› Forums › General Melanoma Community › When Doctors won’t remove worrying moles..
- This topic has 15 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 10 months ago by
Kare83.
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- May 30, 2016 at 3:41 am
I have been on 3 monthly skin checks since December when I had Stage 1 Melanoma removed from my shoulder blade.
I am the third in my immediate family to get a diagnosis.
I have had a few moles removed now, all benign except for the Melanoma. My doctor knows I honestly don't care about the scars.. I know taking off moles that may be benign won't stop me from getting it again but I sure feel better about removing ones I am worried about just for peace of mind.
However my Doctor won't take any off. I had been to him a few times and he was happy with how everything looked. My husband noticed a mole on my shoulder blade started to change colour, half was dark brown and half was light. I went back to the Dr but he told me to just keep an eye on it. Three months later and half the mole was black and the other half was still light. I went back and although he examined it and said he could see some change, he doubted it was anything sinister and said he didn't want to remove it. I explained that I was uneasy about it, specially because of the quick change and he agreed then, that because it was on my back and hard for me to monitor personally, he would take it off the following week. Then, once removed, he called the next day and said it was Melanoma and I needed wide margins removed.
It's not his fault, I realise. He honestly didn't think it was anything sinister. Though I have two more changing colour that have been worrying me for the last few months and have seen two people about them (my original Dr and another Dr for a second opinion). Both have said the two moles, along with all the others are fine. I practically begged for them to biopsy them both – I really need the peace of mind here.. But both refused.
So the thing is, yes I know the chance of having another primary is higher than the norm, yet it's not all common… Though I don't know what to do now? I honestly don't care about paying for the procedures or having scars – I just need peace of mind. I figure it's better to biopsy or remove them than regret it later, no matter what the chances are.
I'm just not sure who I can see that will do a biopsy now though. It seems most regular doctors like to steer clear of this and let the skin cancer doctors do things?
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- May 30, 2016 at 5:39 am
Find a derm that will do biopsies when you ask. Sometimes we have to hunt for the right doctor, in this case hunting for the right dermatologist for you, one that will be ok with doing a biospy when you ask them to, is what you need. It is your body and you should be able to get a biopsy when you ask for one.
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- May 30, 2016 at 5:39 am
Find a derm that will do biopsies when you ask. Sometimes we have to hunt for the right doctor, in this case hunting for the right dermatologist for you, one that will be ok with doing a biospy when you ask them to, is what you need. It is your body and you should be able to get a biopsy when you ask for one.
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- May 30, 2016 at 5:39 am
Find a derm that will do biopsies when you ask. Sometimes we have to hunt for the right doctor, in this case hunting for the right dermatologist for you, one that will be ok with doing a biospy when you ask them to, is what you need. It is your body and you should be able to get a biopsy when you ask for one.
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- May 30, 2016 at 9:09 am
As someone who has had more than one primary – in close succession, and removed because of MY suspicion not my doctors – I would recommend finding someone more knife-happy who is willing to biopsy things that you have real concerns over. It sounds like you are trying to do this but just keep looking.
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- May 30, 2016 at 9:09 am
As someone who has had more than one primary – in close succession, and removed because of MY suspicion not my doctors – I would recommend finding someone more knife-happy who is willing to biopsy things that you have real concerns over. It sounds like you are trying to do this but just keep looking.
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- May 30, 2016 at 9:09 am
As someone who has had more than one primary – in close succession, and removed because of MY suspicion not my doctors – I would recommend finding someone more knife-happy who is willing to biopsy things that you have real concerns over. It sounds like you are trying to do this but just keep looking.
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- June 4, 2016 at 2:32 pm
Absolutely keep trying to find a derm that will work wtih you…observation, listening to the patient's concerns and taking action are key. I truly believe being pro-active with melanoma is a necessity and you are trying…keep up the hunt…keep up the fight !!
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- June 4, 2016 at 2:32 pm
Absolutely keep trying to find a derm that will work wtih you…observation, listening to the patient's concerns and taking action are key. I truly believe being pro-active with melanoma is a necessity and you are trying…keep up the hunt…keep up the fight !!
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- June 7, 2016 at 8:26 pm
Update..I have found a GP who has an interest in skin cancer nearby. He has removed several BCC for a friend and he will remove anything suspicious and anything a patient is worried about.
I have an appointment next week. Iam contemplating calling though and requesting a double appointment to see about having some removed there and then.
I havecome to the conclusion that I don’t really care about how many scars I have. I want to get rid of these things just to have a better piece of mind.
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- June 7, 2016 at 8:26 pm
Update..I have found a GP who has an interest in skin cancer nearby. He has removed several BCC for a friend and he will remove anything suspicious and anything a patient is worried about.
I have an appointment next week. Iam contemplating calling though and requesting a double appointment to see about having some removed there and then.
I havecome to the conclusion that I don’t really care about how many scars I have. I want to get rid of these things just to have a better piece of mind.
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- June 7, 2016 at 8:26 pm
Update..I have found a GP who has an interest in skin cancer nearby. He has removed several BCC for a friend and he will remove anything suspicious and anything a patient is worried about.
I have an appointment next week. Iam contemplating calling though and requesting a double appointment to see about having some removed there and then.
I havecome to the conclusion that I don’t really care about how many scars I have. I want to get rid of these things just to have a better piece of mind.
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- June 26, 2016 at 10:20 pm
I ended up seeing this GP and although he took photos, he told me that I wasn't really high risk, even though my brother has had melanoma and my Grandfather died from it. He said the chance of Melanoma appearing in any moles I already have are very small, even though my Melanoma was in a mole I had all my life. He refused to biopsy the two moles that are worrying me. He said he would see me in 3 months time, take photos, compare them to the last photos and if there was no change I would be safe. He said Melanoma would change it's appearance within 3 months between photos.
I feel like I have just been brushed off… This is the 3rd doctor who has refused to do biopsies for me.
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- June 26, 2016 at 10:20 pm
I ended up seeing this GP and although he took photos, he told me that I wasn't really high risk, even though my brother has had melanoma and my Grandfather died from it. He said the chance of Melanoma appearing in any moles I already have are very small, even though my Melanoma was in a mole I had all my life. He refused to biopsy the two moles that are worrying me. He said he would see me in 3 months time, take photos, compare them to the last photos and if there was no change I would be safe. He said Melanoma would change it's appearance within 3 months between photos.
I feel like I have just been brushed off… This is the 3rd doctor who has refused to do biopsies for me.
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- June 26, 2016 at 10:20 pm
I ended up seeing this GP and although he took photos, he told me that I wasn't really high risk, even though my brother has had melanoma and my Grandfather died from it. He said the chance of Melanoma appearing in any moles I already have are very small, even though my Melanoma was in a mole I had all my life. He refused to biopsy the two moles that are worrying me. He said he would see me in 3 months time, take photos, compare them to the last photos and if there was no change I would be safe. He said Melanoma would change it's appearance within 3 months between photos.
I feel like I have just been brushed off… This is the 3rd doctor who has refused to do biopsies for me.
-
- June 4, 2016 at 2:32 pm
Absolutely keep trying to find a derm that will work wtih you…observation, listening to the patient's concerns and taking action are key. I truly believe being pro-active with melanoma is a necessity and you are trying…keep up the hunt…keep up the fight !!
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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