I am a 24 yr old female who just got back from a wonderful vacation in Mexico! My last day in Mexico my throat felt a little achy, but not real painful. The next day (my first day home from Cancun) I went to work (gymnastics instructor) and after an hr or 2 i got pain, tender feeling in my rt arm pit, w/ a little swelling. I couldnt even lift my arm up. The next day the pain subsided along w/ the swelling, but still there. The next day, I woke up fine, went to work and within the first hr, pain(worse then rt arm pit) in my left arm pit and much bigger lump, very sore, soft and tender, can hardly touch it, and its hard to put my arm down to the side. Other symptoms are achy throat, very fatigue,(some)trouble focusing my eye(dizzy feeling). Ive been doing some research about this on the internet and i dont know what to believe. Although I dont believe its cancerous b/c i read the symptoms for that and i dont have those. Now i was reading someone elses excerpt, and they said they got a bug bite and maybe that could be the cause of the swollen lymph node. Well I got a bug bite in Mexico the second nite, and i ignored it and it itched and it swelled up a lil bit, and theres no bugs in Mexico that i saw anyway(less the NY) Could this be the cause of the swollen lymph node in my arm pit, but why did it switch to the other arm pit? Could it just be a cold i have, or getting back to work?
I too, have recently ran into this problem, About 3 1/2 weeks ago I noticed a lump the size of a jelly bean in my right arm pit. It hurt for a day or so, but now It only hust when I apply pressure. I live with a doctor and He noticed that I had a cat scratch on my right hand. He told me If I would have gone in to see a GP they most likely diagosed me with Lymphoma. He then put me on Biaxin, which made me sick. So after about Two weeks he then perscibed Levaquin. Iv'e been on that for About six days now and the swelling seems to have gone down, but not away. The more I read up on this the more it worries me, I have'nt gone to a clynic yet so I suppose there really no reasurance for me.
Unfortunately, money's a little tight so I probably won't be able to se a physician for another month or so. Does anyone know the usual rates for seeing a doctor about this sort of thing?
I'm not a doctor, but I have had Cat Scratch. The symptoms you have mentioned are very similar to what I had. I had a kitten who was very playfull and scratchy, at one stage my hands were covered in scratches. I developed a very large (golf ball size) swollen gland in my neck which caused me to have very bad headaches, but other that that I felt fine. I had chest xrays, ultra sound scans, ENT check ups, and all seemed fine. I had a biopsy an eventually they said it was Cat Scratch. It took about 4 months for the lymph node to go down fully, it is not large anymore but I can feel the lymph node (it is hard - due to the damage apparently). If I were you I would have a biopsy just to be safe, it wont hurt you and at least you will know for sure. Good luck and best wishes.
The axillary nodes receive drainage from the arm, thoracic wall, and breast. Infections, including cat scratch disease, are common causes of axillary lymphadenopathy. If infection is not found, then cancer may be a possibility.
I would consider going through the biopsy to ensure cancer isn't present. Different doctors are going to have different opinions, but if it was the size of a golfball, then it would be reasonable to err on the side of caution and have it biopsied.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.
Also cat scratch fever has not been ruled out, due to I have had contact with a young cat (that wasn't taken care of), possible cause of small infected spot on left hand. I have felt great physically but been alittle worried mentally. I have read that it can take up to 6 months for lymph gland swelling to subside. My main question is if this isn't just an infection, why haven't I had any swelling anywhere else and no other sytoms?