anxious and impatient - some advice would be nice

mizchief · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: scotland

i'm new to this forum - fell across it on friday night whilst googling away symptoms - as you do! Smile

i've been feeling off for over a year now, but have mostly had only neurological symptoms. i get muscle spasms almost everywhere, although it started in the arms and legs. i put that down to backache i've had since giving birth to my youngest. but i now get numbness down my face, twitches, earaches, headaches, tinnitus etc.. and a general feeling of being unwell with some nausea. what's worse now is that i'm feeling weak and tired alot of the time and i ache all over. i'm 43 years old, single mum of 3 boys. just to keep on top of cleaning i find daunting. i've been looking at hormone related problems, like diabetes, thyroid etc.. but i seem to have more symptoms that don't quite fit.

then i fell across this forum. since reading some posts here, i decided to find out where my lymph nodes were and check them out. some of the symptoms fitted - i do have some night sweats, but again didn't think too much of them, just thought i'd overheated during sleep. anyway, to my horror, i find the lymph node just above my collarbone is big, around the size of a large grape. i find two at the back of my neck, the right side is pretty big, but not as big as the one on the front of the neck. the hardest to find were in my groin - i had to google for pics! when i found them, i was really worried, they are massive and are enlarged all the way around my groin on both sides. i would say the length of two grapes and about as wide. i have been so nervous since then Sad

as for the doctors... i saw one ages back who said i had too many symptoms to diagnose, so she referred me to a general surgeon at the hospital. waiting time is 3 months, i have an appointment april 27th.

in the meatime, i saw another doc to top up a prescription and mentioned to her my aches and pains. she took blood on friday and i should get the results by this friday. she took CBC, EMS (i think, or ERS) cholesterol, thyroid, diabetes and hormones for menopause. i'm hoping the blood counts are all ok. if they are then i guess i just have to go back and show the doc my lymph nodes and see where that takes me. unfortunately i am familiar with blood counts as my son had a bone marrow transplant two years back. i know my platelets are ok because i don't have bruising - that's one blessing.

and, is there any other reason i would have all these swollen lymph nodes? i know infection is the obvious one, but for sure i have no infections from the waist down - i just had a smear a month or so back (routine) that was all clear. no cuts or bruises either. in the neck ok - i've had a sore throat for an age - also a cough and general cold type symptoms. i never mentioned these as i assumed it was just because of my smoking. and yes, the swollen nodes are hard and painless.

any advise/suggestions would be most appreciated. i want to prepare myself for coping with the blood results and what moves to make next. obviously i would rather research any other possible causes for swollen lymph nodes - excluding infection - if there are any

thanks so much for listening.

x x x Confused

sookan · Guest

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That's what it comes down to, you just have to be patient and anxiety is a natural feeling at a time like this. Stay hopeful and if it all seems over-welming try to keep yourself busy and the anxious thoughts that you feel will not usually be a strong tomorrow if you are thinking about everything. One day at a time got me through a year and a half of treatments and waiting for test results. Try to remain positive and give your kids lots of hugs!!!

mizchief · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: scotland

thanks sookan for those words of comfort Smile

i wish i hadn't posted here because i knew i was just in panic mode and that's unlike me. i'm usually quite calm and rational. but the thought of a serious illness scares the pants off me - as it would anyone!

i got my results on thursday morning. i was shaking when i called the clinic and apparently i shouldn't have been so nervous... all my blood results came back within all the normal ranges - thank goodness! i was so relieved. but that feeling of relief quickly passed and now i'm even more curious to find out what on earth is going on with me. my doc felt sure the diabetes test would show something. but blood sugar was just 4.6 which is a very healthy level. thyroid too was a concern, but again normal.

i still have neurological symptoms, muscle twitches, shooting pains etc.. and my lymph nodes are still swollen. i have had a sore throat and a cough for an age, but i'm a smoker so ignored it. i guess the lymph node on my neck is just a result of my sore throat. perhaps a course of antibiotics will fix that. although i have had two courses of penicillin in the past and whilst it has reduced the redness, it always comes back. i never checked my lymph node at that time, so have no idea who long it's been swollen.

