lymph nodes - armpit

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’ve had a nickel sized lump in my armpit for about five years. I’ve mentioned it to my Dr. and she didn’t seem too concerned, so I wasn’t either. The lump has stayed about the same size and has never been tender or sore.

About a year and a half ago, another one popped up, which I also mentioned to her. Again, she wasn’t too concerned so I wasn’t either UNTIL it got noticable larger and began pressing on a nerve that sends a little shiver down my arm. It feels about half the size of a golfball that is growing into my pit.

Last week I went to see her specifically for the lump(s). She said they were probably limpomas (little hunks o’ fat) but to be sure she sent me for a CT scan, which I had yesterday. Today the nurse called to tell me that these aren’t lipomas. The lumps are enlarged lymph nodes.

I’m scheduled to see a surgeon next week, but I have some interim questions I am hoping someone can shed some light on. In doing a bit of googling, I’ve found a pretty good sized list of “possibilities” of what may be causing enlarged lymph nodes. Many of the possibilities I can rule out because they are short term issues and this is a long term condition (these lumps have been around long enough that I’ve considered naming them!).

The possibilities that I’m left with seem to be Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, along with benign cysts (which I lean toward ruling out due to the carefully controlled voice the nurse used with me today when she stressed the urgency of me getting to the surgeon).

My question is - are there other causes not listed on this site that I’m unaware of which might explain these lumps? If so, what are they?

At this point, I’d like to pre-arm myself with information so that I can intelligently discuss this condition with the doctor when I meet with him next week.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Standard disclaimer - I’m not looking for a diagnosis - I am seeing a physician next week for further treatment - I won’t hold anyone liable for any of the suggestions offered in this thread. I’m strictly attempting to find out if there are other possibilities that I am unaware of. Thanks!

2

If it makes you feel any better I had a hugely enlarged lymph node removed from my neck about ten years ago that turned out to be nothing more than a hugely enlarged lymph node. I have a cool scar that I tell everyone resulted from a knife fight to protect a woman’s honor.

Doctor couldn’t really say what caused it, and it didn’t matter.

Lymph nodes are wacky things (I AM actually an immunologist now, and would love to write a paper entitled “Lymph nodes are wacky things”), and if your physician isn’t too concerned, and just wants to take the thing out, I wouldn’t worry too much about what caused it in the first place.

Incidentally, I also had a lipoma (fatty tumor) removed from my head. That felt much different than the lymph node thing. More squishy. The lymph node was quite hard.

3

I’m really glad yours turned out to be nothing and hope that mine will also!

I honestly wasn’t that upset when it was just one lymph node … now that the second one, right below the original one, has decided to come to life that I’m getting a wee bit concerned.

Generally I’m pretty healthy and don’t have any other symptoms other than an unspecified aching “in my bones” similar to what you feel when you have the flu or something. I’ve only had that for the past month or so and since I work around kids all day I figured that I’d picked up a bug of some sort that just didn’t settle in me the way it settled in them :::shrugs::: aspirin relieved it, so I haven’t worried too much about it.

4

Just keep repeating “sometimes lymph nodes just enlarge”, until you meet with the surgeon. No reason to be worried until there’s reason to be worried.

Actually, in the end, removal of the lymph node was largely for cosmetic reasons (I looked like I had an iodine deficiency!) than any real danger.

5

Even with the disclaimers you have provided, I’m afraid that it is still against board policy to ask for or offer medical advice, and for that reason I’m closing this thread.
Sorry.