Lump in neck

Hi

My 10 month old DD has got a lump at the side of her neck. It's not hard, feels very liquidy and it isn't bothering her. She's just had a fairly rotten cold. I took her to the doctor today, who told me that he didn't know what it was, it was odd, but he didn't think it was anything sinister. WTF? How can he say it isn't sinister if he doesn't know what it is. The advice was for me to keep my eye on it, see what its doing, whether it is getting bigger, smaller, or staying the same, and then if it hasn't gone away, come back in a month and he'll organise an ultrasound and that a month really doesn't make a difference.

He isn't our normal doctor, but the one that I always try to see has a waiting list of over four weeks long. It's impossible. The last time I went in there, the doctor I saw actually googled my symptoms. I refused to see that doctor today. I'm going back again on Saturday for another opinion from a doctor that my DH sees, but the clinic refuses to book in patients on Saturdays, so its a case of ring up when they're open on Sat and hope for the best. I'm banging my head against the wall. This has been my doctor's clinic since I was 12 and now they're just not caring anymore.

I'm now really freaked out about what it could be on my DD's neck. The doctor said it didn't feel like a swollen lymph node or swollen glands, but other than that, he was unhelpful. Has anyone else's baby had something like this before? Or does anyone go to a great caring doctor? I'm in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

Thanks

Corelly, what suburb are you in? My GP is BRILLIANT. I see him and him only (unless emergency) for DD and I. GP is in Eltham.

Re: the lump. I'd be getting another opinion too. I'm not a fan of lumps in necks.Even if it is just a swollen lymph node, I'd want to know what's causing it.

MG

I'd definitely be getting a second opinion too. Even if it is nothing, it would be nice to be reassured. You can request an ultrasound referral. Lumps can be caused by lots of things, it would be impossible to speculate. But it may be as simple as some scar tissue or a cyst.


:o i can not believe a dr GOOGLED symptoms?! :doh:

Hi ladies,

Thanks for the replies.

Mother Goose - I used to work in Eltham, its about 20 minutes from where I live, so if you're happy to pass on your doctor's name, I'd really appreciate it.

Jungle Mum - I couldn't believe that the doctor googled the symptoms too, and she did it in an appointment for my mum too. I'm beginning to feel that our medical profession is becoming the equivalent of a third world country - because all the good doctors seem to be disappearing across the globe to help others in need. My grandmother died last week and the doctors that handled her situation should be banned. They assured us a month before she died that she was cancer free, then it was back, but only minor with no spots on her liver of kidneys, then the very next day, her kidneys were failing and the cancer was aggressive. She died two days later. I'm having very little faith in the whole system right now.

I'm going to insist on an ultrasound, even play on the "I'm a neurotic first time mum" stuff. I'm pretty calm usually, and go with the flow, but there is NOT supposed to be a lump on my beautiful girl's neck!!!!

So all I need is a desk, a computer and an internet connection and then I can start charging people $60 to come and talk to me for 3 minutes.

Corelly
It is probably a fatty deposit however I think that you should go and see a real doctor for a second opinion.

I dont have much advise but i would go see another Dr or u will not be able to relax... i hope it goes ok

some Dr's just dont care iv been there with myself and its so frustrating its like they dont have time for u and ur wasting there time ,they are so busy ..umm hello thats there job!

I agree to get a second opinion. It is so hard to find a good dr so I can really sympathise. I just went to a new one the other day (just moved) and was blown away by the great standard.

Corelly - I'll PM you the details

Hi everyone and thanks for all the good replies.

We had the second opinion today and the GP was beautiful in listening to my anxieties. She gave DD a massive check over, from ears to throat, lungs, heart, so on, which is more than I can say for the other twit. She said that DD was really well and that indicated that the lump shouldn't be anything bad, but she didn't expect that it would go away on its own so she handed me a ultrasound referral for the next stage. At least we're beginning to get somewhere.

Alan - you echoed my thoughts. If we could all just google how we were feeling we wouldn't go to the doctor in the first place!!

Thanks all

Hey Corelly, We have a Dr who googles too while patients are in, it's a bit off putting!

I had something similar when I was little and it turned out to be a cebacious cyst (??spelling). I had it removed and it was nothing sinister. It actually came back and had it removed a second time. Again nothing sinister. Think it's something like toxins trying to escape the body when you have had a virus or been generally unwell???
Definitely worth the second opinion..the second Dr sounds very switched on :D

Corelly I hope the ultrasound goes well and good on you for pursuing it further, I am just going to subscribe to this because I am interested to see what the ultrasound shows up. My DD has lumps (not just one) in her neck, all about pea size and each time I ask about it I get the same reply "its just lymph nodes". I havent been worried about it too much as she has been well and not sick or anything but I am a bit worried with some things people tell me that they could be.
Anyway enough about me, hope you gets some answers.

Hi all,

Had the ultrasound today and DD screamed up a storm so it made it difficult for clear images. I've been to see my GP this afternoon and the results are showing that it is not consistant with things like cancer, but they still are unsure with what it is because it could be many different things that aren't life threatening. So where we're at now is that I'm waiting on an appointment with the Royal Children's Hospital for further scans to see exactly what it is and we're being referred to a specialist. We've booked to have a holiday next week, and my GP told us to go, saying it isn't anything dangerous for us to warrant cancelling the holiday. But I still can't help holding my breath! Once we're back and the scans have been done at the RCH, they should have a better idea of what it is and if it can be left alone, or what treatment needs to happen.

