I am worried as I have a problem that is not easy to disscuss. I saw one of my GPS, around 2 years ago as I had an itch, down below that wouldn’t go away,so I went to my doctor,who diognosed lichen serouses, and prescribed a steroid cream and said tge condition could turn cancerous if not treated kept under control, then a year before I was diognosed with breast cancer I noticed a strange while skin type tag.So back I went to the doctors, I saw a male gp,who made me feel very uncomfortable when I explained why I had come to see a doctor, he said " do you really want me to look at it" I said " no because I’m uncomfortable with what you’ve just said" but yes I do because I’m concerned as to what it is" he repeated another two times ," do you really want me to look at it". I said" yes because I’m worried “. So he said” OK,I’ll get a lady in here as well then ". He looked quickly and said, " it’s just a skin tag, nothing to worry about " so I just left it at that,but it didn’t look like a skin tag to me. Anyway a year later I was then going through chemotherapy for breast cancer, and this skin tag thing,started to bleed a tiny bit, I told the oncologist and the chemotherapy staff but they didn’t seem concerned. So I just,left it at that. Now it’s sore, and I’ve just seen another gp,this morning as it bleed a bit yesterday, hardly at all but still was worrird. My gp said I have t got lichen Serouses, and she wasn’t sure whst it is,so she’s sending me to see a gynecologist. She said " I don’t think it is anything to worry about, but I’m sending you through as considering you’ve had bresst cancer it needs to be checked out,I don’t want you to worry as I don’t think it’s cancer. I’m .so scared, as I don’t think I could go through any more treatments. My hair is growing back and if I hD to.hBe chemotherapy again,so soon after finishing my chemtberzpyin Dec 14th 2020,and my Radiotherapy in March, praying all will be ok think it was the 30th.
HI
I’m replying not because I have any answers but because I don’t want you to feel overlooked with no reply in a day. I really feel for you. It’s like there’s no end to all this, isn’t it?
I feel you need a massive hug and reassurance that everything is ok. As chemo works on every part of the body, it’s most unlikely that any new cancer would emerge during that time but you’re going to get reassurance from Gynaecology. The trouble with oncologists is they are focused entirely on our treatment (rightly so, thank heavens) but it can make us feel a bit overlooked. I can understand your current doctor’s caution and you should be really grateful for that. My doctor was very cavalier about a symptom I wanted investigating (just by them in real life, not over the phone!) and in the end it unfortunately turned out to be secondary breast cancer. So a visit to a gynaecologist is the best answer isn’t it.
I don’t agree with you that this is something difficult to discuss. I’ve been known to yell at the tv “It’s a vulva, not a vagina” but then I did used to teach Sex & Relationships education lol. The fact is, women represent over half the world’s population but still women feel embarrassed about their bodies and, to a significant extent, are ignorant. Why should we? How, in the 21st century, are we still controlled by Victorian values when it comes to women’s bodies? It’s only a bit of a body, nothing shameful, nothing embarrassing unless we allow it to be embarrassing. I can understand the preference for a female doctor and, to be honest, in the scenario you described, I would have specified at the appointment stage that I needed to see a woman doctor - because they can identify with our feelings so much better - look at the outcome when you did see a female doctor: nothing dismissive, she understood your anxiety and acted on it.
I hope you get a quick appointment. If it’s the 30th, it’s not that far ahead. I hope too you get immediate reassurance. Maybe you could ask about having it removed as it bleeds. But please, don’t be embarrassed about your own body. Lots of women probably have the same problem it we just don’t talk about it. I actually won a writing competition during my primary cancer treatment when I wrote about the amusing side of breast cancer, with shrinking labia, loss of pubic hair and peeing in every direction but the one I wanted. Let’s get the conversation out there!
And yes, if you had to, you could go through it all again. You showed tremendous resilience in getting through it once. If you had to, you’d choose to do it again, believe me. Wishing you loads of luck
Jan x