hi. I know I know, this is a exmo board. But you guys seem to have great knowledge about many things.

I found a tiny lump in my armpit yesterday. now, I had a flu shot last week, but never had this happen before. Also it may have been there before but I just didn't feel it (sort of doing a breast exam, had been awhile).

Also, I had a very swollen painful lymph gland in my neck two weeks ago. it was on the other side of my body and it lasted a week.

So, my friend thinks i'm being silly. How long should I wait to see if it goes away?

Have any of you had this reaction to flu vaccines?

i'm 47, female. Should I get it checked out now?

I dont' want to seem like a worry wart.

I run a flu shot clinic. A "knot" at the site, sometimes for a week or more can occur, but I haven't ever heard or seen a lump in the armpit.

You do have a lot of lymph nodes in your armpit. I would hazard a guess that the lump in your armpit is more likely related to the inflamed node in your neck than your flu shot, but I suppose it is possible your body is having an inflammatory response to the antigens in the shot.

If you were calling my clinic, I would suggest an apt with your doc when you can get in, just to put your mind to rest. Our bodies do all kinds of weird things and they don't always mean anything. Try not to worry and let us know how you are doing.

I'm also lethargic and achy for a few days. If it really concerns you, call the doc now or wait a few days and see if it goes down.

Before anyone goes on their typical anti-vaxxer tangent, without vaccines I could end up in the hospital or die from the flu or pneumonia. Vaccines save lives.

If it lasts more than a few days or gets bigger, YES, get it checked out.

Get it checked out. Get EVERYthing checked out when there is doubt or reason to be concerned. (On the other hand, I get a pea-sized lump every couple of months in one armpit that is just a bad pore that backs up. The same thing happened to a co-worker who had a pore that backed up. He thought it was a lymph node and had it checked out.)

I disagree.

If you look hard enough (and that's not really that hard,) you will find something wrong.

But that's why you have an immune system. Most things that go wrong with your body resolve themselves without any medical intervention.

I don't want to live in a state of fear that every twinge is something that's going to kill me--especially when it's likely the "thing" du jour will resolve itself w/in a week or two.

If you start chasing every little twinge you're going down a road that has no end--until the end.

She's a 47 year-old female with a potentially swollen lymph gland. This puts her into a certain zone of concern. If she's got insurance, she's paying for it. If she's paying for it, she needs to use it and have it checked out. I'm pretty sure that this is how it works.

Before you read this my situation turned how great, having said that I've always done breast examinations since I was in my 20's. When I was 44 I felt a pea sized (hard) lump on my right breast (almost under my arm). I went in to my GYNO in October and she said it was nothing (my last mammogram was the previous May and didn't show any mass). I got through the holidays but kept feeling that hard pea sized lump with my hand in my bra....even when I was driving. In January, I went back in and my GYNO said "that wasn't there last time I saw you"....it was. She sent me for another mammogram and then an ultrasound. The radiologist wanted to set me up for a core biopsy. I ended up going straight for a lumpectomy because I already had another kind of cancer that was totally unrelated so my oncologist just wanted me to skip the core biopsy and have a lumpectomy. It was stage 1 estrogen positive. I had another lumpectomy to get clear margins. Long story short i also had the sentinel node biopsy and there were no lymph nodes involved so I didn't have to go on chemo, just radiation. That was 8 years ago. Get it checked and let me know if you have any other questions.

I do have a lump where I got the shot, though it is going down. I had the less painful shot I guess, though I thought it was worse.

hmm. Yes, I have to get vaccines cause I too could die from the flu and pneumonia if I get it again. I was diagnosed with restrictive lung disease a year ago. I have always gotten the flu shot anyway, not worth the risk.

I am actually waiting for the drs office to call me on some other testing, as I was in Friday, so I will ask the ma about it.

Thanks!!

I am a bit paranoid. I never was pregnant, had a hysterectomy at 36. I also took clomid and hcg shots to get pregnant, so technically I have a bit higher risk.

I wouldn't have noticed it except I was scratching there while being on here so I don't know if it is just new or not.

Thanks oppolo, I will let you know what happens, glad things worked out for you too!!

Your welcome. Keep us posted :-)

Also, know your breast density. I HAD (lol) very dense breasts that's the reason mine didn't show up on a mammo the previous May.

