Swollen glands after chemo ?

[Snoopy01]

Hi all

Im proobably worrying about nothing but this morning i have noticed one of the glands in my neck seems swollen and hard to the touch - its just on the one side of my neck underneath my ear. Ive always been able to feel this small lump for a few years but since i started chemo in february it suddenly seems alot bigger and i am just wondering if anyone has experienced gland problems since being on chemo ?

I thought i might just give the specialist nurse in my chemo unit a call today to ask as you can guess im conscious if every little lump and bump at the moment. Im wondering if its just because the immune system is comprimised due to the chemo.

Fiona

[Whippit]

Dear Fiona

I know just how worrying something like this might be. I have a feeling though that it might be nothing to worry about. I wonder if having a lowered immune system from chemotherapy you're fighting a small infection in an area that's always been a bit of a weak spot. I think the first thing I'd do would be to take my temperature. If it is very slightly raised it might indicate you have a little infection going on in there. It might not need antibiotics but keep an eye and if your temperature does rise by 2 or more degrees go back ring your local oncology unit straight away.

I'd definitely ring my Macmillan Nurse or Nurse Specialist in the local hospital as you could pop in for him/her to check it which would be reassuring.

Another idea would be to ring the helpline at Ovacome. The nurses there really are very knowledgeable and helpful. They have years of experience and have probably seen every type of lump and bump and other niggling problem we have with chemotherapy.

Hope you get to the bottom of this and let us know how you're getting on.

with love xxxx Annie

[Snoopy01]

Thanks Annie thats really good advice- I am due to pop into the chemo unit tomorrow so think i will ring in advance today to have a chat with the specialist nurse. Its a few days since my last round of chemo so i am hoping its just that i am mid way through until the next round and my immune sysytem us just a bit low. Thanks again for replying so quickly you are a star. Fiona xx

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Dear Fiona,

Annie is absolutely right, of course. I just want to add that I'm glad you are alerting the chemo dept. as I was told to report anything like that straight away - not necessarily because it might mean a cancer-related problem, but because it might indicate that the dose they give you needs tweaking.

I hope all is well.

Isadora.

[Hidden]

Hi there Fiona .. I had a swollen gland in my neck a few months after the end of chemo and there seemed to be a hard lump to the touch. Like yours, it was on one side. My specialist nurse told me to go to see my GP. I'd had it for a few weeks before I actually called my nurse then my GP said to wait a week or so and if it didn't go, he'd send me for a scan. After 4 weeks, it started to reduce then went about the fifth week which I was very happy about. X