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afraid of skin check up

ohilly
ohilly CSN Member Posts: 441 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have my annual skin check up on Friday (the one where they look at your whole body and all the moles). I am terrified they'll tell me I have skin cancer, although there is absolutely no reason for me to think this.

Now that I have had breast cancer, any check-up for cancer seems to provoke intense anxiety.

Ohilly
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Comments

  • seof
    seof CSN Member Posts: 819 Member
    #2
    I think those fears are a
    I think those fears are a normal part of being a survivor. Sometimes when I start getting a sore throat or coughing from my allergies (which I have had much longer than I have been a cancer survivor) the idea of throat cancer comes up. I just have to remind myself that cancer is not the only possible malady a person can have. Still, you are smart to get it checked. We will be praying that it is nothing serious.

    live as well as you can for as long as you can. seof
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  • tgf
    tgf CSN Member Posts: 950 Member
    #3
    me too
    Hi Ohilly,

    I've never had a "skin check" but after I was diagnosed with cancer my oncologist made an appointment for me with a dermatologist ... just to be sure everything is OK. My appointment is on the 21st and like you ... I'm afraid they'll find something that doesn't look quite right. I'm 65 ... so I have my share of "age spots" ... plus moles etc. ... but ... I live alone ... and since I don't have eyes in the back of my head and I can't see every nook and cranny of my body ... I guess I'm trying to tell myself that they can't ALL possibly be OK. So ... I too ... am afraid. But ... I am glad I'm having it done ... and who knows ... maybe all those spots will be fine.

    hugs.
    teena
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  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 CSN Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    #4
    tgf said:

    me too
    Hi Ohilly,

    I've never had a "skin check" but after I was diagnosed with cancer my oncologist made an appointment for me with a dermatologist ... just to be sure everything is OK. My appointment is on the 21st and like you ... I'm afraid they'll find something that doesn't look quite right. I'm 65 ... so I have my share of "age spots" ... plus moles etc. ... but ... I live alone ... and since I don't have eyes in the back of my head and I can't see every nook and cranny of my body ... I guess I'm trying to tell myself that they can't ALL possibly be OK. So ... I too ... am afraid. But ... I am glad I'm having it done ... and who knows ... maybe all those spots will be fine.

    hugs.
    teena

    Share Your Fears, Good to Check
    Ohilly and Teena, I am going to follow your example and request a full checkup, too. A few weeks ago, I did have a spot on my face removed by my Primary Care doctor. She had it biopsied, just to be sure, and it was fine. Still, I was nervous and scared, just like you two describe. After reading your posts, I am going to call her and ask for a full derm check as I do have spots in other places.

    Teena, I am hopeful those spots will be fine--breast cancer should be enough to deal with, and we are/have gotten treatment. My best wishes for good test results for you and Ohilly. Please let me know how your exams go. And thank you ladies for your posts, which prompted me to follow up.
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