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Conditions and Diseases > Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders Forum > Small Hard Node On My Throat For Over 1 Year
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Q: Small Hard Node On My Throat For Over 1 Year
asked by: christo on April 17th, 2006
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I have a small, hard, movable node on my throat just above my adam's apple. It is about 1 cm in diameter. I first noticed it 1 year ago. Since then it has not changed in any way as far as I can tell. I went to the doc. When I first felt it and she dismissed it, without even feeling it, as a swollen lymph node due to sinusitis. About 6 months later I went to a different doc. Because it was still there. He felt it and told me he didn't think it was cancer because it had not grown. He said it could possible be calcified. It has now been over 1 year and still there is no change. I know this is better than the thing growing, but I am still worried about it. Should I seek a third opinion? I just don't want to keep sitting on it and it turn out to be a problem that is getting worse over time. If anybody has any advice I would greatly appreciate it.

Cheers :?:
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christo
replied on April 18th, 2006
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Does anybody think I should seek a third opinion? Please answer, I am really getting stressed over this thing.
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nosegood
replied on May 9th, 2006
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Christo - I don't think you should worry about it unless it changes.

See my post here
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extropy_lite
replied on May 15th, 2006
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Hi christo,
i know exactly how you feel and what kind of frustration you are going through. Although my problem is a little different to yours, I get the same attitude from the docs.
My advice to you begins with pretty much with what I have done; search the internet for similar cases or symptoms. A site called medhelp offers you a chance to get a docs opinion free online, it might be useful although usually they just advice you to see a specialist. My idea is that what you have could be a laryngeal nodule, but I only say it because I read a bit about it while I was searching for the diagnosis of my condition. And also, that is what the gp's do, they sit in their surgeries and look up symptoms on the internet. (...)
also, if you are concerned about it and you want answers, be persistant, demand to see a specialist so that you can get peace of mind, however be prepared for ridiculous waiting times starting with 6 months. I have been waiting for over 3 months now and I have been so persistant, I have been a complete nuisance to my gp, but I haven't managed to get him to write me an urgent referral, therefore I am just going to see a private specialist. I can't really afford it but I mean, I am not going to wait around like a fool when I could be wasting my time in case I have something more serious, just because the gps ignorant attitude.
It is your health, not theirs, and if you feel you need to know what is going on, push them.
You will not be calm until you know.
Good luck, I really hope this advice helps or maybe your problem is already gone by now :)
xx cristina
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extropy_lite
replied on May 15th, 2006
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Ps: make your gp write you a referral to an ent specialist, who will perform laryngoscopy which is done with a small instrument that goes down your throat and enables the doc to see exactly what is the thing you have got there.
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nosegood
replied on May 16th, 2006
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That's a bizarre suggestion - nodes aren't inside the throat, so a scope isn't going to show anything. If there was real concern about the lump then they'd do a biopsy, not a scope.
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extropy_lite
replied on May 16th, 2006
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Hey I never said I was a doctor!
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christo
replied on May 19th, 2006
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So I went to the doctor for a completely unrelated illness and really expressed my concern about this lymph node to her. She felt it and drew some blood to run a complete blood count. She told me this would help rule out cancer. The results came back the next day and they told me everything was normal, not to worry about it anymore. So now I am not sure if I should try to get a referral to an ent or not. I am trying not to be a worry well, although I know I am a hypochondriac slightly. Does anybody think I need to follow up on this any further? The node still has not changed and it has been a little over a year since I first noticed it.

Thanks for the responses
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christo
replied on August 21st, 2006
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The lymph node in my neck has been palpable for ever 16 months now. Some days I don't worry about it, then others I do. Some people have told me to forget about it and some say I should get it biopsied. It seems like everybody has a different opinion and I don't know who to listen to. I am afraid that if I keep waiting I am just letting a problem get worse. The node hasn't grown as far as I can tell. Some days it seems bigger, and other days it seems a little smaller (but it is overall around the same size, a little smaller than the width of my fingertip). I am just so tired of worrying about it. Does anybody have any advice?
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