So I went to my doctor because I was having a lymphoma fear. No symptoms other than I think I feel an enlarged node “down there”. My blood came back normal. He said my white blood cells were 6.9. He’s not the doctor that checks down there so it’s not like he was able to feel the node for me. Do I go further and have the actual node checked by my gyno, or is the blood sufficient? If I had lymphoma, would my white blood cell count definitely be off?
Still anxious after results
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bigjetplane6
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You’re ok, don’t worry 
Hello, first of all I want to tell you that the majority of the time, swollen lymph nodes are the bodies normal response to an “invader” (infection, virus or even hormonal imbalance). I suggest one of two things. Wait a few days to a week to see if it resolves on its own. But please don’t keep prodding because that can keep it swollen or even make it bigger. If it doesn’t resolve, I would get it checked out for your own piece of mind. My husband once had a lymph node swell out of the blue in his groin. It was bigger than a golf ball. I was convinced it was lymphoma. It was actually a response to an infection that resolved after a course of antibiotics. I am a Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor of 13 years. Blood counts being off aren’t necessarily the first sign. But I will say this. Lymph nodes swelling due to Lymphoma are rare. Lymph nodes swelling for other benign causes are MUCH MORE COMMON. Best of luck and keep us informed.
Thank you for the response!
I feel it if I dig in there a little, not visible and definitely not the size of a golf ball. I also don’t have any of the symptoms they list on google. So I’m not quite sure why I’m so fixated on it.
The good news is that your doctor ran blood tests that indicate that you don't have lymphoma. The bad news is that your health anxiety is not going to allow you to return to life as normal, or even feel relief, after getting the all clear from a health professional.
If you would like, set up an appointment with your gyno. This might provide some clarity about the node you feel is off. Understand, however, that the chance of a diagnosis of lymphoma from your gyno is practically zilch at this point, so worrying about it being lymphoma at this point indicates that you are likely suffering from health anxiety. That means that if you continue to feel undue anxiety about lymphoma, your thoughts in this regard are irrational. So the next question is: what are you going to do about the irrational thoughts that you are having that are causing you distress?
My personal experience with enlarged or hardened nodes is that they are a figment of my anxiety. One time I found a large, hardened node on the right side of my neck while feeling sure that I had throat cancer. This finding led me to determine that I had, at the least, stage 3 throat cancer. Later, after much distress, I found a node on the left side of my neck. Same size. Same consistency. Normal. The doctor felt my nodes. Normal. Is your lymph node normal? I don't know. But there are many reasons it could be enlarged that have nothing to do with cancer. The blood tests mean that IF your lymph node is enlarged, the chances that it is enlarged due to cancer is hovering around 0%.
The fact is, you can get the gyno to check it out and maybe that gyno will put your mind at rest, but if you don't start pro-actively addressing your health anxiety you are going to fall back in this spiral sooner or later. So good news: no cancer. Bad news: your have health anxiety that will not go away regardless of what doctors tell you.
If you would like, set up an appointment with your gyno. This might provide some clarity about the node you feel is off. Understand, however, that the chance of a diagnosis of lymphoma from your gyno is practically zilch at this point, so worrying about it being lymphoma at this point indicates that you are likely suffering from health anxiety. That means that if you continue to feel undue anxiety about lymphoma, your thoughts in this regard are irrational. So the next question is: what are you going to do about the irrational thoughts that you are having that are causing you distress?
My personal experience with enlarged or hardened nodes is that they are a figment of my anxiety. One time I found a large, hardened node on the right side of my neck while feeling sure that I had throat cancer. This finding led me to determine that I had, at the least, stage 3 throat cancer. Later, after much distress, I found a node on the left side of my neck. Same size. Same consistency. Normal. The doctor felt my nodes. Normal. Is your lymph node normal? I don't know. But there are many reasons it could be enlarged that have nothing to do with cancer. The blood tests mean that IF your lymph node is enlarged, the chances that it is enlarged due to cancer is hovering around 0%.
The fact is, you can get the gyno to check it out and maybe that gyno will put your mind at rest, but if you don't start pro-actively addressing your health anxiety you are going to fall back in this spiral sooner or later. So good news: no cancer. Bad news: your have health anxiety that will not go away regardless of what doctors tell you.
I think you are fixated because of our issues with health anxiety (we wouldn’t be here if not for the big HA) and because you felt something new so it must be the worst case scenario. I know it’s hard but please try to stay away from googling symptoms. See if it resolves on its own. From your post, I’m not seeing anything to be overly concerned about. Try to relax. If you feel you can’t or it doesn’t resolve on its own, it’s worth a check. My gut tells me you are fine
You know why.
It's the reason you are posting in this forum instead of one about cancer.
I also have had a lump in my throat feeling more than usual for the past week or so, so I’ve convinced myself I have tonsil or throat cancer. But I had an endoscopy last year so I’m telling myself nothing could develop that quickly. But if I had tonsil cancer would that show up in the white blood cell count too?
They do blood tests if they think you might have tonsil cancer, but they don't use them to diagnose. If you are worried about a symptom, see a doctor. If you think you have cancer because of a vague lump feeling in your neck and this thought is causing you anxiety, take steps to get treatment for health anxiety because that response to this symptom is irrational. If you are having problems getting treatment because of financial or insurance reasons, let me know and I can point you toward CVBT anxiety workbooks and journals. They have a proven track record of working without an actual therapist. Below is a video. When you watch it, does this sound familiar to you?
bigjetplane6
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a feeling or an actual lump?
EDIT: Whoops! I thought that was addressed to me. Disregard the below.
Multiple. One was a node that I thought was an issue that wasn't. Another is this weird, hard little thing that just out just under my chin when I swallow hard or lower my head when I swallow. It kind of thumps when I swallow. It is likely the result of a mildly asymmetrical hypoid bone. I made it worse from always stabbing my finger into my throat tissue looking for tumors.
bigjetplane6
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Don’t! This is directed for anybody, anybody who has worries right now.
Let’s talk about you since you replied