Different Kinds of Skin Cancer on Face All at Once

Hi Grateful gal it sounds as though you have become completely overwhelmed by it all and quite understandably. Plus we bottle parts or all of it up for long periods which doesn’t help. Some people also struggle to talk to anyone for various reasons and so it gets worse I find. 

I am feeling just like you at the moment..,I have a healing Bowens lesion on my leg - used efudex  ( needs to be checked soon), an AK on my nose that I’m using Efudex for ( like Flourouracil), I have something else on my nose and back too that I plan to contact the GP about tomorrow. So yes it’s pants ! I also have weight loss and can’t sleep. I do not think I am coping to be honest but I’m trying. I have booked a private counselling appointment for tomorrow morning mainly so I don't drain everyone around me although I don’t feel much like talking to them anyway as I feel too upset and do not want to lose control.To be honest all of this could be manageable but it’s the fear and what ifs that send you into overdrive! 
We will get through this as everything does come and go it’s just right now it’s hard. We need to deal with what we know about and that’s all we can do. Try not to imagine the worse if you can. 

I’m here if you need me (hugs) xx

Thanks Figgy for your encouraging words and for your understanding just how bad this journey can be sometimes.  I have thought about counseling also as I am wearing out my husband with all of my anxiety.  Even though the doctor said lentigo maligna on my cheek, and it's small, all I can think about is what if it's gone to melanoma even if it doesn't happen often.  And the several other spots I have on my arm, back and ear are all now scaring me.  I had a very shallow melanoma years ago on my thigh which had been there 10 years or more as a mole which I totally ignored until I went in for another bump on my knee.  Since then, I have been a basket case about my skin and not being able to see anyone during covid means I have to catch up now.

You are right that we have to try to take this one step at a time and I need to quit imagining the worse possible outcome.  I'm not sure why I do that.  Maybe in some weird attempt to cushion the blow if I find out any bad news.

Best wishes in the treatment of your Bowens lesion and for the AK.  Efudex can really help with those, but it is so irritating I know.  Hang in there and we will make it through.

Thanks for the friend request.  I have accepted and appreciate all that you have said.  Many thanks and hugs.

I had a BCC removed by surgery close to my eye two years ago. I was terrified before the surgery, and not in a good place at all. 
I now seem to discover new marks/ lesions constantly, and my life is consumed with worry, severe anxiety and checking my face. I have had one spot checked by three different doctors but still obsess about it, and fear they are wrong.

i have just treated an area of Solaris keratosis on my cheek and the cream I used has left scarring that looks worse than the Sk that was there!

Grateful gal/ figgy, do you find it hard to enjoy the nice weather because of the worry of further sun damage?  

I know I need to see a dermatologist but am too scared of what they might tell me as I know I’m gonna struggle to cope with more bad news. 

Hello VLM and yes, I now worry a lot about my time outside in the sun.  I spent years in the sun as a child without sunscreen because who even know the sun could be a problem back in those days.  Since my melanoma, I have always used sunscreen and bought some clothing to cover up when working outside.  My husband thinks I'm going to have heat stroke when I'm covered up in the heat of summer. I love gardening and hiking, so with the clothing and sunscreen I think I have been doing all I can to prevent skin cancer.  However, bang , there it is on my face and hopefully not elsewhere also.   I've been told that most of the damage to my skin was done in my younger years, but all I can do now is put on sunscreen, cover up and enjoy those activities that give me joy outside.  We can't let this thing steal our joy, but the anxiety still does exist.

And I too am scared to death to go to my new dermatologist in July.  Too many new spots to biopsy and the wait for those biopsies is sometimes just too much to handle.  I deep breathe and try to meditate and pray a lot. 

Keep pressing about the lesions some doctors dismiss.  My last dermatologist finally said "If you feel bad about it,  I'll take it off."  Sometimes we know our bodies better than anyone.

Best wishes and try to take it one day at a time.  I'm trying to follow my own advice on that one.

Can’t believe how similar we are ! I have ignored whatever it is on my back - it’s as if I can only deal with one thing at a time ! But I’m going for it now as it all needs addressing but it’s far from easy. I will wake up at 2am in a mad panic, sick with dread - if you are a basket case then I definitely am …I am covered in different types of sun damage which seems to have appeared all of a sudden ? This is why I have booked a skin scan.

I do think you should try to break down the stress into different parts and get each issue checked out as it arises and follow it through. In the stress of it all some things naturally go or turn out to be not much to worry about but we convince ourselves of the worst ! please let me know how you get on xx 

Hi VLM my heart goes out to you too as you are in the same boat as myself and grateful gal it seems …My mum also went through a spate of one lesion after another - some were nothing even after a biopsy  and 2 were BCCs and needed an op. But right now it all seems ok with her which is good. 
I do struggle with all this hot weather. I had some neighbours over the other  week and was dreading the whole sun thing. I put a big bench in the shade and the umbrella up and it was fine - starting it at 4pm helped too. I always wear high sun factor, loose linen trousers with long sleeved linen top and sun hat /sunglasses and sit in the shade. There’s always someone else looking for shade too that will sit with you and chat ! It’s still enjoyable. I am totally expecting bad news at my skin scan but I will have to get on with it. I am dreading going but the stress I would feel if I did not attend would be worse. Please stay strong girls - you can do this ! Xx

Oh Figgy, we are similar and I appreciate what you suggest; to take one thing at a time.  The next issue will be the results of the biopsy of that lentigo maligna (only 3 mm if even) on my cheek.  Hopefully, it will not have become invasive, but will still require mohs surgery to get any extra cells in the margins.  Then I will have the other face lesion biopsied and go to my new dermatologist for other spots on my skin.  It does seem like everything has popped up all at once and I read that sometimes there are windows of time when these things occur and then things back off for a while. 

Although we hate to go to the dermatologist, I know that we have got to face it even though as you say it is not easy.  We will still be waking up in the early morning and thinking way too much.  Wish we could slow down the bad thoughts. I will keep you posted and please do the same for me.  It's so nice to have your advice and to know that others can understand the difficulties in this journey.

Figgy is right VLM.  We can handle this!  Stay strong!

Hi

I had a BCC removed from my nose last year and the sheer terror still haunts me plus the worry of more small areas on my face that will probably need addressing.  It terrifies me.

Something that helped me a tiny bit was that my surgeon is aware of my high stress levels and said to me that because I have follow ups with him anything will be picked up and dealt with as needed. 

I get completely overwhelmed and it can be all consuming terror at the thought of more surgery and I too have thought about counselling. 

It's a very difficult thing to deal with because we all know that one skin cancer can often mean more in the future and people in general don't understand their impact.

I've found this group to be a fantastic support as we do understand what each of us are going through and nobody is dismissive of our worries.

I've also used effudex for actinic keratosis which isn't pleasant. It often feels like an ongoing battle.

As I write this I'm getting stressed as I'm getting ready to go to London for an evening event but will be there quite early and the sun's out already.

I think I'd describe it as a constant background anxiety that it's caused that never goes away.