neck lump

[Lewis_15]

i just found a tiny pea sized lump on the right side of my neck it’s in line with my earlobe in the middle it doesn’t hurt or anything it feels like it moves a bit when i press it i’ve just recovered from a cold bout two/three days ago i’m 18 as well could it just be from my cold or is it something more serious i suffer from very bad health anxiety and i’ve just started taking anti depressants which are making me dizzy light headed and i keep worrying that i have brain cancer as i can feel different lumps and bumps in my head i went to the doctors last week and he felt my head and just said all the bumps and lumps are just my skull he just sorted of brushed it off and blamed my anxiety he’s the most senior doctor at my gp should i just trust him bout my skull could the lump in the neck be something serious please help me i can’t stand constantly worrying and finding lumps all the time

[Agora1]

Hi Lewis, as long as you have had the doctor check you, I would say that

it could be a swollen lymph node from your cold. The antidepressant issue

of feeling dizzy lightheaded is a separate issue. I would hardly think these

point to brain cancer. You know when we have a cold, our anxiety is heightened

and I think that is playing into this. As for the medication, unfortunately there is

no way around skipping any side effects until the dose reaches full efficacy.

The good thing is then you won't feel so hyper when you feel another lump.

Take care of your cold and feel better soon. xx

[Lewis_15 in reply to Agora1]

thankyou for replying and i didn’t get the doctor to check my neck lump as i only noticed it today do you think i should get it checked out as i googled bout it and it can be signs of cancer🙁

[Agora1 in reply to Lewis_15]

Lewis, of course it is always wise to have your doctor check out

anything different that you feel or find. However, in order to lower

your anxiety level, don't google and don't assume the worse. It

accomplishes nothing but making you freak out. xx

[Lewis_15 in reply to Agora1]

i have an appointment on the 7th so i’ll speak to my doctor then i’m just freaking out bout everything i’m so scared about death so like every bump i ever find i start panicking i’m just worried i do have brain cancer or something and it’s like spread to my neck

[Agora1 in reply to Lewis_15]

I know how frightening health anxiety can be.

You'll be seeing your doctor on November 7th.

Nothing bad is going to happen to you from now

til then. Try not to probe and look for trouble.

Your doctor is professionally trained to know what

these bumps are. Breathe Lewis.. xx

[Lewis_15 in reply to Agora1]

it’s just constant worrying it’s so annoying and tiring i’m always finding lumps all the time i’m just scared one of these lumps will end up being cancer or a tumour i know i’m only 18 but stuff like that happens don’t it

[Agora1 in reply to Lewis_15]

In life anything can happen but we can't live each and every day

looking and worrying for the next catastrophic event to happen.

Change your way of thinking from a negative approach to a more

positive one. That is by telling yourself, you are going to address

this issue shortly. It's not that you are dismissing it or don't have

the means to be seen by a professional. For this you are blessed.

[Lewis_15 in reply to Agora1]

i’ll try to thankyou for replying sorry for being annoying

[Agora1 in reply to Lewis_15]

No one is ever annoying on this site Lewis. That is why we are

here to help each other through difficult times. I always hope I

can give someone some comfort. xx

[Lewis_15 in reply to Agora1]

thankyou so much it means a lot you’ve replied to most of my worries and concerns on here x

[Cicinoodle in reply to Lewis_15]

no no. it's either a little normal gland or possibly a little cyst.... both will go away on their own if you forget about it. Relax

[Lewis_15 in reply to Cicinoodle]

okay thankyou

[20Voices]

Hi Lewis, I get swollen glands when I have had a cold so it could be that. I also did an Indian head massage training course and can say that everyone I have given a head massage to has had a different shaped skull with different bumps and lumps, so if your gp says not to worry then please try not to.

[Lewis_15 in reply to 20Voices]

really it’s just i ask other people bout their head shapes and no one seems to have the long bone at the top of the head liek i do it just worries me a lot it’s hard not to i just wanna knkw that my head is fine and i don’t have cancer or anything liek that like my doctor literally just rubbed my head and felt all the lumps and just said they’re bones and then just moved on like i thought maybe he’d check a bit more than he did just makes me think he missed something maybe

[20Voices in reply to Lewis_15]

Our heads are all different shapes and most people don't really think about it.

When I was doing practise treatments for my Indian head massage course I did massages on my parents and sister. They were all different.

Just like everyone's face, nose, ears are different shapes so are our heads.

[Lewis_15 in reply to 20Voices]

thankyou so much i hope soon i can get some sort of help to stop worrying so much

[20Voices in reply to Lewis_15]

I hope you can too.

Take care.

[health1956]

Hi, I am an RN and it just sounds like a tiny lymph node.. I’m sure it is nothing serious . Don’t worry.

