Possibly Lymphoma?

[merseybeatle]

Hi,

I'm 24, male, non smoker, don't drink much. 10 weeks ago, I came down with a bout of tonsillitis, which I had all the usual symptoms for. I was prescribed antibiotics, and although they got rid of the whiteness on the tonsils, I noticed about five days into the course that my throat was beginning to feel sore again on the right side. The course of antibiotics finished, and I began to get neck pain on the same side. I returned to the doctor, who told me that it would go away within a week.

Since then, the neck pain has got gradually worse, and spread to both sides of my neck, and my shoulders. I also noticed a swelling below my ear around week four, and just behind my jaw. I have seen numerous doctors over this, most of whom said they "couldn't feel anything". Up until week five, I had on/off sore throats, and a constant need to 'pop' my right ear, but they seem to have subsided now.

I now seem to have an increasing number of swollen lymph nodes in my neck, and one above my collar bone on the right hand side. Most people say my neck looks perfectly normal, but it feels like it's swollen to me, to the point now where to button the top button on a shirt causes me pain. My neck is painful almost all the time, with pain ranging from mild to severe (often made worse by exertion of any kind, even walking to the shops). The pain radiates around, but is almost always there in some form. I feel a little tired, have no fever or night sweats. In the past few weeks I have been having stomach pain, but it feels more muscular than actually in my gut, if that makes sense. I've also had an increased need to urinate, particularly in the morning. I wouldn't say my nodes feel huge, but they are definitely swollen.

I've had a -ive HIV test @ 12 weeks since last sexual activity, a negative monospot, and three CBC's, all of which have come back normal, except for one last week, which showed a slightly raised white cell count (neutrophils). The doc I saw last week gave me a blood test for a huge number of things, and gave me a full physical. He did say I had a lot of swollen nodes in the neck, but not under arms or in groin, and that my liver/spleen were not enlarged. He told me that from the physical examination and from the bloodtests, a raised neutrophil count indicates bacterial infection, and that it is very likely that bacteria from the tonsillitis has spread into my nodes which is why i still feel so bad. He also told me that the lack of cancer cells in the blood, and the other perfectly normal blood tests "rules out lymphoma 99%". He seemed very confident that I didn't have anything serious, but he is continuing to see me until he finds out exactly what's wrong with me/I get better. I've seen about six docs in total, and including him, only two were able to feel my swollen nodes. None of them thought it was likely I had Lymphoma.

What I want to know is, does anyone think what I have sounds like Lymphoma, or can I relax? I've read that lymph nodes are painless when Lymphoma is present.. well mine aren't sore to the touch per-se, but I have intense neck pain, so I'm guessing that makes mine painful? I'm very scared and have been intensely stressed about this for pretty much two months now, so any advice is appreciated. I've never had anything that's lasted this long in my life.
Is it possible for bacteria to stay in your system and make you ill for this long? Does anyone think maybe my mono test was a false negative?

Thanks

[maui922]

I am not a Dr. but from what I have read any lymphoma cancer would show abnormal blood cells in your peripheral blood or or in your bone marrow.  Since your blood tests were normal I wouldn't over-worry about lymphoma.  However, you feel how you feel, and you need to keep at the Drs. until they can explain it or the pain resolves.

[merseybeatle]

14 weeks now, only new symptom I've got is itchy skin - anyone have any thoughts? please?