Swollen lymph node :(

[HealthAnxNut]

I have a swollen lymph node on the back of my head, only on the right side. It's tender to touch, and hard. I've read that cancer and tumors are generally not tender, and would not pop up in a matter of a few days. I had a break out on my chin really bad this past week, on that same side, so I'm wondering if it's related. I had a head ache on that side last week, so of course I'm freaked out. I had blood work done at my annual exam a few weeks ago, and everything was great. I'm sure it's just a reaction to something trivial, but I'm somewhat terrified.

Anywho, I spent most of last night convinced I was going to die. Who here has written a "goodbye note" - show of hands? Anyone??

UGH!!!!!

Thanks for letting me vent.

[petrified]

I haven't written the goodbye note yet lol :-) I ended up in a and e last week with a swollen lymph node above my right collar bone. I thought I had a dental infection so ended up on an Iv of antibiotics. It turned out it was tmj causing all my problems all along. I would definitely get it checked though to put your mind at rest. It's probably nothing and stress related as mine turned out to be. It is terrifying finding something but I usually find its nothing serious and my anxiety making it worse :-)

[HealthAnxNut]

I knew it was completely irrational when writing the note (which is on my phone), but I feel like I should, in case that was really it. How effed is my brain!? lol I'm going to give it until Monday of next week, and try to ignore it in the meantime, and see if it goes down. I don't have fever or inflammation anywhere else that I know of, so maybe it's the break out. No panic attack yet. I'm fairly determined this time!

[petrified]

Good for you sound very determined. You aren't crazy lol I asked my husband to section me last week as I was convinced I was dying no one was listening and I wanted to be monitored 24/7 to stay alive it's horrible when the thoughts are there. Our brains make us think very strange things lol :-)

[tailspin]

Anywho, I spent most of last night convinced I was going to die. Who here has written a "goodbye note" - show of hands? Anyone??



Hi HealthAnxNut, I have actually been thinking of writing a goodbye note!! But I was kind of thinking of it as a helpful thing for me personally because I do worry so much about dying suddenly and then certain important things being left up in the air for my loved ones to deal with, which I absolutely hate the thought of. I wouldn't call it a goodbye note. I'd call it something like a "Just In Case" note (as in, "just in case I die tonight and don't have a chance to tell you this or whatever"!!). Maybe it is screwed up of me to think like this, but I recently came to the conclusion that it might actually be helpful for me to do this and then tell my husband there's a note in my nightstand for him in the event of my sudden death!! I haven't written a will or anything and that seems like a bigger, scarier step, but a "Just In Case I Die Suddenly" note seems much more do-able and as if it might help lessen my anxiety around dying suddenly and leaving loose ends.

Anyhow, I really hope you're able to get your swollen lymph node checked out at the doctor's and that it's all fine and you feel better soon!

[frankzito]

I have a swollen lymph node on the back of my head, only on the right side. It's tender to touch, and hard. I've read that cancer and tumors are generally not tender, and would not pop up in a matter of a few days. I had a break out on my chin really bad this past week, on that same side, so I'm wondering if it's related. I had a head ache on that side last week, so of course I'm freaked out. I had blood work done at my annual exam a few weeks ago, and everything was great. I'm sure it's just a reaction to something trivial, but I'm somewhat terrified.

Anywho, I spent most of last night convinced I was going to die. Who here has written a "goodbye note" - show of hands? Anyone??

UGH!!!!!

Thanks for letting me vent.

Zits can cause a swollen lymph-node! For sure

[Dahila]

infection and colds cause a swollen lymph nodes. Do not worry, you are going to be ok. Go to doctor. :)

[HealthAnxNut]

Well, the swelling seems to be less. I've read that it can take weeks to go completely down. But it did flare up with the break out, and get better with the break out, so I'm going to make an assumption there. I will go back to me dr in a few weeks for follow-up, and will def bring it up if it's still swollen. It's better than it was, and I assume if there was something horrific going on, it wouldn't have gotten better at all.

On the "goodbye note" - it actually made me feel a lot better to have one. It sounds silly to OTHER people, like those who do not suffer from anxiety, but to us it sounds very normal!!

[RT24]

I wouldn't worry much! Lymph nodes are weird little guys--mine have stayed down for really awful viruses, but managed to pop up for random zit breakouts. Sometimes they can seem to come up for no reason at all (I got a whole bunch all over my neck over a week after getting sick once--they all went away with time!) As long as it doesn't get significantly bigger (it may take several days to go down in the first place), you shouldn't worry--especially if your blood work checks out. There are many, many normal reasons for lymph nodes.