Need Courage: Skin Check Tomorrow

[PennyPanic]

You all have helped me so much.  I can't thank you enough.  I need a little more help again...can you think good thoughts, give me words of encouragement etc?

You may recall that I went to my doc to get a"cyst" removed and he found a "questionable" mole.  The cyst turned out to be a benigh dermatofibroma.  The questionable mole turned out to be a mildly dysplastic nevus with clear margins.  I've never had a dysplastic nevus.

So I'm trying to do the responsible and logical thing and get a full skin check to make sure there aren't any other questionable moles.  That skin check is tomorrow.  My hope is that this will give me peace of mind and is also the right thing to do medically.

Meanwhile..I've been seeing a therapist, hanging out here trying to help others (it helps me to do so) and generally trying to distract myself.

My sister gave me a good thing to think about...the doc already saw my whole back when he removed the other mole and thing on my back...so that is a huge area of skin he's already looked at.  That helped me a lot...she's great.

But can you give me a little courage, a few good thoughts.  I'm trying NOT to think of all the weird moles, marks, freckles and what not on my skin....so I can get through today and tomorrow.

Thank you!

[mollyfin]

It's good for people to get annual skin check-ups when they've had dysplastic moles.  You're doing the reasonable, responsible thing.  But the doctor is unlikely to find anything bad.  Anything questionable will be removed just in case, but most of the time, even the weird-looking moles they cut out just to see turn out to be regular old moles that look a little odd.

[Hohum]

It sounds like you're really on top of your skin issues, which is great. I remember reading once that 1 out of every 100 lesions removed for biopsy was actually skin cancer. And even then, almost all skin cancers are simply removed and cured when found in good time. Don't forget that for everyone with HA there is someone else out there with absolutely ZERO concern for their health. Those who would never even think to visit a Doctor to get a mole checked out. By being responsible you are reducing your risks of anything really bad to such minuscule amounts.

I have a dermatologist appointment myself today to check out a mole my doctor was concerned about. First time ever visiting a derm! So I suspect I might be posting later with a few stiches in my back 

Good luck for your check tomorrow - you'll be just fine!

[PennyPanic]

Thanks Mollyfin...hugs.
Hohum:  Good luck today.  I'm thinking good thoughts and sending prayers your way...hugs

[smmaho]

Good luck for your appointment I'm in the same boat me you. I have had full skin checks countless times, twice a year for 4 years so thats 8 skin checks and not to mention all the times I've run to the dr to check a mole here or there. Out of all those times I have had moles removed three times, once was not needed the dr took it off before referring me to a dermatologist, dermatologist said that he didn't think it needed to be removed, 2nd time I demanded it be removed....was normal and another that the dermatologist gave me a choice of having it removed or waiting three months I had it removed and it was normal.

Now however I had an appointment tomorrow for a red mole that has come out of nowhere and has completely freaked me out. The wait is excruciating I hate it. I think your doing a good thing getting a full body check but your will more then likely be fine. I made my fiancé get a full skin check this year and he never had one before and he has lots of dark coloured weird looking moles. All were fine.

[PennyPanic]

Thanks smmaho.  I'm a little freaked out today I must admit...ok maybe a lot freaked out today.  but I'm trying to remain calm.  Thank you for your kind words.  Good luck to you today too!

[Hohum]

PennyPanic - you will be fine today. You're doing the responsible thing by having your skin checked by a specialist. Anything that looks even a little bit weird will likely be shaved off and send for biopsy. 99.9% of the time, these things will be benign and no cause for concern.

Everyone should get their skin checked, but sadly plenty of people don't. You're minimising your risks to so, so low for anything bad by keeping up with these checks.

Good luck for today, I am absolutely sure you have no cause for concern 

[PennyPanic]

Hohum looks like you,  smmaho and I are all skin buddies this week.  You have no clue how much your calmness has helped me to remain calm too...extra brownie points for you  for that!  I have a lot of areas that I'm concerned about so this ought to be interesting today but I am going to try to remain as calm as I can and I'm not going to google.  Last time I saw the doc I had what can only be described as a melt-down in his office of epic proportions.  I'm sure I was the highlight of their day.  I intend to be just some other boring patient this time.

[PennyPanic]

Well all good news today.  I had only one seborrheic keratosis removed and sent for biopsy just to be certain but the doc thinks it's just a "seb-k" and nothing to be concerned about.  But my goal is to not freak out.  Next step is sunscreen, regular professional skin checks, and regular skin exams that all prudent people should do.

Sure there's the usual "HA" background noise of "did he see everything" "why was he so cavalier""should get checked more often then recommended" yada yada yada...But I've been through a month of hell with this issue and I tell you what, at least for tonight, I am going to be a normal person, ignore all of that and sleep and sleep and sleep. 

[smmaho]

That's fantastic news! Go once a year and you should be fine.....need to learn to take my own advice :) I've got my appointment in two hours and I'm getting extremely nervous

[Hohum]

Great news - congratulations!

These specialists see nothing but skin lesions all day long. You had a full-body check, they did not miss anything. And obviously what they did see looked to be fine, or you would have had lots more removed for biopsy.

Sounds like a clean bill of health to me. Relax and go catch up on your sleep :)

[PennyPanic]

Ah yes Hohum!  I do realize it's the old HA rearing it's ugly head.  I just have to be strong and not allow those stupid thoughts. 

I think I have to do the old "scarlet o'hara" thing more often and that is "I'll think about it tomorrow" It's been a good strategy in the past for compartmentalizing my worries or at least putting them off for a bit so I can at least live in the present.