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Original poster

Dodgy mole - very worried

76 replies

Thomasina76 · 06/12/2016 17:49

I had an unusual looking mole on my arm. Not sure how long it had been there (maybe a year or longer or may always have been there but only just noticed it!) but the shape was irregular and was two different colours and looked different to other moles so I went to see my GP. She took a look and said she thought it was ok but would refer me to dermatologist to check. Saw dermatologist today and got it removed and sent for biopsy. One of the drs I saw said he couldn't say if it was cancerous until the biopsy but the surgeon who removed it was very reassuring and said not to worry. He didn't think it was cancerous but just an unusual looking mole. He said even if it was then worse case would be they would just have to excise a bit more skin around the area as mole was very flat/shallow. He said not to worry and to assume I have been treated but I've just googled it and am now terrified. There seems at least a chance I could have skin cancer. So scared. Has anyone had similar scenarios that have turned out ok?

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rememberthetime · 22/12/2016 11:14

Good luck Tomasina - whatever happens the chances of action before Christmas are slim. So just enjoy the festive season and let what will be, be.

Mumtogremlins · 26/12/2016 10:12

I have a new mole that has been there a few months and has been growing slowly. It looked much the same as all my other moles - round, even colour etc. Until the last few days when it started to look a bit crusty. It doesn't hurt and isn't bleeding but I'm very worried now and going to have to wait ages for a doc appt with all the bank holidays. Should I try and get a private appt somewhere? Would they just refer me back to NHS anyway? I couldn't sleep last night with the worry and going to turn into a nervous wreck by the time I can get an appt

Original poster

Thomasina76 · 26/12/2016 17:17

Mumtogremlins, there are various mole clinics around and, if I were you and you can afford a few £££, I would go and check it checked out there. I went with the NHS, took 2 weeks to see GP, 2 weeks to get referral to dermatologist and am now 3 weeks into waiting for the results. I WISH I used my private health insurance and got it checked privately to avoid this awful wait which has really put a huge dampener on Christmas. I am sure yours is fine (as I am hoping mine is) but you think of all sorts of horrible things during the wait. Google mole clinics and sure you will find one near you where you can be seen within a few days.

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ilovewatchingcraptellyshows · 26/12/2016 17:43

Hi, I just wanted to share my experience with you. I've had 3 moles removed in total, 1 at my request because I kept catching it and it kept bleeding. The other 2 were removed based on the recommendation of the consultant. They were both small, circular and flat, they were almost black and this was the concern. 1 was fine. 1 showed some cells that might have turned cancerous in the future. I was invited back for another operation where they took more skin from all around and also dug deeper into the site. This was enough for me to get signed off and I haven't had any problems since. I hope I haven't scared you, and I hope this helps. Sorry for the long post.

Original poster

Thomasina76 · 26/12/2016 17:47

Thank you Ilovewatching, that is helpful. How long had your moles been there? Mine was also quite dark which I found worrying. Trying to be reassured by what the consultant said, (i.e. he didn't think it was cancer, just an unusual looking mole).

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Mouthofmisery · 26/12/2016 17:52

I had a dark area removed from my back last year. Very small. My DP saw it. It turned out it was melanoma stage 1b and I had a larger excision and lymph glands removed. It hadn't spread. Am being followed up very regularly which is nicely reassuring. Don't google. All I found were people who got very ill and died!! It's not a true reflection of many experiences

Tokelau · 26/12/2016 18:03

DH had a mole removed about a year ago. It turned out to be a rodent ulcer, which is a type of skin cancer, but not the type that spreads. We were told that they got it all, and there was no need for further treatment. He has been fine since. We were told also, that it was the best type of skin cancer to get because it doesn't spread.

lovelearning · 26/12/2016 18:13

an unusual looking mole on my arm

It should always be covered; protected from the sun.

Wear UPF sun protection clothing in the summer.

(Always wear a hat.)

ilovewatchingcraptellyshows · 26/12/2016 18:26

Hi, all 3 had been there for years, at least 5 years probably more. I remember having the one on my arm (the one I had to go back for) checked by a gp when I was about 16 and I didn't have it removed until I was about 25. Nothing had changed in the meantime that I noticed, but I think very subtle changes over long time periods are hard to spot on yourself.

Mumtogremlins · 26/12/2016 23:06

To stop me going out of my mind, I've found a mole clinic that is open this week and it doesn't cost much to get it checked. I've googled far too much - damn google. But it could be a seborrheic keratosis- sounds very similar. So hoping it won't be anything too serious

Original poster

Thomasina76 · 27/12/2016 11:46

Good for you mumtogremlins. I wish I had done the same rather than endure 3 weeks of waiting! The less I google the better i feel about it to be honest. At least yours will be dealt with and you will have the results very quickly. I am clinging on to the thought that it is unlikely to be cancer. I can't really think beyond that. Kind of holding my breath until I know. I will chase for results again tomorrow (will be 3 weeks). Good luck! xx

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Mumtogremlins · 29/12/2016 12:03

I really hope they get back to you soon, must be doing your head in. My DS had leukaemia so it's turned me into a paranoid wreck worried about everything! It's more than likely to be fine if they're taking this long to get back to you.

