Pain with alcohol

[Markie1974]

Can anyone answer my question please??
I have had painless swollen glands for about a year. Recently I have red spots which are appearing on my face. They are a bit like acne but do not responde to acne treatment but get better with anticeptic cream. I have had lots of blood tests, all have come back within normal ranges apart from Hemoglobin which is over 19. My hemoglobin is always above the normal range for all the blood tests I have had over the last 6 months. I do smoke but not excessively which can be a possible cause. I have started to itch all over especially in my head. I have checked for nits and its not that! Last night I had a couple of glasses of wine and a beer. At 5am I was awoken by my heart racing and my glands were especially painful under my arms and above my elbows. Is the pain associated with alcohol and lymphoma an instant pain or can it be delayed??
Recently my whole body hurts, I went to accident and emergency due to chest pain and shortness of breath which I still have. They did a chest xray and another load of blood tests, all came back normal. The emergency doctor was concerned about my glands and sent for a B2 microglobulin test which takes a few weeks to do and I have not had the result yet. I think this is a tumor marker. I have pain up and down my spine which will not go away. I had a FNA of a gland a few weeks ago which has come back inconclusive. I see the ENT next week.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, any thoughts would be most appreciated. Thanks.

Mark

[fury6]

I heard that the FNA is inaccurate; however, it would have came up inconclusive without a benign diagnosis.  Did your daughter have a FNA first?  If so what did the biopsy report say?  

[Boldelly]

I would push for a full biopsy of the node as with Hodgkin's the Reed-Sternberg cells are often to large to get with a FNA.  Have you had any of the other symptoms of night sweats, fever, weight loss, itching?  My daughter did not have any symptoms other than a cough that just progressively got worse and after 4 trips at 2 weeks apart to the PCP they finally decided to do a chest x-ray and this revealed a large mass pressing on her lung.  Her blood work was okay except she was a little anemic. Have your sedimentation rate checked as this is a non specific test but some Oncs use it and my daughters Sed rate at diagnosis was 115 and the normal is 20.  She had no other symptoms other than being fatigued a little, but it never slowed her down.  She was 16 years old at diagnosis and she just turned 18 in October.  She is a year and 9 months out from all treatment.  Lymphoma is often misdiagnosed for a long time unless you just keep pushing and if you have to go to another doctor until you get the answers you need.  I hope you find the answers that you need soon.  Alcohol pain is very specific to lymphoma and making the nodes sore.  Our Onc asked my daughter if she drank and she said no and he specifically told her that if she did that he needed to know so they could use this as an indicator if she was to relapse.  

Laurie

[Markie1974]

hi,

it would be ok if they didn't hurt around them when I walked and under my arms!

Mark

[fury6]

i am sure you are fine I am starting to think everyone can palpate their lymph nodes but some of them just never try to.  Let me know how it goes.  

[Markie1974]

Hi,

Thanks for your response matey, I saw the ENT today and he really didn't want to listen to what I said. He said all the blood tests have come back ok and as far as ear, nose and throat were concerned, he wasn't worried. I don't know why an ENT deals with it anyway. He said he will send me an appointment for an ultrasound of the largest gland and if it can be seen he will suggest to them that they do a needle biopsy. I'm not sure if this will be the same as I have had before but with a guide to where they may find something dodgy. I have to wait another 7 to 10 days for the B2 microglobulin, it sounds like this is a very rare test that is done as its taking over 3 weeks. The ENT did not even mention a full node biopsy. He said the largest node drains from the tonsils. Yet I don't have tonsilitis or sore tonsils. He looked in my throat and said it was ok! I am diabetic but I have been tested for all other autoimmune illnesses and that has come back ok.

Mark

[fury6]

I have several palpable lymph nodes I got the largest one biopsied. Flow cytometry is where they use this laser light and some kind of chemical to help detect cancer better. I know if you google it you'll find it. I obsess over my nodes especiallly my supraclavicle but my doctors are not concerned. I feel so many lil lumps some larger but the oncologist said they go for the largest one because it doesnt make sense to biopsy every node especially if they are smaller. I really dont know to much about the alcohol but from what I've read the pain is immediately. I've read people have pain as soon as they take their first sip. Have you been tested for an autoimmune disease ? They cause enlarged nodes as well.

[Markie1974]

Hi,

I have a large left cervical glandwhich is the ENT can feel. It was only a fine needle aspiration. Whats flow cytometry?

Mark

[fury6]

did the use ultrasound guided? Also with a core needle ? What bout flow cytometry?

[Markie1974]

Hi,

My FNA said "scanty small lymphoid cells, no malignant cells seen". The A&E doctor has said this means it is inconclusive. It depends what cells are contained in the gland the needle hit. In terms of cells they could be different in different parts of the gland.

Mark

[fury6]

On your FNA report is was inconclusive or benign hyperplasia?  Do biopsy reports actually say inconclusive if they are ?