Freaking. Is it melanoma?

[honeybun44]

This is my first post---but I've been a faithful lurker . Health anxiety tends to rule my life. I've falsely diagnosed myself with breast cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, ALS, MS, brain tumors, heart failure.... :doh:

But, here's today. I'm 44. I've had lots and lots of sunburns. I started getting yearly skin checks about 5 years ago. Today the doctor examined me and everything looked good. Then I remembered a spot that is at the very very very very top of my inner thigh. Sort of dark and patchy looking. Flat.

She decided to take it off because it was asymmetrical. Now I'm a nervous wreck and fully believe that Google is the devil. A person like me should NOT HAVE ACCESS to that kind of tool. I swear I've found a dozen pictures that 'match' what she took off today. I've actually gotten out my ruler to count out how big 6 mm is and try to remember how big my 'area' was, which, by the way, now hurts like heck and left a big hole in my leg. She took a picture of it with her ipad before she removed it, which she has never done before when she removed a mole. Yeah, that did great things for my anxiety. :(

I have to wait for the results, and I'm convinced---CONVINCED---that it's melanoma. And, what if I hadn't shown her? I always worry that something like this will define how my story will go: "Can you believe it? It was melanoma. She almost didn't even show the doctor...can you imagine?"

Driving my ever-patient and loving husband batty. Wondering if anyone can relate.

[venusbluejeans]

You sound like a lot of people on here.... they know deep down that it is 99% not what they are convinced it is, but that 1% takes over your brain because google says it may be it,..... and the internet can never be wrong, it knows everything.

I think you do know the likelyhood of it being melanoma is very slim and Dr Google is a crock... he makes you believe you have things. if you type in "chest pain" the first thing to come up will alway be a heart attack.... just like if you type in something like "unusual mole" it will more than likely come up a melanoma!

if you are still waiting for results then that is a good thing (although you may not think it) if there was anything wrong they would get in touch asap

good luck.

Emmz

[honeybun44]

Thank you for answering. :)

Well, I got through another day...ever notice that when you are waiting for test results it feels like a death sentence every time the phone rings?

I HATE THAT!!!!!

I am driving everyone crazy, 'what if it's melanoma', 'what if it's melanoma.'

I guess if it is, you deal with it.

But I don't want it to be. And the waiting is torture.:wall:

[venusbluejeans]

yes but the longer you wait the less likely it is to be serious... so it is swings and roundabouts.

Did they say how long it would be before you got your results? if it will help you ring up your drs and ask if they have the results back again yet.

and yes you are right... if it was you would deal with it, becaus you would have no other choice

again, I doubt if it is but you did right to get it checked if you were worried.

[honeybun44]

Could be up to 10 days...I've read countless stories on the web of people never hearing back, and then getting a call like 2 months later and saying, "oh by the way, it was melanoma."

This site and people like you are great. You get it. I worry that the one time I DO think about things rationally, I'll get bit the the butt. I try to prepare myself to the point where I feel sick. Thanks again for responding. :)

[Help1989]

I know how you feel. I'm so so worried about a couple of miles of mine, I feel so ill. Docs have said they don't look bad but all the stories you hear about it not being caught on time freak me out to the point of not being able to sleep or function. I'm form the UK so have decided to pay privately to get them removed cod that's the only way I'll be able to carry on. I had a mole removed a few years ago (it had grown in the space of a couple of years and was about 10mm!) and it was fine. That's when I didn't have health anxiety though. They never even contacted me to tell me the results but that's because it was all ok (I rang them to check months later!) Please know that there's someone else worrying like you. Hopefully we can come back here in a few weeks and tell everyone we are ok. :)

[honeybun44]

I'm sorry you are worried too. Remember, if a doctor looked at them and said all is well, it's ok to trust that. Sounds like a really positive sign to me. :) Hang in there.

[honeybun44]

Came back as "completely benign." I can breathe.

Until the NEXT issue, that is.....:doh:

[Help1989]

So happy for you!! What a great feeling! Now relax :)