Lump on collar bone

[AlisonWonderland]

I KNOW THAT I NEED TO TALK TO MY DOCTOR, BUT AS I WAIT FOR THAT APPOINTMENT TO ARRIVE, I'M JUST ASKING FOR SUGGESTIONS.  
I have SLE (lupus) and have some symptoms that overlap with lymphoma.  
I am losing weight constantly without trying..... Went from 183 to 147 and doc is concerned with the weight loss, but not really digging into that.
I am itching with no rash for a week as of tomorrow.  It is quite uncomfortable and Benadryl will calm it down, but it never is really gone, and this is driving me crazy.
I have night sweats constantly.  Needing to change pajamas in the middle of the night, and my husband keeps suggesting that I sleep on a towel....
I'm 34, no history of cancer in my immediate family.  
I have had lumps in my armpits quite often, but not at the present.
Once had some under my earlobe.

Does anyone think this could possibly be something to further investigate or just assume it's the lupus (if any of you are familiar with lupus symptoms....)

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP

[AlisonWonderland]

I had insomnia.. But that has been corrected... No allergies, accept to a particular med, that I haven't taken since 2001.  And I never been stung by a bee..... So... right now, I will see the negative tests that my doctor comes up with the thyroid situation.....

Then I will go to my rheumy in two weeks and see what tests she will do.

[Ken_PA]

Allergies?

[Ken_PA]

Hi, assuming that you didn't press hard enough that would leave a red line on anybody (you can use your husband as a comparison test), then I'd suggest the possibility of a mast cell disorder. The itching is likely caused by histamine, as you know - which is secreted by mast cells. In some people. mast cells are unstable, so that they release their signalling molecules too easily.

Histamine can result in lack of appetite, also - and lots of other things.

Do you have any insomnia? Overreact to bee stings?

[AlisonWonderland]

Yes, my fingernail does, like a scratch...... Assuming I did that right.... What, if anything, does this show, according to your test?

I went to doc this morning because I could not deal with the itching anymore... everything else is "do-able", but the constant itching is harsh.  She drew blood to check my thyroid, which I feel is going to be okay, because it's been checked, checked, re-checked and checked again, and it's always fine.... There's something else... It could be the lupus, I don;t know, but I guess we'll know how well my thyroid is in a few days....

[Ken_PA]

If you draw your fingernail across your skin, does it leave a very visible line?

[AlisonWonderland]

The lump is on my right side.... I made an appt with my GP doc today.  Because this itching thing is getting way out of hand and I cannot take it... SO maybe she can figure out something.  

I have had an x-ray of my chest maybe in June for pleurisy, to see if there was fluid in my lungs, but other than that, I have had nothing for my stomach... So, we'll see what it is.

Thanks

[Ken_PA]

The nodes going away repeatedly after swelling tends against lymphoma. They can wax and wane a little, but what you say seems to be much more than that.

If the node above the collarbone is on the left side, that's "Virchow's node" which most of the upper body drains through. Were you scanned to look for anything in the chest or abdomen?

[Mochadelicious]

Not to scare you, but the symptoms you describe are pretty consistant with lymphoma.  I don't know very much about Lupus, but I did check out a few websites about symptoms of Lupus, and I didn't find much that matches the symptoms you are currently experiencing.  So, in my opinion, it would definately be a good idea to investigate other causes.  

Please keep us posted after you see your doctor.