dr. ml???

[onetruething]

I have a lump in my calf. It feels about the size of a golf ball and is painful at times. I can walk on it no problem. There is no redness and my leg is not warm to the touch. Just very annoying.

Is this something i should be seen for or wait and see if it resolves on its own? I'm vaccinated but would really prefer to keep out of er and doctors office.

[Jalapeñomel]

Dr. Pimple Popper is your best bet. 😁

[rosiebear]

Can you see it or only feel it? If you can see it, a video visit may be possible.

[mommin]

How long have you had it? I know you don’t want to go to a doc but I’d want to get it checked out if it’s been more than a few days.

[icedcoffee]

My sister recently had this on her arm and it was MRSA. We all laughed it off and told her it was a pimple and I’m glad she ignored us and went to the ER. 😬

[nicolewi]

Has it been there for a long time? I had a lump on the outside of my calf that I had for a while, but it suddenly seemed like it was getting bigger. No one else would really notice it, but I could see it, so of course I started looked at it and feeling it and you could kind of feel a lump. I freaked out and decided I probably had cancer and was going to have to have my leg amputated. I saw the primary care doc and get referred for an ultrasound, and to my relief, it was just a cyst. I guess sometimes they just happen, may or may not cause discomfort, and can just stay there. I think I noticed it b/c it was swelling or something at the time, and was sometimes feeling a little sore. I can tell it's smaller now.

So...you should get probably get it checked out if it's persistent, but hopefully it's nothing.

[onetruething]

Aug 31, 2021 20:31:10 GMT -5 rosiebear said:

Can you see it or only feel it? If you can see it, a video visit may be possible.

This is a great idea, maybe I'll start there.

[erbear]

Could be a cyst or a lipoma but I'd want it checked out.

[onetruething]

Aug 31, 2021 20:41:54 GMT -5 mommin said:

How long have you had it? I know you don’t want to go to a doc but I’d want to get it checked out if it’s been more than a few days.

It's been about four weeks since I've noticed it.

[lilac05]

I’ll save the anecdotes, but please get it checked out soon. If you are vaccinated and not high risk, the risk/benefit of going to the office definitely strongly leans towards being seen.

Keep in mind, most doctor’s offices aren’t actually seeing patients with any Covid symptoms in the office right now. And chances are good that most people there are vaccinated. I feel safer in a doctor’s office right now than the grocery store.

[NewOrleans]

Lipoma

[CloudBee]

Golf ball sized lump? You need to get that checked by your PCP or at urgent care ASAP. It could be one of a million benign findings, but it could also be something scary like a blood clot.

[sapphireblue]

I had a lump in my armpit recently and was also convinced I had something serious going on. But it was an abscess.

It burst and was super painful but no big deal. I got antibiotics though which were important. I guess my point is I think you should get it checked out.

I have been to a few doctor's offices in the last few months, dealing with things I had put off before being vaccinated. I have felt safe. Everyone was masked, they had strict protocols in place, for what that is worth, but I understand your hesitancy.

[onetruething]

Ok, thanks everyone. I'm going tomorrow.

[coltsfan85]

I’m glad you’re going in tomorrow. I have a number of chronic conditions that have required me to see doctors throughout the pandemic and have generally felt really safe visiting all of them. None of them will see patients with any covid symptoms and all of them require masking and maintain distancing really well. I hope your experience is similar and don’t be afraid to ask if you can wait in your car if you feel uncomfortable in the waiting room. Good luck!

[shauni27]

onetruething, report back!

[DotAndBuzz]

Aug 31, 2021 21:12:30 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

I’ll save the anecdotes, but please get it checked out soon. If you are vaccinated and not high risk, the risk/benefit of going to the office definitely strongly leans towards being seen.

Keep in mind, most doctor’s offices aren’t actually seeing patients with any Covid symptoms in the office right now. And chances are good that most people there are vaccinated. I feel safer in a doctor’s office right now than the grocery store.

Ditto all this.

I won't go to the grocery store (seriously, I get an instacart delivery once a week), and avoid every other store as much as I can, even though I'm vax'd, because Delta is no joke, and people aren't masking.

But I won't hesitate to go to the doctor, or to take my kids to the doctor, because those offices seem to be highly regulated, and mask mandatory. And they're a place that will actually enforce it. 

OP: Glad you made an appointment, hope everything goes well. 

[Aloe Vera]

Sept 1, 2021 9:12:46 GMT -5 DotAndBuzz said:

Aug 31, 2021 21:12:30 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

I’ll save the anecdotes, but please get it checked out soon. If you are vaccinated and not high risk, the risk/benefit of going to the office definitely strongly leans towards being seen.

Keep in mind, most doctor’s offices aren’t actually seeing patients with any Covid symptoms in the office right now. And chances are good that most people there are vaccinated. I feel safer in a doctor’s office right now than the grocery store.

Ditto all this.

I won't go to the grocery store (seriously, I get an instacart delivery once a week), and avoid every other store as much as I can, even though I'm vax'd, because Delta is no joke, and people aren't masking.

But I won't hesitate to go to the doctor, or to take my kids to the doctor, because those offices seem to be highly regulated, and mask mandatory. And they're a place that will actually enforce it. 

OP: Glad you made an appointment, hope everything goes well. 

I third all this!!! A doctor's office is probably the safest place you can be right now: everyone wears a mask, everyone is probably vaccinated, patients with any Covid symptoms aren't allowed, cleaning protocols are high, etc. Get it checked.

[onetruething]

Thanks everyone for encouraging me to have it checked. It’s a lipoma. I feel better knowing they ruled out anything serious and the Covid protocols were excellent.