Melanoma

[Scuzi]

Let me start by making it entirely clear that I am not asking for any form of medical advice in this thread. It is intended to ask for anyone's experience and not for opinion or advice. I will seek professional advice from a doctor.

Anyway, has anyone had this or known anyone with it? If so, what was your experience? How did you find out you had it? How long was it before you were treated? What was your experience of the treatment?

The story is that at the weekend I felt an itch on my lower back just above my ass. I had a look in the mirror and noticed quite a large mole which I don't remember seeing before. After a day or two of itching, it finally began to bleed when I was drying myself after a shower. I thought nothing of it.

I told my mum who almost had a fit. She had a look at it and suggested that it could be very serious and that I'd be stupid not to get it looked at ASAP. This worried me a bit so I did some research on the internet and discovered the "ABCDE" method for diagnosis of [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malignant_melanoma]Malignant Melanoma[/URL] (i.e. Skin cancer). This ****ing mole ticks a lot of the boxes so after some deliberation (I really hate doctors and hospitals) I have decided to go down to the doctors tomorrow to see if I can get this looked at ASAP.

I'm not a hypochondriac, far from it. I insisted that I didn't need to go to the hospital after my motorbike accident a few years ago when my right kneecap was at the back of my leg

This scares me though. I suppose this thread is just intended to hear from anyone who has experienced this as I am completely out of my depth here.

 

[Scuzi]

You're right about reading up on medical issues. I have scared the crap out of myself with bloody Wikipedia and WebMD

I really do hope it turns out to be nothing major (who wants cancer, right?). My main concern is that the doctor will take a brief look, mock me for being a paranoid idiot and send me on my way only to find out later that all is not right. I've seen it happen in the movies!

Damn you internet!

Thanks for the wellwishes and support. It's certainly helping calm the initial "panic".

 

[Scuzi]

Holy thread revival!

It all turned out okay in the end. I went to the docs and had it all sorted within a few days. I have Bupa cover with work which quite frankly was awesome, I'd recommend it to anyone who is considering it. It turned out to be a harmless mole which was removed.

Although it all turned out okay this time, from the research I did and from what the docs told me, I got a real eye opener. I'll be checking myself regularly from now on.

ALLI, all the best and fingers crossed your case turns out to be harmless. Let us know how you get on