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Mole changed and anxiety heightened

Bethanyrp
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Hello, im new to this and I dont want to offered anyone but I need some advice. 

I have a mole on my upper left leg which probably appeared about 3 or 4 years ago. I never really noticed it until 11th November. 2 days before my 28th birthday. I was having such bad panic attacks thinking it was cancer the doctor brought me in to see me and to look at it. 

Its about 6mm by 6.5mm which is larger than I ever remember it being. Medium brown with slightly darker edges. At the point I was seen on the 12th by my doctor who said it was okay any nothing to worry about he messaged it and looked at it and said it was just dry and to moisturiser it as it. 

It doesn't itch or anything. 

And said ubless it doubles in size or atatys bleeding not to worry about it.

For about a week maybe 2 I was fine but the last few weeks my anxiety has been getting bad again I cant eat I feel sick im so tiered and scared and im constantly checking it measuring it and taking photos of it. 

I called my doctor again and had a phone appointment with someone else who asked me to send photos so I sent 5 of the worse looking ones of it I had. This doctor then told me it looked benign and not to panic unless it changes or gets bigger. 

Now my problem is sometimes its darker sometimes it looks a bit inflamed worse when I get out of a bath and sometimes I think it looks bigger. 

I dont believe its okay and im driving myself mad! Has anyone else gone through anxiety related to this? 

Sorry for the long message! 

Bethany 

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    Hi Bethany, I understand why you're anxious. Please don't forget you are entitled to a 2nd opinion by law. If you're not happy then please ask to be referred. Maybe you could start to take picture of your mole once a week then you can check for changes. This will also be good if you do get a referral. Try & take the picture under the same light each time & put a ruler under it when you take the picture. (My GP said to do this!)
    I had a large freckle just above my knee that had been there for as long as I can remember. It was probably about 7-8mm. 
    In October I thought it looked a little different but nothing significant. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of it but kept checking it. Because it was just above my knee I saw it everytime I went to the loolet & it was changing. It had become slightly bigger & a little darker but wasn't raised. I had a telephone appointment with my GP who asked me to text a picture. My GP rang & wanted to see it in person. She said she thought it was nothing but to be on the safe side referred me to a Dermatology clinic. The Dermatologist Consultant wasn't sure either but, again to be on the safe side, wanted it removing so it could be analysed. I had it removed on 24/11 & my follow up was last Friday 17/12. It is cancerous but hopefully has been caught early; it was very small, only 6mm. The Consultant wants to remove some more to make sure all the cancer has gone & my appointment is next Thursday 30th. 
    If I was in your situation I'd ask for a 2nd opinion. It's your body & if you're worried then you need to keep pushing your GP. You have a legal right to a 2nd opinion. If you're not confident to do so, which I wasn't at your age & wouldn't have dared push back, could your Hubbie or a friend go/be with you when you next speak to the Doctor; someone who will ask on your behalf & won't take no for an answer. If it's nothing then there's no harm done but if it is, the longer it's left the more irreversible damage could be happening.

    I hope this has been of some help. Please let me know how you get on. Take Care & Stay Safe Bethany. Merry Christmas x

  • Offline in reply to rachael5002

    Hello Rachael I took tour advise and got a second opinion today. This doctor told me it looks okay, and the ABCDE was normal apart from its being slightly raised. Luckily I had been taking photos of my mole for about 6 weeks so she's sending them to the specialist who will then decide if I need referring further. 

    To be honest I'm even more freaked out now, but I feel like I should just accept its probably okay as its only been a very slow growing mole. But then my family have a history of large moles but not cancer  

     

    May I ask how big your freckle was? And how old you are? Sorry I dont want to be rude. I hope you have caught it early enough. Enjoy your Christmas x 

  • Offline in reply to Bethanyrp

    Hi Bethany,  Firstly please accept my sincere apologies for only just replying. I didn't pick up your reply, went to have 2nd op on 30th & not been well since. Not melanoma/cancer related but I also have M.E. I was give a hefty dose of antibiotics post op & M.E & antibiotics do not go together & Ive been really rough. Then I got a UTI so another load of antibiotics. 
    Secondly, please feel free to ask me anything. Honestly I don't mind at all. I turned 50 on 30/12/21 - the same day as my 2nd op!!! There was no chance I was missing the op just because it was my birthday!!  
    My freckle was only about 7mm. I've just found a photo I took of my knees the week before speaking to the GP about it because I have O.A & my right knee's been swollen & very painful for a long time. Luckily it's got the freckle on & hopefully I'll be able to attach it at the end of this message. 
    You said your family have a history of large moles & not cancer. Going back 2 generations in my family there's been no types of cancer on either side. My consultant said that was a positive.  


    However, there was a lot going against me & I've had a bit of a torrid time health-wise in the last 15 years including fracturing my spine on 2 different occasions, OA, RA, Osteoporosis & Sepsis amongst other things!!! I don't do things by 1/2. I have 3 older brother's but it's always me it happens to, it's a case of here I go again!! 

    I'm 50.

    Smoked for 20yrs (15 a day).

    Had M.E. since early teens. 
    Have taken medication for Arthritis for 14 yrs (which suppress my immune system)

    Lot of time in the sun with no protection & used baby oil on quite a few occasions. 

    Used a sunbed a lot from an early age. My teenage years were in the mid- late 80's when having a tan & sunbed's became all the rage. I bought my own top canopy at 15yrs old after saving up for it from my Saturday job. I used it quite regularly for around 10yrs. Had a break from using a sunbed but would be outside sunbathing at every opportunity. When I went abroad I didn't use any sun protection at all. I took up using a commercial sunbed again 1-2x weekly when I was 30 until I was pregnant with my daughter in 2004/5 but went back to using them 2008/9 onwards once a week until 2016. I know it sounds crazy stupid now but the M.E & Arthritis causes a lot of pain & I found the heat from the sunbed such a help. I was an aspiring netballer & cross country runner but was struck down at 13yrs old with the M.E. to the point where the exhaustion & pain was so bad I had to sit down 1/2 way just going upstairs at home. I was angry & didn't care, just wanted to be like all my peers out shopping, then enjoying going out socialising. 

    So as you can see from the above, I haven't taken any care of my skin at all. I've never had bad skin or dry skin, it always healed well if I cut, grazed myself so not only have I never looked after it, I've battered it!!! (I told my consultant all of the above but he couldn't tell me exactly why the freckle had become cancerous. He said it be one thing or a combination of all) 

    Over the years I always had my freckle checked because of its size when I went to the GP & my GP was never wrong when they told me it was ok. This time the GP wasn't sure, said we'll get it double checked & was correct.

    Have you thought of ringing a helpline & asking their advice as to what you could do next if you still feel anxious. 

    One final thought - I've always gone with my gut feeling & it's never let me down. 

    Please feel free to ask anything Bethany. If I can answer you I will. I will keep an eye out this time so you're not hanging on. 
     

    Sending hugs

    Rachael x

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