Lymphoma Concern

[jaxsonny]

Can they tell if you have Lymphoma from bloodwork? I had mine done and it was ok. I started zoloft 2 weeks ago and then sunday night got this weird rash on my neck. Dr said it wasnt from the zoloft and could be bacterial. I read somewhere which i know i shouldnt be googling that you can get a rash with lymphoma. Please help!!

[colls22]

There is quite a bit of dispute over this issue. My read on it is this - no, they can't tell that you have lymphoma from bloodwork, however chances are they WILL be able to see that something is off, thus leading them to further investigate.

Though there is an itchy rash that can sometimes present with certain kinds of lymphoma, there are about a thousand other things that could be causing yours. Allergies? Wearing something around your neck that bothered it?

Give it a few days, and potentially some aloe, and see if it goes away.

[Slangevar]

You can get rashes from a LOT of things... usually it's something very normal like contact dermatitis (i.e. an irritation from something). 

And the vast majority of people who have lymphoma do have strange things showing up in their bloodwork AND a variety of progressively worsening symptoms, none of which you have.

[jaxsonny]

Thanks for your responses! I get myself really worked up over these things. Every ache, pain or this time rash is a terminal illness.  I have to really make more of an effort to stop googling, its taken over my life these past couple of months

[Baldrick]

OK, this is interesting. Last summer I had a blood test done and it showed a slight elevation in LDH, I was one point over! That freaked me out big time because that is often an indicator of lymphoma, non Hodgkins types. I went to an hematologist and he said I had been several points over, like 15 points over earlier in the year but he just told me everything was normal. So I guess that if it was cancer the number wouldn't have been going down? Would it?

I may start a new subject on this actually.

[Slangevar]

OK, this is interesting. Last summer I had a blood test done and it showed a slight elevation in LDH, I was one point over! That freaked me out big time because that is often an indicator of lymphoma, non Hodgkins types. I went to an hematologist and he said I had been several points over, like 15 points over earlier in the year but he just told me everything was normal. So I guess that if it was cancer the number wouldn't have been going down? Would it?

I may start a new subject on this actually.

If it's back into normal ranges (1 point over normal is essentially normal), then it looks like you have nothing to worry about!

[Baldrick]

OK, this is interesting. Last summer I had a blood test done and it showed a slight elevation in LDH, I was one point over! That freaked me out big time because that is often an indicator of lymphoma, non Hodgkins types. I went to an hematologist and he said I had been several points over, like 15 points over earlier in the year but he just told me everything was normal. So I guess that if it was cancer the number wouldn't have been going down? Would it?

I may start a new subject on this actually.

If it's back into normal ranges (1 point over normal is essentially normal), then it looks like you have nothing to worry about!

This is what my doctors at the time tried to tell me. I just couldn't and to some extent I still can't see what else could cause that elevation.
But since the Hematologist wasn't at all worried about it being around 15 points over normal then that must still be considered "essentially normal". Probably needs to be several hundred points over for it to be a serious concern.

[Slangevar]

I just couldn't and to some extent I still can't see what else could cause that elevation.

Did you ask your doctor?  I  looked it up online for you... raised LDH levels can come from things like low blood pressure, anemia, mono and - most often - working out too hard. Apparently any strenuous activity can cause a temporary increase in your LDH from muscle repair.

[Baldrick]

I just couldn't and to some extent I still can't see what else could cause that elevation.

Did you ask your doctor?  I  looked it up online for you... raised LDH levels can come from things like low blood pressure, anemia, mono and - most often - working out too hard. Apparently any strenuous activity can cause a temporary increase in your LDH from muscle repair.

I don't really remember, oddly enough since I remember most things doctors tell me. Hmm....like six or seven months earlier I started working out a bit for the first time. The earlier blood test was in March and I started working out in December. So maybe that could be causing it, I was pretty sore for months after.
He did mention though that something like a bruise could cause an elevated LDH....that just popped in my head.

Oh and sorry jaxsonny for hijacking your thread. 

[Slangevar]

He did mention though that something like a bruise could cause an elevated LDH....that just popped in my head.

There you go!  Anxiety fixed. He's right... apparently any kind of trauma (i.e. working out too hard; lifting something heavy the day before the test; falling & getting a bruise... probably even going on a drinking bender) could elevate your LDH.