DH being referred to melanoma clinic for dodgy moles

[BirdyBedtime]

DH went to GP this morning about a couple of things, one being to get his moles checked. He has loads of moles on his back and used to go annually to get them checked but, despite my nagging, it's been more than 2 years (at least) since he's been. He occasionally asks me to look at them but to be honest he has so many and all shapes and sizes that I've no idea what I'm looking for. He had one removed from his arm about 15 years ago that was benign.

He called me earlier to say that the GP thinks 2 of them look 'dodgy' (great medical term) and is referring him to the melanoma clinic. I know in England he'd be seen within 2 weeks, but we're in Scotland so I've no idea how long he is going to have to wait and can't find that information anywhere and am now just panicking that it is going to be melanoma and all that might entail.
This also comes on the back of 15 month period where my mum was diagnosed with cancer (has just finished treatment), dad had major bypass surgery, DH had minor surgery and we lost his dad and I was recieving out-patient treatment for an eye condition. I also have an outpatients appointment soon to discuss pretty grim eye surgery. To be honest I'm not sure I could cope with something else and also am pretty angry with DH for not going to get them checked sooner. I know we can't do anything until he is seen but am just looking for a bit of hand-holding.

Hi - I'm sorry I can't answer your question about how long you will have to wait for the referral but I am sure that if the Dr was very worried, he would have ensured the appointment was sent as urgent.

I have had loads of moles checked and GP's are always very wary which is understandable but does mean that we, as patients, have to keep it in perspective when they refer us! Honestly, my GP sent me to get one checked because it was an irregular shape. No other symptoms. The Consultant looked at it and straight away said it was just a mole.

Have there been any symptoms like bleeding, itching or growing?

It could well be that some of them are just large or a funny shape and that would be enough for the GP to refer your DH.

Take comfort in the fact that at the appointment with the consultant they will be able to give you some information there any then and that could well be the end of it.

Try not to worry - easier said than done I know, but just remember that GP will refer to a specialist, even just to be on the safe side. While DH is at the appointment, get him to ask the consultant to check all his moles!!

Thanks LaFlotte - you're right - he probably has more than 30 moles on his back and they are all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours so knowing whether any have changed is really difficult - even when you look at examples of melanomas on the internet - and I don't think they've been bleeding or itchy. But his back has been sore and achy which was another reason he was going to docs as he thought it was work related. Not sure if this could be linked. He said the GP is putting it as a standard referral so obviously he isn't too concerned as you say. I am just a worrier - it means that when things work out OK it's a relief and if not then I'm prepared (a bit), but if at all possible I'll be going to the consultant appointment with him.

You should be seen within 2 weeks even in Scotland, I referred someone recently and they were seen 9 days later. If you haven't had an appointment letter within 2 weeks you should contact the surgery or the appointments office. And make sure the GP has your current address correct. Which area are you in?

We're in Lothian. I'd be pleasantly surprised if it was that quick as I assumed a 'standard' referral meant the 12 week general referral target applied?

I know Lothian has had an issue with referral times in the past. For my appointment to meet 12 weeks I was offered an appointment that would have been today, but with a consultant that isn't one of the 2 in the area who actually does the surgery I require. I phoned the appointment office and said I didn't mind waiting to see one of the 2, and my appointment is next week!

In my experience, GPs are over-cautious with moles (this is a good thing). During my last pregnancy, one of the moles on my abdomen got bigger and darker (common in pregnancy). I was referred immediately and seen within the week! All was fine, but the GP said that, as she wasn't a specialist, she tended to refer very frequently just to be safe.

Strangely Footle that's what DH said he wished he'd told me! And to be honest DH has a capacity to hear what he wants, so I suspect that is probably what the GP actually said, but obviously the thing that popped into DHs head at that was melanoma, as he had a scare in the past.

I had a good look at them last night and there are 3 that look very different to the others. One is like a normal mole that has an uneven lighter bit of about the same size on one side and 2 are grey-ish and irregular shaped. From looking at pics on the internet they do seem to match some that end up being malignant BUT on a positive side not any of the ones that say beside the picture "This is an example that should have been been seen long before it got to this stage and would inevitably have spread"!! Can you tell how I spent yesterday evening?

If it does all turn out OK then it's definitely better that he's been referred and it turns out to be nothing, rather than the alternative. And if it does turn out to be something then hopefully it's treatable

I had a black melanoma diagnosed, by just looking at it, but that was in Germany. I had noticed it suddenly and just thought what a big very black mole it was. It was round, not irregular, raised like a helmet with a small round blister -looking thing on the top and was hard and shiny .

Before I had it out, I noticed it had a red ring round it, which the next day had turned darker and produduced another red ring. It was growing rapidly. But do not know how long I had had it

It was caught just in time before it had turned into the spreading stage .
All my other moles were flat, soft with no red margin.
There are 4 different types of melanoma that all look different, but the black ones are the most dangerous.
That was 28 years ago.