Talk me down, people!

MrsAJL

I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. In fact, DH likes to joke that if I'm not panicking about some health related concern, something is askew in the universe.

Anyway, I just decided to pay attention to three moles on my back. I'm a picker and these moles have always been raised and I can't leave them alone. They're small and brown and I can't remember how long I've had them; at least a year. They haven't changed at all, but last night I decided that they are probably melanoma and I have only weeks to live (yes, that's the level of my irrationality.)

Anyway, I have an appointment with the dermatologist tomorrow to check them out. I'm sure it's a prudent step just to put my mind at ease and at the very least I can get a baseline check of all my deadly waiting-to-kill-me skin spots.

Someone tell me that it's probably NOT melanoma or any kind of cancer and they're just normal moles, please??

ec3under4

I have had many moles removed and I have never had one come back as melanoma. I have had a few come back abnormal but nothing more than that. My friend had one that was melanoma and they just went in and removed the entire thing and...she is still alive!  

Glad you are going to get them checked and I am sure they are nothing at all! 

ali-1411

I've had two dermatologists tell me (in the last year) that as long as the moles aren't changing, there's nothing to worry about.  Jakob and I have a few moles that fail the ABCD rules and they still said, failing one or two points is fine.  But IF THEY CHANGE then get them looked at again.

You're fine 

ali-1411

Oh and how in the world do you pick at moles on your back?  Do you have super long arms? 

MrsAJL

ali-1411:

Oh and how in the world do you pick at moles on your back?  Do you have super long arms? 

I'm extra talented!

bluestreet

As a fellow hypochondriac, I find that as long as you go to extra lengths to get them checked out, and spend lots of money doing procedures that insurance won't cover, or where the co-pays are really high, then you'll be fine!

If we were to play the hypochondriac Olympics, I would submit to you that I got an MRI and a colonoscopy in one year, which revealed that I get headaches for no observable physical reason and sometimes my bowels are unhappy just because. I think the co-pays were each $1000? Good times.

rssnlvr

I can tell you that my melanoma looked nothing like the other billion moles on my body. It wasn't raised. It was on a mole I'd had my whole life that had always been perfectly oval, but then I noticed it was growing out the side of it...like an oval that sprung a leak.

Go get it checked. You'll feel better when you hear it's nothing. :-)

MammaOwl11

MrsAJL:

I'm sure it's a prudent step just to put my mind at ease and at the very least I can get a baseline check of all my deadly waiting-to-kill-me skin spots.

I completely agree with you here.  I also tend to be a bit of a hypochondriac, and I always take a "can't hurt, might even help" attitude towards seeing the doctor.  In fact, I am taking DD in to the pedi this morning for what is probably just a heat rash.  You should absolutely put your mind at ease.

That being said, as long as your moles are within ABCD rules, I would not be terribly anxious while waiting for the results.  Although I have no personal experience with moles, several of my family members do, including my sister who has sported an oddly shaped, two tone mole since birth, and they are all fine (despite the hours and hours we spent at the beach with little sunscreen growing up).

Good luck! 

MrsAJL

bluestreet:

As a fellow hypochondriac, I find that as long as you go to extra lengths to get them checked out, and spend lots of money doing procedures that insurance won't cover, or where the co-pays are really high, then you'll be fine!

If we were to play the hypochondriac Olympics, I would submit to you that I got an MRI and a colonoscopy in one year, which revealed that I get headaches for no observable physical reason and sometimes my bowels are unhappy just because. I think the co-pays were each $1000? Good times.

You beat me by far!  I'm usually a sit-and-suffer type hypochondriac. However, I have elevated worrying to an Olympic sport.

agran

I get my moles checked every year just because-- even though I've never had problems.  It can't hurt and think of it this way-- your co-pay keeps the doctor in business!  You are helping the economy.  Good Job MrsAJL we should all be more like you. 

ditzydi_2000

I'm glad you're going to the doctor to get them checked out.  There's nothing wrong with getting a second opinion on something if it concerns you.  Good luck at your appt.  

AustinMimi

I have found that getting older means growing more barnacles. Blech. Stupid thirties.

sundot

I hope it's not a problem that I took this into a new post--a new level!! If so, let me know and I can delete.

MrsAJL

sundot:

I hope it's not a problem that I took this into a new post--a new level!! If so, let me know and I can delete.

No problem at all.