The body keeps the score. It's not just the title of the 2014 book by Bessel van der Kolk. It's also a good reminder that our bodies can often tell us things about our health before we realize something serious is going on. Most of us tend to brush off things like minor pain, a rash, or a sleepless night. In fact, 60% of Americans say they ignore symptoms that don't feel "serious."
But our bodies have a way of telling us something is wrong, we just have to listen. To make people more aware of the red flags our bodies sometimes wave at us, one netizen recently asked: "What's a sign from your body you should never ignore?" From how to recognize dangerous moles to learning to trust your gut, folks had all kinds of answers.
#1
I started sleeping much more than normal. I have a chronic illness and was getting older so I ignored it.
So, about three months ago I’m at my doctor’s and she realizes she hasn’t checked my blood pressure for a long time. Typically, people in my family have abnormally low blood pressure. She takes it three times in a row. I’m getting ready to tell her about the family low blood pressure when she tells me that I have extremely high blood pressure.
This along with me suddenly needing 18 hours of sleep,a day, made her send me for sleep apnea testing. I was so certain that it would be a waste of time, that I apologized to the people at the clinic. The test revealed that I had extremely severe sleep apnoea and was spending most of my sleeping hours with a blood oxygen level around 66%. Given that it was due to neurological damage to the muscles in my throat from my chronic illness, I probably never would have been tested without my doctor putting the clues together.
So, about three months ago I’m at my doctor’s and she realizes she hasn’t checked my blood pressure for a long time. Typically, people in my family have abnormally low blood pressure. She takes it three times in a row. I’m getting ready to tell her about the family low blood pressure when she tells me that I have extremely high blood pressure.
This along with me suddenly needing 18 hours of sleep,a day, made her send me for sleep apnea testing. I was so certain that it would be a waste of time, that I apologized to the people at the clinic. The test revealed that I had extremely severe sleep apnoea and was spending most of my sleeping hours with a blood oxygen level around 66%. Given that it was due to neurological damage to the muscles in my throat from my chronic illness, I probably never would have been tested without my doctor putting the clues together.
30points
#2
Spontaneous vomiting and sweat profusely were my symptoms when I had a heart attack. Women’s symptoms are WAY different than men's.
Mother_of_Brains:
My aunt had a heart attack at 44 and was misdiagnosed for over 36h as just a bad acid reflux. She lost 40% of her heart muscle and it was a medical miracle she lived another 15 years. I was a teen and was the only person with her all night long as it was happening. It was so traumatic. But the silver lining is that I have helped identify early signs of heart attack in at least 3 women over the years, because they all had the same symptoms.
Mother_of_Brains:
My aunt had a heart attack at 44 and was misdiagnosed for over 36h as just a bad acid reflux. She lost 40% of her heart muscle and it was a medical miracle she lived another 15 years. I was a teen and was the only person with her all night long as it was happening. It was so traumatic. But the silver lining is that I have helped identify early signs of heart attack in at least 3 women over the years, because they all had the same symptoms.
27points
#3
Impending doom is tied to severe life-threatening medical emergencies — such as heart attacks, anaphylaxis, pulmonary embolisms, or neurological events.
It signals that the brain is detecting a severe physiological crisis, making it a critical red flag in emergency medicine.
Sun_Bearzerker:
Had this in conjunction with profuse sweating, clamminess, shaking, loss of feeling in my arms, and lightheadnedness.
Told my partner at the time that I need to go to the ER. He didn't listen and told me just calm down, if anything were wrong he'd take me, I remember yelling at him I'M THE CERTIFIED FIRST RESPONDER, YOU'RE NOT, TAKE ME TO THE ER.
He still wouldn't. I couldn't find my phone to call an ambulance. I was afraid if I stood up from the kitchen table I'd lose consciousness and was afraid of fighting more and further elevating my heart rate.
To this day I have no idea what happened. Went to an urgent care the next morning, they ran an EKG and saw nothing out of the norm, but I'm still convinced I had some sort of cardiac event.
I will never, ever, be with someone who doesn't take my health concerns seriously again.
