tender armpit lymph node...

jillybean800

I am of course mildly freaking out that I have a tender armpit lymph node.  I know this could just be any type of an infection, especially because I just shaved my armpits 2 days ago.  (My head is saying, it's probably nothing and will go away in a day or two, and my hysterical emotions are thinking it's cancer) But out of curiosity...

What type of doctor would you go see about this?

Think I can get away with waiting until next week? Or is this bad news? My health insurance runs out tomorrow and then I have to wait to get a new card from my H's insurance.

mrslucid

I get these every so often, just makes me extra tired.  I went to the doctor the first time I got one and they checked it out and said it was nothing to worry about.  I don't go now when I get one, it usually goes away pretty quickly.

keags5496

Have you had a cold or anything else infectionwise lately? Mind get sore practically every time that happens. I would give it a few days and see if it gets better. How long before you'd be covered under DHs insurance?

jarebearsmom

I'd wait til next week. If you go now any treatment won't be covered by DH insurance because it's a pre existing condition. And waiting a week will give it time to go away on its in if it's nbd. Do you have a family dr? I would go there because they will have to refer you to a specialist anyway

onlymeggan

Ok you're going to think I've lost my mind but if it's a lump in your armpit you might try squeezing on it.   Turns out we have breast tissue in our armpit and when we breastfeed occassionally we can get a gland in the pit that produces milk too.   <hangs head in shame and embarrassment>  I have to milk my armpit or I get a painful lump (only when lactating obviously).  Feel free to make fun of me... my whole family does 

jillybean800

onlymeggan:

Ok you're going to think I've lost my mind but if it's a lump in your armpit you might try squeezing on it.   Turns out we have breast tissue in our armpit and when we breastfeed occassionally we can get a gland in the pit that produces milk too.   <hangs head in shame and embarrassment>  I have to milk my armpit or I get a painful lump (only when lactating obviously).  Feel free to make fun of me... my whole family does 

I wouldn't make fun! I remember when I was engorged when my milk first came in that it was all the way up into my armpits!

It helps me to hear that this happens to others too. I've investigated it a little more closely, and I have an ingrown armpit hair right on top of it. My guess is that's what's causing it.  So I'm going to put warm compresses on it to try to get that sucker out, then wait a couple of days to see if the lymph node goes down.  By then I will have insurance  

 

lrn327

jillybean800:

onlymeggan:

Ok you're going to think I've lost my mind but if it's a lump in your armpit you might try squeezing on it.   Turns out we have breast tissue in our armpit and when we breastfeed occassionally we can get a gland in the pit that produces milk too.   <hangs head in shame and embarrassment>  I have to milk my armpit or I get a painful lump (only when lactating obviously).  Feel free to make fun of me... my whole family does 

I wouldn't make fun! I remember when I was engorged when my milk first came in that it was all the way up into my armpits!

It helps me to hear that this happens to others too. I've investigated it a little more closely, and I have an ingrown armpit hair right on top of it. My guess is that's what's causing it.  So I'm going to put warm compresses on it to try to get that sucker out, then wait a couple of days to see if the lymph node goes down.  By then I will have insurance  

 

Oh no onlymeggan, that's so mean of them!  

Jilly, honestly, this used to happen to me so often that I went to my OB about (finally), panicked that I had cancer too. My armpit ached all the time (hard to pick up my arm sometimes) and of course I had the lump as well.  She thoroughly checked me out and I was truly shocked to hear her response.   She told me to get a wireless bra!  No kidding but she said that the underwire that somehow didn't seem anywhere near my armpit was actually squishing the breast tissue and was causing the inflammation.  I thought she was nuts but thought I'd give it a try.  Well, that was five years ago, no wired bras and no pain since! 

Most likely though, it's just a temporary swollen lymph node signaling that your body is fighting something.  Worry about it next week if it doesn't go down, not now.  

neenann

It sounds like its probably caused by the ingrown hair.

Maybe to ease your mind call your doc and schedule an appt for next week. You can always cancel if it gets better. Also I may have misunderstood but if your just waiting on the insurance card to come in the mail you can just call the ins carrier and they will give you information to take to your appt without the card. If your waiting for coverage to kick in then ignore my previous sentence.

kj07

@jilly - I like the wait and see approach.  But Neenan does have a good point.  I had to call and get B's insurance info so I could take him to his first few appointments since it took forever for the insurance company to send us his cards.

@onlymeghan - I'm sorry your family makes fun, but it's kinda awesome in a weird sort of way.  it's like your armpit has superpowers compared to other armpits out there.

 

onlymeggan

kj07:

@onlymeghan - I'm sorry your family makes fun, but it's kinda awesome in a weird sort of way.  it's like your armpit has superpowers compared to other armpits out there.

 

Thank you I needed that.  Made me laugh so hard.  Next time they make fun of me I'll have to tell them they're just jealous of my super pit lol

bosha711

ooh, I hope it's just an ingrown hair! Keep us updated