Pressure on throat, help!

Hi All

Needing some advice, had a portocath put in a few weeks back, had to go to interior jugular to get the pipe in, swelling now gone down but I have a permanant feeling like something is pressing on my throat. The weekend before the op I had a swollen lymph node on the collarbone there, so now I am panicking that the pressure I can feel is a tumour in my neck. Ok, so if I am sensible I had got a clear scan 2 weeks before that node same up, and had just had a flu jab etc etc.

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thank you.

Nikki

hi Nikki

i think you need to get it checked out - have had 2 ports and never felt any pressure , especially the second one - its so small and well placed its no trouble at all, You should not feel a port and if its making you feel uncomfortable, they could probably do something about it,

Are you worried about the swollen node - show it to your medical team…I think you have posted about it before?

Cathy

Hi Cathy, thanks so much for the reply.

Will talk to them on Weds when I go in for bloods pre chemo on Thurs. I did ask about the swollen node the day I had the port put in, my BNC felt it and the surgeon was going to get a sample if the node was in sight of the surgery, it wasn’t. Now I dont know if the thickening in that area is the port plumbing or the node, or my imagination. Paranoia is a side effect of cancer huh!

The feeling of something pressing on my throat is horrid, like something is stuck in the throat down bottom of my neck and I can’t shift it :frowning:

Nikki

Hi,
whan I had mine put in, in the early days I could feel it half way down inside my chest getting in the way when I ate or drank. This went over time thank goodness. Then 3/4 way through chemo the rotten tube suddenly popped up on the edge of and above my collarbone, scaring the pants off me. I was sure it was the worst until everyone prodded me and pointed out they could feel a slight sort of ridge to the end of the tube and that it was round and squashy like tubing. I did get it checked by the unit who said some people have it sticking right up the side of their neck -yuk. I am always aware of it when I turn my head rght round on that side and it can get uncofortable when driving as the seatbelt sort of nips it and I feel pressure on my collarbone. Mine is coming out next week as now in the way for rads! Yes I am scared about that too as have to be awake this time.
Lots of luck and hope I helped in a small way
Lily x

Hi Lily

Thanks for replying, that sounds horrid, glad it sorted itself out for you. Mine is getting more uncomfortable, which is why I am panicking I think, coz I keep thinking it’s a tumour or something, I know I shouldn’t be so daft but…

I will talk to them Wed about it, tried to call today but missed my BNC and she called back and I missed her call, arghhhh. Will call her tomoz to explain. Maybe an ultrasound or something will show what’s going on but it’s so uncomfortable now, like leaning your throat against something :frowning: makes me feel a little dizzy if I dont hold my head the right way.

Hope it’s just the pipe, though not sure I can cope with this for the next 4 months.

Hope your removal goes really easily! Take the sedatives if they offer, you wont care much then :))

Nikki

Just called this in to the team as was getting stupidly hysterical here on my own :frowning: they are getting an ENT doc to look at me in the morning, so at least that could rule out what my head is thinking, lets hope so eh. Hope I can control my gag reflex lol.

The feeling of pressure on my throat is constant, and I am pretty sure that’s what’s been giving me the headache I have had for a few days now, didn’t link the two but it makes sense. Will update what happens, always useful incase someone else has similar symptoms.

I am so so so so so fed up of being scared of everything that happens to my body now and fearing the worst.

A very miserable
Nikki

Hi Nikki,
so sorry I did not realise that it was overwhelming you so much, that is so horrible, and obviously much more uncomfortable than mine ever was. Good idea to get it checked out and I know it is scarey to go but at least you will feel better knowing. I wonder if they can be rejected by the body as mine is definitely getting worse and the port is trying to come out on its own some days. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you and sending you lots of big hugs to make you brave tomorrow. Please let me know how you get on if you can.
Hugs again
Lily x

Hi Nikki
I so sympathise with how you are feeling - this is really the pitts and you so don’t deserve it. I hope the ENT team manage to sort you out and put your mind at rest and that it’s nothing sinister. I had a portacath and had so many problems with it that after my third lot of chemo it had to be removed - it was very weird having tube that you could quite clearly see running up my chest!

Thinking of you
Best wishes n hugs
Ruby xxx

Hi Lily and Ruby, thanks for your posts.

I have been to see my team this morning, they are sending me for a CAT on Friday on the throat area to try and see what is going on.

The RMO who looked at me (he was an on call ward doc) mentioned thyroid, which didn’t help much coz if that is swollen that could be cancer too, god everything can be the damned stuff it feels like to me right now, I just can’t believe all this is going on with me right now, I don’t need it on top of the recurrance. Can breast cancer spread to the thyroid? Although i have no other symptoms.

My sensible brain cell is telling me that it can’t possibly be the cancer to have appeared the week after my first dose of chemo, the scared witless side has other ideas. Schitzophrenic tendancies I think!

I am so so fed up right now, but thankful for here and it allowing me to vent and people like you talking to me and listening.

Nikki

Hi Nikki,
I know having more checks done will make you think even worse things, but then keep thinking that having the Cat scan will be able to definitely tell the docs and you what is going on. Have you watched the results of one? I watched mine with my onc and they are amazing showing all the body in 3D in such detail. I am sure this will bring out a good dx of what the problem is. It could just be the tube sticking in the wrong place causing a problem and that would cause swelling too. I wonder, did they scan you after it was inserted to check its placement as I read this is what they should do? I am sorry I don’t know about spread to thyroid but you did have a scan so recently that should reassure a little I hope. I do know that thyroid starts for people all the time and is just an every day thing too, even if it is thyroid. I am loath to suggest anything else that it could be as you certainly don’t need any more ammunition to fire around your head that you haven’t already thought of. Try to be calm as tension must make it more uncomfortable. When I go for results or scary bits, I try to think the sooner I get there and get this done, the sooner I can stop thinking about it all the time. It helps me a bit and the main thing is getting in there and finding out what it is so they can then tell how to get you back to a nicer place and comfortable again.
Big hugs, blowing you all the 4 leaf clovers for luck on Friday
Lily x

Oh Lily, you are such a nice person and I appreciate your support.

I have found out today that my chemo tomorrow has been postponed, turns out my bloods are low and I am anaemic, jeeez. At least that explains the shortness of breath, headaches and feeling a bit dizzy!! Silver linings and all that :)) still, am gutted the 2nd one hasn’t even gone according to plan. On the positive, should have a pretty normal weekend this one!!

:slight_smile:

{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}

Nikki

Hi,
you are so welcome if a couple of minutes of my time is any use - some would disagree! Sorry you have a wait for the next dose but the side effects would probably be bad if you were so low,. Also there are a lot of bugs around to catch too and you would have no fight against them. Hope you pick up so you feel stronger soon. it might be due to what is going on so it does not necessarily mean that the rest won’t go on time.
You take care and big hugs for tomorrow with the CAT scan. I am having one tomorrow too for rads planning.
Keep me posted and everything is crossed for you, making walking quite difficult!!
keep smiling if you can
Lily x