Health anxiety moles reddit

Last UpdatedMarch 5, 2024

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Logically, I know the risk of any of these things are low. I went to the gp to check my moles. This is the mole on his back that we had photos taken of in hospital which 2 dermatologists looked at and wrote to us 2 weeks later saying “it has benign features but we’d like to have a closer look in clinic” - I can Fellow health anxiety sufferer here. To make matters worse, I was diagnosed with Stage 1A Melanoma and had WLE and all clear, and have been seeing a dermatologist for skin checks every 3 months. Never had melanoma before. Things to keep in mind with this fear . I had a mole biopsied this year that was super abnormal - I have a bunch of brown moles and this one was black and huge with irregular edges. To reduce your risk of skin cancer, it's… While its not a good idea to always run to the doctor for reassurance, if its been a year since your mole removal, its probably time for you to get another skin check as I'm pretty sure they are recommended yearly. You need to be seen by a doctor at the very least for peace of mind. I know easier said than done. I recently had new “freckles” show up on my lady parts. 7. Most likely your anxiety is making you think about your skin intensely, which is making it feel itchier. Anyone can get skin cancer. That's why I've always been quite insecure about my moles. Moles will go to a lab for analysis. Sometimes they do find something wrong, other times she gets a clean bill of health. Venting. there’s always a “well what if…” “but what about…” with health anxiety. All my moles are in the computer system and are checked annually for changes. I have one on my neck that changes in size and it’s been there for years and nothing has ever come from it. Reply. We are not medical professionals and we cannot guarantee that you are receiving appropriate medical advice. I’m worried because the mole disappeared The recommended mole size is 6mm and if a mole is bigger than it you should talk to a doctor. if your worried about a mole and its small (less than a pencil eraser) even if it is Constant anxiety over melanoma. Well my anxiety was doing so well until I noticed a new mole on my back. All of them look normal. I've heard horror stories of people who have average looking moles but it turns out they have stage 4 melanomas. Unfortunately, skin cancer has a genetic component in my family. You’ve seen 3(?) derms who saw no concerns. I’ve suffered with health anxiety off and on for years, but last June really kicked it into high gear, starting with a sinus infection that got so bad part of my face went numb. The mole looks the same from a distance as it always has. I go to therapy once a week, and even take meds (citalopram). This kind of helps me too. I have a 17 month old son and I keep imagining me dying of cancer and leaving him. If you really can't resist googling, when you google the symptoms, add "anxiety" to search. If I worry about a mole a bit or am not sure if it's new, but it doesn't look really suspicious I take a close up photo and measurement of it and then monitor it. These are only a few and every single time it said it could be cancer. Or check it out in the app stores We coalesce here to reclaim control of our lives through: education, sharing experiences, sharing management techniques, sharing resources, exposing stigma & norms, and advancing the discussion & awareness around Health Anxiety (a. I know a lot of people with healthy anxiety would rather “know” but my anxiety is so bad that I can’t get myself to appointments. Because of this, I've convinced myself that I'm destined to develop skin cancer. Then I try to focus on something- reading, writing, playing guitar, going for a drive. DO NOT GOOGLE! make an appt with your pcp to was your mind. I stressed for 2 weeks and it was totally benign. It’s been there for the past month and I don’t believe any changes have… Posted by u/[Deleted Account] - 2 votes and 1 comment Had a suspicious mole checked out and they said it was ok and they weren’t worried, but my health anxiety is still worried :( I am 29F. But I took a closer look at it for the first time in a years, and noticed something I didn't notice before. Fresh off a panic attack I had yesterday because of another health obsession, I noticed a mole I have on my ankle looks bigger than I remembered. Ask for advice regarding your changing / concerning mole. The brain is very, very powerful and scary when it works against you. A support group for patients who have been diagnosed with melanoma, are undergoing treatment, post…. ago. Hi everyone, I just wanted to quickly share my story and tips that helped me through the last 2 months. Illness Anxiety & Hypochondriasis) in its many forms in our own societal realms. Health ocd is particularly tricky because on one hand, it's good to get information about a disease on google and on the other hand, the more you google the deeper you get into it. To be extra thorough about detecting changes, try to use the same lighting