Skin Cancer now

[UserName20]

I am such an idiot. In my armpit on my right side I have had two red spots/kinda bumps but not really, they are mostly flat. But there’s other little bumps of skin on them too. Anyways they are right where my bra meets the skin and that area has been quite irritated in the past. These red areas/bumps have been there for MONTHS. They kind of look like red sores.. nothing ever comes out or anything and they usually don’t bother me. I’m an idiot, I always figured they looked like nothing so I ignored them. Recently I realized that it’s been FOREVER and they still have not gone away. And I googled and what came up? Skin cancer. That with me ignoring it for MONTHS has probably already spread! I only started to think about them because where my bra meets the skin it is irritated and hurts and the one feels like a squishy bump now. I got a cbc blood test in March and everything was fine, I believe I had them too. But that test probably wouldn’t show anything :( It’s like my two options are skin cancer or lymphoma. There is literally no other explanation for these being there for months.
I am absolutely hysterical. I went from thinking I felt a bump on my feet to this. I am so scared. This is so real

[Fishmanpa]

So I guess you're over your COVID fear? Otherwise, it would suck to have that and skin cancer :huh:

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

I’m sorry. I know I post a lot and it’s embarrassing the level I have let myself get to. It’s like I can’t function anymore. I went from hey, someone coughed right next to me in the store, does my throat hurts now? To what is this bump on my foot and why does it hurt to walk sometimes? To skin cancer! 3 things in the span of hours. And as always there is a part of me that can see how ridiculous this is. It’s like there’s a part of me that wants to just slap myself upside the head and tell myself to get a grip, but the other part overcome with worry just takes over it.
I really just don’t have any other explanation for these red things in my armpit. It almost looks like the pictures I have googled. I’m never going to be able to enjoy my life with the route I’m on. I’m just sick and tired of being like this. And it’s my fault I’m not getting better. I need to be Able to get a grip on myself and every time I try I fall. Right now I am once again, 100% sure I am going to die. And if it’s not this, something else tomorrow is going to come up. It’s torture. I just cried so hard I gave myself a bloody nose, just added another worry to the list!

I showed my mom and she told me she doesn’t think that it’s skin cancer but told me that I should probably get it checked out. Right there she clearly must think it’s something. She always tells me I am overreacting and that I don’t need a doctor.

If it is Basal Cell cancer it can most likely be treated, right?☹️ I have gone through a lot in my past, this is the most scared I have ever been. I don’t know how I didn’t think this was worth getting checked

[BlueIris]

Probably just irritation from your bra.

Also, from somebody who read WAY TOO MUCH about BCC (I let one sit right on my face for five years because I was too scared to deal with it) they really only ever occur on areas that are constantly sun-exposed, primarily on the face. They're also crazy rare in young people, even at 38 I was quite an unusual case.

I think you may need to work on your anxiety a little.

[UserName20]

Thank you, BlueIris!! As soon as I googled and everything started coming up I knew I would end up spiraling. It just scares me because the two spots in my armpit almost look like the pictures, but I’m trying to remind myself that it could be other things. Im just scared at how long they have been there. Honestly, I don’t even know how long they have been there. I just never paid much attention to them and figured eventually they’d go away. I just know they have been there for a very long way. If it’s skin cancer I’m worried it has way spread by now. Right now I am just trying to shake this out of my head. I am so scared of bad news. My mind is already going to not being able to ever finish college or get married or anything.

[BlueIris]

It's not skin cancer. And even if it was (which it's NOT), I can say from experience that it won't have spread. BCC fellows incredibly slowly - as stated, I neglected one for half a decade and all it took was 45 minutes under a local to get rid of it entirely.

Stop thinking about it, start thinking about how to get rid of the anxiety.

[UserName20]

You’re right, I definitely need to get my anxiety under control. I have been convinced I am going to die so so many times, I never get a break. Part of my brain is worried about lymphoma since they are in my armpit, but I’m trying not to Google because I know that will send me into hysterics again. I’m not sure why I think I have the knowledge to self diagnose.


I did google something that was called “ hidradenitis suppurativa” ( I had to copy and paste that, no way I would remember that name or how to spell it) and it says they are sores that can flare up and be painful and then go back down and flare up again. They say they are common in the groin or armpits. I get lots of bumps in my inner thighs too That always flare up and go down and some of the pictures of it looked similar to what I have in my armpit with the two red things. However, most of the pictures look more severe than what I have. It said they are very slowly to heal if they ever even go away completely. And that is just a skin condition which I do not believe to be harmful.

In the meantime I’m just trying to relax and know that things will work out. I need to make myself focus enough to finish some of my online tests for my classes.

*Well, apparently the hidradenitis suppurativa thing is pretty rare even though when I first googled it it said that it is common with 200,000 cases a year. Some other things I am reading on it are kinda scary.

Last night I tried to talk to a counselor to get a grip on myself.l, but I realized that in that moment I felt like I had already been diagnosed. That’s just how my mind works. I feel like I absolutely have something to the point where it’s inevitable that I have it and will be diagnosed. Like is not a doubt in my mind. She tried to give me grounding tips, but in that moment i felt like I was already diagnosed. It’s like nothing helps. I just wanted to run to the ER because I am desperate for a doctor to look at me. And of course I won’t over something like this, but that is the level of panic I feel. Last night I cried so hard I literally made my nose bleed. I don’t even know how that’s possible.

[UserName20]

I’m going to call tomorrow and make an appointment with my dr. I’m sure she’s going to refer me to a dermatologist. It’s like Once I make that appointment it’s going to become so much more real. I don’t have any other explanation for 2 red bumps that haven’t healed in months. I just feel devastated. Last night my boyfriend was talking about us getting married and I actually started tearing up ( he didn’t see ) because I am so afraid this is going to kill me. If it's not skin cancer than I am worried about lymphoma.

[UserName20]

Well, I video chatted a dr. It was very awkward but I showed him and he told me absolutely not skin cancer and to not give that a second thought. He said absolutely not skin cancer or lymphoma and that mine appears to be hidradenitis suppurativa. He told me that when I google it horrific pictures will come up, but assured me that mine is extremely mild and not likely to progress into anything as severe as others have. He called me in a prescription. My gosh I need to get a grip on myself. The only thing is is that my throat is sore and my temp is going up to 99-99.3. So I guess next is a covid fear. Yay me! Then again, a lot of people are sick and don’t have covid. The majority of tests are negative, so I need to stop before I worry myself more.

[Scass]

I’m glad that you got the answer you needed.


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