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Is it cancer?

Posted , 5 users are following.

mags96471
mags96471

My dad has been pretty sick for a while, but we can't figure out what it is. He has lost 12 lbs over the last few weeks (unintentionally), and often has night sweats and a low fever. The fever went down with antibiotics and he felt better a last week, but he keeps losing weight every day. His lymph nodes are also swollen. We have been to many different doctors in our area, but they can't figure out what the problem is. Is it cancer? What should we do? I am scared.

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • kurt19299
    kurt19299 mags96471

    Posted

    Has he had any scans or anything? Id be asking for an ultrasound of the nodes and possibly a biopsy.. also a ct scan 
    • mags96471
      mags96471 kurt19299

      Posted

      That’s the thing, my dad is convinced that a CT scan won’t identify anything because he thinks that even if he has a tumor, it won’t be big enough now to identify it yet.  He thinks radiation exposure might make it worse (he’s a X-ray crystallographer too so I can’t argue with him in this). Thank you for the suggestion of an ultrasound though.  We were thinking maybe also an MRI but those are expensive. 
  • broadsword
    broadsword mags96471

    Posted

    No-one here will be blue to tell you whether this is cancer. It will need you to take the advice of your family physician. Also it will help if Dad thinks about what has changed and whether there is anything he might think has contributed to it.

    i hope he is well soon

    Best wishes

  • JoyKF53
    JoyKF53 mags96471

    Posted

    Hi Mags. Night sweats caused by cancer are absolutely drenching, you can wring the night clothes and bed linen out, almost dripping wet. If he's just waking up sweating and the bed is mildly damp it's unlikely to be a symptom of cancer. Lymph nodes swell because of underlying infection and weight loss can be a symptom of many different conditions apart from cancer. Your dad needs to ask to be referred to a specialist, but please don't panic, it doesn't mean he has cancer.

    • mags96471
      mags96471 JoyKF53

      Posted

      Hi Joy. We will do more testing for cancer just to be safe, but thank you for your reassurance smile
    • JoyKF53
      JoyKF53 mags96471

      Posted

      There's no harm in getting as many tests done as possible. Let me know how you get on. Always here to listen.

  • Quihadi4
    Quihadi4 mags96471

    Posted

    If it's cancer it sounds like a blood cancer. If he has had a complete blood count done, check for a high IgG count. I suggest you go to WMUK online and check out the symptoms. The surest way a doctor could put a name on it is a bone marrow biopsy check. He should see an oncologist. It's better safe than sorry. 

     

    • mags96471
      mags96471 Quihadi4

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your suggestions. It really means a lot to me.

      We will get on it. He has already gone to seen a doctor, but we haven't done that much testing yet.

    • JoyKF53
      JoyKF53 mags96471

      Posted

      Let me know how you get on. I'm always happy to talk.

  • mags96471
    mags96471

    Posted

    Update: my dad’s CT scans came back and no tumor whooo!!! He just has an enlarged thyroid and hormonal imbalance. Thank you to all of you who gave me advice and helped to reassure me.  
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