Recurrent mole/melanoma fear

[Elen]

I am so sorry that you find it harsh, it was meant to be realistic but not unfair.

Perhaps there are parts of your story that are not apparent.

In my defence I see your post pattern, split between reassurance seeking and looking for the answer.

I was truly only trying to help.

You have said that you have seen the links.

Have you actually tried engaging with a programme that has real results to get you what you have posted that you want?

[unicorndusy]

I too have recently developed this fear. In fact tomorrow I'm seeing my doctor about a mole that looks kinda similar to yours. Melanoma is not something your doctor will want to take any sort of risk with. I hope you find peace soon.

[Limeslime]

I too have recently developed this fear. In fact tomorrow I'm seeing my doctor about a mole that looks kinda similar to yours. Melanoma is not something your doctor will want to take any sort of risk with. I hope you find peace soon.

Thanks unicorn! Please let me know how it goes!
I cannot get an appointment with my doctor til the 23rd 😩

[SarahNah]

Both my Mam and me have skin "issues" like this. Both for different reasons. All fine reasons!! Nothing sinister.

Where I work (A care home, where the people living there mostly lived in Africa during a time where there wasn't a lot of skin cream or how to protect your skin) are being checked for skin issues by the gp that works there only only 3-9 months depending on the different cares needs. (They are aged between 70-90). They can spot changes right away, if you had someone shrug it off in July and by a derm. It's most likely nothing!

[Limeslime]

Thanks so much Sarah!
My GP in July didn’t so much shrug it off ;I know I didn’t explain this earlier) she said that because it was still so small there was no urgency yet, so to take a photo of it and then forget about it for a month. Then, if after a month it has changed, to come back.
But it hadn’t changed. So I didn’t go back.

Now, three months later I think it has changed but in such a subtle way. It may even just be regression.
I’m calming down abit now though. I keep reminding myself that it’s small, therefore IF it’s anything nasty it should be in it’s early stages and therefore very curable!
I still wish I could get someone to look at it for me though!

[SarahNah]

Maybe try going to Boots pharmacy or lloyds (I'm not sure if you have one of those in England!). I know for sure Boots have a skin cancer screening thing. My Mam went in once before (She in no way worries about her health, she has high blood pressure and they take your blood pressue in boots and she asked while there) for a issue and they were able to tell her on the spot that it didn't meet any of the worrisome issues.

I'm not trying to like say you have to go to the doctor or anything. It's just maybe if you an get it seen to and over with, you can move along more quickly!

[Limeslime]

Maybe try going to Boots pharmacy or lloyds (I'm not sure if you have one of those in England!). I know for sure Boots have a skin cancer screening thing. My Mam went in once before (She in no way worries about her health, she has high blood pressure and they take your blood pressue in boots and she asked while there) for a issue and they were able to tell her on the spot that it didn't meet any of the worrisome issues.

I'm not trying to like say you have to go to the doctor or anything. It's just maybe if you an get it seen to and over with, you can move along more quickly!

Oh wow, I didn’t know Boots offered that service!!! I’ve just looked it up though, and what they do is they use a scanning device to identify ABCDs of a mole and determine the risk based on that.
Unfortunately my mole is s bit unique due to being a recurrent nevus-these used to be known as a pseudo-melanoma due to its melanoma-like appearance. So it would come up as high risk because of its shape. So I need to speak with a specialist who knows the history of it and can assess whether or not the changes are risky, rather than just judge it on its appearance.

Thanks so much for the info about boots though!!!! I’ve learned something new! And I’m sure I’ll have other moles that I’ll use that service for in the future!

[unicorndusy]

Update: I went to the doctors today and saw my GP who was very thorough and re-assuring. After examination, she said she thinks mine is a cyst and has prescribed an anti-biotic cream for me to try for two weeks and booked me in for a review in two weeks if it hasn't resolved. She said if it doesn't disappear she'll freeze it off. I asked her about the big C and she said mine looks nothing like it, and explained to me that they change colour dramatically and other things happen which would be alarming. I feel very re-assured now I hope you are feeling much better.

[Limeslime]

Update: I went to the doctors today and saw my GP who was very thorough and re-assuring. After examination, she said she thinks mine is a cyst and has prescribed an anti-biotic cream for me to try for two weeks and booked me in for a review in two weeks if it hasn't resolved. She said if it doesn't disappear she'll freeze it off. I asked her about the big C and she said mine looks nothing like it, and explained to me that they change colour dramatically and other things happen which would be alarming. I feel very re-assured now I hope you are feeling much better.

That’s great news unicorn! Thanks so much for coming back with an update!
So am I right in thinking your “mole” wasn’t a mole at all?! Was it pigmented?!

---------- Post added at 15:06 ---------- Previous post was at 15:03 ----------

What your doctor said about how it would change colour dramatically etc, reminds me of something my auntie said.
She was diagnosed with a melanoma two years ago, and she said that when a mole really is a melanoma, there is no doubting it because it looks very, very nasty! Hers occurred in a mole that she’d had all her life!

[unicorndusy]

That’s great news unicorn! Thanks so much for coming back with an update!
So am I right in thinking your “mole” wasn’t a mole at all?! Was it pigmented?!

---------- Post added at 15:06 ---------- Previous post was at 15:03 ----------

What your doctor said about how it would change colour dramatically etc, reminds me of something my auntie said.
She was diagnosed with a melanoma two years ago, and she said that when a mole really is a melanoma, there is no doubting it because it looks very, very nasty! Hers occurred in a mole that she’d had all her life!

No it is a mole, but with a cyst growing on top of it if that makes sense. I've had the mole my entire life but this cyst is recent-ish. Your auntie is very right, they do look so different when they are malignant. I think with all the newspapers writing about all these horror stories makes us fear that we have it too.