New mole on foot - can I wait a month before seeing dr?

[ConnorTraceptive]

My podiatrist noticed a mle on my foot that seems to have appeared in the last 6-8 months and suggested I get it checked to be on the safe side.

I can get in to see the dr tomorrow, however if I wait for four weeks I can get an appointment with the dr at the surgery who is also a dermatologist at the local hospital. Ideally I would prefer to see her as I would be more confident in her diagnosis but I'm wondering if it's wise to leave it that long?

The mole in itself is flat, light brown, fairly symetrical and not bigger than 5mm so does not look sinister but I'm concerned if I see regular dr tomorrow and he says it's fine I'll still be worried and want to see other dr anyway????

WWYD??

So sorry about your friend, Flight

Ah cross post - so sorry to hear about you friend flight.

Thankyou,
its Ok,
the thing to remember is something like 95% of MMs are curable, when you catch them early they can be cut out and gone

it's when they have got into the system, that there's very little can be done.

Sadly she was misdiagnosed for a year and it was aggressive. But it is still v rare to die from it. Try not to worry. I am still regaining perspective here!

That's so sad that your friend was misdiagnosed. My friend was also diagnosed with MM but fortunately it was caught in time (although on the cusp depth wise IYSWIM) she still went through a very harrowing few months and lymph node removal and waiting for the all clear.

Hers was on her back so she had no idea how long it had been that way.

Just googled dysplastic nevi syndrome and that's what I've got! It does put you at higher risk of getting melanoma and you're supposed to get checked out once a year or even more often!

I then googled melanoma photos and they look v.similar to the dysplastic nevi ones.

Funny, I came on this thread to calm the OP down and am leaving a bit freaked out. Right, thanks Flight, I wouldn't know about the dysplastic nevi thing if not for you.
Am going to call the dermatologist tomorrow and make an appointment.

Connor, I'm really glad she was Ok. It's a terrifying thing isn't it.

Winny, sorry! I didn't want to freak you out, honestly. Melanoma is still very rare, despite becoming more common...even if you have DNS.

I think my friend's was the type known as desmoplastic, which is v v hard to diagnose and often mistaken for other things - it's not like a mole, it's amelanotic (no pigment)

and tbh even if it had been diagnosed right, it was a particularly vicious variety.

Very, very unlucky I think, that's all...something will get us all, one day. It's just a matter of beng as careful as we can.

No doubt about something getting us all some day...would be preferable if it happened when we're 90 with lots of great-grandchildren, though...
Don't worry, Flight, I'm not freaked out in the sense that I'm panicking that I've got a melanoma right now, it's more that I wasn't aware that having all those moles puts me at higher risk and that I should have been getting them checked out more often than I have done (once).
My son has the same thing, I can already see it, at 8 he gets new ones every year.
I think I'll take both of us to the dermatologist next week or so, as it seems a sensible thing to do.
But you've done a good deed today, Flight! Thank you.

No problem, Ma'am

sorry, didn't mean to sound patronising!

You didn't!!

Well I've been and he wasn't concerned but said it is always sensible to get any mole checked and told me to come back if there were any changes at all. So atleast I don't feel like a time waster.

I have still got the appointment with the dermo GP booked for in a month so I think I'll hold onto the app for a while and keep an eye on it

Cool, from your description it doesn't sound worrying really.

Glad you went though thanks for updating.

Oh, good, hopefully now you can relax, especially knowing that you still have the option of seeing the other doc in a month.

god im in a state , got a mole slightly raised on my leg (got many freckles /moles ) has been looking bit red last few days bit better today pale pink now , not really angry looking , itchy or bleeding , weeping at all .. light brown in colour .

got leg hair growing from it , its on top of thigh , so not sure if its agrivated hair folical under or around the freckle /mole /

went to mole clinic end oct last year had top to toe all fine .

now scarred ..... suffer with HA to .....

Choclab, you could get it looked at, which would be the obvious answer.

May Ia sk you something though...I've been talking to another person with HA the last few days, but don't know what actually helps. Do you genuinely need cast iron reassurance, or will you still feel anxious even so?
Bearing in mind that cast iron reassurance isn't normally possible with anyone, HA or not.
I'm just wondering what is the best approach, if you are able to help me out with that...thankyou!

yes that is obvious answer ... i will see how it goes as its calming down( i hope) , am seeing my dermatologist again in may 6th for another issue , chances are he would say give it a couple of weeks to see if it settles chances are i cant get appt ..with him much sooner as hes always so booked up ..i will get him to look at it then , if gets worse will DEF go sooner if i can ...