but, i have decided not to go back to my local GP and just sit tight until my appointment with a consultant on april 27th. i think my GP has exhausted pretty much what she can do and i fear going back again and complaining about a sore throat. i feel if i pursued it with her, she would soon label me a hypochondriac! Wink

so i'm hanging on and trying to remain hopeful Smile

x x x

jfkbluecircle

Hi, Mizchief:
I am glad that you found this forum; it is a great place to air concerns to an experienced audience of folks who either have gone through what you are or know someone who is.

It seems like you got good news from some of your preliminary work-ups. Keeping the ol' chin up is so important, but I don't need to write that to you since it seems you are familiar with the stresses and trials (sadly) of facing uncertain health issues.

I hope you have good news from your remaining tests. I wish I could offer some advice about the lymphnode situation. Hopefully the specialist you will see will be able to put your mind at rest.

You are in my thoughts.
Wishing you moments of peace and the very best of health,
Jessica

mizchief · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: scotland

hi jfkbluecircle,

thanks so much for your comforting words, it was lovely of you to take the time to write.

my rational head just blew off this morning and i'm feeling somewhat deflated. on a general daily basis, i'm feeling awful. tired a lot with aches and pains and continued muscle twitches. my back, right up to the shoulders hurts terrible and i find ibuprofen isn't doing much. the muscles in my legs ache and feel like i've done a workout in the gym! but, what has thrown me into worry-overload is the discovery of swollen lymph nodes under my arm - and on the inside of my elbows, which are painless - never even knew there were lymph nodes there! i don't know how i missed them before, but i know i tried to find lymph nodes in that area and felt many lumps and bumps so gave up.

they aren't actually in my armpits, but on the side - pectoral lymph nodes i think they are called. but, because they are very painful to touch, it confused me and brightened me up a wee bit. lymphoma doesn't present with painful nodes does it? i decided to try get an appointment with my local GP and not wait for another month to see a consultant.

i couldn't get an appointment today, or tomorrow, so was feeling a bit desperate. i called the local NHS 24 service just for advice. had quite a lengthy discussion with a nurse. i never wanted to mention it here before, because it's quite embarassing, but i have some terrible itching down below. on a routine smear one month back, i got the all clear. they don't only screen for cancer, but thrush too. but i've had thrush before and this isn't it. i have no discharge, just random itching. i took an over-the-counter fluconazole tab last week and still the itching remains. so more and more i'm thinking lymphoma.

however, this nurse i spoke to laughed when i told her that! Sad

she says it sounds like chronic candida and asked if my lymph nodes were swollen before i had the ESR test. i told her honestly, i didn't know because i only discovered them all recently, after the blood was taken. she suggested i call my doc and speak to her, then she would probably try to fit me in today or tomorrow.

but i'm feeling really foolish and don't want to be ridiculed further. i'm now doing some research on chronic candida and see the symptoms are very similiar, only i haven't read anywhere yet that swollen lymph nodes are associated with it.

i think i might try to treat myself for this and just wait for my hospital appointment on april 27th.

thanks for listening Smile

x x x

mizchief · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: scotland

just an update for anyone interested....

on finding several swollen lymph nodes, i made an appointment with my doctor today. i couldn't put it off and wait to see the consultant - i don't think it's something you should sit on.

anyways, she was definately alarmed and confused because my ESR rate was low, just 11. but she did say that there was always a handful of cases that presented different to the norm, so we have to err on the side of caution. she has prescribed a one week course of amoxillin. if after the one week, i'm ok and the lymph nodes have reduced in size, then i have no need to return to her. if after the week is up, there's no change, then i must come back and she will schedule a biopsy.

so, i'm crossing all digits and remaining hopeful that the antiobitics will work and the swollen nodes will disappear!

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