Hi there ...

It's o.k to give your G Ps a ring, and ask them... they maybe able to chance them up ... or at least put your mind at rest , it maybe everyone's a bit behind with this covid ... so hold on ... give them a ring Monday.. Chrissie....

Hi chrissie, thanks for your reply. I have tried gp they haven't received anything yet. I know I need to try and be patient just that the last 2 weeks have felt like 2 yrs too much time on my hands at moment as I'm still on furlough. I am trying to hold on too the fact that the longer it takes the better the news. Thankyou so much for replying to me and to everyone on this site you have been amazing at calming the nerves when things are a bit much xx

Hi all, sorry to post so late at night but feel a bit like I'm watching a bullet coming towards me at the moment in slo mo and don't know if I'm gonna dodge it or not, does that sound melodramic. 22 days since biopsy still on furlough and head still all over the place. I'm pretty lucky I have a really understanding husband but even he should only have to take so much. Everyone else thinks I'm worrying over nothing,there understanding "it's only skin cancer easily sorted" grrrrrrr sorry to go on but I don't know how to make them realize  how scared I am. Just wondering if it's normal to be feeling like this or should I be asking for some help with my mental health. Just also would like to add there are some amazing people on here much worse off than I am right now who have helped me through these last few weeks and hopefully I will be in a position to do the same soon thanks all

Hi Littlebo 

If people haven't been through it even just waiting for results and getting an all clear, they have no idea what it's like. Someone on here [@davek]‍ has had terminal cancer and actually got the all clear and had another problem crop up and didn't realise how worried he was until he got the results and all clear again. Loads of others going through waiting have same problem it's just how humans are, hopefully results will be OK.

Remember the forum is one big family we all help each other nomatter what. Good and bad. 

Best wishes for the future. 

Billy 

Hi - have been through this. Just couldn't get my results.

In the end my GP logged onto the hospital system for me and called me back with a result after 4 weeks when I could stand the wait no longer. Had high dysplasia (not cancer but the lesion needed to be removed). I never got a hospital letter or pathology report as usually happens. Things seem to be all over the place with the virus. 

Hi so sorry its taken so long to reply to you for some reason I couldn't log on. Thankyou so much for replying to me, feeling much saner today I had a chat with my gp who checked hospital records no news yet but reassured me how I'm feeling is perfectly natural and he would be surprised if I wasn't feeling this way. Also had some god news about my 18 Yr old daughter who also had a mole checked today at the hospital and its fine so big relief. Just gonna try and take one day at a time till I know any different I am so grateful to you and everyone on here who have really helped and hopefully I'll be able to repay debt someday soon Take care all and thanks again xx

Hi - thanks for your update and pleased you managed to speak to your gp and that your daughter has had good news. The waiting is awful. I got myself into a special tizzy because I was having night sweats (probably down to my age and hormones) plus there is family history of melanoma. Luckily my result was high dysplasia not cancer. Phew! So I sympathise. I really do. Fingers crossed for good news for you too soonxx

Thanks again so much it really helps to talk to people who understand what you are going through, hopefully will all of been for nothing but really is comforting to have people there. I hope everything is OK with you if you don't mind me asking what will happen for you now will you need any treatment or monitoring. Take care and stay well xx

Hi

I've had a number of excisions over the years with more than one severely dysplastic mole. Have found follow-up varies depending on area and hospital.

Current situation seems to be keep an eye on things myself then e-mail GP - they aren't seeing people - whenever a mole changes. Get 2WW referral if GP thinks changes sufficiently suspect.

I don't like this way of doing things as I feel embarrassed having to get someone else to photograph things for me (at least on the back) and there are moles in places I wouldn't consider photographing. 

Unfortunately, with the virus there is less focus on prevention. Hospitals in some areas seem short-staffed.( Am wondering if those with a heavy cohort of student medics are faring particularly badly?) 

Recently, I didn't get a routine follow-up through (they don't seem to be doing routine stuff) and had to be sent back on 2WW when self-monitoring flagged up new issues.

Do develop a good relationship with your GP because ultimately they are the ones who can push for care right now. So good your GP understood.

I could add that over the years I have found it disorienting seeing so many different consultants - I don't think I've ever managed to see the same one twice and on three occasions I got transferred between consultants from the day I had my op to when I got my results without being informed of this. Makes it confusing trying to phone a secretary to ask if results are back and I have concluded that it is because our hospital transfers patients like this that dermatology only allow you to chase GP not consultant's secretary. 

Really hope this doesn't sound like too much of a rant but I found my recent experience the worst of the lot with regard to results. I think the admin side are genuinely short-staffed. I can't say where in the country I am but I hope you don't end up feeling as frustrated as I did. The waiting is awful. Good luck! xx

I got told some moles were benign a few years years ago (even though they were changing). I think the hospital were right and they were benign then. However, a few years later I got really worried as some more changes in the "benign" moles. Excised second time round. Not benign second time round but dysplastic. So if they change a lot in the future you are allowed another opinion with a new set of changes. The hospital were keen to stress that I have to take responsibility for my moles. Monthly checks. I hate doing them so frequently as it causes me a health anxiety given how many I have to check. I'd really like to just forget about the things and let someone else do the checking. If I were super-rich I'd definitely go for mole-mapping. Sadly I'm not.

Had better add that I am high risk as family history of melanoma, pancreatic cancer and dysplastic moles (atypical mole or FAMMM syndrome). Fair to say I hate having atypical moles and the responsibility this seems to bring. I once went a year without looking at them and got suitably chastised by the medical people. I guess it was my way of saying I don't want this responsibility right now. But apparently given my personal and family mole history I was being an absolute idiot. I guess I'm saying that it is always a rollercoaster being referred and the anxiety of waiting to be seen, waiting for results etc. Have had to learn to cope with it. But I don't find it easy. xx