I'm scared!!

[perhapstomorrow]

I saw my GP yesterday about a dodgy looking mole and she is going to refer me to a specialist. I cannot help think I've got the big C as when I was a teenager I loved laying out in the sun with no cream and I have also used sunbeds. (What an idiot!). But I am so frightened. I can't think straight. What's made it worse is that I heard that a family friend has died of breast cancer yesterday.

I've got 3 little ones and the thought of something happening to me absolutely terrifies me. I cannot stop crying. My DD2 has her first school play in a little while and I can't help thinking what if this is the last time I will see her in one! I know I am jumping the gun but I just cannot help thinking the worse.

Not sure why I've posted really. Just hoping someone can talk some sense into me.

Thanks for listening.

Try not to worry (i know its hard), a few years ago i was sent to hospital to have a mole checked out on my back, i can remember getting very sunburnt as a teen so i was worried it would be cancer. All was fine and i still have the mole on my back (gp refussed to remove it) and i get it checked out by my gp once a year to see if it has changed.

I'm so sorry about your sad news (family friend) .

Enjoy you daughters play, i'm sure you will see many more.

The likelihood of melanoma is very small.

Really it is.

I understand your being so scared, I get like this from time to time about a variety of things.

I would recommend cutting out caffeine and sugar for a few days, and watch your fear levels even out. a lot of panic is to do with stimulants and blood sugar and so on.

It might see you through for a bit, anyway.

Good luck, when is your appt?

Do try not to worry. I had a similar fear a year ago, a mole I'd never noticed before on my back being very sore and a bit bloody. Convinced myself I was at death's door. It turned out to be a birthmark that I had scratched when I fell down a gravelly hill

You may be like Marne and it may be nothing :) And if it is something, bear in mind that at least you're getting it sorted. Have you only noticed it recently? It's quite likely that even if it is a problem, you've caught it in time. When will you see the specialist?

I'm so sorry about your family friend, that must be very difficult :(

Please try not to worry. (I know it's hard not to!) Good luck with the specialist. I hope you turn out to be okay.

There are lots of dodgy moles - loads of them are not cancerous at all.

Those that are cancerous are nearly always just local to the mole - it would be a small op to cut off the mole and a bit of tissue round it, then possibly some radiotherapy for a while just to be sure of zapping anything round about.

Its really very rare to have developed into a life-threatening version, so the statistics are really on your side here.

So, take a deep breath, and try not to work yourself into too much of a state - it's scary, but its not a death sentence.

Thanks for your words of encouragement. I think it all got to me when I heard the news about our friend this morning.

I haven't got an appointment through yet but it should be in the next 2 - 3 weeks. I noticed what appeared to be a spot under the mole about 3 months ago but I completely forgot about it until the other day when I felt it and there was a tiny lump under the mole and today I've noticed that the mole feels all dry.

catchthewind- I will try cutting out the stimulants for the next few days and see if that helps. Perhaps, going out for a few drinks last night with friends didn't help me this morning either!

Am feeling better now that I saw my lovely DD singing twinkle twinkle [proud mum emoticon]

Thanks again

It could really be all sorts of things from what you describe - a sebaceous cyst, just irritation, anything.

Please don't worry unduly