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Could Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma or another cancer be undetected for 5 years?
Just before Christmas 2009, I went to the doctor with aching groin and armpits. On examining my groin, the doctor felt a very painful swelling which seemed to be a lymph node. I also had pain radiating down to my testicles, and the doctor diagnosed 'epididymitis', and gave me two courses of antbiotics. I also had an ultrasound on the area which I was told had no abnormalities. After a couple of months, the pains seemed to go away on their own.
Just after Christmas 2013, I felt a pain in my left groin again. Only very slight, but eventually I started feeling it also in the right groin, and went to the doctor in March. I was also suffering abdominal pain and was having problem with stools. The doctor said that my groin lymph nodes were swollen, but not in a way that suggested malignancy. As my abdominal pains were quite bad, he suggested a colonoscopy and a CT scan of abdomen and pelvis. Both seemed to come back normal.
The aching in my groin has never gone away and I have been back to the doctor several times. I have had 4 blood tests. One showed 'low lymphocytes', but the doctor said he was not concerned. Another was for HIV and other STDs, all of which were negative. My most recent test was in July and the doctor *promised* to call me back if there was a problem, I received no call so assumed it was okay.
Over the last 3 or 4 weeks, I have been feeling very unwell. Drenching nightsweats, a sore throat and mucus at the back of my throat that will not go away (to be honest, Ive had this since Christmas, which was one of the triggers of my doctor trying an HIV test, but it has become noticeably worse in the last month or two), abdominal pain and the aching in my groins is non stop, particularly the left. I also feel very, very tired.
The last time my doctor saw me, in July, he said my lymph nodes had gone down, as seen by my CT scan and his own examination, but they feel swollen again to me. Also, I am having 10 second bursts of burning pain in my armpits every hour or so - not both armpits at same time, separate.
Just to make things worse, the consultant who did the CT scan - who was a gastroenterologist, because of my abdominal pains - wants me back in for an ultrasound. Apparently, they found an 'insignificant' nodule on my spleen, which was assumed to be benign, but another radiologist wants to check it again to be sure.
I went back to my own doctor to ask about this - he is on holiday, but I found out from the receptionist that my July blood test, the one where the doctor promised to call me if there was a problem, was 'slightly out of range'. I asked what this meant, the receptionist said she was not a doctor and I would have to wait for his return from holiday, which I think is this week.
I am now worried sick. The drenching nightsweats and the fact that these pains come in areas where there are lymphnodes, is making me worry seriously about a low-grade Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. My doctor is not in the least concerned about this because a) I had lymph node pain 5 years ago and it went away and b) a lymphoma would show up on bloods and CT scan. However, I have since found out that lymphoma will not necessarily show up in these tests, and the only way to know for sure is a node biopsy.
Please can anybody help with advice on this? My doctor is back this week, and I am so angry that he did not phone me back with the July test results, and I am starting to disbelieve his assurances that I do not have lymphoma.
Just after Christmas 2013, I felt a pain in my left groin again. Only very slight, but eventually I started feeling it also in the right groin, and went to the doctor in March. I was also suffering abdominal pain and was having problem with stools. The doctor said that my groin lymph nodes were swollen, but not in a way that suggested malignancy. As my abdominal pains were quite bad, he suggested a colonoscopy and a CT scan of abdomen and pelvis. Both seemed to come back normal.
The aching in my groin has never gone away and I have been back to the doctor several times. I have had 4 blood tests. One showed 'low lymphocytes', but the doctor said he was not concerned. Another was for HIV and other STDs, all of which were negative. My most recent test was in July and the doctor *promised* to call me back if there was a problem, I received no call so assumed it was okay.
Over the last 3 or 4 weeks, I have been feeling very unwell. Drenching nightsweats, a sore throat and mucus at the back of my throat that will not go away (to be honest, Ive had this since Christmas, which was one of the triggers of my doctor trying an HIV test, but it has become noticeably worse in the last month or two), abdominal pain and the aching in my groins is non stop, particularly the left. I also feel very, very tired.
The last time my doctor saw me, in July, he said my lymph nodes had gone down, as seen by my CT scan and his own examination, but they feel swollen again to me. Also, I am having 10 second bursts of burning pain in my armpits every hour or so - not both armpits at same time, separate.
Just to make things worse, the consultant who did the CT scan - who was a gastroenterologist, because of my abdominal pains - wants me back in for an ultrasound. Apparently, they found an 'insignificant' nodule on my spleen, which was assumed to be benign, but another radiologist wants to check it again to be sure.
I went back to my own doctor to ask about this - he is on holiday, but I found out from the receptionist that my July blood test, the one where the doctor promised to call me if there was a problem, was 'slightly out of range'. I asked what this meant, the receptionist said she was not a doctor and I would have to wait for his return from holiday, which I think is this week.
I am now worried sick. The drenching nightsweats and the fact that these pains come in areas where there are lymphnodes, is making me worry seriously about a low-grade Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. My doctor is not in the least concerned about this because a) I had lymph node pain 5 years ago and it went away and b) a lymphoma would show up on bloods and CT scan. However, I have since found out that lymphoma will not necessarily show up in these tests, and the only way to know for sure is a node biopsy.
Please can anybody help with advice on this? My doctor is back this week, and I am so angry that he did not phone me back with the July test results, and I am starting to disbelieve his assurances that I do not have lymphoma.
Saw a second doctor today, and they are now discussing what kind of specialist to send me to. Blood test showed normal white blood cell count (which is good against Lymphoma, apparently), but high in inflammatory markers. But no clue as to what is causing that. Nodes are swollen again in neck and armpit, but new doctor again says 'reactive' rather than malignant, so this must be good.
I'll ask about a hematologist when one of the docs phones me up tonight, thanks.
I'll ask about a hematologist when one of the docs phones me up tonight, thanks.
What about a referral to a hematologist? Don't know about aching in arm pits and groin. None of my lymph nodes felt this way.
Hi and thanks,
Both a GP and a gastroenterologist. Gastro because of my really bad abdominal pain. I had it again last night, along with sweating, though not as bad as some nightsweats have been, because the pain was so great.
Both say it is IBS, I don't have any faith in that diagnosis. They say the CT scan showed *no* swollen lymph nodes in groin or abdomen, but that is not what it feels like, and not what the GP felt on my first visit, though he since claims they have gone down.
I am trying to get an appointment for tomorrow. I remember I had mumps when I was 16, and the feeling around the top of my groin feels like that, though you can't tell anything to look at it. Still also getting burning armpit pains for 5 to 10 seconds every hour or so.
Both a GP and a gastroenterologist. Gastro because of my really bad abdominal pain. I had it again last night, along with sweating, though not as bad as some nightsweats have been, because the pain was so great.
Both say it is IBS, I don't have any faith in that diagnosis. They say the CT scan showed *no* swollen lymph nodes in groin or abdomen, but that is not what it feels like, and not what the GP felt on my first visit, though he since claims they have gone down.
I am trying to get an appointment for tomorrow. I remember I had mumps when I was 16, and the feeling around the top of my groin feels like that, though you can't tell anything to look at it. Still also getting burning armpit pains for 5 to 10 seconds every hour or so.
I was diagnosed with marginal zone lymphomas last year. There was only one way my hematologist could know this and that is from node biopsy. Physical exams, blood tests and imaging might be suggestive or supportive, but doctor said only biopsy confirms type, grade, etc. What is the specialty of the doctor who is treating you?
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