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Warning-sign checks

Hodgkin lymphoma: when to get help

Go through these in order and stop at the first one that applies. If you are reading this for someone else, answer for them.

  1. 1

    Is any of this happening now?

    Call 911

    Seek emergency care for severe difficulty breathing, blue or grey lips, fainting, confusion, sudden chest pain, or rapidly increasing swelling of the face or neck.

    New leg weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the buttocks or genitals also needs emergency assessment because it may indicate pressure on the spinal cord.

    Other emergency signs, for anyone
    • Someone who is struggling to breathe, gasping, choking, or cannot get words out
    • Someone who has chest pain, tightness or pressure lasting more than a few minutes
    • Someone who has sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the face or body, slurred speech, or sudden confusion
    • Someone who is unconscious, or cannot be woken
    • Someone who is bleeding heavily and it will not stop with firm pressure
    • Someone who has had a seizure that will not stop, or does not wake up afterwards
    • Someone who has lips or skin that look pale, blue, grey or blotchy
    • Someone who you believe has taken an overdose or swallowed something poisonous
  2. 2

    Is any of this happening?

    Be seen today

    If you are being treated, contact your treatment team promptly about:

    • Fever, chills, or other possible signs of infection
    • New breathlessness, cough, rash, or unusual bleeding
    • Vomiting or diarrhoea that prevents you from keeping fluids down
    • Side effects that are worsening or difficult to manage

    Follow the urgent contact instructions given by your treatment centre rather than waiting for the next appointment.

  3. 3

    Does any of this apply?

    Book an appointment

    Arrange a routine medical appointment if you have an unexplained lymph node that persists, grows, or feels hard, especially if it occurs with night sweats, fever, itching, tiredness, or unintentional weight loss.

    These symptoms have many possible causes and do not by themselves mean lymphoma.

The article also says

A fever during chemotherapy can be a sign of a serious infection even if you otherwise feel reasonably well.

Every sign above is quoted from the sofidex article on Hodgkin lymphoma. If you are not sure, err upward — it is always reasonable to be checked.