Anyone had a mole investigated? GP has referred me to hospital.

[tomtom1999xx]

Hi,

I have a new mole ( well it’s been there about 8 months, no change in appearance )
I thought it was just an age spot but thought I’d get it checked anyway whilst at the doctors ( for an unrelated reason )
I wasn’t particularly worried about it but now I’m freaking out that I might have skin cancer.
If this has happened to you, how quickly do you get a firm diagnosis?

Many thanks.

[bumpsadaisy11]

My son had a mole checked out at the hospital.
It was incredibly quick, literally waited for about 10 minutes then got called in to see the consultant, he looked at the mole, then asked if he had any others.
He then told us it was nothing to worry about & then we left. We were only in with him for about 5 minutes all in.

[jackparlabane]

Likewise - went in, got stared at, told they thought it was OK but doc went to get expert to sign it off, confirmed it was fine, and they said I'd done the right thing getting checked and explained in more detail which changes are worth getting checked (I have the relevant medical background so got lots of detail about why my mole looked dodgy but to the experts clearly wasn't).

[BackInTime]

PMK

Just made GPs appointment to have one checked.

[tomtom1999xx]

Thank you.
So they can tell on the day if it’s anything to worry about?
That’s what I was hoping.

[BoxOfBabyCheeses]

Hi OP, I have been referred to the hospital for multiple moles. The majority of the time my experience was the same as PP's.

The other 3 times I had the mole removed there and then to be tested. Only once did my sample come back as abnormal - or pre-cancerous. I had to have no further treatment though as it had been removed.

Please don't be too worried, you are doing the right thing by getting it looked at. I hope you get good news!

[Egghead68]

I have been twice. Once they told me my inspection it was fine. The other time they removed it and I got a report a week later saying it had been analysed and was fine.

Good luck!

[Thatmustbemyname]

By coincidence I've just opened this thread as This Morning came on the TV and they said they're doing a thing on moles - what to look for, what the process is etc.

I wasn't paying enough attention to see what time but may be worth checking out if you can!

[tomtom1999xx]

Thanks everyone.
I’m feeling really reassured by your posts

And I’ll try and watch ‘This Morning’ on catch up tonight, what a coincidence!

[Twotome]

Hi OP, I’ve been doctors this morning, who have referred me for a mole. I’m really panicking. Can I ask what were they concerned about with your mole?

[tomtom1999xx]

Hi Twotome

Sorry you’re in the same boat.

My GP is concerned because it’s a new mole and fairly big ( just over half an inch ) plus a bit of a blurry edge.
She’s referred me under the 2 week wait so she must be bloomin’ concerned.
I don’t know how I’m going to get through the waiting.

[Twotome]

I’ve also been referred under the 2 week wait. I’ve gone from not overly concerned this morning to full on panic an hour later.
I have a mole on my back which he has said is dark and irregular shape, and also light brown ‘patches’ on the sole of my foot which he is concerned about.

[tomtom1999xx]

Twotome

Hand hold together
I’ll update as soon as I get my appointment through.
xx

[Twotome]

fingers crossed it is less than 2 weeks x

[BoxOfBabyCheeses]

I hope you both get answers quickly both. I had a 6 week wait as it wasn't flagged as urgent. I completely obsessed over it.

One thing I would recommend is a mole checker app. You can take photos of your moles, they will flag anything that looks "different" and you can check weekly/monthly if there have been any changes to your current moles.

Another tip is to remember ABCD

Asymmetry - if the mole is irregularly shaped.
Border - if the border is blurred/mole bleeds out from the edge.
Colour - if the colour changes
Diameter - if the mole is over a certain size (can't remember off the top of my head sorry)

[Daisy03]

I was referred by my GP urgently but the receptionists failed to put it through.
Because of the wait I went through Bupa who did a biopsy a week later and told me they’d write to me within 2 weeks. I haven’t received my letter but was just called today by a Bupa receptionist on behalf of my doctor to make a follow up appointment which is another 2 weeks away.
Does anyone have any similar experiences? I’m obviously imagining the worst as I didn’t expect to be called in. Feeling very scared

[Twotome]

@BoxOfBabyCheeses thank you. I don’t think I’ve ever looked at so many google pictures of moles!

@Daisy03 no experience but would like to think if there was any problems you wouldn’t wait a further 2 weeks for your follow up appointment. Fingers crossed all is OK.

[ForeverBaffled]

I was referred for a freckle under the 2 week wait guidelines. My GP explained that they automatically have to do this if the mole is new, has grown recently and/or has other cancer markers (Eg irregular border or different shades of colour) even if it otherwise looks totally benign. My freckle was nothing in the end and GP was unconcerned but despite this had to follow procedure. I guess what I’m saying is that even though you’re in 2-week wait category it doesn’t mean your GP is really worried. Good luck!

[goose1964]

I was referred last year as I had an extremely itchy mole. The dermatologist said she was 99% sure it wasn't cancerous but due to the itch they'd remove it and send for biopsy. 2 weeks after that I had it removed. The worst thing about it was the local anaesthetic because the mole was over my spine.

It came back clear but with a caveat that this type of mole means I'm more likely than the general population to get skin cancer in the future.

[Animum2]

I had a mole on my right breast, had been there for years when it changed from brown to black and went lumpy, went to docs who referred me to have an op to remove it, luckily it was just an infected mole and nothing else

[Twotome]

@ForeverBaffled hoping that’s the case - my GP wasn’t very reassuring at all. Glad your (and the other posters) turned out to be nothing.

[Twotome]

@tomtom1999xx My appointment with the dermatologist is on the 23rd. Have you heard anything yet?

[tomtom1999xx]

Hi Twotome
Yes, my appointment is on Friday ( 19th ) so not too long to wait now.
Hope you’re doing ok. I go from not worried to extreme panic within hours.

[Twotome]

I’m the same. Hope your appointment goes OK x

[namechangedforthis1980]

My story isn't as great as other posters but hopefully reassures you that even if the results are bad, it can be ok!

I was referred by my GP as I'd commented that a mole had changed a little. They didn't urgently refer me - my app was 5 months later! The reason being was they couldn't see anything that wrong with it, so didn't refer under the 2 week plan.

5 months later I went to the dermatologist, who took it off that same day. It turned out to be malignant melanoma! Obviously a very scary diagnosis, but fortunately it was pretty thin so I had no need to have any treatment as such, just had more skin taken away ( to be sure they'd got it all) and a year seeing the skin cancer specialist nurse.