Anyone ever have surgery to remove a lymph node?

[AnxiousNdepressed]

I have had a hard fixed lymph node in the back of my neck for a year and 4 months. I have seen 3 doctors, and they all tell me it's ok. The 3rd doctor (a surgeon) told me that if I choose to, I could have surgery to remove it, although he's 98-99% certain it's ok.

I've been worrying about this for a year and 4 months, I'm thinking of just having it removed to stop the worrying. But also, I have no insurance, and I'd have to put it on my credit card.

Has anyone else done this surgery? Do you recommend it?

[Harmony]

I had it done last year, and if I had been thinking with a clear head (not HA), I wouldn't have done it.  The specialist said he was sure it was nothing to worry about, but for peace of mind I could have a simple procedure and we would know for sure.
The procedure wasn't terrible, but wasn't as simple as it sounded.  Now I'm left with a scar and one less fully functioning lymph node.

If your doctors aren't worried, I wouldn't do the surgery. 

[Moebearocka1980]

I had a lymph node removed in 2004. It was located on the back of my neck near my hair line. I first felt that it was swollen in 1998. I would have long stretches of time where I wouldn't think about it. Then in 2004 my HA really kicked in for the first time and I started to obssess about the lymph node and it being cancerous. My primary care physician told me time and time again that the node was ok and that he wasn't worried about it. After going to him 5-6 times with worry about it, he reffered me to a surgeon. The surgeon felt it and said he wasn't worried but would remove it for me. I had it removed and the pathology report came back as a normal reactive lymph node. It could have swelled up for many reasons and it just never went back down. I agree with the previous comment - the surgery is not as "simple" as they say and you are left with a scar although my scar is almost invisible 9 years later. I also will say this though - if you will never get over this node being swollen and it will haunt you for the rest of your life then have it removed for the peace of mind.

[AnxiousNdepressed]

Thank you both very much for answering. My family also tells me not to have it removed. It hasn't grown at all in a year and 4 months. There have been months at a time where I forget about it, and then if I touch it just once, it sets me on a spiral of constantly feeling it.

Harmony, the surgeon said the same thing; he's 98-99% certain it's ok, but the only way to be 100% certain is to have surgery. The other 2 doctors told me to just stop feeling it, and try to forget it- it's normal. They also warned me that it may never return to an undetectable size, but it will still be ok.

Both of you have helped me to try to "not think about it" (as EVERYONE tells me to do) and not have surgery.

THANK YOU BOTH for your helpful input.

[hamsterswheel]

I have a lump at my collarbone. I've told by 4 doctors it's not a lymph node and it's a fatty cyst and nothing to be worried about. But like you I'm doubting them.

I noticed mine 1 year 3 months ago and it has not changed at all. Like you I forget it's there until I have a flare up and start feeling it. The poor thing has been getting prodded more than 50 times a day for a week just now because I'm going through a low point.

Anyway like you I kept going back to my gp who has said she is sure it a nothing but the only way to be 100% and give me the certainty I clearly need into for an ultrasound. She has made it clear she does not think it is necessary.

Reading your story where I can be objective and rational my advice to you is you have had it checked so many times. Doctors have felt something to worry about and they are almost certain yours is nothing. Their jobs are on the line. Also it's not changed or grown in over a year.

I recently heard about a girl I went to school with who had a lump. For a year it kept growing bigger and bigger. She finally went to emergency and it turned out to be ca. It wasn't a node btw. It was changin and growing. It didn't stay the same. Plus what it is, is a very very rare type of ca. The specialist at the hospital said in his whole career he has only come across it twice. The good news is both times it responded well to treatment ad person was fine.

So we should take comfort in the fact tht when it's somethig to worry about they grow bigger. Same for nodes.
Now why can't I take my own advice! Lol

[AnxiousNdepressed]

...Actually the more I think about it, the more I think I'm going to get it removed. I've had this worry in the back of my mind (and often in the front of my mind) for a year and 4 months. I keep waiting for it to go down, but it never does. I don't want to worry for the rest of my life. Do you think I should wait until May (when the lymph node would be a year and a half old) and if it's still the same, I should have it removed? Or do you think I should just get it over with, and have the surgery now.

[Baldrick]

Hmm..I've thought about it, sort of.
I'm 24 and I've had swollen lymph nodes in my groin and armpits for almost 6 years now. Wasn't worried about them for pretty much four years, I was told by an hematologist that it was probably because on Epstein Barr......but then in late 2011 my anxiety hit and I began obsessing. I've seen countless of doctors and ultrasounds and even a specialist several times. No one is worried or thinks they're cancerous. It's been such a long time I would be really really sick, even dead by now. Unless it was slow growing but that is really really rare in someone my age, but that is still what I worry about, especially because I did find "new" ones late 2011.

I've asked about biopsy stuff like that. But I always get the same response, a surgeon wouldn't want to cut into healthy tissue and healthy lymph nodes, because that could cause some actual damage.

[AnxiousNdepressed]

Hi Baldrick, But I don't want to worry for 6 years like you have. (Although I've heard that if you've had it for 10 years, it's pretty much guaranteed not to be cancer.)

Although it's bad to cut into your flesh, this surgeon has operated on my sister (removed her gallblatter) and he operated on my mother (he removed a benign lump from her back.)

Also, when I asked my mother what I should do, she revealed that 33 years ago, they found a benign cyst in her breast. They gave her an ultrasound, and told her they were 99% positive it was benign, but she could have to have surgery to remove it, to be 100% certain. Since my mom had 3 small kids at the time, she was very worried and decided to have the surgery. It was benign, and she said she's glad it was removed.

My main fear is of something going wrong with the surgery. Also, since I don't have insurance, I'd probably be in debt for a few years.

[Baldrick]

Luckily I haven't been worrying for 6 years. "Only" about a year and a half.
This is of course up to you, but it's really doubtful it's anything. It's a one lymph  node that isn't growing. How big is it?
You know, if you'll be debt for years then this isn't maybe that good of an idea, yes it would give you peace of mind BUT you'd just trade lymph node anxiety for debt and financial anxiety.

[AnxiousNdepressed]

Baldrick,
It's pea sized. And I've read that the surgery can cost as much as $10,000.00 (including the price of the anestheiologist and everything.) I'd have to get a 2nd job for at least a year to pay it off. ...I'm still undecided, but thanks for your input.

[AnxiousNdepressed]

I just felt the lymph node for the first time in a week and I'm having a panic attack- it feels bigger, harder, and more fixed in place than ever! (To me at least.) I am going to call the surgeon on Monday to schedule the surgery.

The only risks I've read were that some people say they have problems with other lymph nodes when one has been removed, and there is also a risk of "lymphedema" (constant pain where the lymph node was) but that seems to be mainly a risk for people who've had many lymph nodes removed.

Has anyone else on this board had lymph node removal surgery, and can they tell me if they had any problems after the surgery?