did the next day, and she told me there was nothing wrong with me except stress due to the death of my mother (died of lung cancer in March 2006 - I was at the doctors for this in June 2006). So nothing was done except that she kept me on Ativan for stress, which did nothing for the feelings I get on the same side of my head that the lump is on. Over the past several months I have been getting night sweats, feelings of just not feeling good (always asking "do I have a fever?" and feeling hot and cold- wake up with night sweats which are not constant but enough to make me aware there is something going on) - I am just getting over a sinus infection that took two weeks to clear the infection but I still have a cough and achey feelings (like the flu) I had a chest x-ray which was normal. I did some research on the low and high counts of the blood and the swollen lymph node in my neck and it all led me to Hodgkins/Non Hodgkins disease. I am in need of some advice - Should I seek a second opinion from another doctor or wait until my symptoms get worse?

Jett456 · 10-26-2006, 02:28 PM

You can see a hematologist to look at your blood work and check the node. The only way to really know is a biopsy. You already had a negative cat scan right?

monique manna · 10-26-2006, 05:56 PM

Yes, I had two cat scans of my head to check for sinusitis. The second was done in the emerregency room and that's when the blood work was done and the ER Doctor and another Doctor felt the lump and confirmed it to be a swollen lymph node.

monique manna · 10-26-2006, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jett456

You can see a hematologist to look at your blood work and check the node. The only way to really know is a biopsy. You already had a negative cat scan right?

Yes, I had two cat scans of my head to check for sinusitis. The second was done in the emerregency room and that's when the blood work was done and the ER Doctor and another Doctor felt the lump and confirmed it to be a swollen lymph node.
I think I replied to myself - I am new to this.

Ails · 10-29-2006, 07:54 AM

Hi Monique

Get a second opinion! I wish I had!!

Chances are it will be nothing but I took what my docs said as gospel ("There's nothing wrong with you, you're just a lumpy person, you'll just have to live with it") and by the time I was diagnosed properly (a further year down the line) it had spread to my chest. I initially had xrays, blood tests etc that came back clear but, like Jett says, a biopsy is the only real way to be sure.

Don't wait and see if it gets worse - even if it doesn't and there's nothing wrong, you'll just worry about it anyway!! I know that in that year I did - it was actually a relief when I was diagnosed, I knew for definate what was wrong and could start to get well again.

Like I say, it's probably nothing but if it turns out to be lymphoma, isn't 3 months of chemo better than 6? Even if it is Lymphoma - it's not the end of the world - it's sooo cureable these days but you have to get your medicine to get better!!!

Take care and I hope it all works out for you

Ails xx