HA is the bane of my life ...

i seek constant reassurance from health pros ...and just dont stop till i have that really ... then i can at least rest with myself i have done all i can ...

im constant self checker to ..poking prodding etc almost obsesive ....

sorry , to help someone with HA , hmmm my friends just listen to me and put things in prospective for me and as they are level headed ... they can say if i have reason to worry or not ...

although some people say that that is only feeding the anxiety more ,

i dont know the answer ....

i do try to see the lighter side but find it very hard as i see the WCS in most things ...

keeping busy is the best thing i think as no time for to much mind talk ... and self checking to ...

thanks very much for trying to help, Choc. I appreciate how hard it must be to have this - I had it as a child but thankfully am a bit less focused on it now, just worry about other stuff instead

Yes I understand the feeling of it being your fault unless you actually communicate precisely what you fear, and that is always at the expense of feeling ridiculous isn't it. Or you have to go back again and again to make sure you said it all.

I think realising it was just luck, helped me not blame myself and that let me off the hook. And realising that most people, usually, are roughly OK and not about to keel over.

Accepting the risk is v difficult if you feel it's totally your own fault if something gets missed. I also need reassurance if the kids are ill, that's very normal though I think. Are you getting any proper help with it?

well the doc wants me on AD ... i dont really want to do on them as ... worried about it ...

i do try and keep busy , that does help , but then if i see read , here something , then i go off self checking and the circle contines ...

i dont know ,..

i have recently had a session of divine healing ... supposed to put posotive thought back in and take out negative ones , through gentle touch on the body (clothed )

only had 1 session and was in tears most of it ...

she asked questions like , how do you feel ? etc that just sent me off ..

got to pop out now be back later though if your around ?

thanks for listening

hi choclab
Sorry HA is rearing its ugly head again.
Why don't you try the ADs- even just for a few weeks? You'll see if you'll get any side effects...unlikely...and what are they anyway? Worst can hapen you'll just have to stop, but they might really help to get you out of that constant anxiety.

thanks , im bad again .... worried about this mole ..got my self in a right state ....

its still red well better than it was 2 days ago ... ..keep telling myself its NOT RED ANGRY... NOT weeping ,NOT itchy.NOT different shades ,NOT black , NOT spreading outline or anything ...
so hoping is ok ....

trying to give myself a few more days till i really go into MAJOR panic ...

any advice ( not to scary please ) ...

sorry connor for adding this to your thread ...hope you dont mind ..

Some moles can be little pinkish, it's nothing to worry about.
From what you said, it seems normal.
Look, you know you have HA.
That's why you're freaking out right now.
Please, try taking ADs. And therapy.
Lots of people were literally saved by these.
You need to tackle the big problem ie HA not worry about a mole. Even if you go to the doctor again and he'll put your mind at rest, there will be something else for you worry about next week.
You know that.
It's time to be proactive.

I think thats good advice Winny,

Choc, dear, I don't think that mole is the problem either. It's just a focus.

I'm having CBT at the moment and finding it pretty good, have you tried it? They are great - they just give you coping strategies.

It might not work for you but it has to be worth a shot.

thanks to you both ,

I know your right ....
iv been like this for 4 years now ....on off but worse this year so far ...

The CBT do you do it with someone or alone ? or online ?
I did try bit with a concolor but it didnt seem to work plus im not sure i was with the right person .
i have bought a CBT book ad when i do read it it does make sense and i bought a how to cope with Anxiety book to this is good , but what happens is , i go ok for a few weeks .....so dont bother doing anything ... then like iv said i read , see, something and then im off self checking and looking for things almost ..

moles os a big ting for me as i have many ,
although i di have yearly checks , went to clinic last end oct they scanned them all then i saw dermotologist who then looks again , and said i was fine and dont need to come back for a year or so .

but im on constant check as iv heard such scary tales ...

by the way my freckle/mole is bit better thismorning so maybe it was just a little agrivated for some reason , it is not as red as was 3 days ago thats for sure ...so thats a god sign right ? ?

Flight may i ask is you CBT for anx to ?

sorry for bad spelling im a little sleepy ..