Recurring Swollen Lymph Nodes?

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PaperCrane

Peer Supporter
Just curious if anyone has had experience with this, in relation to TMS. I've been having trouble with episodes of my glands swelling (particularly my salivary glands and those in my neck, but sometimes all over) and becoming tender. Sometimes it becomes difficult to swollow and my mouth becomes dry when the salivary glands are affected. I sometimes feel flushed when this happens, but don't run a fever.

At this point, it's really the one symptom that keeps derailing me and making me worry I have serious medical condition, rather than TMS. More accurately, it's not so much the swollen glands alone, but swollen glands within the context of my other problems, which sound very much like Sjogren's Syndrome or Late Stage Lyme Disease.

I do have risk factors for those conditions, (Lyme in particular, with a history of multiple tick bites and living in a Lyme endemic area) and have been tested, but had the blood work come back negative for each. Unfortunately, the blood tests for both these conditions are known not to be accurate and both these conditions are notoriously hard to diagnose. And, I live in a rural area, without good access to knowledgeable doctors, so all of this is making me feel stuck in limbo. I don't really have complete confidence I have or do not have one of these conditions.

But, knowing my personality, childhood, etc, I keep coming back to TMS and wondering about that, too. So, again, just curious if anyone has found this to be a TMS symptom. My gut says TMS, but lately I just keep questioning myself.
 
Someone on tmshelp.com recently posted about swollen nodes, I think they were under his arms. You might want to check over there.
 
Remember, TMS will always create symptoms that seem to be caused by a structural problem, as it is the only way to distract you. It could be that since you live in a rural area, you are more likely to suspect Lyme disease and therefore your unconscious creates symptoms similar to Lyme disease. Of course, I am not a doctor and don't really know much about either Lyme disease or Sjogren's Syndrome. My only advice would be to see a doctor, but it sounds like you have done that. If a doctor can't find a structural reason why your glands swell, then it is probably TMS. A better question you may want to ask yourself is if there is anything holding you back from accepting the TMS diagnosis.
 
Forest said:
My only advice would be to see a doctor, but it sounds like you have done that. If a doctor can't find a structural reason why your glands swell, then it is probably TMS. A better question you may want to ask yourself is if there is anything holding you back from accepting the TMS diagnosis.
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Thanks, Forest, I will have to ponder that one a bit.

I was journaling the other night and realized there have been many, many times in my life that I was not 'heard' by family members and it led to disasterous consequences. One in particular was when I wanted to organize an intervention for my alcoholic father, but my family, who was very deep in denial, said I was overreacting and fabricating "horrible lies" about my father. He died of cirrhosis of the liver a year later and I never spoke to most of my family again.

So, when I'm having a lot of health problems and dealing with second-rate doctors who get you in and get you out of their office in fifteen minutes or less, it's probably natural with my previous experiences that I'd assume their inability to find anything means they are refusing to listen and take me seriously, rather than that it means there is not actually a problem. The fact that the two things I am most concerned about are notoriously hard to diagnose and many patients wind up in limbo for years before getting an accurate diagnosis just complicates it further and makes me distrust what I'm being told even more.

I hate to say it, but I think I may have to make a trip to a teaching hospital and hear it from qualified docs who specialize in this stuff before I can let it go and move forward, but I hope I don't wind up regretting that move later. I worry sometimes that the stress from dealing with the medical system is almost worse than the issues I'm dealing with.
 
PaperCrane said:
So, when I'm having a lot of health problems and dealing with second-rate doctors who get you in and get you out of their office in fifteen minutes or less, it's probably natural with my previous experiences that I'd assume their inability to find anything means they are refusing to listen and take me seriously, rather than that it means there is not actually a problem.
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I felt the same way for much of the time I had my symptoms. I was even told that my symptoms had a psychosomatic component, but it was so hard for me to accept that because I never felt that they took to the time to understand my symptoms. As Steve Ozanich said in his book, "We all need to feel connected and heard and accepted-flaws and all."
 
Forest said:
As Steve Ozanich said in his book, "We all need to feel connected and heard and accepted-flaws and all."
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Quoted for truth. This past Saturday, I took a day trip to get together with some very accepting friends I hadn't seen in a long time and talked with them about what I've been going through over the last few months. Their reaction was very supportive and they seemed to listen without passing judgement in the same way others I've been talking with about all of this have. And, I must say, my symptoms hardly bothered me all day. Imagine that. ;)
 
Stumbled on your post and wondered if you are feeling better. I’m dealing with multiple TMS symptoms, but the most concerning is some swollen lymph nodes. CT scan tonight and hopefully I can put this to rest.
 
All clear scan. thanks for asking. I stopped taking Depakote for my chronic migraines and the lymph node swelling went away. That is my best guess to the cause.
 
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