It signals that the brain is detecting a severe physiological crisis, making it a critical red flag in emergency medicine.
Sun_Bearzerker:
Had this in conjunction with profuse sweating, clamminess, shaking, loss of feeling in my arms, and lightheadnedness.
Told my partner at the time that I need to go to the ER. He didn't listen and told me just calm down, if anything were wrong he'd take me, I remember yelling at him I'M THE CERTIFIED FIRST RESPONDER, YOU'RE NOT, TAKE ME TO THE ER.
He still wouldn't. I couldn't find my phone to call an ambulance. I was afraid if I stood up from the kitchen table I'd lose consciousness and was afraid of fighting more and further elevating my heart rate.
To this day I have no idea what happened. Went to an urgent care the next morning, they ran an EKG and saw nothing out of the norm, but I'm still convinced I had some sort of cardiac event.
I will never, ever, be with someone who doesn't take my health concerns seriously again.
26points
#4
For post menopausal folks, don’t ignore bleeding and think it’s just a period! It is a sign of uterine cancer! Getting this checked out saved my mom’s life! It was caught early thank god but it was an extremely aggressive cancer!
22points
#5
Unintended weight loss. If you didn't change anything and the scale drops fast, get checked.
chalk_in_boots:
Dropped 18kg in under 3 months without changing anything. Whaddya know, next time I donate plasma I get flagged for an unexplained low red cell, and very low white cell count. Cue the 5 month process of repeated blood tests to check for bone cancer.
kejudo:
In my case, it was leukemia.
chalk_in_boots:
Dropped 18kg in under 3 months without changing anything. Whaddya know, next time I donate plasma I get flagged for an unexplained low red cell, and very low white cell count. Cue the 5 month process of repeated blood tests to check for bone cancer.
kejudo:
In my case, it was leukemia.
20points
#6
Blood: to put it bluntly from your colon, mouth or any other orifice. Don't ignore it.
ensiferum888:
I ignored it for a almost a year, kept seeing a few drops of blood on toilet paper after wiping maybe 1 in 6 times. Figured it was probably just a hemorrhoid, my father used to have those, I just turned 32 I thought eh, part of life.
Then one night I'm at a friends house having dinner, at some point I go to the rest room and I strain like an idiot. I wipe and I look at the paper it's drenched in thick blood (bright red), I look down in the toilet and it's like all the water turned to blood and there are blood stain all over the bowl, my first thought was literally "How am I still alive?". I felt something "itchy" but not painful, certainly not to justify that amount of blood.
I panicked for a while and eventually managed to wipe without any blood so whatever it was closed up again I guess. But then I get out, I look at my girlfriend and I say I'm super tired and we should leave and I broke down crying in the car because I had kept all of that to myself up to that point, the next day I made an appointment to a GP. Explained the situation and he did an exam and he said he couldn't see or feel an hemorrhoid or fissure but he did not feel any reason to do other screening because I was so young.
At that point I was just looking for good news and thought that was the end of it, went back home and was fine for about 3 weeks. Then the blood came back, sometimes a drop, sometimes enough to entirely coat the paper and turn the water red. Kept reminding myself that the doc said everything was fine and not to worry.
I held that again for a few months until lo and behold another episode with a ridiculous amount of blood, I went back to the clinic and again he did an exam and this time he said there was an internal hemorrhoid that was clearly swollen. But I said I really thought something was wrong and was getting anxious so he referred me to a specialist (6 weeks wait). I got there and they did another exam, and asked me if I wanted to do a coloscopy to be sure, I said yes.
Fast forward 7 months, I finally get a coloscopy and thankfully enough it was a ruptured hemorrhoid, I need to be careful about what I eat and how I sit down otherwise it tends to burst again but they found no polyps or any signs of anything serious.
Between when the fear settled in and when I got confirmation (almost a year) that it was not life threatening I felt extremely stupid and ashamed of not seeking help before on top of fearing for my life.
ensiferum888:
I ignored it for a almost a year, kept seeing a few drops of blood on toilet paper after wiping maybe 1 in 6 times. Figured it was probably just a hemorrhoid, my father used to have those, I just turned 32 I thought eh, part of life.
