How common are swollen lymph nodes in lyme disease?
When they're present, are they usually very enlarged or just slightly enlarged? Are they tender and painful, or hard and painless?
I've been sick for about a year and am trying to figure out if I have lyme disease or not. Amongst many other symptoms, I have had swollen lymph nodes in my throat and neck since day 1 of getting sick. Around 4 months in, the lymph nodes in my armpits and groin swelled up as well. They are all very painful.
Has anyone else with lyme had this happen?
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Lyme can cause this, but so can bartonella as well as other infections
That Lyme has allowed to "resurface".
Mine are usually swollen and painful.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
As already mentioned, lyme can cause swollen lymph nodes and so can bart and other infections but in order to know if you have lyme disease you will need to be evaluated by an LLMD. Go to the seeking doctors section of this website and put your City and State in the subject line and include a little about your history in the request.
I think it varies a great deal as to the presentation of lymph node issues. I only have one lymph node that bothers me. It is under my right ear. It's been a problem for several years and I control it completely with red root tincture which will help clear your lymph system.
I'm not a doctor but swollen lymph nodes can be a sign of other problems besides lyme including something like cancer. My aunt was just diagnosed with cancer which presented initially with swollen lymph nodes. Same thing happened with my husband's melanoma. If you haven't already, please have your lymph nodes checked out soon.
Terry
Posted by justwondering (Member # 12813) on :
Hi!
I, too, have swollen nodes/glands in my neck, nowhere else.
They have been this way for years, since I have gotten sick.
They are not very hard, just swollen.
They are big enough to bulge out when I tilt my neck back.
Are yours hard and immovable or softer and swollen? I saw an oncologist once (before my lyme diagnosis) who was a little concerned and had a ct scan done of them, and he concluded they were not too significant.
I have read many articles of people with chronic fatigue and fibro (AKA lyme??) who have swollen glands/nodes.
I am definitely NOT a doctor!
I would get them checked out. I was terrified for many years, but have come to realize they are just another part of the illness.
Jackie
Posted by behooved (Member # 14161) on :
Thanks guys. My lymph nodes are definitely soft and swollen, not hard and enlarged like they would be for lymphoma. I'm still getting them checked out by other doc though and might be getting a lymph node biopsy.
I'm looking into the lyme thing and am going to see a LLMD very soon.
Is there an accurate test for bartonella?
Also, does anyone know that if the lymph nodes are swollen because of lyme/bart, how soon into the antibiotic treatment do they usually go away?
Thanks again!
Posted by Patrick (Member # 8108) on :
I have had swollen glands in my throat and groin off and on since first getting sick in 2004. They had gotten better with treatment but back in October I stupidly allowed a doctor to give me a cortisone shot in my shoulder for bad pain I was having. I thought my Lyme was under control but should have known better.
Within a week the nodes had swelled up again in my throat and groin and also now in my neck, jaw, and arm pits. I'm back on abx's and they tend to swell up and go down at different times and feel like I'm being pinched when they do swell.
I've been treating for a few weeks now for both Lyme and Bart with Rifampin and Doxy. This week we added in Zith and it seems to have really stirred things up with everything swelling for the past two days. Its to soon to tell if its going to work but I see my LLMD next Friday so I hope things are getting settled down by then.
If you can get to an LLMD you should be able to get some answers. Good Luck.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
quote:Is there an accurate test for bartonella?
In my opinion, no. The reason being that there are many strains (new ones being discovered all the time) but only a few are tested for in the standard tests.
You can have a test done at Fry labs which will allow the organisms to be seen in the blood. I don't know much about that test but you can search around Lyme net for more info about it.
My bart test came back negative but I developed the long red streaks after going on doxy. Apparently others have had a similar experience. I have many bart symptoms and my LLMD is certain that I have it despite a negative test. I am also convinced that I have it.
I'm very glad to hear that you are going to see an LLMD and that you are having your lymph nodes checked out.
I hope you have a fast recovery. Terry
Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
I'm still fighting these swollen lymph nodes. As others have said, it's best to get it checked out by a LLMD since it could be so many different things and a LLMD could look at any other possible symptoms and either diagnose or rule out lyme and various other co-infections like bartonella.
In my case, my LLMD thinks mine are related to bartonella. Leave me with a very sore throat which is hard to swallow with the ones in my neck but the largest one is under my right arm.
The size of a golf ball and sometimes a little more. Not fun. Bart treatment has been making them go up and down. But again, I'd check with a doctor and good luck.
Cathy
Posted by hatpianka (Member # 12244) on :
Swollen lymph nodes were the first of many symptoms of Lyme for me. Before I was diagnosed with Lyme, I was prescribed antibiotics for "adenoiditis" and the lymph nodes went down very quickly.
Then, of course, the symptoms came back since I was on abx for a very short time (prior to diagnosis).
I just recently had another flare up of swollen lymph nodes and I think it was part of a herx.
Good luck.
Posted by Rianna (Member # 11038) on :
[QUOTE]Originally posted by behooved: [QB] How common are swollen lymph nodes in lyme disease?
I believe in Dr B's guidelines he says Lymph node swelling is linked to Bartonella infection, perhaps consider this
Rianna
Posted by Mathias (Member # 5298) on :
This has been a major problem for me. They vary from swollen/tender/sore to incredibly painful. Spleen tenderness has also been a problem.
Posted by jamescase20 (Member # 14124) on :
After about 3 weeks in my treatment, my glands swelled as well. I added cipro and switched to roxy and bac combo and the glands lost there swelling. I was on zithromax which I think caused the swelling, I dont know why, but it did. Swellen glands are a major symtom of lyme, and I had them since day 1 I was 8, now 40...dont wait. Dont trust the test results either!!!
Posted by Connieaag (Member # 15199) on :
Is there any specific "tests" that can be run with a lymph node biopsy that would be related to Lyme or give her LLMD any more direction for treatment? Just wondering since my daughter will be having one done.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Jackie