Possible Dx - Lymphomas Message Board

byHizgrc · 06-11-2007, 04:26 PM

I saw my PCP last week & was told I may have lymphoma. What would she use to dx this or rule it out? I know she's do a huge battery of blood work. Plus, I've had signs & symptoms like:

1. Small red spots - lots of them - in several places on my body for 4 - 6 weeks now. My doc first blew it off as folliculitis or hemangiomas, but I know differently. In fact, they're getting worse (i.e. more of them & redder aka more noticeable). I think they're called petechiea.

2. Easy bruising (i.e. lots of bruises, seem to happen for no reason)

3. Badly Swollen - sometimes tender - Lymph Nodes for about 3 MONTHS

4. L Side/Abdominal Pain

5. SEVERE Exhaustion

6. Weak (more than normal)

7. Normal Joint Pain Worse

8. Normal Memory Problems Worse

9. Pale Episodes

10. Nausea

11. Sometimes Dizzy

12. ...and so on

I'll tell ya now. I've been dx w/ SLE (lupus), but I'm pretty sure this has nothing to do w/ my lupus. Some of these things come with lupus. So, I've been experiencing some of it for a while. So, those certain ones are now worse, much worse, and I have the new ones. I have been experiencing this for about a year with an increase in severity & added symptoms over time. I think it is possible for lymphoma to come on slow like that, but I'm not sure.

All I know is that I don't care what is causing it. I just want to feel better!! I'm 27 y/o for goodness sakes. This should be the prime of my life!! Instead, I feel like I'm in the "over the hill" years.

Soooo, any thoughts?

DebM412 · 06-11-2007, 04:55 PM

Hi,

I am sorry that you are feeling so ill and have all of those symptoms to deal with. Did your doctor do a biopsy of a lymph node to give you the lymphoma diagnosis? This is the only way you can be diagnosed with lymphoma. Blood work cannot tell your doctor this.

You seem confused on the dx and so do I. Is it possible for you to question this doctor? Maybe go get another opinion. Unless you obtain a biopsy you cannot be dx.

Hope this helps and hope you feel better! Let us know....

Deb

BeachJen · 06-11-2007, 05:47 PM

Hey there,

I wouldn't panic yet. There's no way that they can diagnose lymphoma without doing a biopsy. Please if need be get a second opinion.

I'm so sorry that you are having these symptoms but it could be a lot of things and I can't say what because I'm not a doctor. But without a biopsy I don't know how someone could say you have lymphoma.

Hang in there and please get a second opinion.

byHizgrc · 06-11-2007, 07:02 PM

Well, like I said, she said I may...as in it's a possibility. I see her for a follow up & test results on Thursday. I'll mention the biopsy thing to her. Can a biopsy be + w/ blood work like WBC being -?

I recently wondered if I could have sleep apnea.

BeachJen · 06-12-2007, 04:42 AM

I don't think you can diagnose lymphoma by a blood test. Lymphoma circulates within the lymph system and not the blood system so detecting lymphoma by a simple blood test is extremely unlikely.

Abnormal blood counts might give them a clue to look for a cause. Since lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) you might think that a high lymphocyte count would be a strong indicator of lymphoma, but it is not. A high lymphocyte count in the blood is more likely to indicate an infection or maybe even leukemia which is a cousin to lymphoma because it is also a cancer of the white blood cells. The difference is that in leukemia the cancerous blood cells are found primarily in the blood and marrow, whereas lymphoma is found primarily in the lymph and marrow.

I hope you get things sorted out when you see your doc. Let us know what she says. I'll be thinking of you.