Then one night I'm at a friends house having dinner, at some point I go to the rest room and I strain like an idiot. I wipe and I look at the paper it's drenched in thick blood (bright red), I look down in the toilet and it's like all the water turned to blood and there are blood stain all over the bowl, my first thought was literally "How am I still alive?". I felt something "itchy" but not painful, certainly not to justify that amount of blood.
I panicked for a while and eventually managed to wipe without any blood so whatever it was closed up again I guess. But then I get out, I look at my girlfriend and I say I'm super tired and we should leave and I broke down crying in the car because I had kept all of that to myself up to that point, the next day I made an appointment to a GP. Explained the situation and he did an exam and he said he couldn't see or feel an hemorrhoid or fissure but he did not feel any reason to do other screening because I was so young.
At that point I was just looking for good news and thought that was the end of it, went back home and was fine for about 3 weeks. Then the blood came back, sometimes a drop, sometimes enough to entirely coat the paper and turn the water red. Kept reminding myself that the doc said everything was fine and not to worry.
I held that again for a few months until lo and behold another episode with a ridiculous amount of blood, I went back to the clinic and again he did an exam and this time he said there was an internal hemorrhoid that was clearly swollen. But I said I really thought something was wrong and was getting anxious so he referred me to a specialist (6 weeks wait). I got there and they did another exam, and asked me if I wanted to do a coloscopy to be sure, I said yes.
Fast forward 7 months, I finally get a coloscopy and thankfully enough it was a ruptured hemorrhoid, I need to be careful about what I eat and how I sit down otherwise it tends to burst again but they found no polyps or any signs of anything serious.
Between when the fear settled in and when I got confirmation (almost a year) that it was not life threatening I felt extremely stupid and ashamed of not seeking help before on top of fearing for my life.
20points
#7
A swollen Lymph node, especially only on one side of your neck. I ended up losing 1/4th of my tongue and part of the tonsil area and had 2 neck dissections to cancer. I had the swollen node for around 3-4 months. It didn’t hurt and I kept forgetting about it. Don’t be me. Go to your doc. Good news I am now totally cancer free but use me as a cautionary tale.
xaniram:
I’ve had a swollen lymph node under my jaw for years. Ive seen multiple drs and had multiple ultrasounds. Referred to an ent who said he sees this all the time and it’s from severe tmj. Referred to an oral surgeon and his suggestion was “just stop clenching your jaw” and gave me muscle relaxers. Once I have new health insurance I plan on going back to my pcp and begging them to cut it open and do a biopsy. I just want to know it is!!
TaniaYukanana:
My husband had that, then got an ulcer that wouldn't heal after around 3 weeks. The first doctor said it was nothing to worry about, but hubby just 'had a feeling'. Second doctor recognised cancer. He [passed] 19 months later.
Also, if you have an ulcer and also a sweet-but-burning scent in your mouth (you'll know it if you've smelt it before) get to a doctor. It's cancer.
xaniram:
I’ve had a swollen lymph node under my jaw for years. Ive seen multiple drs and had multiple ultrasounds. Referred to an ent who said he sees this all the time and it’s from severe tmj. Referred to an oral surgeon and his suggestion was “just stop clenching your jaw” and gave me muscle relaxers. Once I have new health insurance I plan on going back to my pcp and begging them to cut it open and do a biopsy. I just want to know it is!!
TaniaYukanana:
My husband had that, then got an ulcer that wouldn't heal after around 3 weeks. The first doctor said it was nothing to worry about, but hubby just 'had a feeling'. Second doctor recognised cancer. He [passed] 19 months later.
Also, if you have an ulcer and also a sweet-but-burning scent in your mouth (you'll know it if you've smelt it before) get to a doctor. It's cancer.
20points
#8
Dizziness can seem like no big deal. But if you're a little dizzy sitting down, it can be 10x worse when you stand up. And if you're dizzy walking around, it can get even worse in other situations.
Basically, if you pass out standing up, you're probably going to hit your head on the way down. And despite what you may have learned in the movies, hitting your head is Very Bad For You.
