Painful pea size lump under left armpit?

[behappy1]

I've had a painful armpit for probably 6-7 weeks. Sometimes I can feel a very small pea size lump. Any ideas?

Lately my hair loss got worse and so has my swollen legs but apart from that I'm not too bad?

[roobarb]

Hi behappy

My sister had something similar & was eventually diagnosed with Primary Sjogrens Syndrome, as well as other autoimmune crossover conditions.

I hope you can get to the bottom of it soon. X

[behappy1]

Thanks Roobarb. I really hope not

I did have severe symptoms of sjogrens last year from February til July. I could barely swallow or speak as my throat was so dry. Would feel as though i'm choking My eyes were so dry I couldn't leave the house, as the wind would have a cutting effect. Down below was horrendous. Food made me choke. I hardly slept. On recommendation, I then went to see a Chinese auto immune specialist in Brighton. It was a 6 hour round trip but best thing I EVER did. Several weeks of taking some packets of liquid, my symptoms improved dramatically! All the rheumy could give was nose, eyes and vaginal lubricants but they barely provided any relief. The hospital were astonished at the improvement.

I so highly recommend to your sister. Look up Avicenna in Brighton. Chap called Mazin. He's world renowned. It's not cheap though. Xx

[roobarb in reply to behappy1]

Hi behappy, that's great that the chinese medicine helped you. I have been thinking of trying alternative therapies but I'm a bit worried about how it might interact with my exiting meds. Do you mind me asking what you take from your rheumy/GP?

Please don't be afraid of a sjogrens diagnosis. Many lupus patients, like me, have this as a secondary symptom, or illness. I'm not an expert, but I think I've read that primary sjogrens is less likely to effect your organs than lupus, so not necessarily as bad.

Personally, I find that the sjogrens symtoms will get worse during a lupus (or autoimmune) flare but then either, or both, will settle down again. The way I think of it is that these symptoms or illnesses are all part of the same disease. It's just that the doctors like to give them labels, like lupus or sjogrens. Most of us will end up with multiple labels eventually, & finding the right treatment should calm them all down.

Did you get your lump checked out yet?

[behappy1 in reply to roobarb]

Hi Roobarb

I've got a rheumy appt on Tuesday so gonna show him the lump then. It's a new rheumy so hopefully he will take time to listen.

I'm currently on plaquenil and hydrocortisone.. I also take afcal3, vitd and different painkillers. I've just been prescribed enoxparin and aspirin too.

Along the way I've been on everything from Azatheoprine, methotrexate, micochphenolate (sorry about spellings).

I would never dream of going to a high street herbalist or Chinese meds person.

The Avicenna clinic in Brighton are pure auto immune specialists. He actually understood my symptoms better than my GP and rheumy combined. I know that he works alongside GP's in London.

When I first saw him I was constantly running a fever, burning hands, nose and my malar rash was awful. These symptoms really improved, as well as sleep and energy. My main purpose in going was to alleviate the dryness which, as I said before, western meds could not give adequate relief from.

My old rheumy told me to continue with the meds as he said the improvement was visible. I also came off immune suppressants, plus gabapentin and amitriptyline.

I'm on hydrocortisone because of adrenal insufficiency caused by long term steroid use. That's a whole different problem!

Wishing you well x

[Medievalgirl]

Hi behappy

This is a problem I suffer from also, I have Lupus and Sjogren's. I went to my GP and after examining me she advised me the lump was a swollen gland. I find that I suffer from swollen glands a lot (yet another symptom of Lupus and Sjogren's). The gland in my armpit is now constantly swollen and increases in size depending on the activity of my Lupus. I had an infection in the glands in my neck not long ago and that was painful but soon cleared up with a course of antibiotics.

I would suggest you get any lumps checked out by your GP to be on the safe side. x

[behappy1]

Thanks so much for replying......., Arggghhhh I really hope it's not sjogrens!! I just replied to Roobarb who mentioned sjogrens. I had a spate last year where I was diagnosed with it and it was the worst thing ever! I don't know about you but I think it's worse than lupus. Dry eyes, mouth, throat, nose, lady bits, etc etc was horrendous!

I pray it goes away!!!

Wishing you good health x

[misty14]

Hi Behappy1

Any lumps should be checked out . Good Luck X

[behappy1 in reply to misty14]

Thanks misty14, seeing rheumy on Tuesday so plan to talk to him. Got very breathless in the last week too which is frustrating!

Take care x