Night Sweats & Lymphoma
- Julie Cook, 44, started experiencing intense night sweats about four nights a week and assumed it was early stages of menopause. She later learned night sweats can be a symptom of lymphoma.
- Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that is broken up into two separate categories: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Common symptoms of lymphoma can include swollen glands in your neck, armpit, or groin, fever, chills, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, consistent fatigue or spontaneous swelling in the stomach.
Cook relayed her experience through an open essay on The Daily Mail in which she stated she started experiencing intense night sweats at least four times a week and would have to change her bedding each time it occurred. She initially assumed it was perimenopause (the beginning states of menopause), seeing as night sweats are a common symptom of menopause. However, she wasn’t experiencing other common symptoms such as an irregular period, hot flashes, mood swings or irritability. She decided to consult her doctor and went through blood tests to get to the bottom of the matter.
Read MoreOvarian cancer survivor Lisa Mitchell on why she encourages women to speak up about their health
What is Lymphoma?
Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that is broken up into two separate categories: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The main difference between the two is that Hodgkin lymphoma has distinctive, giant cells called Reed-Sternberg cells. The presence of these cells, which can be seen under a microscope, will help your doctor determine which of the two lymphoma types you have. So, if these cells are not present then that points to non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
What makes this cancer even more complex is that non-Hodgkin lymphoma has two subtypes: B-cell or T-cell lymphoma (two infection fighting cells). About 85% of people diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma will have B-cell lymphoma. These cells produce antibodies proteins that react to foreign substances like viruses or bacteria in your body. The antibodies attach to another protein on the surface of the invading cells, called an antigen, to target and destroy them.
Recognizing symptoms of lymphoma can be tricky, which can sometimes lead to late stage diagnoses. However, most common signs to look for include: swollen glands in your neck, armpit, or groin, fever, chills, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, consistent fatigue, or spontaneous swelling in the stomach.
Dr. Elise Chong breaks down sneaky symptoms of lymphoma
Women Advocating For Themselves
One of the most important things that every individual should know is that when it comes to taking control and prioritizing your health, being your own advocate can be a life-saving decision.
April Knowles was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at 39-years-old. During a routine visit to her gynecologist, they found a lump in her breast but initially dismissed it and blamed it on her period. However, the lump remained, and Knowles pushed to go through a PET scan and biopsy. Turns out, it was the best decision she could have made, because the tests revealed that she had breast cancer in her spine and hip. This experience taught her the importance of speaking up for yourself and always pushing for answers if you feel like something is wrong.
"I think women, especially young women, are really used to being dismissed by their doctors," Knowles previously told SurvivorNet. "Or 'you're too young for this,' or 'here's some Prozac, go home and cook dinner for your children.' I think a lot of patients don't want to hurt their doctor's feelings either. We really do want our doctors to like us. But you have to take charge. You have to learn about your disease. You have to ask questions."
April Knowles shares her experience about her doctor dismissing her breast cancer symptoms
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