Source: I passed out in the shower once and my dad had to break down the bathroom door and get me sitting upright. Turned out I didn't have enough sodium in my diet and my blood pressure crashed because of the hot water. I'd felt light-headed for days but didn't think it was a big deal.
righthandpulltrigger:
If you're aware that you get dizzy sometimes, you also need to be shameless about sitting down whenever and wherever you are if you feel a bout coming. At least in my experience there's always a buildup before I pass out (fuzzy hearing, vision going white, numb/static-y limbs, coldness) so if the slight dizziness upon standing doesn't go away in a normal amount of time, I get as close to the ground as possible.
Doesn't matter if I'm alone or with friends or with strangers or in public. I'd rather sit on the ground in the supermarket for 2 minutes than pass out, hit my head, and cause a far bigger scene.
I'm pretty sure being in a more horizontal position also helps with the dizziness in general since the blood doesn't have to pump as far to the brain, so sitting on the ground is preferable to sitting in a chair since your feet are closer to your head, if that makes sense.
Basically, if you pass out standing up, you're probably going to hit your head on the way down. And despite what you may have learned in the movies, hitting your head is Very Bad For You.
Source: I passed out in the shower once and my dad had to break down the bathroom door and get me sitting upright. Turned out I didn't have enough sodium in my diet and my blood pressure crashed because of the hot water. I'd felt light-headed for days but didn't think it was a big deal.
righthandpulltrigger:
If you're aware that you get dizzy sometimes, you also need to be shameless about sitting down whenever and wherever you are if you feel a bout coming. At least in my experience there's always a buildup before I pass out (fuzzy hearing, vision going white, numb/static-y limbs, coldness) so if the slight dizziness upon standing doesn't go away in a normal amount of time, I get as close to the ground as possible.
Doesn't matter if I'm alone or with friends or with strangers or in public. I'd rather sit on the ground in the supermarket for 2 minutes than pass out, hit my head, and cause a far bigger scene.
I'm pretty sure being in a more horizontal position also helps with the dizziness in general since the blood doesn't have to pump as far to the brain, so sitting on the ground is preferable to sitting in a chair since your feet are closer to your head, if that makes sense.
18points
#9
Two differently sized pupils! Can be a complete emergency.
Think_Shake_1646:
Interestingly my wife has this all the time. She had no other signs of stroke/brain injury, saw an optician. The diagnosis was basically "that's weird."
Think_Shake_1646:
Interestingly my wife has this all the time. She had no other signs of stroke/brain injury, saw an optician. The diagnosis was basically "that's weird."
17points
#10
Exhaustion. You shouldn't just push through.
Galaxy_Hitchhiking:
I assumed I was exhausted being a mom.. but the years went by and I pushed through miserably. Finally got some bloodwork done and my iron was a big ole 4 and I needed infusions badly. My god I had no idea how hard my body was working to pump blood. I now can stand up without feeling dizzy lol
BubonicBabe:
I ended up in the hospital after a month of working 2 jobs, roughly 18 hours a day plus driving back and forth, taking care of my animals when I got home, trying to eat and sleep in 6 hours with only one scheduled day off a week.
Found myself at my job suddenly sweating, my hands drew up into little claws I couldn’t uncurl, shaking all over uncontrollably, and turning so grey my coworkers called an ambulance for me. We all thought I was having a stroke.
Diagnosed with exhaustion and caffeine overdose from crushing Monsters to keep me awake.
Had to take two days off work and sleep.
Galaxy_Hitchhiking:
I assumed I was exhausted being a mom.. but the years went by and I pushed through miserably. Finally got some bloodwork done and my iron was a big ole 4 and I needed infusions badly. My god I had no idea how hard my body was working to pump blood. I now can stand up without feeling dizzy lol
BubonicBabe:
I ended up in the hospital after a month of working 2 jobs, roughly 18 hours a day plus driving back and forth, taking care of my animals when I got home, trying to eat and sleep in 6 hours with only one scheduled day off a week.
