So paranoid about Melanoma

[ReissG]

Okay so it's not actually about me, basically my boyfriend came to me today and said I haven't been able to tell you because I know you would go into a fit of panic but for the last week and a half I've been terrified I have skin cancer, but I went to the DR today and she gave me confirmation it wasn't anything like that and she thinks it is just an ingrown hair.

This isn't good enough for me and I don't know why. She thinks i's an ingrown hair? you can't just say that! I don't know how to explain this thing, it certainly doesn''t look like a mole, it's a place spot which could probably pass as a big black head which is surrounded by a bruise looking thing. My boyfriend said if you apply pressure on the area it hurts like a bruise, I asked him if he has noticed anything getting better and he said the the dark patch around the black dot has got lighter, but I don't know if I can believe him, is he just saying it to stop me panicking?

This is the worst possible fear, I get scared when I have some crazy symptom but when it's the love of my life it's even worse, the thought of anything happening to him just sucks every bit of life out of me, I am so hurt and upset that he couldn't tell me about this because of the way my stupid brain works, it must have been so hard to cope with, he is an extremely rational person and if he was worried about it it means it really scared him.

I don't know what to do, do you think we can trust the DR?

[swanick15]

You could always seek a second opinion or ask for a referral to a dermatologist; thing about that though is its a 2 week urgent referral normally given for suspected skin cancers so could cause more panic, that's what I was sent on after the gp I went to see bout my mole looked up melanoma on google images and I nearly had a heartache when I saw the suspected skin cancer referral form and he even asked to hand it in to the receptionist myself, no reassurance, I went to the dermatologist though and they said it was fine, so I'd ask for the referral.

[Fishmanpa]

As Aaron said, you could seek a 2nd opinion but I think you'll be spinning your wheels.

Positive thoughts