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Long term swollen glands in neck area

PGB
I first saw my doctor in April with swollen glands in my neck I have seen him 3 times since, today being the most recient.  The swollen glands NEVER go down.  They don't always hurt but it is getting more frequent and severe.  My doctor said today that we would try one more antibiotic and steroid pack for 1 week and for me to return for a follow-up that if the "KNOTS" are still there in one week he wants to do a scan.  I asked him what he would be looking for and he said possible malignancies or to see if it is sinus related.  But he did blood work today and said it looked good at 12,000.  I had a low grade fever.  Wouldn't any of this have shown up in my blood work?  He said he doesn't think there is anything for me to worry about, but I am freeking out!  I am scared to death!  Tell me about this, what we are looking for and if it isn't cancer and is sinus related, what then?  And if it is cancer, what then?
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Avatar universal
Same problems here... And after being on Methotrexate I'm having swollen glands very painful... I coughed up a bloddy sinus looking ball the last time they swelled. I took a Zpac and a steroid shot and the swelling still took days to go down and now 1 month later it has started all over again... I was thinking it may be a virus in my bloodstream from strep as my skin doc said they have seen before. But none of this started until after stopping the methotrexate and I recall there was a warning on the label saying see a doctor asap if you develop swollen glands or something to that effect. I will be seeing a doc soon about this and then an Attorney how handle medical malpractice for this crap... I thought methotrexate was safe!!!
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Avatar universal
A related discussion, Swollen lymph node in neck & itchy pimple-like rash was started.
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Avatar universal
I have no sore throat or cold but when I went to my doctors he said my ears were blocked and tonsils were large abs also glands are swallon on the right tonight it has moved to the left side of my neck my head felt weird for couple of days like i was drunk I wasn't bur that was how it seemed? I'm on amoxicillin been on them a week on Wednesday but still there Is a lump on my neck can anyone help as in so frightened ?
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Avatar universal
Hey i have woken up 4 times tonight super sweaty and one of my lymph are swollen on my left side. I have noticed its been sweaty for a few weeks now. i have woken up maybe 2-3 times a week sweaty but not 4 times in one night... i dont kno what to do. im 19 years old.
please help!
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Avatar universal
nvm wrong thread sorry guys
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Avatar universal
these also sound like symptoms for hiv ?
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Avatar universal
i do not think your problem is with the lymphnodes. they are mostly found in the neck(not throat) armpits. and groin area. they usually hurt for a while..they are lumps that feel hard and sometimes move around. i hope this helps you a little

Sue M.
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Avatar universal
wow! I thought i was the only one going through this weird thing. I have had swollen lymphnodes for over 2 years, and the doctors cant seem to find anything wrong. i do have hypothyroidism but take medication for it. i am supposed to go see a nose, ear, and throat doctor also..i have been having trouble sleeping, waking up with a sore neck and shoulders, also i have arthritis in my neck, so i dont know if that could be causing it or not.  they do seem to change size sometimes and they move around. i am only 25 and i have two children. my husband tells me not to worry about it but he doesnt know how it feels to hardly ever feel good. i too am very afraid of what could be the problem. my lymphnodes are located on the right side of my neck. i will have them check for those problems you were talking about. please if anyone finds out what is causing these long term lymphnodes then please let us all know.

Sue M.
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Avatar universal
Hi, I was wondering how you can tell if you have swollen lymph glands. Right now the only symptom I have noticed is that when I look up my neck feels sore and stiff towards the center from about the Adams Apple down. It hurts worse when I wake up in the morning. Is this a symptom of swollen lymph nodes, or is the just a strange neck muscle that I strained. I don't know because I don't believe I have ever really truly understood what lymph nodes in the neck or arms feel like or where exactly they are.

Any help with this would be great.

***@****
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Avatar universal
Hi everyone,
I am a young 23yr female
5 months ago I got really sick fever, very low heart rate, throwing up, and my lymph nods got swollen under my ears, back of my neck, and very small ones around the groined area. While in the hospital for 9 days I was tested for HIV the antibodies test came back positive but the confirmation came back negative (false positive). Its now the end of august and my lymph nods are still swollen hurting on occasion, with no other symptoms. I still am positive for antibodies but nothing else has came back positive. I am bugging out really bad. I have a scheduled appt. for a biopsy of the lymph nods but I was hoping somebody can give me some kind of wisdom.

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Avatar universal
Every once in awhile they are drenching.  I just attributed that to my age.  I am 45 and I thought that I was going through menopause.  I am scheduled to see the ENT on the 27th of this month.  I am just worried.
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155639 tn?1251738603
Hi,

Do you have night sweats all of the time and are they the drenching kind?

You said you have pain in your thumb and abdomen?????

