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SweetDream20
New User
Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Posts: 1
Location: Tennessee
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 Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 4:20 pm Post subject: Concerned..What doctor should I see? |
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Ok I am looking for some helpful advice and I realize any questions I ask will probably result in "consult a doc". Part of the reason I am voicing my concerns is whether or not this would warrant going to a doctor...
Cancer runs pretty thick in my family history... including throat cancer that metastisized, colon cancer, and breast cancer. I'm very fair skinned, freckles, blond, blue eyed, burn very easily. I've noticed that I'm pretty fatigued lately and have experienced a loss of 20lbs even tho my eating habits/exercise have remained the same. Of course there is no telling what all can cause that.
But this morning I noticed something. On my upper left outer thigh, there happened to be a large raised dark red lesion. It was white on top so I thought "omg ew a pimple" but what an odd spot for a pimple. I scraped at it and the white part flaked off. The bump feels thick underneath, not hard, but definitely not soft like its only swollen. The lesion sits right on top of a (faded) stretch mark..
I noticed it about 2 weeks ago but it was much smaller, raised and just slightly red. I didnt think anything other than that my jeans must have somehow rubbed my skin there. I had also noticed in the past that while the stretch marks faded, that area of the stretch mark never seemed to fade.
My friend's fiance died Nov '06 from melanoma that spread to his brain. She had told me at that time how quickly it had grown and she wished she'd convinced him to go to a doctor sooner.
So of course I'm concerned and want to see a doctor. My husband thinks my brain is over doing it. What are your opinions? Likelihood? What kind of doctor should I see? And this may sound stupid, but I know my insurance requires a referral to see specialists.. would a walk-in type clinic meet this physician referral and would they usually be able to refer me? |
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Vee Smith
Moderator
Joined: 12 Feb 2006
Posts: 796
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:29 pm Post subject: Re: Concerned..What doctor should I see? |
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Hi, Sweetdream - if you are worried, you need to see a doctor. Better to have your mind set at rest than to worry about things.
Your GP should be the first person to see. If he/she thinks you need to see a skin specialist, then you will need to address that problem. Apart from anything else, an inexplicable 20lb weight loss with normal diet is a matter of concern.
Let us know how you decide. |
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brainman
Chief Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 4291
Location: Tennessee
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Jim_Hall
Regular
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 48
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| Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:56 pm Post subject: Re: Concerned..What doctor should I see? |
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| I would have a biopsy that's really the only way you'll know for sure. I had a nodular melanoma in my eyebrow. Nodular's apperance is usually different, it's symetrical. Mine was a perfect in symmetry and I thought at first it was a pimple. It gradually got bigger and turned brown and it began to look like a mole. Most of my symptoms were itching, pain, flaking (what looked like dried skin that kept falling off), and eventually bleeding. My dermatologist was fooled by it too. It could be nothing, but I've found out it's best to be safe than sorry. |
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