Waiting for mole biopsy results...what could be worse

[ktdid2000]

Hi all,

I've been doing so much better with my HA lately but for some reason this month (work stress, travel, neighbor stress, etc.) I started panicking about different moles on my body. I don't have that many, and almost all of the ones I do have are a little "weird".

Anyway, I started fixating on one that bothered me the most because of its "weirdness". Its about 2-3 shades of brown/tan and has a few black specs in it. Irregular borders. It's in my belly button of all places. I think it's congential because I only found it after I had my son 6 years ago and he made my belly button pop out. I had one other congential mole removed when I was 6 years old because it was huge (about 2-3 inches).

I went to the derm in a panic about it almost 2 weeks ago and she took a look and said it didn't look like anything suspicious to her but watch for changes. Well in my panic I wasn't having any of it so I had her take it off, mostly because she suggested we could and she could tell I was being nuts about it.

Before I left I asked her if I should be worried and she said no, and even if it was something it was so small (4 mm) that it would be totally gone from the biopsy alone. AND something about "the way it came out she wasn't worried about it" - whatever that means!

It's now been almost 2 weeks and I was supposed to have results in 7-10 days. I seriously cannot take all this waiting. I've called the office and harassed them about it and I think they finally have the results but can't release them to me yet until the doc reads them. ARGH.

My mind says it's nothing but is also consumed with the what-ifs and all sorts of catastrophic thinking. I went from being panicked about something that's been in my belly button unchanged for at least 3 years, probably longer to having it cut out and glad its gone to thinking I'm going to get a cancer sentence any minute now.

Just figured I would reach out to people who have been through something similar. I've always been told "no news is good news" but sometimes you just need to HEAR the good news to believe it!!

[lucymarie]

I had a mole just beneath my belly button removed 3 months ago. I'd had it most of my life and had only started to worry about it because I developed a preoccupation with moles and suddenly thought oh god this looks bad. It was 6mm, had a raised centre, dark, not perfectly round AND started getting darker. I'd completely convinced myself it was cancerous and found a lump near my groin and decided it simply must have spread there. Finally went to the doctor who said he thought it was nothing but because it was irregular he'd refer me. The derm took one look and said it was benign but due to the changes it would need removing eventually (eh?) so he'd be happy to remove it now for peace of mind. When I had it removed it was a different derm who also said it was completely benign. Despite ALL of this - I still wasn't convinced. Results were back 2 weeks later and low and behold what do you know - benign. Now I have an ugly scar to remind me I should listen to the professionals.

... she says still worrying about a different mole that numerous derms have told me is fine :whistles:

Your mole sounds not one bit concerning in the slightest, I'd bet my money you'll be A-OK :hugs:

[coastgirl]

Hey there!

I'm also waiting for mole biopsy results. I've gone through this every year for the past 3-4 years.

I'm over a week waiting for results!

The mole they removed was on my back. I had been needing to go in for my yearly checkup but I was procrastinating making the appt for a few weeks. Anyway, I caught sight of this mole when I was getting out of the shower and I did my usual fixation: "Has that always been there? Was it always that big?"

I keep an eye on my moles, but I have more than average so sometimes it's hard to have a photographic memory for all of them. But I'm pretty good at identifying when new ones pop up. I just keep an eye out for changes, etc.

However, I kept thinking about this one, and finally I was like "screw this, I need to make my appointment anyway, might as well get this off my mind."

So I went in and I didn't tell her anything was bothering me....I was too nervous that she would go "OH yes let's biopsy it."

But she biopsied the mole I was worried about on her own without me mentioning it to her :(

I think that mole was always there, although it may have gotten bigger. It was light brown, raised, mostly one color, and evenly bordered. I'm trying to reassure myself that if it WAS anything it was in early stages.

Also, the biopsy site is completely clear of any pigment from the mole, so I'm assuming it wasn't deep or anything.

[ktdid2000]

All HA is bad but mole anxiety is terrible.

I have no family history of skin cancer except basal on my dad but he spent hours working outside as a teen and all has been removed with no issues. Because of that I've been getting yearly checks for awhile now. But who watches their belly button?? I have no idea if it's been changing or what. As usual it's the unknown that's so terrifying!

It's maddening because I don't want to start taking photos of myself each month but I don't have a photographic memory either so it leads to panics like this where what I don't know is killing me. There's got to be a better way to watch for changes, or at least a more rational way to approach this.

I don't want to have any more biopsies unless the doc recommends it or requires it. 😭

[ankietyjoe]

What exactly are you worried about?

You went to have a mole checked out and were told it was nothing to worry about. YOU decided to have it removed and biopsy'd!

So YOU created a situation that didn't need to happen and are now worrying about the results of a test that a medical professional didn't deem necessary. That's all that's happening here.

[ktdid2000]

What exactly are you worried about?

You went to have a mole checked out and were told it was nothing to worry about. YOU decided to have it removed and biopsy'd!

So YOU created a situation that didn't need to happen and are now worrying about the results of a test that a medical professional didn't deem necessary. That's all that's happening here.

Yup, basically. I'm my own worst enemy.

[ankietyjoe]

Yup, basically. I'm my own worst enemy.

Aren't we all! But try and remember this next time! :yesyes:

[ktdid2000]

Well I finally got to talk to the doc today.

Mole came back as mildly atypical/dysplastic which basically means a normal, mole with some strange/weird features. I kind of expected that at least from its appearance alone.

Because it's in my belly button (surgical excision would require plastic surgery) and is only mildly atypical, she's recommending just to watch it for now with no further treatment needed except my normal yearly check ups. The punch biopsy got almost all of it but there's a small area with an incomplete margin. I'm trying to stay calm about this because I hate having anything weird on my body.

This is the second of the moles I think I was born with, the first was removed when I was a child because it was large and on my chest. They were concerned about melanoma potential later in life although this was in the 80s and I think the general treatment plan for these sorts of things has changed since then. I have a nice big scar as a result of that "precaution".

Trying to stay positive today as it looks like that's it for this mole. She's going to follow up with another doc in her practice just to make sure but sounded like it was basically no big deal. I hope the other doc recommends the same but to be honest I'd love to have it entirely gone for peace of mind. That would be a major surgery though - high cost for something that may never turn out to be anything. :weep: