swollen glan in neck very sensitive to touch

Hi guys

 Just need to know if anyone else has experienced swollen glans in their neck that are sensitive to touch and should I be worried?  I have had this now for approx 3 weeks went to my MD yesterday and even though I have no ear infection or sore throught he thinks it is just a viral infections. But my glan is sore and I feel as though I have been scream all day the muscle is that sensitive and tight.  I had a TT in Oct07 and RAI in Dec 07 and have not experienced this. when it gets bad my left side of my tongue swells this is usually by late afternoon. Am I just panicing for nothing or should I alert my endo. I had Pap Thyca but it had not gone to my lymph nodes and I am just worried that maybe it is coming back.

 I would appreciate any responses of advise.

Thanks

Swollen glands in your neck for no obvious reason would be a concern. Usually a doctor will put you on an antibiotic but as you said there is no soreness of the throat or ear and I assume sinus so there is no obvious infection to target.  Why does he think it is viral??  Because he has no other explanation??  What is very unusual is the swollen tongue that seems to come along with it.  I would pursue this.  A good rule of thumb is to allow two weeks and if it is still a problem to seek medical advice.  This has already lasted 3 weeks. It may be something very benign but considering your history of thyroid cancer I would want to seek an explanation particulary as it so bothersome.   Hopefully, it will clear in the intrim

 

On 6/25/2008 Leemg wrote:

Swollen glands in your neck for no obvious reason would be a concern. Usually a doctor will put you on an antibiotic but as you said there is no soreness of the throat or ear and I assume sinus so there is no obvious infection to target.  Why does he think it is viral??  Because he has no other explanation??  What is very unusual is the swollen tongue that seems to come along with it.  I would pursue this.  A good rule of thumb is to allow two weeks and if it is still a problem to seek medical advice.  This has already lasted 3 weeks. It may be something very benign but considering your history of thyroid cancer I would want to seek an explanation particulary as it so bothersome.   Hopefully, it will clear in the intrim

Thanks for responding.  i have been back to my MD to get my blood work back and my thyroid levels are fine and there does not seem to be any virus in my blood work.  However when he felt my neck this time he felt a small lump in my neck under my jaw bone.  he still thinks it might be viral and has given me antibiotics to take until Wednesday and if the lump is still there he will look at doing an ultra sound.  It is just concerning as I do not have any inflamation in my throat, ears or sinus.  I called my endo and he said it sounds like a lymph node and to take the antibiotics as it could be viral (hopefully) if it does not go down within the 5 days he wants an ultrasound taken.  Just scared to death to have to do it all over again.  Tried to not tell anyone  not to worry them, but my mum could read right through me even when I told her everything was fine. Dont want to have to put her or my husband through it again.  Anyway thanks for listening and if anyone else has had the same  or similar problem and had there blood results come back fine I would like to hear from them. 

Thanks again

 

 

What are your thyroglobulin levels if your know?  They should be undectable and if they are that would be a good indication that it is not thyroid related, however, they should also perform an anti-thryogen level when they do your blood work because sometimes your body at anytime can produce antibodies that would skew your numbers and give a false reading.  Virus type infections do not respond to antibiotics, only bacterial type infections, I'm surprised your doctor suggested given you this if he feels it is viral related.  But I'm glad that they finally are considering follow up on this if it does not resolve on its own within a short period of time.  I don't remember the circumstances of your being diagnosed.  Did they remove the total thyroid?  And did you have any positive nodes at that time?  Did you have RAI.  I'm sorry I'm sure you answered these questions in a prior writing but it would help to know the specifics again.  The main thing is that you are pursuing it to get an answer. You always want to do treatment earlier rather than later.  It is not unusal for papillary thyroid cancer to affect the lymph nodes.  I read somewhere about 40% of cases do and this does'n't affect the outcome, of course, it needs to be addressed.  I had 28 nodes removed from my neck and 3 were cancerous.  I'm preparing to get ready for a follow up WBS as my thyroglobulin levels are still detectable and may or may not need a second treatment.  I understand how you feel but if you can handle and accept that this is all a part of it and just do what is necessay, you family will also.  That is what I have found.  My goal is just to live each day and do what I need to do to do so.  God bless!

 

On 6/30/2008 Leemg wrote:

What are your thyroglobulin levels if your know?  They should be undectable and if they are that would be a good indication that it is not thyroid related, however, they should also perform an anti-thryogen level when they do your blood work because sometimes your body at anytime can produce antibodies that would skew your numbers and give a false reading.  Virus type infections do not respond to antibiotics, only bacterial type infections, I'm surprised your doctor suggested given you this if he feels it is viral related.  But I'm glad that they finally are considering follow up on this if it does not resolve on its own within a short period of time.  I don't remember the circumstances of your being diagnosed.  Did they remove the total thyroid?  And did you have any positive nodes at that time?  Did you have RAI.  I'm sorry I'm sure you answered these questions in a prior writing but it would help to know the specifics again.  The main thing is that you are pursuing it to get an answer. You always want to do treatment earlier rather than later.  It is not unusal for papillary thyroid cancer to affect the lymph nodes.  I read somewhere about 40% of cases do and this does'n't affect the outcome, of course, it needs to be addressed.  I had 28 nodes removed from my neck and 3 were cancerous.  I'm preparing to get ready for a follow up WBS as my thyroglobulin levels are still detectable and may or may not need a second treatment.  I understand how you feel but if you can handle and accept that this is all a part of it and just do what is necessay, you family will also.  That is what I have found.  My goal is just to live each day and do what I need to do to do so.  God bless!

Hi Thanks for responding.  Yes I had a TT in OCt 07 and RAI in Dec 07 none of my lymph nodes were affected.  My Thyroid levels are fine but that doesnt mean much to me as i had a tumor 5cms large and all blood tests came back fine then until they removed it and did a biopsy.  I had an ultra sound yesterday and am seeing my dr today to get the test results the radiologist said that it looked okay so I dont know I am starting to doubt myself and feel like a hypocondriact. So I guess I will wait and see what the say today.

again

THanks

My thyroid levels were fine also prior to being diagnosed.  Never was hypo or hyper but the level now that you would be most concerned about is your thyroglobulin level and the antibody level.  After a TT and if there is no residual thyroid or cancer left this level should be 0.  It was this level which told my doctor to order the WBS as after my TT and my neck dissection my number is still detectable (over 2).  This would be a strong indicator if what your doctor noted as a nodule and the swelling were do to your thyroid cancer.  If you do not know what this reading is ask your doctor.  Again it should be 0.  The ultrasound I originally had picked up one nodule which turned out to be cancerous and a second confirmed that one nodule but after having a neck dissection there were actually 3, granted they were small.  Again, I would stress that you find out your thyroglobulin number.  If it is anything other than 0 I would pursue it.  No you are not a hypochondriac.  I suddenly lost my hearing and developed a pulsating heart beat in my ear.  Over the past year my hearing got progressively worse.  Had 2 MRI's, CT, blood work and two ENT came up with sometimes we can't find the cause, a 3rd said even though the MRI doesn't show it I think you have a growth.  A 4th ENT surgeon in two minutes said oh you have a growth within the temporal bone but we can't do anything.  I thought I was going crazy and was relieved that at least there was an explanation.  I now have to follow up because may need surgery in the future.  So if you gut says something does not seem right and they can't come up with a viable explanation it doesn't mean there isn't one.  Again, Best of Luck!