and angle each time, and include a ruler next to the mole so you can accurately gauge it's size and tell if its grown at all. As our brains are attracted to negativity, you will most likely end up diagnosing yourself with cancer. Hi, I’ve recently developed health anxiety with moles and cancer. You don't have to have loads of moles to get skin cancer, sometimes a person who is diagnosed will only have a few, and some didn't even have moles to begin with and developed one or two when they got skin cancer. For example, twitching, shaking, sweating can all be caused by anxiety but the hypochondriac part Focus on your life rather than your death. Hello u/Environmental-Egg-50 , If this is a medical emergency, please call emergency services as soon as possible! Go to a dermatologist yearly for peace of mind as they will track all your moles. A Guide to Cancer Anxiety. That way you're playing a game with it. This helps me feel a little better, because as long as I can identify a change or new mole quickly, there's a good chance of catching it in situ. My mole was UGLY. 1K subscribers in the Melanoma community. I switched dermatologists recently at a reputable University based hospital from a private one. Could it be a blood blister, cherry angioma, or an ingrown hair? It didn’t fit the characteristics of a nodular melanoma, as it was smooth and symmetrical. If you're concerned about the mole on your foot, get in touch with your GP about getting it removed. Just do it. I have spent about 800 on doctors visits. Buut, if it will ease your mind you can have it surgically removed and sent for biopsy. sunflower53069. But it was lighter than the other ones on my body and slightly raised on one side. I've had this big mole on the side of my breast for a really long time and was never really worried about it because it has always been there. They refer them as “atypical moles”. 9K subscribers in the Melanoma community. I've been to the dermatologist about a month back, they looked at about two of them (think they were running a reduced service Health anxiety is a separate diagnosis than ocd however it is so similar to ocd that it is treated the same way (erp). My biggest fear is getting sick with something with barely any symptoms, like the abnormal pap smear, and not knowing until its too late. I have a good amount of moles but they are all similar and flat. I'm 31 years old and have recently been for a mole excision. I haven't had health anxiety in forever, but now I am. spicypretzelcrumbs. Never in my wildest dreams I could hope for that. Just a lot of fear of what if this mole turns bad. Also dont oversearch your symptoms on Google. I was never worried that mole before, so I never really to took the time to inspect it up close. I worry all the time about various bodily changes/sensations. I showed it to my GP a couple of weeks ago. If they aren't familiar with erp it I'd think if I didn't have health anxiety, I probably wouldn't be worried about it. by Moso15. You have to work on your MIND and why it’s playing those tricks on you. Im afraid of having melanoma. I have many moles, 30+ on one arm, and I get worried about them. Hi, I suffer from self-harm, paranoia and health anxiety. ago • Edited 5 yr. It’s a flat dark brown mole that I’ve had since I was a kid. Had a breakdown to the nurse who told me it wasn't cancer but that they want to remove more skin around it anyway as a precaution Advice. -This one is basic, but if you can, don't google at all. No spot on my body goes unnoticed. It was circular, about 1/16” in diameter, and light brown – in other words a typical growth that I paid no attention to. The mole doesn't look concerning to me, but if it has changed size, you should get it checked by a dermatologist. I absolutely hate health anxiety. If you can find a therapidt who specializes in treating ocd that is your best bet for recovery. I'm not a doctor though and this is not official medical advice. It's nothing crazy, but I noticed a couple small spots on the moles that are a different color. The current thing I'm worried about is skin cancer. That might help you keep track of new moles and changes in existing moles. It could be a lymph node. And worst case scenario, if they are cancerous this is the first step of treatment anyway. Mole Biopsy and how I coped. About a year ago I noticed a small mole or skin tag on my lower abdomen. Long time lurker, first time poster, hoping someone can help me get my head on straight. I'm going to request to have these 2 moles removed so I can stop freaking out about them. Im very fair skinned and have moles and freckles on my body. I am a health anxiety sufferer. And it would be perfectly fine to ask the dermatologist why you would be having pain there. It increased in size to 1/4” and became irregular in its shape. You can have moles that look like skin cancer, without it being skin cancer. Ihave self diagnosed myself with colon cancer, breast cancer, ms, heart attack and brain tumor all within the last 8 months. [22F, diagnosed with Hypothyroidism] I found 2 new moles on my left