Melanoma fear back again

[Help1989]

Within the last hour I am scared I have melanoma!! You can read my previous post about my HA and I thought I was being rational but I feel so ill in general with other things that Im convinced theres something sinister behind it all. I believe that its when you dont get questions answered that your anxiety grows and grows. Before i was diagnosed with endometriosis i had myself written off with cervical cancer because the docs werent listening to me and the symptoms for the two are similar although what I have is benign!!!

Anyway now I have seen this mole that is dark and raised and about 5mm wide. I have deep back pain that I mentioned in my last post that I want ivnesitgated and funnily enough this mole is right over that place!! My irrational mind has convinced me that the reason for the pain in my back is a big tumour under this mole that is malignant!!
I know I will look back at this post in a few months and laugh at myself but right now I am scared and wish i could be told right now if i'm dying or not. Does anyone else ever feel like this is just too much... i'm sick of that horrible sinking feeling you get when you convince yourself of a new deadly disease!! Any words of wisdom or reassurance at all would be so appreciated right now x

---------- Post added at 01:55 ---------- Previous post was at 01:20 ----------

I must add that I am feeling so guilty right now. I have been speaking to my mum about my HA and she is so worried about me. She herself has so many life long health issues that she is so good at coping with and I feel like a complete failure. Why should it be up to her, with all her issues, to have to reassure then worry herself even more sick about me?! I wish all the pains and symptoms I have would go just so i've got nothing to be anxious about :(

[Gary A]

Everyone has moles, some big, some small, some black, some brown, some multicoloured, some raised and some flat. The key is to know what to look for that would suggest a doctor should be checking it out. Just remember - A,B,C,D,E;

A - Asymetry: If you drew a line down the middle would it look the same on one side as it does the other? If not, it may be worth getting checked.
B - Border: Is the border uniform or irregular? Is it round or kind of uneven and zig zag looking? If it's uneven, again, get it checked.
C - Colour: Is it dark brown or black? Is it all the same colour or is there differences in tone? If it's differing colours of black, brown and maybe red, get it checked.
D - Diameter: As a general rule, anything smaller than about 6mm diameter, the width of a pencil eraser, is no cause for concern. Anything bigger should be checked.
E - Evolution: The most important one. Is it changing? Is it growing in size, becoming a darker colour and is it bleeding and or crusting whereas before it wasn't? If it is, get it checked.

Do remember that even if your moles are showing any of these signs it DOES NOT instantly mean you have melenoma, it just warrants a doctors trained eye. Chances are it's utterly harmless, but if you're worried then have it checked.

[KayeS]

Just to emphasise, while it's true that the above could be a good reason to get a mole checked, I've had moles checked with ALL OF THE ABOVE and they turned out to be fine also :)