Is It Lymphoma?

[LaurieMay]

I am 17 year old girl, and I have 3 or more swollen lymph nodes in my neck. They do not hurt, some are small, some are getting close to 2 cm. If I lean my head back, I can see one of them above my adams apple protruding from my skin.They are a little hard but I'm not sure how they are supposed to feel originally. I am wondering what else could cause this because I don't have many other symptoms. Some random nausea (usually in the morning) a persistent fever, and sometimes a bit of stomach pain.

No doctor will take me seriously, I have von Willibrands disease and they treat me like I'm just like everyone else, which is nice but I wish they would understand that it can cause further complications.

My main question, is it cancer? I do not think it is, but I am scared anyways. Please help I don't know what else to do.

[Mochadelicious]

Hi LaurieMay,

I was just wondering how you were doing?  Are you feeling better these days?  Have your symptoms gone away since your last post?  I hope you are doing well.

Take care.

[LaurieMay]

The only symptoms I feel on a daily bases from my vWD is joint pain, and abnormal bruising, Sometimes I get random nose bleeds, but more sever hemophiliacs have worse symptoms.

I'm a month shy of my eighteenth birthday, and I know my body is changing so that's why I thought hormones might be the culprit behind this. I did notice a few changes to my condition though. Perhaps this will give you more information.

My stomach hurts sometimes a bit of cramps but not as sever, the fever comes and goes now, depending how much water I drink. The more I drink, the less warm I am. I've also been having a really painful cycle this month, but that doesn't worry me to much because that's quite normal for me, but this is my longest/worst one yet.

I could be fighting an infection, which was what I was hoping, my immune system isn't as strong as someone without vWD, It's been going on for about 3 weeks to a month, but I was getting better today.

[Mochadelicious]

I'd be curious what symptoms the von willibrands causes.  It's a blood disorder like lymphoma so I wonder if it could present with similar symptoms.  You might do a little research online.

The night sweats are probably from how high the heat is in your room.  80 degrees is pretty high.  

Hormones can affect many things, including how you handle stress, and when you are stressed this can actually cause a decrease in the effectiveness of your immune system.  This may be why you are presenting with lumps in the neck and a fever.  Lymph nodes sometimes swell when fighting illness or infection.  How long has this been going on?

[LaurieMay]

Hi, and thank you for the quick response!

first of all, von willibrands is an inherited blood disorder. I couldn't tell you exactly what it does to me, because I'm not to sure myself, but it does affect my liver and immune system. I had the one bump above my adams apple and then I got sick with the flu and I could feel a few more. The only one I can see is above my adams apple.

Yes I do get nightly sweats occasionally, but my room is kept at 80 degrees because I have inverts.

Could hormones affect my lymphatic system at all? or any sort of stress or behavior changes?

[Mochadelicious]

Hi LaurieMay,
Sorry to hear you are going through this.  I don't know what von Villibrands disease is so I'm not sure how it relates to your symptoms however the only way to know for sure what you're dealing with is with a biopsy.  The nausea and stomach pain isn't a typical sign of lymphoma, however the lumps and persistent fever are.  Have you had any night sweats?  I mean waking up in the middle of the night and your clothes, sheets and pillow are soaked?  This is another common symptom of lymphoma.  

If you feel like you're not being taken seriously by your doctor you might seek a second opinion and request a biopsy of one of the lumps.