Also know your breast density. Ask your doctor about it. I had very dense breasts and I was told that was the reason it didn't show up on the mammogram the previous May.

If I use antiperspirant deodorant, I'll get a sweat gland or two to plug up and swell up like a big pimple.

Have you changed deodorants or used some new lotions/creams on your underarms?

If not, follow the others advice and have it checked by a doctor.

nope, nothing new. Also it is definitely not a pimple or blister-like lump, it is under the skin. You can't see it visually.

Gosh the more I think about it.....I will get it checked out if not tomorrow than Friday. pretty easy to get into my doc. last mammogram was 1 1/2 but I don't think it would have gotten quite this far up, maybe.

Also know your breast density. I was told I had very dense breasts and therefore it didn't show up on the previous mammogram I had 6 months prior.

I got mammos every year and no one told me my tissue was extremely dense meaning I was at risk and needed an ultra sound or MRI.

Turns out I'd had un detected stage II breast cancer for four years and no one mentioned it to me. Mammograms are much less unreliable for about 1/3 of women because of density issues.

Lumps need to be checked out. I had none. They eventually told me I had "internal architectural changes" and they had waited to tell me because women get cranky about false positives. I'm still cranky when I think about it.

Let us know how this turns out after your doctors visit.

It pays to treat armpit lumps the same as breast lumps because the one can become the other, as you no doubt know.

A good way to test any lump to see if it is pore-related is to use hot compresses and drawing salve. This is the old fashioned way to bring a boil to a head and prevent it from becoming a carbuncle (a boil with several heads).

Best of luck and do keep us posted. We're here for you, and as you said, this board has pretty much seen and done it all.


Kathleen Waters

As a matter of fact, most breast cancer is found in the armpit area. Myself, I had a pea sized lump on my breast. Turns out it was cancer. I had it checked as soon as I realize it was there. For that reason, i'm still here. I caught it early. That was 10 years ago.

I had a pea-size lump that would get bigger with my cycle. To be safe I had an ultrasound to verify it wasn't cancer. It turned out to be a cyst. A few months later it completely went away.

Please get it looked at.

Thanks all. Lots of good advice and experiences. I tend to look at things and try to be prepared for worst-case scenario. Not the best way, but my way.

For instance I NEVER thought God (Heavenly Father) then would let us adopt a baby. That somehow he would gum up the works and everyone would know that my ex had ssa (he denied he was gay and repented so the bishop gave us the release).

Nope, didn't happen. adopted a beautiful baby boy from Cali, and dad came out when he was 11. not what we had planned.

So. I would be surprised if it were something serious. I am disabled but because of a myriad of chronic type issues that affect my daily life but won't kill me anytime soon.

But yes, getting it checked out tomorrow. unless it disappears during the night. I found myself feeling it when driving too.

Ok Anagrammy, what is a drawing salve? If I had something that would work I would try that.

Nurse here too...

Ive heard of a knot at the injection site, but not else where. It would be best to inform your Doctor of possible interaction or just get your nodes checked out.

RMM

Get it checked out sooner rather than later. You sound like the sort of person who doesn't want to trouble her doctor, but really, that's what the doctor is there for. This isn't some imaginary complaint, this is a real complaint. Look after yourself.

It may also be a fatty tumor. Best to see a doctor.

You can also pour some magical olive oil on it and have men put their hands on you and pay it away. This almost always works if you have enough faith and pay a lot of money.

Get it checked out. I had a lumpectomy for what turned out to be a lipoma in my armpit. Just a fat lump. No problems in the 30 years since. But for peace of mind get it checked. There is a remote possibility that the flu shot has caused minor inflammation but that is a seriously small possibility of a reaction. The vanishingly small chance of side effects from any vaccination are way less serious than the side effects, or main effect, of getting the actual disease.

Got my appointment for this afternoon. It is going to be my male doc who has never had to touch me really, so it is going to be weird for me. Nonetheless I will live.

Oh, yeah, I forgot about oil in my hair....


Maybe I should call someone about getting doterra or young family essentials.

I wonder what would happen if I put it on the eagle mountain board. I would probably get offers of cures.

I will go to the doctor. I will return and report RFM.

That's very sensible. Good on you! We are anxious to "hear" the report.