Lymph Node in Radial Portion of Forearm Related to Digestive Issue??

[reallybuzzed]

Boy, health issues, many in the last couple years wound up apparently the result of a severe vitamin D deficiency that went unnoticed for years. One very thorough physician assistant scratched her head and said "I want your vitamin D checked.".  Wow, it was low and once I got it back up many of my health issues improved and some entirely went away, like a horrible pain in my metatarsals of my left foot and other neuropathies like buzzing in my limbs and numbness, chest pains, etc. ANYWAY, sorry for the long intro but interestingly enough just as I was appreciating all these things getting better I suddenly was stricken ill with a horrible gastrointestinal issue that sent me to the ER.  I totally thought they were going to read the ct scan and tell me my pancreas was shot.  The episode was very similar to my gall bladder attack over 20 years ago but actually worse (I am 49) as I recall anyway.  But they took my gallbladder back then so what could it be other than a blocked duct or my pancreas? (is what I thought, scary).  Lots of upper ab pain both on right and then left side and pain settled in the middle radiating out to both left and right, upper mind you. No appetite, and when I did force something it went straight through at the peak producing a very pale stool, again scary, plus the severity of the pain and not getting better.  Couldn't eat and was losing a pound a day, not heavy to begin with....was very scary.  Finally after about two weeks I was able to start eating full meal but was left with stools that don't form and lots of pain and tenderness that feels like it's in my diaphram SP? or in my muscle.  It feels like someone has punched me in my upper gut and it's been 8 weeks now. UGH.  I had an endoscopy an ultra sound and ct scan all showing nothing wrong but my gastro doc even though I was right when I said "blocked duct"?  Anyway once they didn't find anything on a follow up ultrasound he kinda gave up on me so I went to my gp and she order tests to test for parasites etc  So far they have come  back normal two but waiting on a result for one last parasite. While waiting for this in the last two weeks I have noticed the return of a lymph node on my left arm that was once present 3 years ago.  It is located on my forearm in the radial area a little less than half way from the elbow toward my hand.  At least I believe it's a lymph node.  It is about pea sized, feels like it is shaped about like a kidney bean and moveable.  This time around though it is surrounded by a small path of inflammation that seems like edema. It kind of feels sometimes like there is a slight density in the surrounding tissue...but then I feel like I am obsessing about it and imagining that.  But now also my elbow is sore too, not the area of the lump but the actual elbow.   I don't know.  3 years ago I brought the little knot up to a doc and he said it was another lipoma.  I had a lipoma removed from the same arm on the inner fold of my elbow  about 15 years ago which got huge and interfered with the movement and use of my arm.  The surgeon at that time said they biopsied the fatty tumor and it was benign, but he also said it had grown into my joint and really tangled with the joint making it hard to remove.  I never did ask if he had to remove any lymph nodes with it, didn't even think about it then.  I do recall the tendon running from my elbow to my wrist after that surgery remained taunt for a long time and it had little bumps running all along the tendon, weird, for like weeks and he said it would go away with use of my arm. Anyway, my concern is whether or not it is a lymph node to be concerned about.  There is really not much on the internet about the nodes in that area or much about nodes that have a center with edema surrounding it....I do plan to show it at a women's health appointment next week but am really wanting to learn what I can since it can be so hard to get the docs to pay attention long enough to help. I think I'd like it biopsied. But maybe I have an infection in my body I don't know about...it has been suspected I've had Lyme disease and I do work closely, hands on, with the general public.  What I wonder is is it even a lymph node AND does it sound related to my ongoing upper ab  pain and gastro issues.  Thanks for any insight anyone might offer.  Sorry this is so long. I totally appreciate you reading this whole thing!

[reallybuzzed]

The salt thing actually works, don't know about the others, will have to explore...THANK YOU AGAIN!

[reallybuzzed]

Fun tid bit:  I stayed awake for my hernia surgery.  I didn't like the sounds of anesthesia.  So the surgeon agreed to a saddle block and told me jokes through the surgery.  Very interesting experience.

[reallybuzzed]

Yes to POTS!... hate it.  No, had not thought of EDS but am still trying to understand that :)  Yes, to joints (I swear people are going to think all the wrong things about my posts).  Yes, to Reynauds symptoms. My surgery when I was a teen, this issue I had remembering back to age 11 was a hernia, inguinal, commonly occurs in males....and disappears if one is lying down...so docs overlooked it and would not believe me when I said I have a "big lump".  Had to read medical encyclopedias to figure it out and bring my findings many docs, finally to a female doc who didn't believe me so I asked to see the male doc of the practice and  he made me cough (ha ha) and he said, "well, I'll be ".  I said "oh man!"  He said, "what?"  I said, "I was right wasn't I? and now I have to have surgery."   But at least it was fixed :)  ...have always considered I might have connective tissue issue :) Gonna change my name to "tissue issue"

Not so sure it's solved BUT you sure have made some head way!

[Ken_PA]

scratch "eventration" which is a hole/window opened through the diaphragm, and would have shown on a scan --- but maybe the underlying process is related to adhesion formation

[Ken_PA]

Does a connective tissue disorder fit with your early surgery?

[Ken_PA]

Well now, "buzzed", what if I said that after hearing about the cysts, I went to looking at a syndrome which I'd heard about as relating to mystery immune system conditions (such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and even lack of balance, and on looking at a certain web page about it I suddenly see: "Vibration sensation is normal".

Is the case solved? Have you ever been evaluated for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome? Or other connective tissue disease?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK127n9/

If you have very mobile joints, that is a big clue. But that's not even necessary, since there are some types without it.

Associated are also the cysts, GI disturbances, diaphragm (https://www.***********/groups/ehlers-danlos-national-foundation/discussion/weak-diaphragm/)

Do you have orthostatic intolerance and/or POTS?

I do believe that there generally is a huge amount of hype about vit D, but then maybe for people with EDS it's not hype. Well, here is one that mentions  the word puzzle: "Her vitamin D is 39.8. Obviously, that is much, MUCH better than the 6.1 that she was at in September and better than the 25.9 level in November. But, it is still not high enough and she seemed to make more progress in the first 2 months of vitamin D supplementation than she has in the last 5 months. Is it the whole cause of her fatigue? In light of the other blood work, I rather doubt it but it is likely an important piece of the puzzle." http://slingsandarrowsofoutrageousfortune.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/blood-work-results/

Maybe taking a lot of D resulted in your case with fibrous tissue and adhesions being created in the diaphragm, "eventration"
( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1553023/ )

Now, this just talking of a wide ranging 'syndrome' with lots of non-specific symptoms and so isn't conclusive, but AFAIK there are conclusive genetic tests. You'd also maybe see a family pattern, which even includes Raynaud's syndrome (possibly autoimmune)

So, have you thought of EDS? This story is suspenseful now  :)