Apparently in a minority of lymphoma cases (like 5%), drinking alcohol causes pain in the lymphatic system. First: remember, something like .00003% of Americans get Hodgkin's in the first place. I don't have all the stats, if you're so damn curious google it.
Anyway, it's a rare and unusual and totally unexplained phenomenon. Really, my oncologist's face LIT UP when he found out I was one of the lucky few of the lucky few. Literally within minutes of consuming even the smallest amount of alcohol, I get pretty serious pain all up and down my back.
Turns out, hindsight being hilarious, this was actually my first symptom. Naturally I thought it was like anxiety and stress and bad posture (I have plenty of all those things and September is a rough month to work for a major university). And I only once humorously connected the pain to alcohol. At the end of the day when I am unwinding, I am also cracking open a beer -- and I figured the pain was more about stress and muscle tension and the beer was just a McGuffin or a red herring or whatever is the appropriate term. Nope, it was cancer!
Last night I tested this with some alcohol and not only did I experience the pain, but I also got a fever and felt generally cancery. Probably I should stop drinking for a while. Screw you, cancer! ::shakes fist at cancer::
2 comments:
Docs love seeing things that are "textbook" signs or symptoms but not necessarily that common.
I'm not suprised your oncologist "lit up" when you told him about your alcohol pain. He likely asks that question to every lymphoma patient he sees and rarely gets a "yes." (because it's a rare finding but also because people aren't so good at recalling symptoms.. it's a good thing you like to drink so frequently)
He'll probably bring you up next time he's talking to a med student or resident about Hodgkins.
Not to say "i hope your smoking a lot of weed", but, i hope your smoking a lot of weed.
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