Debbie
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Avatar universal
Hi everyone...I too found a lump in my neck.  I had a CT scan done last week and they said that I have two small kidney shaped lumps.  I believe they were about 1.4 cm in size.  I see that everybody keeps asking about night sweats, pain in thumb and stomach pain.  I have had all of these symptons.  I did not associate any of this with my lumps and now I am very concerned.  I also had my Thryoid removed 30 years ago, because they thought it was malignat, fortunately it wasn't.
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Avatar universal
oh, forgot to mention the thyroid-it has been tested twice, and was only slightly elevated which they said was probably bc i have been sick for the past almost 6 months-thanks so much
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Avatar universal
one lymph node on the side of my neck is probably the length of two fingers-thanks
my temp is normally around 99, ever since i got sick, i get hot and cold, and my body feels warm to the touch, and when i take my temp its lower than normal
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Avatar universal
Hi. I was just wondering if anyone knew if it was possible to get mono stuck in the lymph nodes in your neck. I was diagnosed with mono in May, and have been sick ever since. Have had fevers, not your normal fever, but usually around 97, been unbelievably tired, and have had drenching night sweats-not every night but usually at least several times a week. I had a ct scan andit didnt show any masses just that i had a few enlarged lymph nodes. I am going to specialists soon, just wondering if anyone had any thoughts, or had experienced similar symptoms. Is this typical of mono? I did have an enlarged spleen, but that seems to have settled down, the only thing they found when they did an ultrasound was that there was a possible cyst on my kidney. Just wondering if there was something anyone could tell me??? thanks
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155639 tn?1251738603
You don't have a fever with your temperature at 97 degrees. Have you had any tests done on your thyroid? How large are your lymph nodes?
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Avatar universal
I also have swollen lymph nodes in my neck.  They get bigger right before and all during a migraine and slowly go back down after.  When I treat my migraine with Imitrex I can feel the blood flow around my neck and shoulders and that tends to start the lymph nodes on there way to getting smaller. I have been to three different doctors and a neur. and they can't figure out the cause. I keep wondering if any one else has the same problem with the lymph nodes and migraine sittuation.
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155639 tn?1251738603
The ENT may want to biopsy one of the nodes. The only way to really obtain an accurate biopsy is if they remove a node to look at. They may suggent a fine needle biopsy but these can miss cancer cells and are not 100% accurate. It makes no sense to have the needle biopsy. I know it is scary.  

Have you had any tooth problems on the side where you have the large node? The teeth drain to those lymph nodes and usually that is not one to enlarge due to lymphoma. Have you seen a dentist or oral surgeon? You may be able to get into one of those doctors sooner.

Debbie
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Avatar universal
I think I have 4 glands that are swollen in my neck area, the largest is on the left under my jaw bone about half way between my chin and jaw. It seems to be about 2 to 3 cm. The others 1 cm. or less. The largest one seems to have gotten harder over the last couple of weeks.

I'm having a hard time not constantly thinking about the possibillity of having cancer. My wife keeps telling me not to worry, it's probably nothing. But I have a 10-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter, and I worry about them and how it would impact our family, emotionally and financially. Well I better try and get my mind on something more positive.

MAX
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155639 tn?1251738603
Hi,

How many nodes in the neck area are enlarged? Are they over 1 cm and where are they located? How long have you noticed them?

It is good that you do not have any symptoms such as night seats, fatigue, fever.....

Debbie
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Avatar universal
Hello Everyone,

I am a 50 year old male, and new to this forum. About 6 to 8 weeks ago I noticed that the Lymph nodes in my neck, the ones under my jaw were enlarged. They weren't sore so I wasn't to concerned. Then I began reading information on the Internet, and got a little scared. Well the next day I was in my doctor's office to get it checked out. He put me on antibiotics, and ordered blood work. I went back a few days later to get the results of the blood work, and everything was fairly normal, red and white blood counts were in range, but LYMPHOCYTES were high.

My doctor is referring me to a Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist, and I'm now waiting for an appointment. He told me it could be an infection, but I don't have any other symptoms. I also have a small, hard, and painless lump behind my left ear which has been there for over a year. I am trying not to worry, but it's difficult when you consider the possibilities. I'm glad I found this forum and would welcome anyones comments.
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Avatar universal
PGB
Hi. I have read some info on the internet about the glands and such in the past few monthes and I remember reading somewhere that some people can have a swollen gland for a long time and it actually never returns to it's normal size.  The lymph nodes are also really sensitive so if you have a habit of touching or rubbing them, that will make them stay enlarged for even longer.  As for it being due to the piercing, I couldn't say.  I have several friends who have pierced the upper part of their ears and none of them have had this happen that I know of.  But, that doesn't mean that isn't what caused yours.  Everyone is different.  If it is concerning you a lot, I would go to doc.  Just to put your mind at ease and to be on the safe side.  Good luck.
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Avatar universal
Hi everyone, I'm new here and after trying to find information on swollen lymphnodes, I found this site. I have two swollen nodes behind my right earlobe. They are about pea sized. They don't hurt at all. I noticed them about two months ago. I don't have any unusual symptoms at all. Just normal fatique from work but nothing that prevents me from functioning. I'm somewhat paranoid simply because I have lost three people close to me from cancer in the past two years. My father in law died of colon, a friend from a brain tumor and my Mom died last year of pancreatic cancer. This may sound negative but somedays I feel like I'm just waiting my turn. Anyway, there is one thing I'm wondering if my swollen nodes could be attributed to. Almost three months ago, I got the top part of my Right ear pierced (cartilage area). It still has not fully healed. It doesn't appear to be infected but it still gets sore from sleeping on it. I'm also wondering if they initially became enlarged from the piercing itself. It was painful and I have read that you can have an inlarged node near the site of an injury. I also have heard that once you have a swollen node, it can take a long while for them to go down. I'm really trying not to freak out here. Any opinions here?
Thanks!
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