I can't believe that this is going on. DD is almost 11 months old. At 7 weeks she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and went into a brace. At three months, she had surgery for it and was in plaster followed by another brace which comes off for good this Friday. Just when we can go, hey, life is gonna be great and awesome and we can finally do so many things we haven't been able to do, and now this is thrown at her too. Poor little munchkin. It never happens to the bad people of the world, does it? Not to the drug pushers or the murderers or rapists.

Salad - from what I can gather from what I've been told, lymph nodes are hard and pea sized. What my DD has in her neck is liquidy feeling and about the size of a walnut. But don't you hate the dismissiveness when you ask and get an answer without any sort of check or test?

Hi all,

Thought I'd just update here again - DD had her ultrasound last night at RCH and the belief is that the lump is a mass of incorrectly formed lymph nodes that have mounded together. It's only a problem if it gets infected and we'll know if it is because it will get even bigger and be red and she'll be distressed. We're being referred to a specialist who will decide if they'll just leave it be, or if further action is required.

I tell you though, the people at RCH are just magicians. They chatted to her, played with her, and managed to get perfect usable images.

Glad she is ok & I hope nothing major needs to be done :)

I'm glad it's turned out not to be too scary, and that this time the appt was less traumatic for your DD

HI Corelly,

DD has lumps on her neck and back of her head too. THey particularly get enlarged when her eczema gets worse.

I went to see a specialist pead (even though my Dr said it was nothign) and he too confirmed that they were just enlarged lymph nodes.

I just need to monitor them to make sure they dont hurt or get any bigger (crrently to size of a pea).

It is very stressing isnt it?

I hope my DD's lumps and your DD's lumps goes away.

Just an update -

Had the appointment with the surgeon yesterday to decide what needs to happen with this lump and he said he is very comfortable to leave it alone. He is going to review the ultrasound images and if he then disagrees with his own prognosis, he'll call us back. He said an infection in it isn't a bad thing if one should occur, because sometimes it helps reduce the size of it and can be treated with antibiotics, but to get rid of it, if needed, is either injecting it or surgery. Wants to see us again in six months, but said if it was his daughter, he'd simply leave it alone. Phew!

Oh this thread has made me feel better. My DS has a lump on the side of his neck under his ear just like you have described. Squishy and about walnut sized.
My GP is a bit perplexed by it but seems to think it is an infected node or gland.
He has had a few sore throats over the last few weeks so he put him on a course of antibiotics to see if it would reduce it.
I think it has a little, but it is still there after a week on antibiotics so this morning he said to finish the medicine and come back in two weeks and he will ultrasound it if its still there.
So after reading your posts and updates I feel a bit better about the whole thing.
I was going to go to another Dr to see if they thought the same thing but think now I will wait to see if it goes down or get an ultrasound done on it.
Thank you Corelly

Feijoa Mum - Will be interesting to see if it is the same thing! It's a weird and creepy thing to have pop up on your LO, let alone on their neck!! Post back once you have the ultrasound done!

That is great to hear Correlly. My DS1 had lumps at the back of his head when he was under 12mths old, very scary. We too were sent off to RCH for ultrasound and also a dermatology specialist as he had a wort like thing on the back of his head. They were brilliant. My DS1's turned out to be enlarged lypmph nodes due to fighting an infection.
I am sure you wil get the same result, definitley worth going through the process for peace of mind :)

Hi Corelly just wondering how your LO's lump is now??

My DS has had his persistently for well over a year now and not sure but it does seem to be getting a little bigger. He is having another ultrasound tomorrow to compare the results from his last one (02/11)
I am trying very hard to listen to that logical side of my brain that says it is harmless nodes, but just quietly its not easy.

My GP has said depending on tomorrows results he may refer us to a specialist to talk about the next plan :dunno: Oh I dont like this :shakehead:

My DD's hasn't changed. It's still there but not really noticeable unless you really look for it.

If your DS needs further treatment, the surgeon we saw said there are different options of treating it, should it come to that. He said he only usually works on them if they are large and invasive (like golf ball size jutting out). He said they can be treated by ab's, injecting them, or surgery but it depended on the severity.

Good luck with the u/s. I'd say try not to worry, but I know that's just impossible until you hear someone in the know say things are fine. :hug:

Thanks for replying hun :p

S's is probably about a 15c (hope that makes sense) size round and sticks out at least 10mm. Its there all the time and clearly noticeable when he is looking straight at you but even more so when he turns his head so the skin is taut on that side.
I wasnt worried about the last two ultrasounds but the GP saw it and said it was time to get another one done when I took him to the Drs for his infected toe just before xmas!
It stills moves and isnt sore at all so im hoping that still means its harmless.

I think (and I'm no doctor!) that if it's still doing everything it was previously, like moving around and not being sore, then the GP might be just being thorough and making sure there are no changes. Got my fingers crossed that everything is fine :)

How did your DS go with the u/s Feijoa Mum?

His sticking out lump has grown and his neck is loaded with others that you cant feel on the outside.
He did have a bit of a viral throat infection two weeks before the u/s though so this could explain all the other lumps.
He has had full bloods done, more to put my mind at ease a bit, which didnt show anything to be concerned about. So now we are just waiting to get in with a specialist to have a biopsy done and will probably have the whole thing taken out to the fact its growing.
So at the moment we are just waiting, which is great because im so patient and all lol

:

---

So all I need is a desk, a computer and an internet connection and then I can start charging people $60 to come and talk to me for 3 minutes.

Corelly
It is probably a fatty deposit however I think that you should go and see a real doctor for a second opinion.

---

$70 if you move to WA and $90 of its " out of hours"

Patience isn't my strong point either. I'm glad that the blood work came back with nothing to worry about. Hope you're okay :hug: