Great news Beth.

Wonderfull Beth, just make sure you have those checks. Still hope to catch up again later this week. Our Van was late arriving so will not be ready till end of week. Could you possibly PM me your ph no so when we are up at the caravan yard at Loganholm we could ring and meet up.

Thanks all. I've PM'd you Kiwi-as. Love to meet up again.

Wonderful news Beth. Always pays to keep a check on these things. Had a BCC cut off my nose a few years ago. Doc said it wouldn't have killed me just eat away my nose. It all started a a little sore that kept on breaking out.

Yes Rosey, I knew that too.

Kaid, I had one taken off my nose too, several years ago. The nose seems to be the most problematic, understandable.

As for eating away at your nose, I've seen that with my late Dad. Didn't realize what it was, then lost half his nose.

And folks, don't think that it's something you can see yourself. I didn't even suspect these two. The one I was suspicious of was fine.

Now if I can just get my kids to go...

 

Jack Mac wrote:

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Good news Beth.  Very pleased for you and now you know what to watch for.

Cheers,

John

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 Thanks John, yes.

Good news Beth... my scar is healing up nicely, I had one that 'looked odd' so I told the dr to rip it out and she did, it was nothing but I did not want to worry about it during our trip... 

Good news Beth, thats great.
I'm out at Greens Lake so might ring my doctor tomorrow to see if results back

Good news for you!!
I hope my results are all clear. I had a "thing" scraped on my right ear. It was just scabby thing that didn't heal and bled like crazy when I scratched it by accident.
The one on my back is a bit sore now, but hope to have the results by the end of the week.
I have another one to be removed in a couple of weeks.
The young ones think they're immune and that these things only happen to "old" people.
I've had several removed and all clear so far. I hope that's the result this time.

good oh. mole scan clinic is the best .

I'm just going to wait. No news is good news. I have to go back Friday week to have stitches out, and then the next week have another one cut out.
I don't worry too much, because I've been ok in the past.
Why do you have to wait so long for an appointment at a skin clinic in Canberra?
The skin clinic in Cairns, and the one where I go in Adelaide bulk bill and I've only had to wait a week or 2.
You should never have to wait months. Did you get referred by your doctor?
In the case of the clinics I went to I didn't have to be referred, just walk in and make the appointment.
Unless you're waiting for the actual surgery, and you shouldn't have to wait months for that either, I suggest you search for another local clinic which bulk bills and has a shorter waiting list.
A the clinic I'm visiting now he's only there 1 day a week, Friday, so I think I'm doing quite well.

When I made my appointment with Goinsoons doctor, I thought he said he was a Dermatologist, but he's just a regular GP who is very knowledgeable about skin.

I'm also not keen on the idea of Biopsies.

I'd rather they just cut it out and send it to pathology for testing. 

That's the way mine has always been done, and Dad before me.

A Biopsy seems a waste of time and resourses to me...if it was a baddy, I'd just have to go back for him to have another dig.

Beth54 wrote:

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When I made my appointment with Goinsoons doctor, I thought he said he was a Dermatologist, but he's just a regular GP who is very knowledgeable about skin.

I'm also not keen on the idea of Biopsies.

I'd rather they just cut it out and send it to pathology for testing. 

That's the way mine has always been done, and Dad before me.

A Biopsy seems a waste of time and resourses to me...if it was a baddy, I'd just have to go back for him to have another dig.

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 Hi Beth, I dont think I ever said he was a specialist but we was well trainde in  skin cancer treatment and removal, I am sure I pointed that out in an earlier post.

On the way down here (Port Macquarie) I dropped into a doctor just to get it checked and I just happened that I got a skin specialist and he said it was healing well  he also remarked what a neat and professional job my Dr. did, I told him it was Julian Fox and he said OH! I know him, you were in very good hands there.

Re. the biopsy, even a specialist would not proceed without a biopsy as they have to know what it is they are treating.

I'm another one who has to have frequent skin checks. Partly due to my Swedish ancestry that gave me very fair skin and hair....
Add to that a mis spent youth living near the beach and smothering myself in coconut oil hoping (in vain) to get a tan....and it's now time to pay the price...

Over several years spent at Dermatologists, Skin Clinics, GP's etc; and having numerous skin cancers of various types frozen off, cut out and so on, I have found that what works best for me is computerised analysis. I originally tried it at a private clinic...but for the past few years I have gone to Molescan, where they bulk bill.

For anyone who hasn't seen it done...it is quite simple. The Dr. has a hand held device (a bit like a computer mouse, only bigger) attached to a computer screen. He/she holds it over the suspect spot and it diagnoses what the spot actually is. The Dr. then knows the appropriate treatment to give.

Just one example: A few years ago, I went to a GP about a minor matter. I decided that since I was there anyway, I would get him to look at a tiny little pink pimple looking thing on my shoulder that was annoying me. He said that it didn't look like anything to worry about too much....just get the skin guy to have a look next time I went. 
A couple of weeks later I had my regular computerised skin check up and the "tiny pimple" was a dangerous squamous cell carcinoma that had spread so much underneath the skin that I had it cut out and ended up with 19 stitches. I was very lucky!

In case you want to find your nearest clinic.... 

http://www.molescan.com.au

Sorry if this is a bit of an epic but I thought it may help someone.  

Cheers.