# Need input! 3 wk post op swelling...



## redroks2 (Feb 23, 2014)

All input, experience, recommendations, opinions, & theories are welcomed and appreciated!

I am absolutely at my wits end! I am 3 weeks post op and I have continued lymph node swelling. I have been on antibiotics for a week because I did manage to pop a stitch. That is all healed now but I continue to have extensive, and often painful, lymphnode swelling. I have an appointment with the surgeon next Monday but I figured it best to ask those who have been through it! Soooooo...how long did you have lymph swelling after surgery??

The majority of my swelling is on the RIGHT (and is even extending into my armpit) - I had a nodule with tiny "patches" of papillary carcinoma that was on the LEFT - My right lobe was clear - I had no lymph nodes removed during surgery.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

redrocks2

Other than thyroid labs what else have you been tested for?

Lyme disease would be one I would insist on.

Do you smoke?

http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/high-white-blood-cell-count/basics/causes/sym-20050611


----------



## redroks2 (Feb 23, 2014)

I had all the usual thyroid labs done and everything came back perfect. The nodule was 3.5cm so the doc said it was too big to leave so they took the left lobe first. Path showed very early stage Papp so they took the right lobe out six weeks later (now 3 weeks ago). I've had 3 full blood panels done over the last six months and everything comes back good, WBC and RBC tend to be at the higher end of normal but at this point we just assume that's my normal. I have been a non-smoker for about ten years now. I did have a full PET scan prior to the second surgery and all kinds of things lit up but I don't fully understand it all and no one has explained it to me yet.

All three of my doctors agreed that Papp on the LEFT lobe would not cause lymph swelling on my RIGHT side (especially since the right lobe was benign) but then they offer no additional ideas or solutions. I will be rattling cages come Monday because I really can't tolerate it any more. The lymph swelling in my neck causes headaches, earaches, and of course just overall discomfort. The swelling around my clavicle tends to feel more like bruises and the swelling in my armpit is the WORST. My arm tingles almost all the time and often times my hand starts to go numb. If I do anything in the way of increased activity my poor armpit is literally spilling out of my bra! Of course a bra is just generally uncomfortable anyway because of the pressure it puts on the area near my armpit. I even have get swelling around my elbow!

Like I said, I'm three weeks post op and I'm worried this is going to get brushed off as post-op swelling. Even on high dose antibiotics for 6 days there has been NO change in the lymph swelling. I've had a pain in my ribs for awhile too and I know that area was noted on the PET scan but was called "non-specific in nature". The pain in my ribs varies in severity from day to day though but never totally goes away.


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Insist they biopsy one of your lymph glands.


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I don't have any suggestions, but I do think rattling cages would be a very good idea. I know my surgeon said that anything other than "minimal" swelling was considered to be a semi-emergency and I was to call him immediately.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Well; I hope you have had a mammogram. And also a good dental check-up. And most importantly, I do hope and pray you are getting some good medical care. There is always a reason for everything. Your doctors need to find out why!

Sending thoughts and prayers for you!


----------