arm and bottom left leg about 3-4 months ago and it's making me super anxious. Award. This mole has been my worry from day 1. It's been alternating between itchy and a dull pain, though it's definitely trending more towards the latter as of We coalesce here to reclaim control of our lives through: education, sharing experiences, sharing management techniques, sharing resources, exposing stigma & norms, and advancing the discussion & awareness around Health Anxiety (a. 47K subscribers in the DermatologyQuestions community. went in for a second opinion and for a full body mole check-up and i pointed out my concerns to the dermatologist. It was really hard to look at because of where it's located, but the edges ar AutoModerator. Never any issues always looked normal forgot it was there for the most part. HELP how long until it grows back I have a severe health anxiety and I need help determining if it was a melanoma. A normal looking mole can be cancerous, moles can randomly turn cancerous, and many moles are in areas you can't even see (like your scalp or backside). Good for you for being proactive about your skin health! Dermatologists just like to err on the safe side and remove moles since it’s easy. I had three grow on the side near my hips and they were getting big. go to yearly checkups and you will be fine . Personally finding out that my deep dissatisfaction with my life was the root cause of my anxiety was a huge deal with it. Another tip that I find works really well is to externalize anxiety. May 28, 2020 · Hi, I have servere health anxiety. Noticed a small freckle two years ago in 2022, that mole is now 4mm size. It is hard to tell the size difference because the first picture is zoomed in. It helped me to find a dermatology practice that works with mole mapping technology. Welcome to a place for everyone who identifies with having health anxiety, is an ally of someone… I've been obsessing a lot over a lot of different moles over the last month and it's creating a lot of anxiety. Health anxiety is like an abusive partner that’s never satisfied. Tonight, my anxiety is towards my partner having melanoma all because I read a reddit comment that said “go get your moles checked out”. 3. Or check it out in the app stores Welcome to a place for everyone who identifies with having health anxiety, is an ally of someone with health anxiety, or just wants to learn more about our growing community. melanoma is also over-diagnosed. Then it turned reddish brown. . Having HA sucks! I notice every little change or pain in my body and like most people speak to Dr G for my diagnosis and prognosis. You get confirmation that the one thing is fine then it conjures up something else. TW. So far, however, I've failed to develop a melanoma. 25F/60kg/nil medications/Nil medical hx Hello, I am someone who struggles terribly with all consuming health anxiety, particularly related to… From headaches, eye floaters, dizziness, tiredness, breast freckles, breast pain, muscle strain, sore troat, muscle twitching, noisy stomach, diarrhoea, back pain. never hurts to get it checked by a derm. Hi all. he looked at all my moles with a derma-scope and he said all look fine and took pics of the two moles i am worried about. Interested for myself as a fellow mole-y person with health anxiety lol. She saw it when it had a normal colour, and didn't use a dermascope. No one in this group can/should be giving medical advice. It just seems like my chances are super increased for something like melanoma. Not a bad burn, no peeling at all, it's just a bit pink. I need opinions on it because I have health anxiety and have trouble figuring out if my gut is telling me something is wrong or if it's just my anxiety. • 19 min. I’m completely new to Reddit so hopefully I don’t mess this all up. he said to come back in a year unless I had a mole removed last week and just got the call today that there was some "activity in the superficial part of the skin" and it needed to be sent somewhere else for more testing. Appeared 8 months ago, no evolution whatsoever. I went to my GP and got it checked, and they said there was no signs to be anything 108K subscribers in the HealthAnxiety community. Last week I noticed what I think was a mole on my shoulder. Health Anxiety in General. All the moles, at least the ones I can see, look normal, but I worry that I will get melanoma. Advice. I've had my health anxiety under control for a while but I recently burnt the bottom of the ankles whilst at the beach. If I start to notice my anxiety, I'll tell myself that I'll wait and see. I don't know what I should do, I'm worried about the mole being cancer but I'm also worried about getting the biopsy and most definitely the wait time for the results that come with it. (It's almost always my anxiety). Back to the skin cancer, I had a friend who would worry sick about it. I have two large moles that I got from birth that seem to be changing a bit. 8. '. **Welcome to /r/DermatologyQuestions!** Ask a dermatologist or medical professional on reddit!