skin cancer

[Help1989]

Hi,
I've got an appt at the dermatology clinic next week to check out my moles. I've actually posted on here recently about my melanoma fear. I'm so so scared. I've always had moles especially on my back but there's one that looks darker than it has. I'm not eve sure if it's always been there, i've got a feeling its appeared recently. I've also got some new ones on my stomach. I had a mole removed from my stomach 4 years ago, which i assume turned out to be ok (i'm sue they would've told me if it was melanoma??) But that was back when i didnt suffer with health anxiety... it was actually my doctor who noticed it and sent me to get it checked.
However since last year i've been a nervous wreck, worrying about every aspect of my health. I know theres a reason behind why im like this but its just so frustrating. I've just read something about a young man who has died from melanoma and it set me off. I feel like a ticking time bomb. I'm only 25 but I did use sunbeds when i was in my teens and have just read a statistic saying it increases your chances of skin cancer by about 55%!! I wish i could go back in time and stop myself from using sunbeds. I hate this feeling:weep:

[ElliStar]

There's nothing you can do until you go for the appointment, so you have to stop worrying. Easier said than done I know but I've had health anxiety myself and I've worried about a long list of things, including skin cancer. I have been getting better recently and I've found the best way to get over this is to be firm with yourself - tell yourself that you are being stupid and force yourself to push the thoughts out of your mind. This is not easy and will take many times before it starts to get better but you have to persevere, it does work!
At the time when you are worrying about something like this it feels so, so real! Even thought you know it's an irrational fear you can't accept it and you really are convinced there's something wrong with you. That is why it's hard to ignore but it really is just your anxiety. You have to be really firm with yourself and force yourself to push away the health anxiety thoughts and focus on something else. You have your appointment next week which will either give you peace of mind or allow you to access help and treatment. If it did turn out to be cancer, you would deal with it! But for now it's highly unlikely that that will be the case, so work on the above. You can't live your life in fear, constantly thinking you are ill. You will go from one anxiety to another unless you control it now. I am getting stronger and better at controlling my thoughts and you can too.
Best wishes x

[AnnieMags]

Don't let the 55% figure frighten you - it does not mean you have a 55% chance of getting skin cancer, it just means a 55% increase in what ever risk number originally applies. For example, let's say for the sake of argument that you have a 5% chance of getting skin cancer (I would bet the real number is lower!) - a 55% increase in that is 2.75%, bringing the overall risk to 7.75%. That is already a lot less scary than 55%! Best wishes from Annie

[Help1989]

Thank you both for replying, I'm slightly calmer now. I didn't know that about the percentage thing, I really thought it meant it was more likely than not that I'd get skin cancer. I have found quite a few small very dark freckles/moles on my legs and arms so I'm going to show the specialist all of them... Even if I need to strip off! I'm also going to explain my anxiety about skin cancer and be honest about my past sun bed use. I wasn't honest the last time I went a few years ago- Maybe if I had been I would've been going for yearly check ups or something!! I find that being completely open about your anxieties helps a lot with some doctors. They will make it their mission to show you that you can trust them.

[Hopefulfuture00]

Hi Help1989

Thought my story might help you a little. I went through the skin cancer scare last year. My GP actually told me he thought I had it. Spent an agonising 3 weeks waiting for my derm apt. Didn't eat, cried constantly. Went private in the end. Turned out all clear on all my moles and beauty spots. The derm said she gets so many GP referrals most of which are nothing. But I will get checked over annually...just to be on the safe side!

You will be fine...hope that helps.

[Help1989]

Thanks for the reassurance. I had an appointment today and they took pictures of three moles on my back. I've got to go back in 4 months to check but they said they think it looks ok. I wish they could take all my moles and freckles off to be safe but I suppose they know what they're doing!