Original poster

Thomasina76 · 29/12/2016 14:21

OMG, Mumtogremlins, that it dreadful. I am so sorry. And here I am going on about my mole. Keep reminding myself to be thankful that it is ME that might have something, not DSs. Anything else but that. I too am turning into a nervous wreck. We are currently TTC (have been for over a year now) and doing fertility treatment. Got BFN negative and onset of PMT so feeling terrible about that as well as results. Called this morning and still not back. 3.5 weeks. I wish I could be reassured that it if was something then they would have got back to me sooner but read lots of post where people didn't hear for ages and it was still bad! Awful.

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Fluffythefish · 29/12/2016 16:23

I've had 5 moles removed now. Two were fine, one was so small they still don't know and two were melanomas. For the two (and the query) that were cancer, it simply meant that I had to go for a further excision. They cut out another 2 cm ish in diameter amount of skin, which is more than it sounds! (e.g. 12 large stitches rather than 5 small ones), so it takes it out of you for a day or two. But they were all found early enough for that to be it. No further treatment. I'm very moley and my mum has had melanomas too so I am checked up very regularly and they won't take risks with any that are a little odd looking. The only way to know is to take them off.
It is wierd because it was cancer and then it wasn't. It could have been very serious but in most cases moles are found at the early stages and so it wasn't. I'm actually in the same position as you at the moment, doing the wait and although I am 95% sure this was just a funny looking one, it is still a looooong wait for the letter to say its ok. Hope you hear soon

Mumtogremlins · 29/12/2016 20:19

That's ok Thomasina, he's ok at the moment. But every tiny thing with the kids or myself sends me into a panic! Getting it checked tmw and they say I'll know the same day. Crazy they are taking so long for you. From experience of test results from DS, it's horrible waiting, and I doubt they'd wait this long on bad news

Original poster

Thomasina76 · 05/01/2017 15:23

Freaking out. GP chased the hospital for my results. Apparently the consultant will be discussing my results (the slides) in a team meeting this afternoon and will get back to me next week. I've been calling the hospital to find out what this means but presumably the biopsy results must have been bad otherwise why do they need to be discussed?

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Original poster

Thomasina76 · 05/01/2017 16:47

Anyone?

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Original poster

Thomasina76 · 05/01/2017 18:29

Ok, couldn't get through to the hospital so emailed the consultant. He replied saying the following:

Dear Thomasina

Your case is on for discussion in our meeting this afternoon. I will make sure you have an appointment next Tuesday so that we can see you and discuss the results.

We need to see the slides in the meeting this afternoon in order to ascertain the full result. I will make sure someone is in contact with you soon to organise the appointment for next Tuesday.

I am now in a complete panic so I replied asking if he could call me. We spoke and he wasn't particularly reassuring but seemed to say that all abnormal or dysplastic moles gets discussed at this meeting. I asked if he had seen results and he said no but can't help but feel that he has and that only the cases where the pathology report is bad get reviewed. Why else would I need an appointment to get the results? I asked what was worse case and he said move flesh removed around site. I am terrified.

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OrlandaFuriosa · 05/01/2017 18:37

Thomasina, I had something like this, the waiting is prob the worst part, promise. They sent bits off, took bits out, told me " just as well we did, there was stuff there", and that was it.

If there is something abnirmal they do getvthe team to look at it, if it isn't blindingly obvious. If it were, and they thought it was critical, I should have thought you'd have heard by now ( not a hcp though).

Sometimes you need to go every six months or so for a further check up, one if my nephews does, but I no longer do.

Breathe, control. It seems ages to wait. Spend the time working out what questions you need to ask. Write them down, with space to write the answers.

messystressy · 05/01/2017 18:41

My DH had a mole which looked like a picture that Cancer Research says is a concern. It ended up being fine. I hope yours is too!

iwouldgoouttonight · 05/01/2017 18:53

Please try not to worry. I went through similar a year ago (I had to wait over Christmas too). From what I understand they have these meetings to discuss all cases so it doesn't mean it's necessarily bad news. But I'll tell you what happened with mine so you know the process.

I got called in for a follow up appointment where they told me it was a melanoma. They then took me immediately to a Macmillan nurse who was lovely and talked it through with me and answered any questions. She also told me it was stage one cancer (meaning it was caught early and unlikely to have spread).

I then had to go back in and have a wider area removed and had some stitches. It wad uncomfortable to walk for a couple of days because it was behind my knee but it's healed fine. I then waited for the results of that and thankfully it hadn't spread further.

I now get to go for a check up at the hospital every three months which is really reassuring because I feel they'll pick anything else up early. They check lymph nodes etc too.

So even if it is melanoma it is very likely you will be fine.

Original poster

Thomasina76 · 06/01/2017 07:56

Thanks all. Still terrified. Bracing myself for the worse. Why would I have an appointment to get the results unless it's going to be bad news? Don't they usually just call or write to you if all is ok?

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plimsolls · 06/01/2017 08:05

Good luck.

I think with moles (as PP experiences have shown) there's a lot of complexity in what they are so even though everything is fine, there's more to say than "it's ok don't worry about it"

They probably want to explain it all in detail to you and that's what the appointment is for. It might also be that they understand you have a very active interest in it and would want more info/reassurance than just a phone call.

What time is the appointment?

GlitteryFluff · 06/01/2017 08:15

I'd be terrified too op, but if it is the worst case scenario, it sounds like they'll just remove some more skin in a biopsy and that's it done with.
Hand holding

Original poster

Thomasina76 · 06/01/2017 09:17

Thank you Glitteryfluff and Plimsolls, that's reassuring. Trying to hold fast to that thought. I am now thinking the very worse and lots of what it it's aggressive melanoma etc. The appointment is at 11.15. DH is coming with me.

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