I'm sorry you have this worry. My daughter had 2 moles removed on her back about 3 years ago that were both just under 1cm after an urgent referral from her GP and neither of them ended up being cancer. She went to the GP after noticing that a mole had changed texture and colour. She was at university a hundred miles or so away from home at the time and I will never forget her tearful phonecall after seeing the specialist at the hospital 12 days later, explaining that not one but two large moles needed removing and she had a date for surgery 2 weeks later.  Its only natural to fear the worst but it doens't mean the worst will happen or is even likely. I hope all goes well with your referral

Thank you so much for your reply and I'm so pleased your daughter had a positive outcome, I think its the fear of not knowing how long I've had it but trying to focus on the quicker it's seen the better, I hope 

I saw my GP having spotted a mole that just looked bigger and slightly raised compared to the others. Lower right leg - on the calf. To be surprise it was referred straight away to hospital two weeks later - dermatology. Having gone there a few weeks ago, after a few mins they said it should be removed for a biopsy. They would remove the whole mole (about 1cm or so) as a precaution. I had the day surgery on it - about an hour in all - painless procedure. Now have a bandage on it and home till the 12th resting it before going to start my new job. First day was the operation day - good timing. The op went fine. Swelling in leg and a bit sore but fine. Now I'm waiting for the results of the biopsy which is the anxiety bit. Trying not to think about it and be positive but yes it's hard not to think about the what ifs. Main thing for me is that I noticed, I got it seen, they did something about it. I couldn't have done anymore. I just have to hope there is nothing further now. Best wishes, Matt 

I have had several moles removed over the years large and small. Could play dot to dot if bored I have that many.

They have been removed for various reasons change in size and shape, colour, texture and even itching and bleeding.

All have been done in day surgery with local anesthetic. They removed mole and sample if surrounding tissue, stitched up and sent home. It is the waiting around for biopsy results that is the hardest so you need to focus on somthing else.

All of mine were fine. Yet my daughter had a mole removed from her shin at the age of 5 and was told it was border line changes so I am very vigilant with her and she too has had a cpl more removed (teenager now). There is a family history of mole and skin cancer so I am super vigilant.

Hope all goes well for you x

Yes, your right thank you  

As I said before I think its the fear of now wondering how long it's been there unseen, but nothing I can do about that now, main thing is its been seen now, my gp said to me, first 2 words when you leave my surgery is thank you to your husband, because you would probably never of seen it, now it's being checked out 

Thank you for your kind and reassuring  reply, please do let me know how you get on

I hope to be seen within 2 weeks so fingers crossed and I too have literally just gone back to work so bad timing also 

I need to work on my anxiety so this could also prove positive on that basis, let's see

Hi Susan,

I'm in exactly the same boat. I have been referred to see a dermatologist at my local hospital next Thursday. 

I am so petrified, but even more so, my wife and I have been waiting a very long time to start our family after she was diagnosed a few years ago with a BRCA 2 gene. We are finally at the stage where we are ready to take her embryos and transfer them to me to carry the pregnancy, however now I am not sure whether I should consider delaying things even further because I know how long waiting times are for results. Even if the dermatologist on Thursday thinks the mole is suspicious and needs to be removed, I expect there will be some weeks wait to have it removed and then even more weeks for biopsy results. 

I suffer with health anxiety and this is just making the thoughts even more invasive, knowing that I may need to postpone starting our family even further, especially as I am in my mid thirties and time is not exactly on my side. :(

Oh no, please don't think like that, I totally understand, anxiety is a mindset that people who are lucky enough to not suffer with it struggle to understand 

It's the anxiety, not the situation that takes hold because common sense paints a totally different picture but in a heightened state of anxiety common sense doesn't exist

I'm trying to stay with the fact that I'll be seen within 2 weeks, small steps and trying not look any further ahead because my anxiety cannot cope with that, I'm also trying to remind myself ( although very difficult) that my husband is worried also therefore I shouldn't be putting anymore stress on him 

Can you aim just for your app and nothing else, that way you within 2 weeks you will have a clearer idea and 2 weeks in theory isn't that long a time ? 

Thanks for your reply Susan. Yeah I am trying to just get through each day one at a time but I am struggling. Like you said, it's the waiting that is the worst part, I think even more so than if I were to get that horrible diagnosis. 

I just don't want to wait to have our much longer for family, but I also appreciate that my health has to come first. 

Have you had the appointment through to see the dermatologist yet or are you still waiting? 

Your absolutely right about your health

Gp sent off urgent referral last night, said if I don't hear within 2 weeks to go back to him, I think he inadvertently set me off as he kept on about asap and urgent without realising that I was sitting there petrified at his remarks, once he realised he explained that the quicker the better and that he truly doesn't know what it is therefore go to someone who does, but he had planted the seed that omg its so serious and its been left too long etc, as I said previously if you don't suffer from severe anxiety its difficult to understand how the brain works when your told that news in a certain way

I think the fact I have no idea how long it's been there is driving my anxiety too because of the constant- you must get these things checked out before it's too late - messages 

An old retired gp told me many years that too much info is as damaging as no info

I make him right !