… . The things that help me the most with my melanoma fears are 1) my annual skin checks, since I trust the dermatologist's eye more than my own, and 2) I keep my skin covered so I dont look at it often because the more I stare at my moles the more anxious I get. My mole disappeared. Oh my God, the way I relate to this!! My newest obsession is checking my moles ever since I happened to see a skin cancer post on Reddit. I promise you moles are normal to get! you do not need to see a doctor or even tell your parents lol. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Take my advice. Awaiting biopsy results and going crazy with health anxiety. I'm usually so careful in the sun, I've worn factor 30 or 50 4- I release this health anxiety to you Higher Power There is a prayer it goes like this: God/Higher Power (of your understanding), grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change (control over life, over how health anxiety works), the courage to change the things I can (your lifestyle, how you manage your thoughts, how you choose to Shiny dark-brown 3mm mole. Then I realized I had never been to a dermatologist- honestly never realized it was a thing I had to do :/ I had to schedule an appointment because my anxiety was taking over and I convinced myself of the Scan this QR code to download the app now. I need your advice. To preface, my mom (54F) has always had pretty bad health, and what I would consider to be quite severe health anxiety. We coalesce here to reclaim control of our lives through: education, sharing experiences, sharing management techniques, sharing resources, exposing stigma & norms, and advancing the discussion & awareness around Health I’m unsure of its color. To reduce your risk of skin cancer, it's…. Going today. I really want to stop obsessing over this. One of my biggest fears is dying from a terminal illness. I get my husband to check my scalp. It's ridiculous. I thought I had at least melanoma in situ and cried almost everyday for fear of dying of some aggressive skin Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now Is there any special way to deal to deal with health anxiety about moles and obsessive skin checking Painful Mole. My mum had cancer a couple of years ago and I also lost a friend to Cancer. Try taking a picture that is the same distance from the mole as the one taken in January. he said they are multi-pigmented but the skin under and them look fine. This is getting ridiculous. Also, I am treated for health anxiety. 5. I noticed it in the shower once and almost had a panic attack over if they were cancerous and whatnot. a. She wasn't concerned about it. Most skin cancer grows very slowly. Long story short, I had a new freckle growing in over a few months, had it removed, thought it was nothing once it was gone, came back as moderate to severe atypical nevus. Since this my health anxiety is through the roof. I had a mole above my ankle for my entire life, i might have been born with it. (TV and scrolling on the phone DO NOT HELP! This is usually when my anxiety shows up. listen to dr. It all began when I noticed a new mole on my face. I think it's halo nevus, which is considered not dangerous. Or check it out in the app stores Black moles aren't always bad I was told but yeah still be looked at by a derm. -Health Anxiety can and will cause almost every symptom you worry about. Pretty much since menopause, she's been in and out of doctor's offices for one reason or another. My We coalesce here to reclaim control of our lives through: education, sharing experiences, sharing management techniques, sharing resources, exposing stigma & norms, and advancing the discussion & awareness around Health Anxiety (a. Welcome to a place for everyone who identifies with having health anxiety, is an ally of someone with health anxiety, or just wants to learn more about our growing community. I had this problem with my male doctor. Anxiety after mole excision. However about 2 weeks ago I randomly took a picture of it and noticed those dots. People who excersise or go to the gym, how do you keep your health anxiety in check? Everytime I workout it triggers worry and panic. If you zoom in, you'll still see the starburst-like form, but it has now grown into an almost full, slightly I scratched a mole off and now I’m scared. We coalesce here to reclaim control of our lives through: education, sharing experiences, sharing management techniques, sharing resources, exposing stigma & norms, and advancing the discussion & awareness around Health Sunburn and skin cancer. Support. I didn't think much of it, as I told myself I… Yeeeaaah , especially once you mention health anxiety, a lot will start to blow you off and play it off as such. I got a new mole on my face about 1 month ago and I even called my doctor and they told me as we grow new things can appear on your body like moles, sun spots, beauty marks, and lots more! it is just your anxiety. When you know the game they're playing though, you can fight back. We coalesce here to reclaim control of our lives through: education, sharing experiences, sharing management