I have convinced myself I have skin cancer

[Scheherezadea]

Watching This Morning yesterday and they did a skin cancer special. At first I didn't pay much attention, as all the marks they were pointing out were ugly and red and blotchy. Then the nurse said you had to keep an eye if you are a female on dark brown freckle-type spots!

PANIC

I have a freckle in between my toes. I think it has got larger the past year. I'd say it is 0.5cm long, oval in shape. Just dark brown, maybe a little dot of black in teh middle, but that could just be the skin wrinkle. Went on holiday and got v.tanned last year, and year before. Probably didn't pay enough attention to my feet with the sunscreen!

I've built myself up into a mild state of panic about it. GPs on't have any appointments left for today, offered me one tomorrow morning but I have a hospital apmt for 20 week scan then!

Should I demand emergency apmt, though it's not really an emergency - it's not going to change in 24 hours, or wait till I get home tomorrow?

Just to say OP - I totally understand how you feel. I'm a moley/freckly person and I've had various things checked out.
I had a weird patch under my eye a few years ago that just wouldn't go away, went to GP, he said lets get it checked, I fretted and googled then convinced myself I'd need one of the horrible surgeries described on a website. Fast forward a week or two to the appointment - the consultant walked in, took one look and said "Yes, a keratosis, I'm happy with that". Whole thing took about 10 seconds and I went away a very happy bunny.
Let us know how it goes OP!

p.s. I've also had weirdy things on shins and calves checked out too!

Hope Ell is well op.

all

Thanks all!

Well I walked in, and promptly burst into tears and started apologising incessantly for having taken up an appointment. I'm very lucky however to live in a small village, only 3 GPs at the surgery and get on very well with all of them. Had the lovely lady Doctor who just kept smiling and saying not to worry or apologise, and, of course, it's nothing to worry about. She's measured it and says to go back if it gets bigger.

Honestly

That's totally what happened to me a year ago, went in , had it measured, doc says come back if it grows.

Apparently they grow fast if cancer. Nothing happened to it thankfully.

Ah - that's good OP!

Wierdly, DP came home early from work just before I was going out, so he came with me. Has made me tea and brought me ice lolly and brownies, so I can now get excited about the scan tomorrow!

sheepish grin

Oh, OP I'm glad you are still alive okay!

You'll be right.

Enjoy your scan.

Zimm, the changes may have taken place over a year. Obviously a rapid change is worse, but any change needs to be taken into consideration.

And it doesn't have to be 1cm either - my mum's wasn't that big. It grows down rather than on the surface (when it's growing rapidly on the surface it is worrying) so you don't notice the difference.

And breathe

I have a very impressive mole on my leg; it's the size of a 5p piece and is black/purple. Had been developing for a while, Mum noticed it one night got in a panic (it hadn't really bothered me) and ended up rushing me up to the Out of Hours at 9pm on a Friday night.

It's absolutely benign and the consultant got quite excited when they saw it as apparently it's quite unusual.

So try not to feel too sheepish about panicking, it's easily done

I had some really funny moles appear when pg but they kind of faded and disappeared afterwards. Hormones, I blame! Felt the same as you about one on my arm too!