What kind of doctor should I see?

[wdogmedia]

So...just last night I noticed a smallish lump in the back of my neck, on the left side, right at my hairline. Doesn't hurt or anything, but it still freaks me out. I'm 24 years old with no history of bizarre medical issues, although my grandmother did die of cancer.

My question is this; should I go to a general practitioner first, or should I make an appointment with an oncologist? I've heard SO many horror stories of GPs misdiagnosing or not catching serious issues, but at the same time I don't want to piss off a busy oncologist by whining about my little neck lump when he could be dealing with cancer patients.

Last time I went to the doctor was a couple of years ago when I had the flu...I was prescribed medication containing hydrocodone, which I have severe reactions to....it plainly said that on my chart, too. So yeah, I have doctor trust issues...

 

[IlluminatedSage]

at your age, definitely go to your GP first.

It could be something or nothing.

but one thing is certain, you really need to stop killing zombies. apparantly some of the blood splatter does contain mutant virus and could have landed on the back of your neck.

stop playing stubbs the zombie, it isn't good for your health, it isnt a game.

j/k & G'Luck

 

[benthewraith]

<snipped>

I'd recommend making an appointment with your doctor (as in your general practitioner, the one you see on a regular basis). Then make an appointment with another practitioner. If they give different opinions, always take to the more critical one. If one recommends an oncologist, go see an oncologist. Second opinions are always the best thing. It's better to be safe than sorry. It may or may not also be benign. Another thing to keep in consideration.

But seeing a doctor is important.

 

[MongoTheGeek]

See your GP.

Odds are its a fatty lipoma(sp?) I've had a couple. I won't go into the details about what happened with the first couple, but the one I went to the doctor for I wound up having removed. Simple surgery. Some doctors might even be able to do it in their office.

Piece of mind is worth it.

Cancer would manifest in the lymph nodes further down and in the sides and front.

 

[n-abounds]

Massage it?

 

[beatsme]

See your GP.

Odds are its a fatty lipoma(sp?) I've had a couple. I won't go into the details about what happened with the first couple, but the one I went to the doctor for I wound up having removed. Simple surgery. Some doctors might even be able to do it in their office.

Piece of mind is worth it.

Cancer would manifest in the lymph nodes further down and in the sides and front.

ditto...it's probably a lipoma. I've had a few, too. They're basically harmless, and fairly easily removed, though some doctors will advise against surgery since the risk of post-op infection is greater than the health risk caused by leaving it in...that's what my doctor told me, anyway.

my doctor, however, scheduled an MRI for me just to be sure. A word of advice: if you need to get an MRI, go for the open-type. The closed-type...awful.

 

[Angelus]

I vote for going to visit your GP. Believe me when i say that there's more than a handful of differential diagnoses for a neck lump, most of which are harmless.

 

[eva01]

Just incase this hasn't been mentioned yet insurance wont let you go to a specialized doctor without a referral from your PCP first.

Why go to a specialist when you don't know what it is.

And I have a lump right around the hairline on the back of my neck on the right side that is an enlarged lymph-node and has been that way for years.

You may have just not noticed it yet.

 

[wdogmedia]

Just incase this hasn't been mentioned yet insurance wont let you go to a specialized doctor without a referral from your PCP first.

Yeah, I just found this out by talking to my insurance company. I've made an appointment with a GP, thanks. Now if only I could stop myself from googling every lymph-node related disease in existence and scaring myself into living in a plastic bubble, I'd be fine. Stupid Wikipedia and its questionable accuracy.

 

[MongoTheGeek]

Yeah, I just found this out by talking to my insurance company. I've made an appointment with a GP, thanks. Now if only I could stop myself from googling every lymph-node related disease in existence and scaring myself into living in a plastic bubble, I'd be fine. Stupid Wikipedia and its questionable accuracy.

I am reminded of an episode of House where there was a clinic patient whose daughter would tense up in her car seat and thrash. Searching the internet the mom decided her daughter had epilepsy.

Houses diagnosis was expressed in a series of euphemisms and metaphors.

"Saying yoohoo to the hoohoo. Marching the penguin, Ya-yaing the sisterhood, finding nemo." Which got giggles out of the 4 year old and finally got through to the mother.

 

[wdogmedia]

I am reminded of an episode of House...

That's what I need. House would fix me right up. Well, after misdiagnosing me twice, geting yelled at by Cuddy for misdiagnosing me, then miraculously finding my true diagnosis in the final three minutes of the show by noticing a tiny detail that no one else noticed.

 

[MongoTheGeek]

That's what I need. House would fix me right up. Well, after misdiagnosing me twice, geting yelled at by Cuddy for misdiagnosing me, then miraculously finding my true diagnosis in the final three minutes of the show by noticing a tiny detail that no one else noticed.

No you would be a clinic patient who waits 3 hours to get mocked by House who then tells you to just pop it like a huge zit.

 

[wdogmedia]

No you would be a clinic patient who waits 3 hours to get mocked by House who then tells you to just pop it like a huge zit.

House: "So what's wrong with you?"

Me: "Well, I've got this strange lump on the back of my neck."

House: "Hmmm. Do you ski?"

Me: "Um...no."

House: "Ah. How often do you eat fish?"

Me: "Occasionally. Not very often."

House: "You're pregnant."

 

[beatsme]

Yeah, I just found this out by talking to my insurance company. I've made an appointment with a GP, thanks. Now if only I could stop myself from googling every lymph-node related disease in existence and scaring myself into living in a plastic bubble, I'd be fine. Stupid Wikipedia and its questionable accuracy.

don't sweat it. If it were anything more serious you'd have other symptoms.

 

[wdogmedia]

Well, miraculously I got an appointment yesterday @ 4pm. Doc said basically what I expected him to; see if it grows, probably nothing, no other symptoms, etc. I guess we'll see.....

 

[floriflee]

I wouldn't fret it too much. Like others have said, it's likely to be nothing serious. I have a small fatty cyst (lipoma?) near my spine that I've had for years that doctors have said is nothing serious, and probably developed from a sweat gland that got clogged or something. Just do as the doc says and keep an eye on it to see if it grows. There's no point stressing about it at this point.