Scheduled derm appointment for checkup, still anxious

[SurferJoe 11]

Skin cancer is a common go to for me. I went and saw a dermatologist earlier this year for a "suspicious" spot. She decided it wasn't anything to worry about, but decided to take it off if it would help ease my anxiety. I'm now working on getting an appointment for a full skin checkup. This is causing me anxiety. On one hand, I know being proactive is good. I'd rather things were caught early, but I'm also worried they will find something. Ignorance is bliss (sometimes), but also not bliss. It sometimes feels like I can never win. 

[SurferJoe 11]

I called to make an appointment and they said, hey, he actually has an opening today. I guess that rarely happens and they chalked it up to a cancellation. I took the appointment. I was kind of expecting that it would take several weeks to get an appointment and then I'd have time to build up my courage to go, but on the other hand it also feels okay not to have to wait. I can just gut it out and get it done with.

[MARC 431]

I had basal cell carcinoma on the right upper part of my nose around 12 years ago. it was a suspicious looking shiny spot. I went to my dermatologist and he could never play poker as when he saw the spot he had a grimace face and said it needed to be biopsied and it came back positive and I was sent to a Moh's surgeon for removal. The surgeon sat me in a special chair in his office, hooked me up to a BP and heart monitor and then gave me a needle in my nose and began the surgery to remove the tumor when I was awake. The tumor was deeper then it initially appeared, so he had to go in twice to remove it all. He said their was a 99% chance it would not come back and so far so good after 12 years. I am checked yearly at my regular annual checkup by my dermatologist. 

[SurferJoe 11]

I'm anxiously counting down the hours until I go. Skin cancer has been a long health anxiety go to for me. It flares up now and then. I was anxious about a mole earlier this year. My doctor looked at it and didn't think it looked suspicious, but he suggested I go to a dermatologist. He gave me an option: wait for a dermatologist in his network (could take a month or 2) or go to a standalone dermatology clinic. I could get in there faster, but it was going to be more expensive. I went that route. The dermatologist agreed it was not suspicious, but removed it anyway. I then went back to my doctor for my yearly physical and he asked if I'd had a full body skin checkup. Darn. I did not ask about that when I was at the dermatologist. I've stewed on that for a few weeks and then had a skin related anxiety flare-up the other day. I woke up this morning and decided to get something scheduled. I chose a doctor who was part of my medical network and made an appointment. As I mentioned above, however, I didn't expect to get in so quickly. This is good and bad. It's good because I don't have to wait. It's "bad" because it's a lot to get my head around very quickly. I actually had the thought this morning on my drive in that it would be great to just get checked right away, but I didn't expect it would be an option.

[MARC 431]

I have known a number of people who have had Melanoma and none were from moles. 

[SurferJoe 11]

My appointment went well. I'm glad I went in, but it was a really tough time building up to it.

[MARC 431]

Happy to hear you are OK!!!