Got myself into a tizz

[deflatedbirthday]

I have a mole between my middle left toe. It’s fairly big but I’m such a position that I hadn’t noticed it until I did a foot peel a few weeks ago.

I made a GP appointment as it was quite irregular, had an ulcerated spot and I noticed was discharging a little. I’ve also had moles removed previously as BCC and SCC runs in my family. My grandad also had a melanoma removed.

I had the appointment this morning. GP agrees it is a suspicious lesion and has sent me on the 2WW to dermatology.

Now here’s where I’m sure I’m being stupid and getting myself worked up for nothing. I’ve been having problems with knee and shin pain on the same leg for a few months. Xray of my knee could find no cause and an MSK advanced practitioner seems to think I have tendonitis in my hamstring. Referred for physio. All good. However, now I’m wondering —catastrophising— that the mole and my knee/ shin pain are linked.

Someone please talk some sense into me.

I’m finding this really tough as my DFIL passed away in June from a brain tumour and I think I’m super sensitive to anything cancer related. I also don’t want to alarm DH as he is still very much grieving.

Hopeful bump

Is it bone pain or muscle pain? I think they feel different. I wouldn’t normally suggest google but I believe bone pain is quite different from muscle pain and there’s probably ways you can tell the difference. Sorry if that’s not much help just didn’t want to read and run.

I was referred urgently for a mole on my back. The referral was query malignant melanoma. Like you, I was very anxious. They refer these things to be absolutely sure what they are, as they can’t tell by looking. Mine came back completely normal. They said most referred moles are normal, with just a tiny fraction being malignant. I know you will worry but you’ll be fine. 💐

@owlythe way I have described it to anyone I’ve seen is that it feels like I have grit underneath my kneecap. It doesn’t feel like when I’ve pulled muscles in the past, it is a different type of pain. Hard to describe really. It’s very focused on my kneecap area.

It's natural to think all kinds of things, but you don't know yet if the spot on your toe is sinister or not. Easy for me to say but until you get the testing done, there's nothing really you can do.

FWIW the shin pain sounds like shin splints to me, and could be totally unassociated with the toes. If you have started it, has the physio improved things for you?

@Toddytoddyrumskinthank you. This is what I’d usually say to other people. It harder to tell yourself right?! I think with what’s happened with FIL, and in addition I forgot to mention in my OP my SIL had malignant melanoma two years ago (thankfully no spread and removed), I’m catastrophising

@anyzeeyou’re absolutely right! I’m just finding it hard to give myself advice.

I was convinced I had a meniscus injury however they seem reluctant for MRI and say it’s tendon related.

Google tells me that a gritty feeling under the kneecap is crepitus. I haven’t seen bone pain described as gritty. Also as you have family risk of skin cancer have you thought about paying for the SkinVision app? It allows you to take photos of unusual skin spots and then it gets compared to thousands of images to give you a rough idea of whether it needs to get checked out or not. It sounds like your current one does need to be checked but the app is brilliant as it gives an instant view. The app also has dermatologists checking the AI review. And you can take new pictures every so often to check whether things have changed so it’s a brilliant way to log all your various moles and skin marks.