Found myself at my job suddenly sweating, my hands drew up into little claws I couldn’t uncurl, shaking all over uncontrollably, and turning so grey my coworkers called an ambulance for me. We all thought I was having a stroke.
Diagnosed with exhaustion and caffeine overdose from crushing Monsters to keep me awake.
Had to take two days off work and sleep.
17points
#11
Drinking too much water, can be a sign of diabetes. That’s how we found out my little sister was diabetic.
17points
#12
Unexpected weight loss. Pain. Crushing, unexplained fatigue.
At 31, I was diagnosed with advanced, aggressive Stage IIIB colon cancer.
I knew it was cancer. It took eight doctors and nine months before someone finally listened. That delay nearly cost me my life.
smbpy7:
I've had more Dr's ignore me than listen to me unfortunately. It took me several Dr's and nearly a year to get an ovarian cyst diagnosed. It was MASSIVE, nearly 20cm, and completely blocking my colon so it wasn't exactly excusable to miss. The first Dr who missed it was doing a PELVIC EXAM at the time and literally rolled her eyes at me when I listed the symptoms and begged her to at least feel my abdomen (I find it ridiculous that had to ask MORE THAN ONCE), and just told me to "take Miralax forever." Taking that too long caused the levels of my other medicine to drop in my system and I had my first ever seizure while awake, and DRIVING.
Thankfully, in my case, the mass wasn't cancerous. I still hate that Dr though.
At 31, I was diagnosed with advanced, aggressive Stage IIIB colon cancer.
I knew it was cancer. It took eight doctors and nine months before someone finally listened. That delay nearly cost me my life.
smbpy7:
I've had more Dr's ignore me than listen to me unfortunately. It took me several Dr's and nearly a year to get an ovarian cyst diagnosed. It was MASSIVE, nearly 20cm, and completely blocking my colon so it wasn't exactly excusable to miss. The first Dr who missed it was doing a PELVIC EXAM at the time and literally rolled her eyes at me when I listed the symptoms and begged her to at least feel my abdomen (I find it ridiculous that had to ask MORE THAN ONCE), and just told me to "take Miralax forever." Taking that too long caused the levels of my other medicine to drop in my system and I had my first ever seizure while awake, and DRIVING.
Thankfully, in my case, the mass wasn't cancerous. I still hate that Dr though.
16points
#13
Red streak running from an injury heading towards heart (infection). Shortness of breath (PE’s). Vomiting what looks like coffee grounds (internally bleeding). All 3 have happened to me.
WhimsicallyWired:
I had the red streak one once, it started with a very small needle injury at the tip of my pinky, then the red like appeared, followed by pain on its path, which started to go up my arm.
WhimsicallyWired:
I had the red streak one once, it started with a very small needle injury at the tip of my pinky, then the red like appeared, followed by pain on its path, which started to go up my arm.
15points
#14
Unexplained pain in your lower legs. Like the kind of pain that doesn’t let you sleep. Not from overexertion or injury. It could be a blood clot called a deep vein thrombosis or DVT waiting to break free and head to your lungs as a pulmonary embolism. Serious serious problem.
melissaak_:
My sister passed away from this at 32. She called the doctor and explained that leg pain and shortness of breath and shakiness, they told her she was having a severe panic attack! From the pain started she was [unalive] within a day. Never in my life will I left someone ignore that pain again
melissaak_:
My sister passed away from this at 32. She called the doctor and explained that leg pain and shortness of breath and shakiness, they told her she was having a severe panic attack! From the pain started she was [unalive] within a day. Never in my life will I left someone ignore that pain again
15points
#15
Probably not what you're looking for, but if you're ever outside and your hair starts standing up on its own, immediately move away from any tall objects or water and get as low to the ground as you can without lying down. A lightning bolt is about to be dispatched to your location.
WhimsicallyWired:
Bald people hate this simple trick.
WhimsicallyWired:
Bald people hate this simple trick.
13points
#16
I've seen a good number of posts over on r/mildlyinteresting where someone notices that one of their legs is turning purple/red for some reason.
