I've been reading this forum for weeks unsure whether or not to post my story but Im starting to worry and I really don't want to search Google. I'm a 27 year old female ex smoker quit last year due to falling pregnant. So I've had a painless swollen lymph node below my jaw for about a year and a half didn't really think anything of it for the past 2 years I've been suffering from my right ear blocking that last for weeks then pops and all is well but this time round it started leaking fluid so decided to go to the doctors was prescribed 3 different types of antibiotics none helped at all so was then given antibiotic ear drops they seems to clear the discharge but my ear still feels slightly blocked and I'm suffering tinnitus in the ear. I've now noticed the lymph node has gotten bigger no pain and obviously hasn't went away I have another one on the same side of neck but just above the collarbone and 3 more on the left side. I've also been getting facial numbness and tingling on the right side of my face. This has been ongoing for 8 weeks since my first doctors appointment about the ear discharge. I've noticed I have 3 swollen lymph nodes on my groin I've lost a lot of weight but put it down to having my baby 6 months ago and just assumed it was baby weight I was losing I have no appetite and don't feel hungry. I'm exhausted all the time but I put it down to having 2 kids but both my kids sleep all night so I'm getting my full 8 hours I could literally sleep all day if I had the chance I've never been this tired. Now the bottom of my back is really sore and I feel asif I'm getting nerve pain around my vulva, thighs and buttocks. I've started getting cramps that feel like period cramps in my abdomen near the bottom. My left knee has started flaring up and becoming painful for no reason every 3 weeks or so started about 4 months ago and the pain travels down my calf and up my thigh. I get really hot at night not to the point I'm soaking but I do seem to sweat a lot more than usual. The bone in my left arm starts to ache every now and again it's hard to explain the pain it's like cramping but I can feel it in my bone. I've had my bloods taken results should be back possibly Tuesday and I've been referred to ENT just waiting on my appointment coming through. I don't know who to talk to about this my partner thinks I'm being silly and over reacting but I'm just really worried its cancer. My family aren't very supportive either their not exactly the most supportive. Am I over reacting? has anyone else suffered similar symptoms and it being cancer or something else that's serious. I know no one can say it's definetly cancer I just need some advice I have 2 kids and I'm scared.
Thanks for listening.
Laura x
Ps. Had a follow up appointment after my antibiotics and there's nothing wrong
Hi Laura
So sorry to hear that you are still riding this diagnosis rollercoaster and you are not making much headway in getting answers.
You do need answers, answers that tell you what is going on in your body. Is it a cancer? or is it something else?....... at its basic level it is a simple question.
We do have a few folks on the Community who have been where you are at the moment and moved forward into the diagnosis part and even getting past the initial hurdle of being referred to Heamatology, it still takes so long to get to the bottom line in all this.
What to do?........ First you need to call the ENT department and check that you are actually on the list and that your appointment has not fallen through the NHS cracks. If you are on the list you kindly ask if they would try and fit you into any cancellations.
If ENT have no record you will have to go back and see the GP who referred you in the first place.
At it’s basic level your GPs do need to answer simple question- what is going on?
In my case my consultant had a good idea what type of blood cancer I had but it still took 12 months of investigations including 6 biopsies and a few CT scans to nail it........ but over these long 12 months my condition did not develop much that the time did not make a lot of difference.
Someone on the Community likened this time to a rock being lobbed into a lake and you have to ride out the many ripples - stress, work, treatments, finances, anger, worry etc...
You do need to try and turn the noise down in your head as this will make you even more sick as your body does react very badly to stress.
Keep pushing the doors and you will open then ((hugs))
Hi Laura, sorry for not getting back to you last night but it’s been a rather manic weekend.
No simple answer to you getting the iron tablets and folic acid. This can be for so many reasons and it would be wrong for me to speculate.
Over my years (64) I have been given iron and folic acid for non cancer health issues.
The bodies we have to live in are very complicated things and it only takes experts to work through the list of tests and treatments eliminating each item on the list.
How are you getting on with getting your ENT appointment?
We do have our ‘Ask an Expert’ section where you can post questions to our mostly Volunteer Experts but please allow 2 working days to get a reply.
((hugs))
