panicking about a mole

[hannah25]

I am in full blown panic mode about skin cancer.
I have had a mole in-between my toes for as long as I can remember, and for as long as I can remember it has been weird looking (irregular border, dark and light patches of colour, spreading appearance). I've had two moles removed in the past because they were irregular looking but turned out to be fine.
I recently noticed two small patches of darker skin on my arm, so that started me worrying about skin cancer, and then I started googling (gaaah!!! why!!), and remembered the mole in-between my toes.
I am now convinced this mole is melanoma (and the pigmented skin that has just appeared).
I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow but I'm feeling hopeless right now and that my life is over! I've had this mole for so long that if it is cancer it will have spread!
In need of some reassurance to get me through the night- if the mole has been unchanged for years does that mean it may be benign?
Thanks for any help - I'm driving myself mad!

---------- Post added at 22:53 ---------- Previous post was at 22:13 ----------

Can anyone offer me some help- i'm in such a state!

[AnxietyDJ]

Well, you've done the best thing in making an appointment with the doctor, but, a) if you'd had cancer for so long and b) if it had spread through your body like that, you wouldn't be going around living a pretty normal life with no side effects! You'd be very ill and you wouldn't just worry something was wrong, you'd definitely know about it.

Try not to worry, it really sounds as though everything is fine and you are just panicking due to anxiety. Hope the appointment at the docs goes well - let us know how you are :)

[swanick15]

Usually if a mole has been unchanged for many years it is is usually a good sign but don't google pictures of melanoma. There are many moles called atypical moles which share the features of melanoma and can look quite similar when they are completely safe. Try not to worry for now but from your description it may cause the doctor some concern as GP's aren't really qualified to tell the difference between an atypical (strange looking but safe) mole and melanoma so he/she may put you on a 2 week skin cancer referral, this doesn't mean that you have cancer so please don't be too alarmed, this is the standard referral for moles. Just remember no matter how much a mole seems to match melanoma there is still the chance that its just atypical and 95% of strangle looking moles are safe. Good luck ;)

[RaverNeko]

I had melanoma fear for quite a while. It was awfully scary, but you want to know something that Dr. Google will never tell you? Moles can become irritated if they're poked/rubbed on a lot. I have a mole on my chest that, because I poked at it for a while, grew kinda big and puffy. Google said it was melanoma, but when doctors took a quick look at it, they told me it was nothing serious at all and to leave it alone for a bit. Guessing that you have a mole between your toes, think about how much it gets rubbed on by your other toes. Hopefully that makes you feel a little better, :)

[swgrl09]

Like others have said, I'm sure the mole will be fine but even if it's a bit questionable, they just remove it so it is over and done with. If it hasn't changed, I wouldn't be too worried. My husband has all sorts of moles that are all shapes and colors (some multicolored) that freak me out and a doctor has told him they are all fine.

I have had a few darker pigmented areas on my skin. I also got freaked out, but all are benign. One was a birth mark that showed up when I was 14. Another showed up when I was 23. Both were nothing harmful.

I'm glad you are going though for the peace of mind!

[hannah25]

Thanks everyone! I've had all sorts of things going on with my body lately (abdominal pain, numbness on one side), that the doctors keep putting down to anxiety and it's just spiralling me into more anxiety worrying that there is something they are missing. I'm embarrassed going to the doctor though because I'm sure they mentally roll tier eyes when they see me coming! Health anxiety is a horrible thing that robs us of life! I'm only 25 and constantly worry about my health.

[RaverNeko]

Don't worry about it, :) That's what this forum is for! Tons and tons of people on here have probably dealt with the same thing you're going through right now, and we'll all help you lessen your anxiety woes, ^_^