Swollen lymph nodes in the abdomen

I need some help here. I’ve been dealing with stomach pain for a year now—constant nausea, weakness, and sometimes vomiting blood. I had H. pylori a long time ago, but that's gone. Now it's just this sharp, stabbing pain in my abdomen. A CT scan showed enlarged lymph nodes, but the doctors didn't even give me a straight answer. They basically said they’re just going to wait and see what happens, no meds or anything. Now I have to go in for a bowel prep/procedure. The pain is getting worse; if I walk slowly for even five minutes, my spleen starts aching and I feel like throwing up. My bloodwork looks fine, except my iron is bottoming out at 6. I don't know what to think anymore. Every time I bring this up, the doctors just wave me off, saying it's just gastritis or some random virus. But does a "virus" really last an entire year without stopping? I even had my tumor markers checked and everything came back clear. The report also mentions some high-density fatty tissue near where the lymph nodes are, but honestly, I have no clue what that means.

Regarding those lymph nodes, maybe they should biopsy them, and it might be worth getting a gastroscopy done for your stomach. If your spleen is hurting, there's a chance it’s slightly enlarged; sometimes the spleen and lymph nodes swell together since they both handle immune responses, so they might just be reacting to something happening in your stomach. Have you noticed any changes in your stool, like if it was unusually dark? Darker stools can indicate bleeding somewhere in the digestive tract, specifically the stomach, which moves down toward the intestines. Since you mentioned this has been going on for a year, I guess chronic bleeding could potentially lead to an iron deficiency. It's hard to say for sure what's going on right now; we probably need to wait for the lymph node results. Once they biopsy them, they'll know if it's just inflammation or something else.

My doctor’s only "brilliant" conclusion was that I need surgery because he’s basically admitted he has no clue what’s actually going on with me. He didn't even suggest a biopsy for the lymph nodes; instead, he wants to play the waiting game for three months just to see if they shrink or grow. It feels like we're just praying for a miracle here since they haven't even prescribed any medication yet. Tomorrow, I’m heading in for an imaging procedure to check for any obstructions in my intestines. Honestly, my bowel movements have been totally fine and never a real issue. The main thing is the blood in my vomit, along with this horrific fatigue and spleen pain that hits me alongside the stomach aches, no matter how much I rest. Does anyone know if there are other blood tests I should be asking for to figure this out? I've already had my liver enzymes checked.

God, I’ve got enlarged lymph nodes in my mesentery—basically my abdomen. The doctors told me I just need to redo a CT scan in three months. They didn't even bother prescribing anything. But here's the deal: I'm dealing with stomach pain, vomiting blood, nausea, bloating right after I eat, and this crushing, nonstop exhaustion that's been dragging me down for a year. My iron levels are also low, which is weird because I've never dealt with anemia before. Lately, I've also been feeling this intense pain near my spleen... it hits after walking for five minutes, and it's even worse when I'm sitting down. I went through the whole ringer with tests and a gastroscopy, but my doctor is insisting it’s just standard gastritis. I can barely function at this point, so honestly, who’s the crazy one here? Help.

Hey, slyviper152, I really hope you're feeling a bit better today... From where I'm sitting, here’s how I see the situation:
The issues with your lymph nodes and spleen are almost certainly linked to those low iron levels in your blood... It wreaks havoc on your immune system. And honestly, once the pain gets to that level, your immunity is likely pretty shot.
Then there's the stomach issue... excessive acid is incredibly painful (and if you're actually vomiting blood, we might be looking at an ulcer here, which is serious). What does your diet look like lately? Are you dealing with a massive amount of stress?
I’d bet you're also feeling completely wiped out and exhausted because of the iron deficiency...
Since your stomach is acting up, swallowing standard iron pills probably isn't going to go over well. If you could just get those iron levels back up, it would likely resolve the issues with your lymph and spleen, boost your resistance, and everything would start settling down naturally. A good approach might be homeopathic Iron Phosphate combined with something to neutralize the acid, like homeopathic Sodium Phosphate.
Hang in there. At the end of the day, most things can be managed or healed if you tackle them right...
Best regards,🙂 and I truly wish you a speedy recovery. If there is anything else I can do to help, just ask.

vividcyclist14, thanks for the help. My spleen isn't enlarged, but I haven't had an ultrasound yet. I did get a gastroscopy, though, and honestly, I think I need to go back because this pain is just unbearable. I’m throwing up every single day regardless of what I eat. I can't even sit down—sitting makes the pain flare up even worse, and it’s just awful. I really don't get what's going on here. Nobody even suggested a lymph node biopsy; instead, they’re just like, "Let's wait three
months without any medication and see if it clears up on its own." Meanwhile, I feel worse every single day. I'm just exhausted... it's terrible.

Hey, slyviper152,
Vomiting is just the absolute worst. Once it gets going, it’s incredibly hard to shut down—I know because I’ve been there myself. It becomes this vicious cycle where the cramps trigger more vomiting, which triggers more cramps, and it just keeps looping until things finally settle. Your stomach is clearly a very sensitive organ right now. Especially when you're spiraling, fearing that you're SERIOUSLY ill. That anxiety triggers even more spasms in an already irritated stomach, which just fuels the whole reaction again. As for the blood, that’s likely just from the physical strain of being so forceful while you're sick.
It's common for lymph nodes (and sometimes the spleen) to swell up whenever there's any kind of inflammation in the body; it's just your immune system doing its job to fight it off. Once that's handled, the nodes should settle back down to normal. You are completely exhausted, and honestly, between the constant vomiting and having low iron levels, anyone would be wiped out. Either one of those is enough to drain you. That stomach pain is... well, it's a direct result of the vomiting and all that excess acid. Once the vomiting spasms stop, the pain will stop too. I'm certain of it.
Just try to calm down. Try to take some slow, steady breaths—lie down, put your hands on your stomach wherever it feels most comfortable, and tell yourself, "Everything is going to be okay, I am going to get better." You might even try placing a hand on the back of your neck; that's near the part of the brain responsible for stress responses. Just breathe, slowly and calmly. Repeat: "Everything will be fine, I'll recover." Once you feel a bit more centered, if you feel up to it, maybe try a few spoonfuls of some warm vegetable broth. Or even just some rice water. If you can't face food, don't force it—waiting a few hours after you've calmed down might actually be the smarter move. Then just lie back down, relax, and try to sleep.
This will pass, please don't be afraid. I am confident you'll start feeling better very soon once you manage to settle your nerves. You have to trust your body; it knows how to heal itself, but it needs us to be calm to do its work.
You’re going to be okay, seriously.
Once your stomach settles—and I really hope you're feeling better in two or three days—I’d suggest addressing that iron deficiency. Personally, I find homeopathic options work best for that.
Stay calm, everything is going to be alright. This is temporary and it definitely will pass.:🙂
Be brave, stay peaceful, you will recover. 100%.
Sending you so much peace...
P.S. If you find that you absolutely cannot calm yourself down, I'd recommend asking your primary care doctor for a mild sedative injection. It helps relax the muscles so they stop spasming and triggering that urge to vomit. I had to do that once myself, and it was the only thing that stopped the pain. When a body is spasming, it hurts; when the muscles relax, the pain vanishes and you can finally find some relief. After that, once you've slept, just keep practicing that self-soothing while lying down—steady breathing and tiny amounts of light vegetable broth or rice water until your stomach regains its strength.