Not sure what's wrong with me - Please help!

T

Torres Girl

New member
I have moles and freckles on my back, in particular there is a large one, and an irregular shaped one. I went to the doctors about a year ago maybe because my mother was concerned, and the doctor said I should just keep a close eye on it. But I don't think anything has really changed since, but I'm just worried because I'm a bit of a hypochondriac.

I'm 19, male, fairly light skinned, and in the past I've been badly sunburned I guess which is the cause of all these moles, and I have a fair amount of freckles on my shoulder due to the sunburn.
I keep myself out the sun now, apart from my face and arms, and sometimes my legs when I wear shorts.

Now two days ago, it seems I have a new mole. I say it seems, because I don't remember it ever being there, or maybe that's because it's slightly raised and before it wasn't? I'm not sure.

But anyway, I have a new mole which is slightly raised on my lower stomach towards my hip?

It doesn't hurt when I touch it. I just can feel it, when I touch it, if you know what I mean?

Also, this may not be relevant, but thought I'd mention it, but one of my lymph nodes behind my ear has only slightly enlarged, but I think this due to either my wisdom teeth making some moment once again or my cartridge piercing which is possibly infected.

Since a few days ago I've noticed that the mole, (if it even is a mole, I presume it is) has gone down in size slightly. What I mean by gone down in size is, it's not so raised as it was before.

I'm very scared this could be cancer.

Please help.

Now I also just came back from the bathroom, and also the same situation occurred last night if I remember correctly, but I had a slime-like, almost shiny looking stool. Darker than usual. I had almost a black stool a few weeks ago, but since then I've been fine.

This morning I ate waffles with chocolate ice cream.

I believe my stool issues are due to my diet, which is horrific. Sometimes I won't eat in the mornings, I snack a lot, I eat processed foods mostly. I eat things like eggs, pizza, cheese, chocolate, lots of fizzy drinks etc. I'm vegetarian too.

I'm begging for help please, am I just over reacting?

I'm not sure how easy it is to go to the doctors either, because I recently moved to the US for study from the UK.

Do I just turn up at the doctors or Hospital and explain my problem, fill out paperwork and then get seen the same day?

Thank you.
 
Hi Peter! It looks like you have something called dysplastic nevi (english: atypical moles). Some people are prone to getting lots of them, myself included, but mine are mostly on my legs. There are arguements over whether they become cancerous or not, but my dermatologist said your safest bet is to get checked over once a year and that most likely none will ever become cancerous. As for the raised one, it actually looks like a skin tab which is harmless, but it's hard to be certain without seeing it in person. You say you are studying in the US, are you at a Univeristy? Most have a health center where you can go get checked out. It may not be free, depending on the school, but it would be cheaper than paying out of pocket for a specialist!
 
Hi Peter and welcome to the USA. On finding a doctor, you said you were here for study so I assume you are going to a university. Most colleges and universities here have a medical staff or practice that they use so check with your school first. It might even be included in your tuition. Ask other students or a dorm RA(resident assistant). Other wise, you can look up in the phone book and look for a "walk-in clinic". They are the type who will take the info and see you that day. A regular doctor's office you will have to call and make an appointment as a new patient and that takes time to get in to see someone. I'd go walk-in clinic or whatever your school has to offer.

I'm working backwards on your post here. the black stool....while it can be a sign of bleeding, that is also accompanied by stomach or bowel problems and is loose. I would put a bet on chocolate. Comes out the same color it goes in. The shine is just some extra fat in the stool.

I think you nailed the lymph node problem yourself.

Now on the mole. My husband is a lot like you. Spent his youth working outside with his shirt off and was always getting burned. Grew freckles and moles like a farmer. His back is covered. He's had one in particular that I first saw when we met. It had irregular borders...it was rectangular in shape...and it was really black on one half and lighter on the other half. The edges were flat with his back but with a scalloped edge and the right side was bigger than the left. So it met the criteria of a suspicious mole. Do you know the ABC's of a mole?

A.....asymetry....if you draw a line through the middle of it are the 2 sides the same?
B.....borders...are they smooth or wiggly(smooth good, wiggly bad). My husband's was scalloped...or wiggly.
C........is it any color other than brown..black? bluish? red? Does the color vary within the mole?
Diameter......is it larger than the eraser at the end of a pencil?(hubby's was almost there)
E......elevation...is it elevated above the level of the surrounding skin? (no on hubby there too).

So my husband had 3 of the 5 criteria for a suspicious mole and a "touch" of the 4th.. and he finally had it removed this past July. It came back in the earliest stage of melanoma but just cutting all the skin away from around it for 1cm and he is cured.

As I said, he had this when we got meet......35 years ago.

So I would do what the doc said....watch it. If you really want the emotional relief of getting rid of it, then schedule an appointment with a dermatologist someday when you are back home. They will remove it and test it. If it shows anything, then they cut off the extra area around it.

I wouldn't think at your age it will become cancerous right now. But keep your pictures and do it once a year to compare them. Watch for changes in it. My husband now has to go once a year for a full skin exam.

One of the things about getting older is that you grow moles. That is normal. When I look at myself I think it must be a mole for every year of your life. So those brown moles are normal and everyone gets them. It's the ones with the weird colors, shapes and sizes that you have to watch.

You're in a new country and that is stressful. Relax and enjoy yourself. And again....welcome, we're glad you're here!

gentle hugs................Jenny
 
So I've heard!
And I'll be sure to make sure I go every six months or so, just to make sure!

Ah, well it doesn't seem like any other mole I have, so you might be correct. I haven't commenced study quite yet, so that won't be possible, but I'll be sure to go to some sort of health clinic!

Thanks!



As I haven't commenced study quite yet, I'll be sure to get in touch with a local health clinic! & Whilst I'm at it, I'll be sure to get registered with the doctors!

Well I had Chocalate candy bars last night, and Choclate ice cream with waffles this morning, so that's possibly the cause of this!

I had a black stool, (much darker than the one I previously stated) a few weeks ago, and I thought it could be bleeding, but after that I was fine!

I'm sorry to hear that about your husband,
But I am familiar with the ABC's of the moles!
I'm not so worried about my existing ones, although I will get them checked out again, it's just this new one. Although after more contemplation, it could possibly be a skin tag like someone else mentioned! It's unlike any other moles I have, as all of mine are flat!

Thanks, I try not to stress, but I'm afraid I always get over worried about things concerning my body, and my dad has always called me a hypochondriac.

Thanks again!
 
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