Different Kinds of Skin Cancer on Face All at Once

Grateful gal/ VLM

Oh dear grateful gal - you need a hug …I believe you can and will manage this with help but right now you are completely overwhelmed. You can only do what you can and with regular skin checks, medication and counselling you may start to feel able to manage the situation. Believe me I know how overwhelming this all is. 

Thanks VLM for the anxiety med information. I am still waiting to hear from my GP but I plan to ask him/her about Sertraline. The counsellor also mentioned beta blockers and Amitriptyline. I find the whole GP thing very stressful too as in my experience it is reactive and not proactive.I also feel that I cannot spend too much time discussing anything and rarely see the same person - you feel very alone with it all xx

Figgy, I find beta blockers helpful too, I don’t take them very often but if feeling really stress/ anxious they Definately work for me. I was prescribed Amytriptiline for nerve pain years ago, only took one tablet but found I felt really groggy the next morning so didn’t continue with it, everyone reacts differently of course.

I’m lucky to have really good GP’s that have been very helpful, and find it easier to do an econsult as it lets you explain fully rather than getting flustered at an appointment and forgetting what you planned to say xx

Thank you VLM …the information about beta blockers was interesting and sounds like it may suit me . I tried Amyltriptine too, years ago  for a back problem and a bit like you it totally bombed me out and gave me nightmares. I have had a text from my GP so that I can arrange a mental health appointment with someone at the surgery. I think it’s my anxiety that causes me to dislike the E-consult to be honest ! I do still feel calmer after my counselling which is helping enormously. 

Thank you xx

Thanks VLM and Figgy.  I start on Sertraline Monday and I've heard that the first few days are a little uncomfortable sometime, but that evens out soon afterward and things improve.  Has that been your experience?  Saw my new dermatologist this week and she wasn't too alarmed she said about my other spots, but did take biopsies of a few.  I haven't heard yet about the biopsy done on the suspected Lentigo Maligna, so I'm still waiting.  It was very small , 2mm tops, but I have read that what is on the surface of the skin may not be visible for a distance around this.  I can't imagine that it could be invasive yet at this small size, but once again, it's wait for the results of the biopsy. Having another Mohs on my face and maybe even a third for a small spot by my ear has me wondering what I will look like after all of this.  Vanity, I know. I just want the cancer gone.  That's the most important thing to me. I just hate the waiting, but I'm trying to occupy myself with many activities to distract myself from the worry.  Can't wait to get the Sertraline and start feeling less anxious.  Thanks for all of your support in this journey.

Grateful girl I really wish I could say something to make you feel better. We are again feeling exactly the same - just sheer panic and dread ! It’s the unknown that is frightening us. My counsellor said to me that very organised people (which is me ) struggle with the lack of control that they feel in these situations and generally panic more than others. I started Sertraline on Friday and the first night felt quite good but now not so. Apparently it can take a couple of weeks to take effect. Like you I’m desperate for some kind of escape from all this worry.
On a positive note you do seem to be doing all you can to manage this situation and your new dermatologist sounds very good. Did you find her supportive and understanding etc? I always think it’s so much easier when someone is kind. Also facial skin generally heals very well and over time scars fade dramatically. My mum has had a few bccs removed from her face and it’s only when you get close up that you can see anything. She hardly ever wears  makeup and scars are hardly visible. She had two removed last summer and she was a bit down and unsure of the possible end result but this year now they have healed well with minimal scarring she is a different person. 

How much longer do you think you will have to wait for your Lentigo biopsy result? All this waiting is just terrible…I’m waiting for a hospital referral to Dermatology about a mark on my nose and I’m extremely worried - so much so I cannot really discuss it. I think I’m going crazy sometimes! I should have an appointment in early July - I’m so scared.   

If you want to message me privately please feel free and stay strong - we can do this xx

Hi Figgy and Grateful gal, hope you both get some benefit from the Sertraline. I find it starts to work fairly quickly, can make you feel more anxious initially, I find exercise, a long walk helps.

Every thing you’ve both said resonates with me, I’m feeling panicky about even making the appointment with the doctor to ask for a dermatology referral, in the mean time all the marks/ lesions I’m worried about have been there longer and longer. Sometimes I think I just want to enjoy the time not knowing. I keep imagining my face looking like a patchwork quilt by the time I’ve finished with all the bits of Surgery, it feels very unfair.

one of the lesions I have is above my top lip, and I’m worried that if it is cancer and they have to remove a large margin my actual lips will be affected, I’m even thinking if this is the case I will just say leave it! Im feeling very down about it all today, but it feels better knowing I’m not the only one with these awful worries.

Morning VLM try to keep calm - these situations as we know can become overwhelming and often become a huge problem in your mind. We struggle to know where to start and what to deal with first and the imagined consequences become impossible to face.
My GP surgery has a mental health nurse that you can ask to contact you. I spoke to one the other day and she chatted to me at length and prescribed the anxiety meds. She also has arranged to call me back in 3 weeks. It may be an idea to start there and tell him/her your fears and how overwhelmed you are. She can make appointments on your behalf and put something in your notes so everyone is aware. You could also talk to her about counselling- I have a counselling appointment tomorrow and it is so valuable to me just being able to off load my worries although I do understand that private counselling is not possible for everyone.  Take one small step at a time - I have sent you a friend request should you need to contact me privately- we are here to help you xx

Thanks Figgy, I’ve accepted your friend request!

I’m actually seeing someone from St Gemma’s for counselling, not for the skin cancer but my partner has terminal cancer as if I don’t have enough to deal with! I’ve been on the carers forum which is how I came across the skin cancer forum. I could probably discuss the skin worries too as she’s really lovely and wouldn’t mind. I think him having cancer has made my worries about my own health worse thinking about it. It sounds like you’re getting really good support from the GP surgery which is fantastic, mine are really good too.

I am so pleased that you have someone to talk to and she sounds perfect. I am sorry to hear about your  partner- it’s no wonder life is so hard for you right now. I think it is becoming clear in many of the posts on here that really the skin cancer issues are usually the tipping point. There has often been other serious issues that have sometimes been going on for years and we get to the point when our stamp books are full. Someone said to me once that we go around collecting stamps ( Green shield stamps ??? )  and one day your book is full. 

Let me know how you are getting on xx

Hi VLM

So sorry to hear about your partner. The last thing you need is a skin cancer nightmare.

Skin cancers are extremely difficult to deal with at the best of timeimpacted our lives greatly s but obviously a lot worse when you have other stresses in your life. Suddenly we find that when we've been coping well for so long, we suddenly get totally overwhelmed hen something else comes along.

My husband has serious ongoing health issues that have Had a huge impact on our lives. The diagnosis of my BCC just was the final straw. I was already stressed and exhausted. I also found that as it was small in comparison to his health issues nobody took it seriously and some were quite dismissive.

I'm so glad you've got professional help and I'm sure you'll also find this forum a great help too as we all understand.

Hi VLM

So sorry to hear