QuestionThree months ago, I noticed that I had an enlarged firm lymph node below my right ear. My doctor looked at it and told me to call him if it got bigger.
I cannot tell if it went away or not because the area where the lymph node was feels hard like a bone (so I'm thinking that the hardness I feel is actually the transverse process of my cervical vertebre, since I feel something similar but smaller on the other side of my neck) Anyway, I was in the shower yesterday and noticed that I now have a chain of three small hard bumps (each no bigger than a pea)behind my right ear. I don't have symptoms of infection that I know of (other than being rather tired most of the time). My throat is not sore but I've noticed that my right tonsil light in color and has been about twice as big as my left tonsil for about 5 months now.
I also have an MCV of 110, but my Hbg and Hct are normal. My MCV has been increasing steadily for the past year or so (I do take birth control and was told by a physician's assistant that my MCV will keep increasing as long as I'm on the birth control). My CBC is otherwise normal, so are my folate, b12, and reticulocyte count. I don't drink but one drink a month, if that.
Not sure if there is cause for concern at this point, or if calling the doctor could wait a few weeks...Any thoughts?
AnswerI am not sure what is causing the MCV elevation.....
but getting the chain of nodes requires a recheck, unless you have some scalp infection above it .... some sores on the scalp causing the nodes to enlarge.
Get it looked at next week. Unless you are really really thin, that would not be a transverse process.
