A couple of years ago I noticed a strange patch of skin developing on my forehead. After it didn't go away with moisturiser and my usual spot treatment, I went to the doctors. The gent I saw said it looked fine, but prescribed a topical cream (antibacterial I think) and said he would take some photos, which he never did. After a few months, I went back and saw someone else and had a very similar experience; cream prescribed, no photos taken.
Flash forward about a year and I went back, feeling like it was getting larger. This time the doctor referred me for a telederm appointment, where they take very close up photos and send them off to dermatology. 2 days later I get a call to say I'm being referred for a face to face appointment and would receive a call within 2 weeks. As I have access to private healthcare through work, I decided to speed up the process and use that. The next week I was seeing the dermatology consultant. She looked and said it wasn't melanoma, but it could be a Basel Cell Carcinoma, or pre-cancerous sun damage. She gave me the option of a biopsy, or staring treatment with fluorouracil/efudix, which is what she advised.
I have started the treatment and it is working as expected, which I suppose is a good thing, but I now can't help wondering if I actually have cancer! I know it might sound silly, and I hope it isn't of course, but what do I tell people? Should I tell my family as part of our family medical history?
It's really messing my head up because, as I'm sat here, I both do and do not have cancer! It's really taken it's toll on me mentally the last 2 days.
I'm now worried that because there wasn't a biopsy, what if it is something worse, and it could have spread to my lymph nodes. I know she's a doctor, and as she said, this stuff is her bread and butter, I can't help being worried about if I've made the wrong decision.
Am I being totally silly?
Hi KOH and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
It can be a worrying time when you've seen a dermatologist and have started treatment but hopefully the fluorouracil will do the trick and get rid of the patch.
My husband used this cream over a year ago but it didn't have any effect and his patch was still there when he had his follow-up appointment. He told the dermatologist that he'd like a biopsy done as the patch hadn't gone and this was arranged. It turned out to be a BCC but he didn't require any further treatment as the biopsy excision had removed it all.
You could always ring your consultant and talk your worries through with her.
Wishing you all the best
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
