Lumps in Clavical area veins and Corotid Artery swelling

[SandyDH]

After months of symptoms limited to my right side (Facial & skin tingling, burning hot right hand, partial muscle spasms, watering right eye with pressure, aching jaw and a 'lop sided' feeling, all culminating to right chest pain and fever 104 which landed me in ER) I had a w/o contrast brain MRI that revealed NOTHING. Now I am having a neck & shoulder MRI w/contrast next week.  I have lumps in the veins in my shoulder (right side only), my face is burning off (right side only) and my inner ear hurts (no there's no infection there) and the right side of neck feels like it's swelling (but it's not) and where my carotid artery is, when the 'waves' come, it really becomes like a big lump!!!

I have Lymphedema in my legs, which seems 'irritated' when the 'wave' comes and my right left swells and what feels like it might be the lymph nodes in my groin get 'hard' and protrude. The latest symptom is that under my right arm it aches (no visible lumps).

Can you tell me what it is and what procedures I need to have done to 'fix' it.

[Lee Kirksey, MD]

Hello
It sounds like you have had a very challenging time. Your complex of symptoms is very broad and I'm certain that when you presented to the ED with a temperature of 104 you had an extensive battery of tests by your doctors. I doubt that I will be able to figure out exactly whats wrong and how to fix it in this communication

Having said that, I agree with the plan to perform and MRI with and without contrast. This will assess your soft tissues as well as the veins, arteries and nerves. It does sound like there is some component of inflammation. Inflammation can be caused by a local or systemic process. This inflammation should show up on blood chemistries in test such as c reactive protein and erythrocyte sedementation rate.

Inflammatory disorders are treated by antibiotics or steroids depending upon the cause.

I would suggest that if your symptoms become worse including return of fever, vision changes, chills or other concerning symptoms; that you not hesitate to return to the emergency department before your scheduled MRI.

Good Luck, Thanks

[SandyDH]

ER visit did reveal Bacterial Pneumonia in lower right lung treated with two hours of IV antibiotics and 4 days of Zythromax (sputum tested).  Right chest pain subsided during IV treatment and fever came down too. (My apologies for not mentioning that in the previous post). My Neurologist however does not believe however that the Bacterial pneumonia diagnosis accounts for the entire right quadrant tingling and intense shoulder, neck pain with sever feeling pressure on the right side of my face, hence the contrast MRI of right sympathetic ganglia next week.

My blood tests in the ER revealed high white blood count, low Red blood count. which I know indicates an infection, hence the pneumonia diagnosis.

My fear at this point is Aneurysms, as my should vein (above clavical closer to shoulder) has two 'bulges' and I get so much pain around my clavical and dull continious ache in my neck - all right side FYI, with a bulge in my upper neck between throat and large neck muscle when the 'wave' comes, I think this is where my carotid artery is.

My fear is that my grandfather on both sides of the family died of aneurysms and I remember my Mother telling me when she was alive that the men on her side of the family have a 'history' of aneurysms.

The pain and discomfort and feeling that my face is being 'pushed in' or burnt is bad this morning and I am quite scared so your input is helpful. My Neurologist put me on Neurontin but it's not doing anything at all.

Thank you