Usually, this is indicative of a blood clot. Go to the ER.
captainmouse86:
My legs are always like this. I wear compression socks. Elevate my legs to help. Am careful about salt intake. But the number of times people look at my purple legs and freak out, there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t live with my legs constantly elevated.
This isn’t medical advice: but for me, I’m always checking the “rebound.” That’s when you push on the purple/red area, it should turn white and then the white goes away fairly quickly. If the area doesn’t turn white, or the white doesn’t quickly go away, it’s time for me to go to the ER.
Usually, this is indicative of a blood clot. Go to the ER.
captainmouse86:
My legs are always like this. I wear compression socks. Elevate my legs to help. Am careful about salt intake. But the number of times people look at my purple legs and freak out, there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t live with my legs constantly elevated.
This isn’t medical advice: but for me, I’m always checking the “rebound.” That’s when you push on the purple/red area, it should turn white and then the white goes away fairly quickly. If the area doesn’t turn white, or the white doesn’t quickly go away, it’s time for me to go to the ER.
13points
#17
Nobody should ignore long term pain especially if it is a new pain. Better to be safe than sorry.
The_Sedgend:
Can verify this one, I apparently have a "medically dangerous" high pain threshold.
And thats how I walked around with 2 dozen break in my spine for years until a minor fall re-broke my neck and paralysed my left arm for almost a year before the titanium went in. At which point all the nerves were firing on full mega turbo, my diabetes (t1) went rabid and multiple organ dysregulation and failure became a way of life.
Who would have thought being tough would ruin your life
jenmovies:
I can confirm. Put up with extreme period pain for years and finally did some research and asked for an implant that stopped it. Well, turned out the pain was from the most severe endometriosis one can get and I have huge cysts on my ovaries, a fibroid on my uterus, and my bowel is fused to my uterus. Also, one of the cysts might be cancer! Getting everything removed in May. Do not ignore pain!
The_Sedgend:
Can verify this one, I apparently have a "medically dangerous" high pain threshold.
And thats how I walked around with 2 dozen break in my spine for years until a minor fall re-broke my neck and paralysed my left arm for almost a year before the titanium went in. At which point all the nerves were firing on full mega turbo, my diabetes (t1) went rabid and multiple organ dysregulation and failure became a way of life.
Who would have thought being tough would ruin your life
jenmovies:
I can confirm. Put up with extreme period pain for years and finally did some research and asked for an implant that stopped it. Well, turned out the pain was from the most severe endometriosis one can get and I have huge cysts on my ovaries, a fibroid on my uterus, and my bowel is fused to my uterus. Also, one of the cysts might be cancer! Getting everything removed in May. Do not ignore pain!
13points
#18
LONG TERM Irregular stool patterns. Colors that are bad (black, red, pink, white/beige), changes in regularity of stool, and changes in hardness or softness.
Also, everyone should know the acronym to recognize stroke.
BE FAST (Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm, Speech, Time). Off balance, loss of vision, droopy face, numb or weak arm(s), slurred speech means it’s TIME to call 911 or get them to the hospital as fast as humanly possible.
Edit: Time is “time recorded last normal”.
Alpizzle:
I have heard strokes are incredibly reversible if intervention is performed soon after the onset. Of course, this is not always the case, but these symptoms are not to be messed with
arrrrghhhhhh:
YES. I work on stroke rehab and this is it. Please don't "sleep it off" like my poor uncle did.
Also, everyone should know the acronym to recognize stroke.
BE FAST (Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm, Speech, Time). Off balance, loss of vision, droopy face, numb or weak arm(s), slurred speech means it’s TIME to call 911 or get them to the hospital as fast as humanly possible.
Edit: Time is “time recorded last normal”.
Alpizzle:
I have heard strokes are incredibly reversible if intervention is performed soon after the onset. Of course, this is not always the case, but these symptoms are not to be messed with
arrrrghhhhhh:
YES. I work on stroke rehab and this is it. Please don't "sleep it off" like my poor uncle did.
12points
#19
A good mnemonic to remember moles suspicious for melanoma:
A: Asymmetrical
B: Borders irregular
C: Colors (more than one color in a mole)
D: Diameter >6mm
E: Evolving (mole changes over time; this is the most important risk factor)
If caught early, melanoma has a good prognosis. If it has spread systematically, the prognosis is poor.
