To appease my curiosity, please answer the above poll. Please give this poll a miss if you've not noticed issues with lymph nodes in your neck. Thanks.
For me it's been the armpit lymph nodes that's been most bothering. Definitely left side. It's often been downright painful. Haven't noticed any particular side regarding the lyme nodes in the neck when they've been swollen and tender.
It's usual the left side of the neck that hurts 1st but it can be both sides. Oddly it's usually my right armpit that hurts first but it can be both.
My daughter says she feels no difference (but seems to complain about the left side more) ETA left glands mostly drain via thoracic duct right glands via lymphatic duct the thoracic duct seems to cover more glands
Yes I think I’m one of the minority that don’t have anything gland wise (I mainly couldn’t resist the innuendo element). I often wonder whether it’s a likely indicator for sub grouping. I have constant muscle pain and headaches which flare but no painful lymph nodes. Never had any obvious infection at onset either. I suspect that might be another clue to sub groups but it’s all speculation really.
I have had occasional episodes of actual swollen glands. One time my already chubby neck was so swollen my head looked like a melon and the GP thought I had mumps, this was part of a series of laryngitis in the decade before I got diagnosed. But tender glands much more frequently and indicates ME is at my worst level.
I used to get swollen neck glands when a bit knackered - often just one at a time. Now they're both swollen all the time, I think.
My glands are always swollen, though not as swollen as with the initial EBV infection when my neck was wider than my face. In the first couple of years, sometimes (once or twice a year) it changed which ones were swollen. Sometimes it was symmetric, sometimes not. The swelling hasn't changed in the last 2 or so years, it's the same few ones now and they are symmetric. They are only painful when I have exceptionally terrible PEM. (As a sidenote, my visibly swollen lymph nodes were the reason why my GP took my symptoms seriously.)
My daughters glands are not necessarily always swollen but they are always like rocks. On flares groin glands are problematic, but generally we can do a gland physiology dot to dot....... ,head and face, neck, armpits lungs, stomach .... before this I just thought they were armpits and throat !
My GP has never considered swollen lymph glands of any importance. Years ago my left side was noticeably swollen, and when she felt my neck she told me they were not swollen.
I never get swollen glands, they're not even palpable. However, they do get rather sore occasionally, chin, neck and armpits. Happens on both sides, haven't noticed any difference re left or right. Pretty sure not related to PEM but possibly to periods of being generally worse though haven't paid enough attention to be sure. Not one of my main problems.
Both sides of neck. Left often the more swollen side. ME since 1985 on. Still get painful neck, armpit and groin lymph nodes.
