Please let there be someone like me

[Adelle]

Hi, I get onto this site everyday in the hope I will find someone who has a similar HA as me but I feel as though Im on my own with my worries as most posts are about headaches, heart attack fears, ms, breast lumps and weird pain all of which I have no fear about. My biggest concern is my skin. Im contantly checking for new spots, moles, anything that would indicate a skin cancer or Melanoma. Its out of control and I just cant shake this overwhelming fear Im going to find something. I check my skin numerous times a day and look at spots as if they are a death sentence. I just had a bath (bad idea) and now am sure I have new spots. Its that bad that when I talk to people I am constantly checking their skin to see if mines normal and a magazine used to be pleasurable for me to look at but now I just skim through to check for spots on their skin aswell. Ive had numerous moles cut out and one came back as a dysplastic mole which has now set me off into panic as they are the ones that turn into melanoma. Im too scared to go into the sun now and havent for years. Im on Zoloft and it helped for a bit but I feel as though im back to square one again. Im 36 and I know skin will change and I just want to know how can I deal with it in a normal manner and not have a panic attack everytime i see something. Am I alone in my fears or is this a normal HA issue. Is it normal to just worry about one illness????? Please help.. Adelle

[Typer]

Hi Adelle,

Although you cannot find a post that fits with your own fears and worries, hopefully you will see that at the centre of all the anx here, there is a common theme = FEAR!

You are suffering from anxiety, born of fear or dread of something bad happening. In your case that something bad would be a Melanoma. We all centre our anx or something and this just happens to be your fear. So all the advice here will apply to you.

I did have a Melanoma which was safely removed from my leg.

Have you known anyone who has had this, or died from it?
Has anything major (sad, scary, dramatic) happened in the last 2 years?

Take heart...you are suffering from anxiety and this is how it manifests.

Take care

[nomorepanic]

Hi Adelle

There are loads of posts about skin cancer etc on here so do a search for key words such as "skin cancer", "melanoma" etc and you will find you are not alone.

[Adelle]

Hi, thankyou to both of you for your replies. Yes, I know 4 people that have had Melanoma. I understand thats probably why Im so concerned about it but it still such a real feeling of fear. I had a baby 2 years ago. My HA went into overdrive since. Im so scared of dying and leaving him. Anyway, thankyou for taking the time to reply. Take care. Adelle

[ZoJo]

Hi Adelle,

Please don't panic. Your fears are natural as you have a young son. You are aware of your skin and that is good! Skin cancer runs in my family, and the one good thing that I have learnt is that it can be sorted. My Granny had it, my Aunt has had it and my Mum has recently had a mole that was turning, she was given some cream and it has now gone. I get my checked every so often because of my family history and so far all is well.
Try not to worry - easy I know x