ThrowawayTheLube69:
I had basal cell carcinoma. I lookup up a bunch about skin cancer and over 1 in 3 people get skin cancer in their lives, and 90% of cases are from UV damage from the sun. I don't go in the sun much, but got sunburn as a kid.
My symptoms were it was a mole that appeared that I didn't have before. It was flatter than a normal mole and also more pink colored. When I scratched it with a brush while showering, it still felt irritated wayyyyy longer than a normal scratch would. A normal scratch would feel like normal in like a day or 2 max. I felt irritation much later.
I waited until my annual physical to ask my doctor about it (probably shouldn't have waited - If there is a weird skin spot like it's worth setting an appointment sooner). Doctor sent me to a dermatologist who did a skin-shave biopsy. Came back as cancerous. I had it removed a month after the skin-shave biopsy because i couldn't get in sooner. I feel lucky it didn't spread because I had it for around a year.
The worst part about it is I am now more likely to get skin cancer and I have to worry about getting it again, even though it was removed. I got another spot that looked like acne at first and now it's a pink mark. At my skin check they asked if I wanted a skin-shave, but because it was recent (less than a month old at the time of my skin check) i opted to wait for my next skin-check (3 months later - still yet to have it). It's been like 2 months since the acne appeared and 1 month since the skin check. It heals normally when i scratched it. I might get another biopsy in a couple months just to be sure. That would be nice if there were an easy way to get tested without having to have my skin removed.
A: Asymmetrical
B: Borders irregular
C: Colors (more than one color in a mole)
D: Diameter >6mm
E: Evolving (mole changes over time; this is the most important risk factor)
If caught early, melanoma has a good prognosis. If it has spread systematically, the prognosis is poor.
ThrowawayTheLube69:
I had basal cell carcinoma. I lookup up a bunch about skin cancer and over 1 in 3 people get skin cancer in their lives, and 90% of cases are from UV damage from the sun. I don't go in the sun much, but got sunburn as a kid.
My symptoms were it was a mole that appeared that I didn't have before. It was flatter than a normal mole and also more pink colored. When I scratched it with a brush while showering, it still felt irritated wayyyyy longer than a normal scratch would. A normal scratch would feel like normal in like a day or 2 max. I felt irritation much later.
I waited until my annual physical to ask my doctor about it (probably shouldn't have waited - If there is a weird skin spot like it's worth setting an appointment sooner). Doctor sent me to a dermatologist who did a skin-shave biopsy. Came back as cancerous. I had it removed a month after the skin-shave biopsy because i couldn't get in sooner. I feel lucky it didn't spread because I had it for around a year.
The worst part about it is I am now more likely to get skin cancer and I have to worry about getting it again, even though it was removed. I got another spot that looked like acne at first and now it's a pink mark. At my skin check they asked if I wanted a skin-shave, but because it was recent (less than a month old at the time of my skin check) i opted to wait for my next skin-check (3 months later - still yet to have it). It's been like 2 months since the acne appeared and 1 month since the skin check. It heals normally when i scratched it. I might get another biopsy in a couple months just to be sure. That would be nice if there were an easy way to get tested without having to have my skin removed.
12points
#20
I had about 30 seconds of what seemed like someone pulling the shade halfway down over my eyes; otherwise, nothing new.
I ignored it for about a month, and something told me to make a doc appt. The doc sent me straight to the ER.
Turns out, my carotid artery was about 80-percent occluded on the right side. I had to have an endarterectomy to have it cleaned out.
Wienerwrld:
Amaurosis Fugax! I learned about it when it happened to my dad. Glad you’re ok.
I ignored it for about a month, and something told me to make a doc appt. The doc sent me straight to the ER.
Turns out, my carotid artery was about 80-percent occluded on the right side. I had to have an endarterectomy to have it cleaned out.
Wienerwrld:
Amaurosis Fugax! I learned about it when it happened to my dad. Glad you’re ok.
12points