Swollen armpit, collarbone lymph node & neck lymph node

AliceBastable

I have a lump on the side of my neck. I've had an ultrasound (results: we don't know what it is, but it's not cancer). After a year or so, I just think of it as an unfashionable accessory. May yours be the same!

LillyIsHere

Jo-jo, if you read this message, let us know. I'm sending you a big hug.

Jo-Jo2018

Hugs back to you Lilly 🤗

Jo-Jo2018

CT scan scheduled for Thursday

LaughingGull

I will be thinking of you on Thursday Jo-Jo and wishing you best. You can do this.

Jo-Jo2018

😘 Thank you LaughingGull

LillyIsHere

Good luck Jo-Jo and hopefully you get good news.

Jo-Jo2018

Thank you Lilly

LillyIsHere

Today is Thursday and we are thinking of you Jo-Jo. Keep us posted.

Jo-Jo2018

I'm so anxious. 6 hours to go.

Just hope I get results quickly. Never had a CT before - do you get the findings immediately?

MinusTwo

JoJo - it depends on your docs. Some are better than others about releasing results &/or calling you. Also depends on who in the radiology dept is out sick that should be posting to "my chart". Good luck.

scaredme

I got the results of my CT scan within 24 hours.

AliceBastable

I get mine right away in my patient portal. My doctor schedules my appointments with him immediately after the CTs, and he has the results already. If there's any time in the waiting room, I check my patient portal first. The radiologist is supposed to release the results to you and your doctor at the same time so you don't have to wait. U S. law, I believe.

LillyIsHere

In my case, CT scan results came late. I went to a major cancer center but the doctor had put a note for her to get the results first and they didn't post them in my portal. Also, since covid, they tend to be overwhelmed and everything is taking longer. Just in case it will take few days, please don't worry because can be other reasons for delay.

2019whatayear

I hope you get results quickly, waiting sucks.

xoxo

ParakeetsRule

You probably won't get the findings immediately. How long it takes will depend on the doctors and how much other stuff they are already doing. Since it's Thursday afternoon I'd say it's safe to assume you won't know anything until next week. (then it will be a pleasant surprise if you do hear results Friday)

Some people check their online portals but I always wait for the doctor to call me, or tell me the results in person. I only look at my online records for reference later or to go over them with the doctor for more specific questions and details. The reports don't explain the results for a layperson and they can be confusing and mysterious if you don't know all the technical medical terms, which I don't. So I wait a little longer.

FINGERS CROSSED FOR A GOOD RESULT!

LaughingGull

Jo-jo, we are thinking of you. We are on your side!

Jo-Jo2018

Thank you everyone for your encouragement and thought. The scan is done & the report will be sent to my doctor.

And I wait again lol. I had forgotten how much I hate the waiting game.

serendipity09

Jo-Jo - wishing for the best positive outcome and that you get the results quick. Since I was dx'd, I've been fortunate enough to get a call from my MO with my results from scans and MRI's by the time I get to my car. {Hugs}

Jo-Jo2018

CT scan shows no organ involvement but lymph nodes are very suspicious. The only way to know is by biopsy, which appointments are back logged by about 5 days due to covid. She looked at my Cancer Cross file & they noted that recurrence was likely due to the tumor being a fast growing aggressive cancer (grade3) and also being estrogen positive. Its just a case of waiting for biopsy appointment & the results.

cowgal

Hopefully, the biopsy will show no cancer but if not, they can get going on destroying the cancer. Were they able to rule out bone involvement (collarbone) or will they be biopsying that too. My biopsy was a MRI guided biopsy of my collarbone and it took longer than I thought to get the results back. I assume if it is not cancer, they can get results back to you faster because when I got my results, they already knew it was ER+, PR+, Her 2 Neu and went back to my original cancer. I am so sorry that you are having to go through this.

LaughingGull

Hi Jo-Jo,

No organ involvement sounds good. So if it is confirmed to be cancer, it would be a local (or regional?) recurrence, right? Wishing the best for you, dear. What a ride! Hang in there. We are on your side. As cowgal say, if it is cancer, they can hopefully blast it into oblivion.

LaughingGull

Jo-Jo2018

Thanks ladies! Yes, no organ involvement is good. I will take that good news with open arms.

I am STILL waiting for a biopsy appointment, so very frustrating.

LaughingGul that would be correct as far as my understanding goes. Regional recurrence

Jo-Jo2018

Biopsy booked for Tuesday 25th January - Finally!

Jo-Jo2018

Cowgal, sorry I did not reply to your question.... My doctor said nothing about bone involvement, only no organ involvement.

Your story seems very much like mine so far. Did you have a lot of pain with the recurrence? My arm aches and so does my chest. And then sometimes I get a shooting pain down my arm and across my chest. (when it first started I thought I was having a heart attack). Today I am battling to swallow. It feels like there is something stuck in my throat, I guess it could be the swollen lymph nodes?

grainne

Hi. The battling to swallow could easily be something called globus hystericus, which is completely stress related. I had it years ago: it is horrible and I found it hard to believe there wasn't a physical cause. I am so sorry you are going through all this and very much hoping for good results.

Jo-Jo2018

Thank you for your reply Grainne, well I am definitely stressed so this could totally be globus - google time...

AliceBastable

I hope your biopsies turn out benign. I had an enlarged abdominal node light up on PET and CT scans in 2019 and had to have a biopsy, and it was benign. It's still enlarged, and still shows up on scans. My urologist (it's near where I had my kidney removed) says as long as it doesn't grow, he's not worried about it. So I hope your situation is similar.

cowgal

I agree our two stories sound pretty similar. I am glad you got your biopsy scheduled. I did not have swallowing issues and I can't remember if I had shooting pains but I definitely had pain in my collarbone and in my arm that was pretty significant and was constant and at times would get worse. I definitely had inflammation going on. Did your MO say whether it would be a bone biopsy or a biopsy of a lymph node or just say biopsy and not elaborate?

Jo-Jo2018

Thanks I'm glad it is booked as well. I will be having a lymph node biopsy according to my family doctor. My MO kicked me out of cancer school a month after I started taking Tamoxifin, she said I should just follow up with my doctor for annual check ups. I believe my file has been sent back but I have not heard anything, perhaps they are waiting for biopsy results.