cervical lymph node recurrence?

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Hi-

Just about 5 yrs since finishing chemo and was rubbing my aching neck, same side as original bc, when I felt 3 or 4 deep, enlarged, hard, immobile nodes. Actually, my exact words to myself-WTF- what is this? At first I thought bones, they were so hard. Internist said he thought it was bone, like a cervical rib or something. Got a plain film and it's not bone, definitely nodules. Getting fna on monday. I've also had daily fever for almost 2 yrs, but don't feel sick. Recently big increase in fatigue and exercise intolerance. All along, I've thought the fever was cancer, again. Comes every day at 9 and 2, sometimes 5 pm also.

I figure it's got to be either lymphoma or a recurrence in neck (post triangle) . Rock hard nodes, and scarily, they are growing in the 3 wks since I found them. Anyone else experience this?

Comments

  • Brightsky
    Brightsky Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2016

    Please forgive me if you find this scary. You seem to basically be describing what was happening to me prior to my breast cancer diagnosis. Fatigue for 1.5 years or more, low grade fever for about 7 months, drenching night sweats, itching, weight loss, exercise intolerance, shortness of breath when walking , swollen lymph node back of neck, above right collar bone and right inner elbow. I took a round of prednisone for an ear issue and developed severe left upper back pain. The next morning a rib on my left side dislocated (splee was probably swollen, not confirmed because idiot resident/PCP never ordered imaging) I felt my rib pop out and it still sticks out to this day. It was INSANE and I thought I was dying. I was sent to a lymphoma specialist and she ordered a PET/CT. Thought for sure I had lymphoma. Discovered triple negative breast cancer instead. Breast oncologist is still amazed by my symptoms as they were classic "B symptoms". So, she thinks my immune system was reacting to the cancer and it just went into overdrive. After 5 months of chemo, symptoms are gone (completed 9 months ago). I will say that there are other things that can cause some of these symptoms like autoimmune issues. I hope you find answers soon. Please keep us posted. I will be hoping this turns out to NOT be cancer related.

  • asmd
    asmd Member Posts: 178
    edited June 2016

    Hi,

    You couldn't scare me more than I scare myself. What did the neck node turn out to be?

    I have horses too. Don't have the energy to ride much these days.

    Biopsy tomorrow

  • Brightsky
    Brightsky Member Posts: 45
    edited June 2016

    Nothing apparently. After taking prednisone the lymph nodes decreased in size. Since they didn't show up on PET no one was really that concerned. I still have a pretty big one on the inside of my right elbow, but since I'm doing fine they are not really worried.
    I hope your biopsy goes smoothly and the results bring good news. Please keep us posted.
    I can't really ride either. I have a lot of hip and leg pain.
    Take care.
  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited June 2016

    Keepus posted. Hoping you get results soon and that it is something benign.

  • Brightsky
    Brightsky Member Posts: 45
    edited July 2016

    I hope your biopsy went well andyou are doing okay. Thinking about you while you await news. I know it is very difficult.

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