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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To worry I might have nail cancer?

163 replies

Sadandstripey · 14/01/2019 00:16

I’m really anxious about getting cancer and because of that I don’t trust my own judgement properly.

I’ve got a dark brown stripe running lengthways across my big toe nail. It has some darker pinprick spots in and isn’t a straight line. I can’t remember hurting my toe at all. The stripe has been there since October. I’ve now googled and scared myself silly it’s cancer. Would IBU to see a GP about this?

OP posts:
WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 14/01/2019 10:00

I had skin cancer , on the side of my nose Started as a small white circle (people thought it looked like it once had a piercing, it did not).
They got it luckily and I am ok some 11 years on

Looking at the photo I would get that checked out OP . Its probably not cancer but it does not hurt to go to check .

WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 14/01/2019 10:03

Oh saw your update its in both nails

As others have said, likely an infection but its gone 10.00 so not long to wait but I hope its just that OP Best of Luck .

Original poster
Sadandstripey · 14/01/2019 10:37

They took photos and sent it to the dermotolgiist by email. He didn’t know what it was. Said I would hear if I need to see anyone in 2 weeks.

OP posts:
fantasmasgoria1 · 14/01/2019 10:44

I had a biopsy due to this and a was well. The consultant looked at it and said he was quite sure it wasn't anything to worry about but did a biopsy anyway.

Original poster
Sadandstripey · 14/01/2019 10:57

Don’t know really how to not panic and stay calm for the next two weeks. Especially when DH said this morning he’d noticed it “a while ago, on holiday maybe ( we went on holiday in June). He thought I’d just banged it. That has spiralled my anxiety beyond any controllable level.

OP posts:
YesOrNoThatsTheQuestion · 14/01/2019 11:16

You need to see a doctor and get it evaluated. It doesn't necessarily mean it'll be cancer but the sooner it is caught, the better chances of getting cured. Book the appointment immediately and make it an emergency.

YesOrNoThatsTheQuestion · 14/01/2019 11:19

Sorry I just seen that you've been to the doctor. Hopefully the dermatologist gets back to your GP ASAP! I am a hypochondriac and I've had to have a mole removed due to suspended melanoma (thank god it wasn't). I'm sure you'll be OK, OP. Thanks

Hadalifeonce · 14/01/2019 11:24

If you're worried about visiting your GP, why not see a chiropodist/podiatrist? They are very knowledgeable.

Mumofonetwothree · 14/01/2019 11:25

Try not to worry....I saw a go once about some lumps on my shoulder...he had no idea so called ina other doctor who had no idea and called in the dermatologist (luckily big surgery so they worked in the same building) he took one look and said keloid scar... nothing to worry about. But yeah if I had to wait weeks for the dermatologist to answer an email I would have been bricking it too!!!!
Try not to worry...just because one GP isn't sure doesnt mean it's anything sinister.

Original poster
Sadandstripey · 14/01/2019 13:28

It’s not that the doctor didn’t know what it was as much as my DH saying he noticed it on holiday. (So 7 months ago). That’s a long time for it not to disappear if it was trauma.

OP posts:
Confusedbeetle · 14/01/2019 13:39

Why are you asking here? See a doctor!

Hazlenutpie · 14/01/2019 13:41

Definitely get this checked out OP. I could very well be fungal and need treatment.

Original poster
Sadandstripey · 14/01/2019 13:57

ConfusedBeetle, Hazlenutpie, I saw the doctor this morning. He doesn’t think it’s fungal. Doesn’t know what it is. He took photos and sent to a dermatologist. Hopefully I will hear from them in a week or two.

OP posts:
WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 14/01/2019 14:52

If its urgent, OP, they will contact you before a week or two

Mine was skin cancer and they numbed the area (was by my nose) and took a biopsy and told me I would hear in a week or so . I heard within 3 days but due to it being cancer they obviously wanted to move quickly.
Hopefully its fungal but I , like you, would be concerned .

Absofuckinglutely · 14/01/2019 15:41

So it's on both big toes? Or at least a little bit on the other too?
That's very reassuring as lightning doesn't often strike twice - bilateral melanoma is extremely unlikely. it's likely you have a pair of shoes that may be rubbing gently in this area and creating trauma that you're not even noticing.
You're totally doing the right thing in getting it properly investigated, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. Keep us updated x

Bluetrews25 · 14/01/2019 16:01

Toenails grow really REALLY slowly! Anything will take months and months to grow out.
The fact that it is on both should be reassuring you, most likely from some footwear worn a while before the summer? Or did you have a very enthusiastic pedicure involving pushing back cuticles?

Original poster
Sadandstripey · 14/01/2019 16:32

Ha I’m the person least likely to have a pedicure ever. I don’t pay much (any) attention to my feet. This could have been there for months and months and I wouldn’t have noticed. The GP didn’t say anything about it being on both sides, just took photos of both feet. (More pics of the worse nail). But yes you are right it must be reassuring it’s on both feet.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sadandstripey · 14/01/2019 16:37

This is the other toe. The discolouration is really faint though.

To worry I might have nail cancer?
OP posts:
Floopyandtired · 14/01/2019 18:24

Hi OP, I had a really similar mark on one of my big toenails a couple of years ago. I went to the GP who referred me to hospital, turned out to be a bruise from where my shoe was too tight. Could this be the case for you?

FWIW it took bloody ages to grow out, well over a year so the fact it’s still there after your partner noticed it in the summer isn’t unusual. Well done for getting it checked though.

Original poster
Sadandstripey · 14/01/2019 20:10

Thanks Floopy I don’t think my shoes are too tight but I guess it could be something like that

OP posts:
Original poster
Sadandstripey · 15/01/2019 19:06

Been Googling Subungual Melanoma all day and have decided if I do have it then it will be at a far too late stage to be survivable. I’m annoyed at myself - I know I’m being irrational and I just need to hear back from the dermatologist but anxiety seems to have spun out of all control. I’m just trying to get a grip of it again.

OP posts:
Klobluchar · 15/01/2019 20:11

There is no reassurance to be had on Google, OP. There’s only ever one diagnosis for anything and we all know what that is. In the real world, things are very different.

Try to watch some brain-out televison or a silly film and step away from Dr Google with his one diagnosis.

Ereshkigal · 16/01/2019 09:08

I promise you, Google won't help you. I had the same experience as you with mine (which was fairly similar to yours but at the cuticle/base of the nail). It's completely negative on google. I couldn't even find anyone on a forum who said they had had the same and it had been a false alarm. Just doom. But it was a false alarm, and I imagine most of the time it is.

Gunpowder · 16/01/2019 09:36

sadandstripey are you having any kind of treatment for your anxiety? It’s good to check these things out just in case but I think you are catastrophising. If it was subungual melanoma (which seems unlikely) and it was too late to be survivable you would be feeling very poorly indeed I imagine! Agree with the other posters, step away from google!

Original poster
Sadandstripey · 16/01/2019 20:38

Still no call from GP. I assume the longer it goes without dermatologist call the more likely it is to be good news. But then it’s only a few days. Urgh. This is horrible.

OP posts:
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