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View Full Version : Spontaneous hypertrophic scars...could I have had leukemia for around 18 years?



ConstantWorrying
22-07-20, 08:07
There are some chronic forms, so is this possible?

I've had acne for most of my life now, which is why I initially thought these things were just scars from acne or something. But over the years, I've had many of these grow on my upper back/shoulders/chest that were absent any kind of acne trauma. They would come in like an acne cyst, but were completely painless. And then they were just SIT. They grow within a day to full size, and then never grow again. But then every now and then, they start itching.

They look like many examples of hypertrophic scars in Google images, and I mostly assumed they were, but it makes no sense for them to come out of nowhere. Google says they never occur spontaneously, unlike keloids. But these never grow, so they're not keloids.

The first ones I ever developed - on my chest as a teenager - are now mostly flattened out. I remember a few years after developing them, one of them was turning blue at one point. That eventually went away and it returned to its permanent pink color.

ChocoOrange
23-07-20, 05:06
Have you had a blood test within the last 18 years? I'd imagine that would pick up leukemia, I think you're pretty safe to assume you don't have it

ConstantWorrying
23-07-20, 05:50
Have you had a blood test within the last 18 years? I'd imagine that would pick up leukemia, I think you're pretty safe to assume you don't have it

Never had a blood test. I avoid doctors.

O_O
23-07-20, 19:48
After 18 years, even an indolent lymphoma would likely be making you feel pretty ill.

At a pinch, a very slow growing cancer might be symptomless for ten years - in very unusual cases - but not nearly two decades!

It would still be fine to go to the doctor and ask about the marks, though. They could be any number of benign skin conditions, I'm sure.

ankietyjoe
23-07-20, 20:57
When you type 'why you should never google' into google, this should be the top hit.

Lolalee1
24-07-20, 12:37
Never had a blood test. I avoid doctors.

But you visit Dr Google:wacko:

ConstantWorrying
25-07-20, 02:59
But you visit Dr Google:wacko:

Honestly, I think Doctors could learn a lot from Dr. Google.

I had most of my skin crap when I went to a dermatology physician assistant to get a mole looked at (I guess technically not a doctor), and he didn't notice anything except one of the scars, which he initially called a "cyst" before I told him I thought it was a hypertrophic scar...to which he replied, "oh, you're right, that is a scar."

I once had a hygienist ask me if I had ever had a cavity as she was cleaning my teeth, despite the fact that I had a large amalgam (silver) filling in one of my lower molars at the time.

I have a feeling that for most of this stuff, most doctors would have no idea what any of it is and wouldn't even really think to look into it.

I really think I have Birt-Hogg Dube syndrome...and in learning about this through Google, I learned that many doctors don't even know what it is because it's so uncommon.