Hi,
Not entirely sure where to start.. I guess the beginning would make sense 
So in April 2022 I noticed a small lump in the right side of my neck but didn't really think much of it, I'd been feeling really run down and fatigued and just put it down to that. In July 2022 I went to my GP about it as the lump was still there, I felt really fatigued, like I had a lump in my throat when I swallowed, my voice was really hoarse and had been for a while and just felt something wasn't right. She expressed that it could be to do with my thyroid and sent me for blood tests. A week later I hadn't heard anything so I called the GP and they said they came back normal so I booked another GP appointment with a different doctor as I still felt things weren't right, he agreed that it didn't sound right and referred me for an ENT appointment.
3 weeks later and I had my ENT appointment, the specialist only asked me 2 questions (If I was still experiencing the same symptoms and if I smoke) he then proceeded to do an ultrasound, spoke to his colleague in a different language, then ushered me out of the room saying it was fine and would go away on its own.
Fast forward to January 2023, still with the same symptoms but with a much larger lump on the right and a slightly smaller lump on the left. I booked another GP appointment and he agreed there was another lump and the original one had got much bigger, he seemed concerned and referred me for another ENT appointment.
April 2023 I returned to the GP getting increasingly concerned about my symptoms as they are getting worse and breathing when lying down and swallowing food was getting increasingly more difficult, he sent a letter to the ENT specialist asking to rush my appointment through however this did not happen and also asking them to do more investigation such as a camera down my throat.
Now I'm less than a week away from my appointment (24th May) and I'm terrified. All this has had such a big effect on my mental health that I'm currently signed off work and it's all I can think about, I feel so poorly all the time and it's so draining that I've been left to feel like this for over a year with no explanations as to why..
What kind of things should I ask at my appointment next week? As I know I need to be more assertive to find out what is wrong with me.. Can anyone give any advice on how to navigate this whole situation and how to keep my mind off things in the mean time?
Sorry for the super long post!
Hi JSunflower19 and welcome to the Online Community but I am sorry to hear about your ongoing diagnoses journey. Navigating these tests can be such a stressful and challenging time but it has to be done.
The problem with lumps in the neck is this can be caused by many reasons. Yes this can be an indication of some type of cancer but our Lymphatic System is the bodies safety valve and react all the time to other health problems..... including stress.
The lymphatic system helps protect us from infection and disease. It is part of the body’s immune system. Lymph fluid passes through lymph nodes. A network of lymph vessels connects the lymph nodes together. You have nodes throughout your body.
Lymph nodes sometimes trap bacteria or viruses that they cannot destroy straight away. For example, they may do this when you have an infection. When the lymph nodes are fighting the infection, they often swell and become sore to touch.
When you go to your ENT appointment they are looking to rule out simple things like when you have some underlying health conditions as the Lymphatic system can be continually fighting the infections.
If they think there is cause for concern they may refer you for further tests like a CT scan or even do a biopsy on an area......... they can't tell you what this is and even if they did have a suspicion this is often put in their report to your GP.
If they say they cant find anything wrong you need to ask why these lumps are still there after all this time and why......... they most likely won't give you a clear answer answer but you do need to ask why a biopsy is not being done.
I have lived and been treated for a rare type of Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma for over 24 years and one of the sure signs of this is raised Lymphoma Nodes in the neck area along with other symptoms.
I am now over 7 years out from my last treatment and a few months after that treatment a new lump appeared in my neck....... it was checked out and found to by a fatty lump so not a problem....... but at the time is was concerning.
Our Support Line teams are available 7 days a week, 8am-8pm on freephone 0808 808 00 00, email or live webchat where you will find one of team there to help you out or just to have a chat with.
Do get back to me if you need further help.