[Lewis_15 in reply to health1956]

okay thankyou

[stde]

You say you suffer from health anxiety, I would suggest that you suffer from anxiety and health is the chosen subject your mind has locked onto....

This is the outcome of anxiety, fear of health , fear of open spaces,fear of social situations, fear of spiders etc etc etc.....

Unfortunately your subject is health...youll be fine when you realise that an overactive mind makes up stories 😁

[belblac]

I had had a bad cold and also felt a lump in my neck and a bigger lump near my collarbone. I was sent for a scan and the one in my neck, which felt like you described was a swollen lymph node from my cold and the larger lump was 'fatty tissue'.

It is scary when you find lumps and bumps but they are usually related to a simpler reason than cancer. If you are still worried ask if you can be referred for a scan to put your mind at rest.

Explain you want to give the anti-depressants the best chance of working for you, but your anxiety over the lump is becoming worse and you would like to rule out any serious cause. That way you can have all your neck scanned and know there is nothing to worry about. It matters not who tells you to not worry it is sometimes only when you have a test or an examination that rules out cancer, that you will feel truly reassured.

Take care.

[Clarrisa]

Has a family history of cancer heightened your fear of it? Even if you have a strong family history of cancer it is by & large a disease of advancing age. You are only 18 you say. Statistically you are very, very safe.

If your family history is strong consider genetic counseling. You will learn what you are really up against & how to take proactive preventive measures to reduce your risks & fears. If you do not have a strong family history & your current physician is unsuccessful at putting your mind at ease consider getting a second opinion. Chance is said to favor the prepared mind.

Personally if I were you I would not at your age request scans involving radiation. The risks do not outweigh the benefits for the most part in younger people like you. If your primary doctor does not request it then be thankful. You do not want to turn your fears into a self fulfilling prophecy by over exposure to needless radiation at such a young age.

Concentrate on eating well, exercising daily & working towards a career you enjoy. Direct your energy constructively in these directions, & all your worries may fall by the wayside before you know it.

[Lewis_15 in reply to Clarrisa]

there’s no history of cancer in my family at all i’m just constantly scared about death and being ill so i’m always examining myself for bumps and lumps mainly on my head and neck my doctor i visited was the most senior of all the doctors there he felt my head for any lumps and said it’s just my skull nothing abnormal or cancerous and also because i have no symptoms he said it’s just down to my anxiety the problem is i spend most my time indoors doing nothing besides worrying and finding new lumps all the time i get light headed a lot and shaky and dizzy but my doctor says it’s my anxiety and i’ve just been put on antidepressants which can make me light headed and more anxious and dizzy do you think i do have something serious like cancer or am i overthinking everything too much sorry for the massive reply

[Clarrisa]

We can acquire our fears from those around us. For example I was told by a doctor that it was found that if the mother remained calm during the German air raids their children did too. If the mother did not the children did not. If your fears are getting the best of you I recommend from personal experience therapy if you have access to some of decent quality. It sounds like just taking pills is not cutting it for you.

When I was young looking back now I did really crazy things to help get past my fears of cancer. After completing school I attended three international conferences on oncology nursing. I spend over a solid week in London alone listening to lectures on cancer. It did help to dispel my fears believe it or not.

My fears stemmed from my early upbringing, my mother’s fear of cancer primarily. If you can tap the origin(s) of your underlying fear, & speak to a professional about them, you may be better equipped to dispel them.

[Lewis_15 in reply to Clarrisa]

the only reason i started to worry bout my health was after taking drugs bout 2 years ago and thinking i was gonna have a heart attack since then i’ve been worrying bout my health ever since it comes and goes but this time it’s worse than usual i keep worrying i have brain cancer neck cancer i’m starting to worry bout everything i keep thinking i have swollen lymph nodes and that i got lymphoma i can’t stop checking my head for lumps it’s constant every day i don’t understand where else it could’ve come from i need therapy or cancelling but doctors just give me tablets that’s it

[Clarrisa]

If you have not shared that information with your doctor please do so. They are not mind readers as you well know. If you were taking drugs intravenously they need to know this to test & treat you appropriately. “Psychic trauma” is said to occur during the unknown diagnostic phase. Should you have drug related acquired illness that will build your case for therapy. If you don’t you will be better able to breath some relief.

Your body for the most part has a marvelous natural ability to heal itself, especially when young if you now make a concerted effort to take care of it. Have faith, eat well, sleep as much as your body demands, exercise daily. You are young enough that your body can be very forgiving if you respect it.

[Lewis_15 in reply to Clarrisa]

thankyou so much i’ll make sure i let my doctor know when i next see him i’ll make sure to look after my body and my mind