Hi
I am driving myself crazy wondering if my cancer is back. I was first diagnosed with lobular bc in left breast with 14 lymph nodes involved. I’ve had chemo, mastectomy, radiotherapy and reconstruction. I went to my GP with something completely different and he noticed a lump near my collarbone. I had had the covid vaccine a few days prior and just thought it was that as my lymph nodes in my right arm where I had been given the vaccine were up and painful too. My GP didn’t seem to think so. I am waiting for an appointment in the breast clinic. I am driving myself crazy. One minute I think the lump has gone the next I think it’s bigger. My husband just tosses his eyes in the air and says its nothing. But I am scared it’s back
Jules
Hi Jules, I was exactly in that position a few weeks ago!
I noticed a lump on my neck a couple of weeks after getting the vaccine, told my nurse, got sent to the breast clinic, the nurse found not only 1 but 2 lumps! I did an ultrasound, which was inconclusive, and so they did a biopsy there and then, and for 2.5 weeks I alternated between getting super scared and being more resigned.
It finally came back clear, and they told me that they’d seen a huge increase in ladies with enlarged lymph nodes after getting the vaccine!
I know it’s there in the potential side effects leaflet that they give you, but it’s in the “less than 1%” category - I was talking with my cancer counsellor the other day, and she’d also been seeing many in this situation, and we assumed that the “less than 1%” was in the general population, and if they’d checked just the category of “women”, and “women who’ve had breast cancer”, that might actually be a really consistent side effect.
Also, whenever you google “covid vaccine and lymph nodes” the articles always mention “armpit lymph nodes”, never the neck ones, so I was even more worried.
So I can’t tell you for sure that you’re going to be ok, but be a little bit reassured from someone who’s been there and heard a lot of comments about it too…
Hi Jules
I do understand the panic feelings you must have, having found myself in the same position. I mentioned to the breast care nurse that I had a single swollen gland in my neck on my nodeless side, just wondering if this was what I should expect, and I was back in clinic the next day. I had zero expectations of breast cancer again so no fears. My enlarged node has turned out to be harmless (though my oncologist is watching it like a hawk, like he can’t believe the MRI and the CT scan results).
Sadly, my swollen eyelid was less harmless and a tiny lump I was unaware of in my eye socket has turned out to be breast cancer. I am mighty p***** off as I am still dealing with side effects from first time round but here we go again. And the practical side of me says to me (and to you) thank god I got it checked or I’d not have found out till much later when it would have been harder to resolve. How about you stop poking that lump, focus on getting yourself relaxed alongside apps like Calm and Headspace, or YouTube videos like I use, and remind yourself that it may well be nothing, but if it is something, better to know now.
I do hope it’s nothing and they can reassure you quickly. Of course, you then have a smug husband to deal with but that’s a small price to pay!
All the best xx
PS. I’ve just read ScarletBea’s post and that is most reassuring.
Hi, as an update, I think I can now safely say that the neck lumps I got were due to the covid vaccine, because I got the second dose last week and the lumps are back!
At least now I know, I won’t get scared and just wait another 6-8 weeks for them to disappear again…
I will manage to hit 5 years cancer-free mid June!
Jules, did you have your results?
Jaybro, I wish you all the best in getting over the next one.