Probably nothing but....

Dear Ask The Doctor: Ok, I started a new job recently and have been working some long hours. Bout a week and a half ago, I was feeling fatigued and noticed that I was having diaherra, which was nothing new since I had my gallbladder removed, but the stool was pale. So, like an idiot, I typed in those symptoms on a symptom checker online and got every answer from pacreatic (sp?) cancer to HIV infection. I have made myself crazy looking online at symptoms and now everytime I sneeze, or wake up at night because its hot in my room and im sweating I wonder if its HIV infection. I have no reason to suspect that I have contracted this disease. I noticed two days ago that there seems to be some swelling in my left armpit,when I say seems, I mean that I have gained alot of weight over the last few months, and I could just be getting fatter, right? I mean I have read all kinds of stuff on swollen lympth nodes in the armpit, what does that actually look like? I have no fever or any other sypmtoms, except headaches, which I have had my entire life. I am gonna go see a doctor when my insurance kicks in from my new job, but do I have cause for concern right now? Any help you can give would help, thanks,

Dear James:

I realize how worried you are about your probable condition. Surely the signs and symptoms that you mentioned might be of not too much importance and probably some unusual events.

The color of the stools change constantly, this would depend in how long are they transiting your intestines in which they would have contact with the bile in charge of coloring them, since you have your gallbladder removed and its function was to concentrate and store the bile, pale stools should not be of any concern in your case.

Diarrhea is one of the most common symptoms as well as bloating and flatulence that might also be explained by your gallbladder removal. These symptoms are developed especially after eating heavy and fatty foods which you should avoid. Lymph nodes in the armpit could also be explained by a simple process like a cold up to more complex diseases like Lymphoma or HIV, I would suggest you not to worry and I certainly agree with you in having an evaluation, especially since you had your gallbladder removed and this might interfere with your fat digestion. I wish you the best.