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Looking for help. Scared of Lymphoma!!
Good Morning,
This is my story. April the 21, 2014 I noticed an ingrown on the left side of my jaw line. This was not a surprise for me because I have very thick facial hair and I've had ingrown before. After aggressively squeezing and poking at it for a week it became the size of a quarter. Very hard and I can see pus build of deep inside the skin. It looked like a huge red not on my face. At the same time I got 2 canker sores in my mouth. April 29th in the shower i notices a bump on the left side of my neck. After playing around with it for a few days i finally realized it was a swollen lymph node. I can actually squeeze the skin together and feel the tine ball underneath my skin. Went to my dr may 1st and she said it felt like a swollen lymph node. She said she was not surprise it was swollen because of the massive ingrown and the 2 canker sores in my mouth. She sent me to a dermatologist. Well, I'm concerned about the swollen lymph node because its not tender(painless) and its easily movable. Anyways, the dermatologist confirmed it was a swollen lymph node and said its possible the ingrown is cause a reaction with the lymph node. He gave me a topical antibiotic for the ingrown which is helping the ingrown, but the lymph node is still swollen and i can totally see it popping out when i turn my head in a certain direction. Aanyway, the dermatologist told me not to worry and to come back in 2 months and if its still there he will send me to an ENT and get a biopsy. That really scared the **** out me. To make a long story short my wife works for a very well known family and was able to get me an appointment at the university of Chicago hospital with the director of the ENT dept. Im totally freaking out here. I have 2 young boys at home and our third child is due june 18. My questions: painless movable swollen lymph nodes common with at infected ingrown? Shouldnt they be tender? Can the canker sores and infected ingrown cause a swollen lymph node on the side of my neck? Please someone help and an advice will be appreciated greatly.
This is my story. April the 21, 2014 I noticed an ingrown on the left side of my jaw line. This was not a surprise for me because I have very thick facial hair and I've had ingrown before. After aggressively squeezing and poking at it for a week it became the size of a quarter. Very hard and I can see pus build of deep inside the skin. It looked like a huge red not on my face. At the same time I got 2 canker sores in my mouth. April 29th in the shower i notices a bump on the left side of my neck. After playing around with it for a few days i finally realized it was a swollen lymph node. I can actually squeeze the skin together and feel the tine ball underneath my skin. Went to my dr may 1st and she said it felt like a swollen lymph node. She said she was not surprise it was swollen because of the massive ingrown and the 2 canker sores in my mouth. She sent me to a dermatologist. Well, I'm concerned about the swollen lymph node because its not tender(painless) and its easily movable. Anyways, the dermatologist confirmed it was a swollen lymph node and said its possible the ingrown is cause a reaction with the lymph node. He gave me a topical antibiotic for the ingrown which is helping the ingrown, but the lymph node is still swollen and i can totally see it popping out when i turn my head in a certain direction. Aanyway, the dermatologist told me not to worry and to come back in 2 months and if its still there he will send me to an ENT and get a biopsy. That really scared the **** out me. To make a long story short my wife works for a very well known family and was able to get me an appointment at the university of Chicago hospital with the director of the ENT dept. Im totally freaking out here. I have 2 young boys at home and our third child is due june 18. My questions: painless movable swollen lymph nodes common with at infected ingrown? Shouldnt they be tender? Can the canker sores and infected ingrown cause a swollen lymph node on the side of my neck? Please someone help and an advice will be appreciated greatly.
You know what your right! I'm so sick and tired being worried about this. It has taken over my life and I can't feel this way anymore. Marking the calendar right now and leaving this alone for now. Again, thank you for your help and your knowledge!
You will see and feel that it has gone from pea size (which is pretty normal) to something bigger like a grape or walnut. Malignant lumps tend to be hard and painless.
Your doctor probably didn't see a need for an ultrasound or scan since you don't have any other symptoms that resemble lymphoma and you did have symptoms that point to infection.
My advice to you is to write on your calendar when 3 months has passed since your last appointment and if by then, if it doesn't go away, call your doctor and see about doing an ultrasound or needle biopsy.
Your doctor probably didn't see a need for an ultrasound or scan since you don't have any other symptoms that resemble lymphoma and you did have symptoms that point to infection.
My advice to you is to write on your calendar when 3 months has passed since your last appointment and if by then, if it doesn't go away, call your doctor and see about doing an ultrasound or needle biopsy.
Thanks AGAIN! How will I know if it's getting bigger? Will it harden? Become more fixed? Will it become more visible? Sorry I know these questions sound ridiculous, but I am confused from all the information I've read online. Isn't it odd that the dr didn't order an ultrasound or a ct scan or at least draw some blood? My wife thinks I'm making this a bigger deal then it is.
Lymph nodes can take a long time to go back down and sometimes they never go back down completely. It is possible that you have built up some scar tissue within the node. I think your doctor said wait a few months to see what happens and I think I'd be comfortable waiting that out unless it becomes very obvious that it is getting bigger. Cancer is an accumulation of malignant cells so if it isn't getting bigger then that is a good sign.
Also, I only feel the node when I rotate my head completely to the opposite side. If I'm looking straight forward I cannot feel it. Does that make sense? So confused right now.
Good morning Mocha,
As you can see I am back. I had a really bad night. Even after the visit with the ENT I am still worried about this swollen node. Its been almost a month and it's still there. The ingrown hair is 95% better. I was online reading and read so many thing that scarred me again. I don't know what to do at this point. Should I be comfortable and accept what the ENT said or should I move forward and demand a biopsy? Sometimes I feel the node has gotten smaller and other times I think it's gotten bigger :( sure does not help that I constantly poke and squeeze at it all day. Should I leave it alone for a month and see what happens? Or should I demand a biopsy? Pls any advise would be highly appreciated AGAIN.
As you can see I am back. I had a really bad night. Even after the visit with the ENT I am still worried about this swollen node. Its been almost a month and it's still there. The ingrown hair is 95% better. I was online reading and read so many thing that scarred me again. I don't know what to do at this point. Should I be comfortable and accept what the ENT said or should I move forward and demand a biopsy? Sometimes I feel the node has gotten smaller and other times I think it's gotten bigger :( sure does not help that I constantly poke and squeeze at it all day. Should I leave it alone for a month and see what happens? Or should I demand a biopsy? Pls any advise would be highly appreciated AGAIN.
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