techniques, sharing resources, exposing stigma & norms, and advancing the discussion & awareness around Health Anxiety (a. As someone who has both health anxiety and has a genetic predisposition towards many irregular moles, it's been a sticking point in my psychological condition before. Turned out to be nothing. During 2017-2018 most of my health anxiety stemmed from the moles growing on my body. I have a female doctor now and she took me seriously and figured out my issue. The tactics anxiety uses to win is to keep whispering into your ear, telling you that you should be really worried about normal 'body noises. ) 19. However, I cannot stop looking at it. Since about the middle of March, I've been monitoring a mole on my chest that has been giving me occasional bouts of discomfort. Lately my health anxiety has been so bad I’ve canceled my mole check 6 times. Either during the workout from increased heart rate, or after from sore and tight muscles. Most “melanomas” never become dangerous. I'd suggest to ask the therapist if they have treated ocd before and what techniques they use. 7K subscribers in the Melanoma community. k. Or check it out in the app stores 28F, 4'11, >50kg Having health anxiety means freaking out over a mole every now and then Acral Lentiginous Melanomas are often caught late because most people don't look at their feet all that often. Over the course of a year this mole changed dramatically. Posted by u/redditchickenpizza - 3 votes and 1 comment I have a lot of symptoms like pulse in stomach, twitching, shaking, small cellulite feeling balls in my fingers, profusely sweating, weird moles and much more. The next day it was gone and it turned to a red blemish spot that also faded quickly. However, I grew a new mole that has hypopigmentation around it. You’ll be Please note, any changes to treatment plans or anxiety management should be discussed with a professional before implementation. I've had skin cancer fear for a while and this is confirming all my fears are I have to get work done and I'm supposed to be up in five hours but here we are. Late stage of melanoma gives a lot of symptoms aside of muscle twitches, given your level of anxiety (I mean, you came here for a reason) its safe to say you'd notice. It had ALL the ABC characteristics of melanoma you find on internet: asymmetric, more than one color, weird borders, 6 mm They analyzed it and didn't find cancer. Your mole would 100% have changed if it were melanoma, or, in fact, any kind of skin cancer. Help please? In my health we are learning about melanoma and now I'm scared. I go from 1 disease to another constantly. One night it got inflamed and felt like a pimple was under it and it hurt a little to touch. I haven't been to a doctor but I think most of them are caused by my intense anxiety. The moles don't look like the bad ones I'm seeing on google, but I'm obsessing over it nonetheless. Point is worry can do a lot of negative. Meds can help but not so much. It would have indeed We coalesce here to reclaim control of our lives through: education, sharing experiences, sharing management techniques, sharing resources, exposing stigma & norms, and advancing the discussion & awareness around Health Anxiety (a. Yet it came back normal. IMEmTee. Recently, a mole on my neck bled a little. I'm literally terrified the moles are going to be cancer. Go to a dermatologist once a year for a skin check and then force yourself not to stress the rest of the year. When caught early, Melanoma is very treatable and often doesn't require any further treatment than just removing it. melanoma is very treatable/curable now . •. Once a year is enough to have it checked and be safe. I had a melanoma scare over the summer as I had a pretty weird looking one on my foot and back. Now I'm at the point where I can't get my mind off of it. I've had a few stints with health anxiety so this is yet another episode ruining my life. It started as a "starburst like" formation, and this is now what it looks like. Other issues evolved from the stress, anxiety, and mix I’ve made a couple posts on here before, I have severe health anxiety so it’s all just ringing alarm bells in my head. But now that Im looking at it I'm getting anxious. Instead I allow myself only specific scheduled times for self-checks, once per month. They’ll use a local anesthetic, excise the mole, then stitch it up. r/HealthAnxiety • 6 yr. One time she found a mole and straight up was like that’s skin cancer and before the biopsy was like getting comfortable with the fact it’s cancer. • 5 yr. Now, I’ve had great male doctors before so don’t get it twisted. Borderline suicidal over melanoma fear. Particularly after chest/back workouts. Look, this is no biggie, most people have several of these. Rest easy. I don't know what made me suddenly focus on skin cancer but it made me look closer at it after so many years of not thinking about it because it had always been there. Inspect them every now and then and if it pops up you'll be able to get it taken care of quickly. ku xf xr hp yt tm ao io qg kn