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Lymphoma

Sam1287
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hiya I have been having itching all over my body since june last year started on legs slowly worked it's way up and now practically all my body itches everyday I've read a number of stories were lymphoma starts like this I also come out in red blotches on my skin that come and go regularly I'm absolutely terrified I could have this and it's making me unwell with worry and fear is there anything you could suggest me doing or having done to rule this out as my doctors really don't want to know and I'm so scared thanks for any information 

  • Dear Sam1287

    Thank you for getting in touch with the Macmillan Cancer Support . My name is Joanne, and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists. Welcome to our online community and I hope you find it helpful and supportive.

    I’m sorry to hear you have been experiencing itching since June which is getting worse. When we have unexplained symptoms that don’t improve it is common to look for possible causes. Itching can be caused by many things and although it can be a symptom of serious health conditions it would be unusual for itching to be the only symptom.

    It’s good that you have been to see your GP as this is the first step to finding out the cause.  You say you are concerned about the itching being a symptom of lymphoma, did you discuss this specifically with your GP? If they know your concerns, they can often be more specific in their assessment and information they tell you.

    We are unable to diagnose on this platform as we don’t have access to your medical records. We therefore tend to err on the side of caution.

    We normally advise people that if they have a symptom that persists gets worse or, is changing then they must report to their doctor in the first instance, so they can physically assess and best manage from there. As this has been ongoing for several months, we would recommend you speak with your GP again. The sooner you do this the better. If this doesn’t help the Patient Association has some useful information on how to get a second opinion if you disagree with your GP’s diagnosis.

    When we have unexplained symptoms, it can be difficult to manage the anxiety this causes. Health anxiety can impact your day-to-day life in so many ways so looking after your mental health and wellbeing is important. The NHS website page Every Mind Matters and Anxiety UK can also help with expert advice, practical tips and personalised actions to help with this.

    If there is anything else we can help you with please feel free to get back in touch.

     

    Best wishes

    Joanne,

    Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

     

    You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.

     

    Ref/ JF/KR

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