Just been to Doc, feeling really scared about Mole

[MarkJames3]

Hey,

So I went to the docs this morning as I have been having trouble with my shoulder, whilst there I asked about a mole on my cheek I have been thinking about and anxious about for the last week, This mole is not like a normal mole it almost looks light brown/pale red, from looking back at old pics as far back as 4 years ago, it seems to have been there back then.

Anyway doc looked at it and he said it looks fine but he has nothing to compare it to, so to come back in a couple of weeks and he will take another look... he reassured me in his words "it looks completely innocent"... But I am wondering why he wants me to potentially go back?

As I say it looks like something that has been there a few years definitely but I have no idea if its got bigger or not from looking at the pics?

I am tempted to go to a special skin clinic and have all my moles checked but the thought of doing that just sends my anxiety into super drive... along with the fact I am going away for the weekend and don't want having to wait for any results hanging over my head all weekend... i feel so down and scared :(

[Andria24]

Mark - you have health anxiety, not a problem mole. Trust your doctor. You're fine, just anxious because, well ... you're anxious anyway so calm, relax if possible, enjoy your weekend away :hugs:

[emlica]

They have to be extra-careful, is all. As you've asked about it, it makes sense for the doctor to want to be absolutely certain that it's nothing. If you've had it 4 years and it doesn't look any different, then it's highly unlikely to look any different when you next go back, so I'm sure it will all be fine. But - and I can't stress this enough - don't fiddle with it!! You don't want to irritate it, as it might then look red or sore and then you'll panic ;) If he was really worried about it he'd have suggested you have it removed.

[MarkJames3]

Hey Emlica and Andria,

Thank you for your replies.....

In one mind I do think, if he was really worried from a first look at it, then he wouldn't wait... as I say its definitely something that has been there for years but the old photos are just general photos and not very clear, so the thing that plays on my mind is that if its changed at all....

I think this is stemming from the fact that this time last year my sister in law had a couple of moles/skin things checked and one turned out to be cancer.. she is all clear now.

It just really really scares me, the thought of the unknown and that I haven't got a definitive answer on it... Hope that makes sense?

Sometimes I feel like I have been dealt a bad hand because I have so many moles that that don't fit the particular criteria of a normal healthy mole... But each time a Doctor has checked they have said each mole looks fine.

I don't know if I have built up in my head that cancerous moles are really common and I am bound to have one somewhere on my body because I have a lot of them.

aggghh

[emlica]

I have a lot of moles too and some look a bit peculiar, but I figure they've always looked that way so they're probably fine! My boyfriend had two moles removed - the doctor didn't think they looked suspicious but he plays a lot of sport and they were right at the top of his arm and kept getting knocked, so he had them taken out anyway. Also over the years things *do* change, can be affected by e.g. dry skin, putting on/losing weight, etc. It might not look identical to how it looked 5 years ago but if you're having to look closely to see whether it's changed or not, I wouldn't have thought it had changed enough to worry about.

I don't know if this sort of thing helps you or not, but if you're someone who has to consider the worst case scenario, think of it this way: your sister in law had one that DID turn out to be cancer, and she's all clear now.

[Fishmanpa]

If you worry about moles, just think what a redhead with freckles and HA must go through! ;)

Kidding aside, I have enough moles to be a connect the dots puzzle. Your doctor is doing what a good doctor should do by following up. If he had totally dismissed them you would be worried that he wasn't following up. Andria is right. Address the HA and things will begin to turn around.

Good Luck!

[emlica]

Me too, Fishman - especially on my upper arms. They're ugly as (a rude word) but hey, they're inherited (thanks, mum!). Odd, isn't it - despite my (fairly mild) HA, I've never really given them a second thought...

[MarkJames3]

I think for me moles are always a sole focus because They are something I can see every day and are a constant reminder that something "might" be wrong....

I have just felt recently that its something thats always going to be there anxiety wise and I just don't know how to get past the fear of problems with moles.