Hi,
My experience is fairly new and reading some of the other posts I'm inspired (and admire) some posts.
9th Jan this year I see my GP with a dodgy mole. She immediately referred me for a biopsy in 2 weeks... or so I was told. Turns out this was a consultant just looking at it! Told me it needs to be removed and is melanoma in his view...so in the space of 4 minutes with 2 health care professionals I am told I have cancer.
Another 2 weeks go by until the mole is removed. Again I'm told the results will be around 2 weeks as she requested urgent. Having not heard anything after nearly 3 weeks I chased them up ....to be told no it's usually 4-6 weeks....who told me that?!!
This delay and confusion is breaking me. Literally can't think of anything else other than cancer. Got other symptoms like it may have spread but am just in limbo and very scared.
I try to think positively but don't sleep well now and seem like a total different person than I was only 6 weeks ago.
Excuse the length of my post... hope it makes sense
Hi 15s and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
I'm sorry that you're currently waiting for the results of a biopsy on a mole that's been removed and I know how difficult this time can be. I found that if I spent time doing things that I enjoyed I had less time to worry about the 'what ifs'.
You mentioned that "this delay and confusion is breaking me" so I thought it might be helpful to take you through what normally happens when someone goes to the GP with a 'dodgy' mole so that you can see that your timescale is 'normal'.
When anyone goes to the GP with a mole they are concerned about the GP will send a referral to the local hospital for the patient to be seen by a consultant dermatologist. It's very rare for the biopsy to be done there and then as sometimes, the consultant will decide that the mole doesn't need removing or they'll take photos and measurements and then make an appointment to see you in a month or two to see if anything's changed.
If the consultant decides that a biopsy needs doing this usually happens about 2-4 weeks after your initial consultation. The excised mole is then sent off to the pathology laboratories to be looked at. The normal length of time for results to be reported back to the consultant is anywhere between 4-6 weeks depending on how busy the labs are. I had mine back after 6 weeks.
Everyone here will understand your worry that the melanoma has spread. Any ache or pain that you would have shrugged off before you'll notice and assume that it means the melanoma has spread, we've all been there.
Although you said that "in the space of 4 minutes with 2 health care professionals I am told I have cancer" it is impossible to tell with the naked eye whether a mole is a melanoma or not. I've had 2 moles removed, the first time the consultant thought it was nothing to worry about and it turned out to be a melanoma and the second time a different consultant thought a mole might be melanoma but it was just an 'odd looking' mole. I'm hoping this might help you to understand that you might not have cancer.
You might find this article on how to ease worry when waiting for medical results helpful, but if you find that the anxiety is affecting your day to day life, then please do go and speak to your GP who should be able to help you.
Someone much wiser than me once said that "worrying won't change the outcome but it will ruin the present" and I try to live by that. If you want to read about my 'journey' with melanoma you can read my profile by clicking on my username.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that in a few weeks time you'll come back to tell us that it wasn't melanoma but, if it is, there are plenty of people here to support you.
((hugs))
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hello
Thank you so much for your response and additional information. I know you are right and it's easy to read and assume the worst as the internet is full of all kinds of information about cancer and not all of it is accurate or applicable.
I've been surprised how worried I've been in all honesty. It's usually me helping friends and family through various situations and I don't normally worry. I suppose the matter of fact way the consultant mentioned cancer and melanoma shocked me as I was literally with him around 2 minutes. Followed by different information around the biopsy results only added to my concern.
I will keep you posted on my news and try not to waste time worrying especially in the middle of the night when I find myself having very dark thoughts.
Many thanks again for your reply and I hope you are in a good place with your life and health 
Hiya
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
NHS misinformation certainly doesn't help does it!
I have a good network of friends and family who have been great. Middle of the night is probably the worst.
Your advice and other posts do certainly help although I don't understand some abbreviations yet (hope not too!)
I sincerely hope for the best with your husband and wish him successful treatment
