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How Concerned Should I Be About Persistent Swollen Lymph Nodes
Question: How concerned should I be about persistent swollen lymph nodes in my armpits and groin after 3 months? The pain comes and goes.
I live in the UAE where HIV will get me deported. I’ve had three negative tests (most recent being 95 days after potential exposure) but I am nervous that because I went to an anonymous clinic that the results were fake. I have visited my doctor but have had to avoid addressing my concerns directly. Could a viral or bacterial infection other than HIV still be causing my nodes to be swollen after all this time? My doctor did basic blood work and identified that I have hypothyroidism doesn’t seem related.
I’ve had no tests for viruses or bacteria with him. If I do have HIV and it is identified in a test I will be imprisoned.
I live in the UAE where HIV will get me deported. I’ve had three negative tests (most recent being 95 days after potential exposure) but I am nervous that because I went to an anonymous clinic that the results were fake. I have visited my doctor but have had to avoid addressing my concerns directly. Could a viral or bacterial infection other than HIV still be causing my nodes to be swollen after all this time? My doctor did basic blood work and identified that I have hypothyroidism doesn’t seem related.
I’ve had no tests for viruses or bacteria with him. If I do have HIV and it is identified in a test I will be imprisoned.
How concerned should I be about persistent swollen lymph nodes in my armpits and groin after 3 months? The pain comes and goes.
I live in the UAE where HIV will get me deported. I’ve had three negative tests (most recent being 95 days after potential exposure) but I am nervous that because I went to an anonymous clinic that the results were fake. I have visited my doctor but have had to avoid addressing my concerns directly. Could a viral or bacterial infection other than HIV still be causing my nodes to be swollen after all this time? My doctor did basic blood work and identified that I have hypothyroidism doesn’t seem related.
I’ve had no tests for viruses or bacteria with him. If I do have HIV and it is identified in a test I will be imprisoned.
I live in the UAE where HIV will get me deported. I’ve had three negative tests (most recent being 95 days after potential exposure) but I am nervous that because I went to an anonymous clinic that the results were fake. I have visited my doctor but have had to avoid addressing my concerns directly. Could a viral or bacterial infection other than HIV still be causing my nodes to be swollen after all this time? My doctor did basic blood work and identified that I have hypothyroidism doesn’t seem related.
I’ve had no tests for viruses or bacteria with him. If I do have HIV and it is identified in a test I will be imprisoned.
Brief Answer:
Stop worrying, give additional information
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
Noted the history.
Understood the concerns.
HIV is the last on the list as a cause of lymph nodes in armpits and groin. So stop worrying about it since you have tested negative also.
Please give additional information for me to assist you better:
How many lymph nodes/lumps?
What are the sizes?
Any other symptoms like fever, body ache or so when you get pain in the lumps?
Any Ultrasound/FNAC/Biopsy done?
Awaiting for your feedback.
Dr T Chandrakant.
General Surgeon.
Stop worrying, give additional information
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
Noted the history.
Understood the concerns.
HIV is the last on the list as a cause of lymph nodes in armpits and groin. So stop worrying about it since you have tested negative also.
Please give additional information for me to assist you better:
How many lymph nodes/lumps?
What are the sizes?
Any other symptoms like fever, body ache or so when you get pain in the lumps?
Any Ultrasound/FNAC/Biopsy done?
Awaiting for your feedback.
Dr T Chandrakant.
General Surgeon.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Brief Answer:
Stop worrying, give additional information
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
Noted the history.
Understood the concerns.
HIV is the last on the list as a cause of lymph nodes in armpits and groin. So stop worrying about it since you have tested negative also.
Please give additional information for me to assist you better:
How many lymph nodes/lumps?
What are the sizes?
Any other symptoms like fever, body ache or so when you get pain in the lumps?
Any Ultrasound/FNAC/Biopsy done?
Awaiting for your feedback.
Dr T Chandrakant.
General Surgeon.
Stop worrying, give additional information
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
Noted the history.
Understood the concerns.
HIV is the last on the list as a cause of lymph nodes in armpits and groin. So stop worrying about it since you have tested negative also.
Please give additional information for me to assist you better:
How many lymph nodes/lumps?
What are the sizes?
Any other symptoms like fever, body ache or so when you get pain in the lumps?
Any Ultrasound/FNAC/Biopsy done?
Awaiting for your feedback.
Dr T Chandrakant.
General Surgeon.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
My concern is because I did have a high risk sexual encounter. I was in Cambodia for a week so may have also been exposed to tuberculosis or malaria.
A month after I returned I had intense flu like illness followed by swollen nodes. They are not individual swollen lymph nodes but more like a buckshot. The size is quite small. All my symptoms match the description of HIV and timing. Again I have had three negative tests. The most recent at 95 days.
The lymph nodes have been occasionally painful and sometimes a body ache sensation when I am asleep.
I had blood work done and it was revealed I had hypothyroidism again I am afraid to explain my situation to the doctor.
I recently have had bright red blood in my stool with a sharp pain. I had an ultrasound on my stomach which showed nothing. Soon I will visit a gastroenterologist.
My concern is that I cannot be tested for HIV at the hospital for fear of deportation. But I certainly had all the typical symptoms a month after a potential exposure and am now still suffering from swollen nodes.
A month after I returned I had intense flu like illness followed by swollen nodes. They are not individual swollen lymph nodes but more like a buckshot. The size is quite small. All my symptoms match the description of HIV and timing. Again I have had three negative tests. The most recent at 95 days.
