Illness Since Lymph Nodes Removed

FormerMember over 5 years ago

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I don’t know if it’s a coincidence but since having a bilateral neck dissection and thyroid removed I keep getting colds. I can’t help thinking I had 31 lymph nodes removed and this could effect my immune system. Does anyone know if this is the case?

I take a multivitamin in the evening and at the moment eating heaps of oranges and clementines, so getting plenty of vitamin C.

I asked my consultant about the flu jab, but was told I wouldn’t need one.

Thanks

Lass over 5 years ago

Heya Runner,

First off, ignore your consultant and get yourself down to your pharmacy or your nurse at the GP, and get a flu jab.

As for your immune system, you're right. The job of the lymph nodes are to collect all bugs and germs, share them out amongst themselves, then kill them all off. So if you've not got any lymph nodes in an area, then you're missing a part of your immune system. So you often find that areas where lymph nodes have been removed from, are more susceptible to infections and viruses.

So for those who have had neck dissections, colds and flu are going to take hold a lot more frequently than they did before the dissection I'm afraid.

Lass

I have no medical training, everything I post is an opinion or educated guess. It is not medical advice.

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Illness Since Lymph Nodes Removed