The Perfect Time To Panic

[bloodyrosemccoy]

So according to my gynemacologist, there are a few possible reasons why I have a swollen lymph node in my armpit, which she broke down as follows:

1. You need to change your razor.
2. You have CANCER.

I am really hoping it is Reason #1. Given the acne all over my boobs and the tendency for my body hair to get confused and grow around under the skin, it seems like a safe bet, but still.

She and I are giving the stupid thing a month to settle down, or we will do an ultrasound, and if that doesn’t explain things, a biopsy.* It has been two weeks and the thing is about the same size, so I confessed at my psych appointment that it had me worried.

My psychiatrist, in his infinite capacity for disinterested therapy, offered me the following opinion:

1. OMFGONOZWTFBBQZORSCANCER.

This just goes to show that I should probably get a psychiatrist who’s less high strung than I am. And, y’know, keep an eye on this here bump.


*While biopsies themselves don’t really creep me out, biopsies on lymph nodes do. For some reason, lymph nodes have always given me the creeps.

Comments

[shadowofdoubt.livejournal.com]

3. Bubonic plague!

[shadowofdoubt.livejournal.com]

It occurred to me that my third option was not very reassuring either. But you don't seem to be panicking and in need of OMG*HUGS*, so I'm just going to add that I'm sure it's nothing and you'll be just fine. <3

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Damn! I knew I should get immunized before taking the TARDIS to medieval Europe!

[shadowofdoubt.livejournal.com]

Hey, that shit is totally still around. Every once in a while somebody down here in the desert gets it. Fleas, man, motherfuckin' fleas. XD

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

*grin* Sure, but the mental image was too much to pass up. "Going into the past? Don't forget your shots!"

[acrossthelake.livejournal.com]

I just finished that book. (Domesday Book by Connie Willis. I think you'd like it.) Anyway, don't be sad, emo kid. I've had those before, though possibly smaller than yours, and they've come to naught.

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I just finished that book. (<i>Domesday Book</i> by Connie Willis. I think you'd like it.) Anyway, don't be sad, emo kid. I've had those before, though possibly smaller than yours, and they've come to naught.

<size=1>PS: new series of Doctor Who. It's important.</size>

[willowistari.livejournal.com]

I'm picturing a mob hit flea with a cigar in his mouth. "Yea. You wants me to give her the bubonic?"

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

*falls off my chair laughing*

[beccastareyes]

Stupid body acne. I get those too -- high school health class lied to me when they said I'd be done with acne when I grew up.

Also, I went through the same thing last week with a persistent headache -- apparently it's common to worry about things like that, to the point where the doctor said straight up 'it's probably not cancer, and won't be unless it persists'. (He ran me through some neurological tests* anyway, just to be sure it wasn't something brain-related, and then noted that it was most likely migraines, probably aggravated by stress.)

* Well, 'are your reflex the same on both sides' and 'are your eyes tracking and dilating'.

[allicapri.livejournal.com]

Oh, I had that once--the #1 option, not the #2 option. I was pretty sure it was #1 before I talked to the doctor, as I had happened to cut myself recently and then *poof* there was the thing, but I was happy I'd had a physical scheduled the next week anyway. She said see if it's gone in a month, and a month later it was just starting to go down, and so I figured I wasn't going to die, and then a few weeks later it went away completely and I didn't die.

[newroticgirl.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping for reason #1, too.

They gave me the c-word as a possibility for my health issues -- even though it was a really slim chance, I figure they had to mention it as a possibility in order to cover all arses.

[childthursday.livejournal.com]

Anecdata! I went through the same thing. Complete with berserk therapist and all. I went to get the biopsy and the biopsy guy said, "That's not a cancer lump, that's and ingrown hair." He produced a scalpel, cut it open, and I discovered why shave creams and deodorants say "Do Not Apply to Broken Skin." It was quite gross. And borderline malpractice.

But I'll take ingrown hairs and crazed dude with scalpel over cancer any day of the week.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_wastrel/]

Cancer? Get out of here!

I remember having awaited the doctor's blood test results with increasing anxiety with every passing day last month, especially since there's a family history of it on both sides. Naturally they waited until an extra day longer than they'd said it would take them to get back to me. Fortunately it turned out to have been nothing after all. Hopefully the same will be true in your case.

[cougarfang.livejournal.com]

I've had swollen lymph nodes off and on in my armpits, and I don't shave at all (don't really have enough hair to bother >_>;;; *lazy*) I just figured it's another one of those "my body is weird (and possibly reacting to stress or something)" kinda things.

[crazykawaii.livejournal.com]

My roommate had a Suspicious Lump (Possibly Cancer) biopsied recently, and it turned out to be scar tissue and Not Cancer - in fact it was likely caused by rugby, as it was on the top of her shoulder right where you hit people when you tackle them. Go figure.

[piccolo-pirate.livejournal.com]

Haha, I read this and immediately thought, "Oh my God. That happened to SOMEBODY ELSE too?" And then realized it was you and that you meant me.

But yes! Was not cancerous! Was sort-of-fucking-scary while it lasted! Hurrah!

[black-rider.livejournal.com]

Lymph nodes swell up for all sorts of reasons all the time... It could also be that you're just having an immune response to something, which could be all sorts of harmless things like seasonal allergies, a minor infection that isn't showing symptoms, etc. Seems like jumping right to OMGCANCER is a bit overzealous. Try not to worry THAT much.

[dark-phoenix54.livejournal.com]

Yikes.

I used to get swollen lymph glands all the time. They ended up being associated with the viruses and bacterial infections I endlessly had as a teen.

And, yeah, your psychiatrist needs to prescribe himself something to give him a little better bedside manner...

[queenlyzard.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they are creepy. I think it's something about the word "Node". It's intimidating to have Nodes.