The lymph nodes have been occasionally painful and sometimes a body ache sensation when I am asleep.
I had blood work done and it was revealed I had hypothyroidism again I am afraid to explain my situation to the doctor.
I recently have had bright red blood in my stool with a sharp pain. I had an ultrasound on my stomach which showed nothing. Soon I will visit a gastroenterologist.
My concern is that I cannot be tested for HIV at the hospital for fear of deportation. But I certainly had all the typical symptoms a month after a potential exposure and am now still suffering from swollen nodes.
My concern is because I did have a high risk sexual encounter. I was in Cambodia for a week so may have also been exposed to tuberculosis or malaria.
A month after I returned I had intense flu like illness followed by swollen nodes. They are not individual swollen lymph nodes but more like a buckshot. The size is quite small. All my symptoms match the description of HIV and timing. Again I have had three negative tests. The most recent at 95 days.
The lymph nodes have been occasionally painful and sometimes a body ache sensation when I am asleep.
I had blood work done and it was revealed I had hypothyroidism again I am afraid to explain my situation to the doctor.
I recently have had bright red blood in my stool with a sharp pain. I had an ultrasound on my stomach which showed nothing. Soon I will visit a gastroenterologist.
My concern is that I cannot be tested for HIV at the hospital for fear of deportation. But I certainly had all the typical symptoms a month after a potential exposure and am now still suffering from swollen nodes.
A month after I returned I had intense flu like illness followed by swollen nodes. They are not individual swollen lymph nodes but more like a buckshot. The size is quite small. All my symptoms match the description of HIV and timing. Again I have had three negative tests. The most recent at 95 days.
The lymph nodes have been occasionally painful and sometimes a body ache sensation when I am asleep.
I had blood work done and it was revealed I had hypothyroidism again I am afraid to explain my situation to the doctor.
I recently have had bright red blood in my stool with a sharp pain. I had an ultrasound on my stomach which showed nothing. Soon I will visit a gastroenterologist.
My concern is that I cannot be tested for HIV at the hospital for fear of deportation. But I certainly had all the typical symptoms a month after a potential exposure and am now still suffering from swollen nodes.
Brief Answer:
Ultrasound, FNAC/Biopsy helps the most
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your feedback.
I can understand the difficulty in getting tested.
Since your tests was negative 95 days of potential exposure was negative there is not much to worry about.
Exposure to tuberculosis as you have mentioned and flu like symptoms one month after returning from Cambodia with enlargement of lymph nodes can be due to flu itself.
The best way I can suggest in such a situation is as follows:
Request for Ultrasound of lymph nodes, FNAC if possible may give a better diagnosis. Even the biopsy is most suitable to get a final diagnosis which can come out to be non-specific or specific about some disease.
This will confirm the real diagnosis and gives way to specific treatment if the cause is found.
I hope this answer helps you.
Please give feedback once the ultrasound and FNAC/biopsy are done. Post the reports.
Dr T Chandrakant.
Ultrasound, FNAC/Biopsy helps the most
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your feedback.
I can understand the difficulty in getting tested.
Since your tests was negative 95 days of potential exposure was negative there is not much to worry about.
Exposure to tuberculosis as you have mentioned and flu like symptoms one month after returning from Cambodia with enlargement of lymph nodes can be due to flu itself.
The best way I can suggest in such a situation is as follows:
Request for Ultrasound of lymph nodes, FNAC if possible may give a better diagnosis. Even the biopsy is most suitable to get a final diagnosis which can come out to be non-specific or specific about some disease.
This will confirm the real diagnosis and gives way to specific treatment if the cause is found.
I hope this answer helps you.
Please give feedback once the ultrasound and FNAC/biopsy are done. Post the reports.
Dr T Chandrakant.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Brief Answer:
Ultrasound, FNAC/Biopsy helps the most
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your feedback.
I can understand the difficulty in getting tested.
Since your tests was negative 95 days of potential exposure was negative there is not much to worry about.
Exposure to tuberculosis as you have mentioned and flu like symptoms one month after returning from Cambodia with enlargement of lymph nodes can be due to flu itself.
The best way I can suggest in such a situation is as follows:
Request for Ultrasound of lymph nodes, FNAC if possible may give a better diagnosis. Even the biopsy is most suitable to get a final diagnosis which can come out to be non-specific or specific about some disease.
This will confirm the real diagnosis and gives way to specific treatment if the cause is found.
I hope this answer helps you.
Please give feedback once the ultrasound and FNAC/biopsy are done. Post the reports.
Dr T Chandrakant.
Ultrasound, FNAC/Biopsy helps the most
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your feedback.
I can understand the difficulty in getting tested.
Since your tests was negative 95 days of potential exposure was negative there is not much to worry about.
Exposure to tuberculosis as you have mentioned and flu like symptoms one month after returning from Cambodia with enlargement of lymph nodes can be due to flu itself.
The best way I can suggest in such a situation is as follows:
Request for Ultrasound of lymph nodes, FNAC if possible may give a better diagnosis. Even the biopsy is most suitable to get a final diagnosis which can come out to be non-specific or specific about some disease.
This will confirm the real diagnosis and gives way to specific treatment if the cause is found.
I hope this answer helps you.
Please give feedback once the ultrasound and FNAC/biopsy are done. Post the reports.
Dr T Chandrakant.
Note: For further inquiries on surgery procedure and its risks or complications book an appointment now
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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