Lymphoma fear is still going strong.... Low grade fever?

[Effk]

Hey everyone!
 - God, I hate this HA - I have had lymphoma fear for almost a month now, and when I just think I'm about to let it go, I find a new symptom, that could fit to Lymphoma.

Now it is low grade fever, that I'm concerned of. I'm having 37.2 C / 99 fahrenheit almost everyday, and I don't know if that is considered as low grade fever? I don't feel like having fever, and I only know about my temp. because of the fever stick I've used. Can it be me, just being a little bit more warm than normal? And can anxiety cause low grade fever?

I have a swollen lymph node, but my doctor have felt it twice, and said it was okay and it has not grown in about 2 years, is movable etc. So I believe my doctor on that.
 - I have not lost any weight, I have actually gained 3 kg. during the last couple of months - that would be odd, if I really had lymphoma, right?

I have not the same food-loving-appetite as I'm used to, but I think it's because of the HA.

Please help me getting out of this lymphoma fear :-(

[Effk]

Anyone? please?

[atleswoolf]

I've struggled with lymphoma fears for quite some time now, myself.  I've convinced myself that totally normal nodes were cancerous, had them examined by scores of doctors, all of whom said I was fine.  I never had a temperature up to 99 degrees, but I doubt that that's a big matter for concern.  You'd most likely be having other symptoms if you truly had lymphoma, and you'd also most likely not feel physically up to par.  And yes, your loss of appetite is probably due to the HA, not to lymphoma.  I don't know if this helps, but know that you're not alone in worrying about all of it.  Chances are quite good that we're all fine.

[Effk]

Atleswoolf - thank you for your post. It helps a bit, knowing that I'm not the only one.

Just had a huge HA panic attack. I have had some small lumpy things on my ribs under my breast for a couple of weeks, and my doctor felt them and said nothing to worry about, just some fatty tissue/lipomas. This evening I thought 'I'm just gonna feel them one time, to see if they have gotten bigger'
 - And what did I notice? A NEW LUMP! It's on my right ribs, under my right breast, and does not feel like a round lump, more like an oval long shaped thing, like a tendon or something. I have had pain in my right lower ribs most of the day, and of course the first thought was: DO I HAVE LYMPH NODES UNDER MY BREAST ON MY RIBS?!?! But after googling a bit (which I know I can't do - stupid!!!) I know we have lymph nodes all over our body, but if you look at pictures of the lymph nodes in our bodies, there is no one in the area that I've found one in.

So I thought; Maybe it is some muscle lump - In my country we call it a 'myose' - a oval lump caused by very tights muscles. I have due very long time had pain in both my breasts, like constantly tensions, and now in my ribs. I know anxiety can cause muscle tensions, so I think it sound pretty logic, if the lump I'm feeling is some sort of muscle tension lump.

[atleswoolf]

One thing to remember, which another poster here told me some months back: Doctors are almost never concerned about lymph nodes that are small, like around a centimeter.  I've been told by many people (including doctors) that they don't get concerned unless the nodes are an inch to an inch-and-a-half in diameter and very hard and unmoveable for more than six weeks.  Only then might they consider a biopsy.  If you have nodes that are small and squishy and moveable, then they're almost certainly nothing to worry about.  I had to learn this the hard way, myself.  I still have the lingering lymphoma worries, but seem to have moved off to other diseases at the moment...

[SighNoMore]

Also your temperature fluctuates all day. That is normal. Even anxiety can cause an temperature increase. Our bodies respond to time of day, stress, exercise, food, etc and thus temperature can fluctuate as well.

[RichardBiggers]

This is my first post but I felt compelled to speak on this as I am trying to stop myself from obsessing over this fear.

A couple of months ago I had a visible infection on the base of my unmentionable due to a clippers accident. I noticed this infection ring about a half inch in diameter and my inguinal lymph nodes were swollen on that side of my groin. Cause/Effect

So I KNOW what caused these swollen nodes but then became obsessed as to whether this was the cause or had I just noticed due to the surface infection.

I have literally rubbed my lymph nodes every day for 3 months. And obviously if I keep mashing them then they are going to remain swollen and irritated. My left groin area is very sore due to my constant digging and node exploration.

I have gone to the point of trying to irritate the nodes on the right side of my groin to see if you can make them tender and swell just by rubbing. (the answer is yes)

I even had myself worked up to a blood pressure of 172/105 Friday when I went to my primary Dr. so this was becoming seriously unhealthy for me.

He told me that in the case of swollen nodes you worry about lymphoma, but this was not lymphoma. He did a thorough check and he is very experienced and has seen every condition under the sun, many times...so logically, he's correct.

This was after having gone to a previous doctor where I was sent to have ultrasound which revealed swollen but not pathological nor morphological abnormal nodes and after completing bloodwork that said I was fine..

I also know they have not increased in size in 3 months.

I am a healthy, 34 y/o male. Odds are they are 100% correct so logically I am mentally ill at the moment and that is all there is to it.

All this to say, anxiety is terrible and I feel for anyone dealing with this, because when you create a life or death scenario out of a common, non-worrisome issue, it is hard to flip the switch back to non obsessed thinking.

I need a cone like they use on dogs to keep my hands off myself!

Good luck to you. I have actually been well today and hopefully it's the first day on the road to recovery.