The dreaded swollen lymph node

Hi

So its on the front of my neck but toward the bottom, not quite at the clavicle.

It's maaaaybe pea sized, but barely.

I can move it around. and of course have been doing so on and off for the last few hours. I also marked its location with a pen.

Just need a reminder so that im not googling for the whole night. Small, moveable, usually ok?

Hi

I have been done this road many times and have made lymph nodes swell due to constantly checking them.

Definitely don't google and know that it will probably shrink back to normal in a few days.

Hibee

thanks all. I'm just a mess. I'm sitting here thinking of all the specialists I want to make appointments with because I just can not seem to feel better no matter what i do.

Hello Mersault! I'm sorry for you to be going through this, and as a fellow sufferer of health anxiety (among other things), I can totally understand where you are coming from. I can also tell you that swollen lymph nodes are typically harmless. In November of 2014, I was diagnosed with what they originally thought was a Hodgkins Lymphoma. For months I saw many specialists regarding a slow increase in fatigue, pain, swollen cervical lymph nodes, constant low grade fevers, and night sweats. We jumped from thyroid to infection to Lupus. I endured many tests, including numerous scans and biopsies. To say the least, I spent the majority of my time at the doctors office/hospital. This time, not because I wanted to be there, but because there was something seriously wrong this time. Even after my initial diagnosis, another biopsy revealed it was not Hodgkins but instead most likely a form of slow growing follicular non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. I've had more scans and blood draws in the last year than I'd had in my 20+ years of life.

Honestly, it all sucks. It's scary and stressful. I partially blame my current mental state on what I've been through with these doctors and tests. The fact that we still don't have a difinitive diagnosis but are still certain it's some type of slow growing lymphoma is the hardest part. I would've rather been told "It's this and you start chemo and then you move on". I cannot move on at this point and things get more difficult now with the panic attacks. I wouldn't wish this on even my worst enemy. Anytime I feel a lump or a bump, my first thought is "another swollen node, great, it's spreading". It is important for us to be mindful of our bodies, but we shouldn't race to the doctor every time we feel something different or new. I'd say that it would be nice if you kept an eye on the node. STOP touching it (I know this is one of the hardest parts) and if in a week or so it's not gone or has grown, that's when you should make that phone call. I can tell you now that a pea sized node is not even considered swollen by clinical a standards, and also if it were Lymphoma, the node is more likely to be hard and fixed.

I hope I eased your mind even a little bit and try to distract yourself from the node. Best wishes <3