I am trying to treat some mood issues with increased exercise and increased fruits and vegetables. So far here is the change in my mood: increased despair. I wake up feeling pleased with myself for accomplishing the goal the day before, and then it hits me afresh: “I have to do that AGAIN TODAY.”
Worst dream ever: I dreamed I was EXERCISING.
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I have a mole on the back of my neck. Awhile back I was using mirrors to look at the back of my hair to make sure I’d done it right, and I saw a huge black hair. Growing out of the mole. Growing. Out. Of the mole. Like a witch in a fairy tale. Now I am on Mole Hair Alert in addition to Chin Hair Alert.
I would like to get that mole removed (it’s the kind that sticks out), but I don’t want to be referred to a dermatologist and have my entire body checked and have the mole sent away for hundreds of dollars of tests. I’ve always had it, it has always looked the same, and I just want it REMOVED AND TOSSED OUT, by my REGULAR DOCTOR. And I don’t know if that is possible, so I’ve been sitting around not calling to find out.
Dr. Scholls sells a freezing wart remover that I think you could use to remove the mole yourself. It’s very similar to what they use in the office and not that unpleasant to use. It will look rather icky for a few days after you use it, so don’t use it right before that area needs to be on display.
The chin hair thing drives me insane. First I had just one, but now there are two and they sprout to like 3″ long OVERNIGHT.
Increased despair! lol Yeah it’s super annoying when you try to do all the Recommended Stuff To Make Everything Better and you still feel crappy. Take my last period for example- for the first two days I did everything I was supposed to: no alcohol, very little sugar, very little caffeine, lots of sunshine, lots of exercise, lots of veggies, blah blah and I STILL felt emotional and snappy and on the verge of tears all the time. So yeah. I may just return to my usual methods of dealing with PMS, i.e. chocolate, wine and TV escape.
My mole removal experience: I was already at the dermatologist’s. They checked me all over, then removed the few moles I wanted removed and one that he thought needed removed. He told me immediately that none of them were cancerous, but that if he didn’t send them off for testing, insurance wouldn’t pay for the removal, because it would be considered cosmetic.
Ask your regular doctor if they will do it. All they can do is say no.
If you go to a derm, you can refuse the whole-body check. I did. I had a mole removed and was very happy with how it healed, since it was someplace visible. I feel like you might get a better result because they are all set up to cauterize.
Mine said it was surely a nothing, but I feel like they send it to pathology to CYA. Supposedly that would help insurance cover it, but I still had to pay $200 because they denied it after all that. But the mole was gone, and I decided it was very worth it not to have to watch it keep being ugly and there.
Exercise/ healthy eating has the same effect on me! It feels SO UNFAIR to follow instructions for how good, physically and mentally healthy people live their lives and have it be counterproductive.
Hmm. This is an interesting thread. My dermatologist declared my bothersome mole (armpit) harmless but told me that it would not be covered by insurance if I wanted it removed, and at the time I absolutely did not have the cash to pay for it myself. Maybe I will have to ask again. But maybe it would just get denied again AREN’T I DOING THE RIGHT THING BY GETTING MOLES REMOVE BEFORE THEY ARE A REAL PROBLEM GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH.
My husband had a large mole removed that even required stitches and his regular doctor removed it in office. So it’s worth asking your primary.
Yes, yes, yes to the mole thing! I know I need a full body check (especially with a family history of melanoma) but I am not emotionally read for that. I have this annoying raised mole at my waist that I want removed but I won’t go in for removal. It was previously removed and is benign and I was warned it might come back so there’s no need for testing. The whole thing makes me anxious and irritable.
By the way, my previous family practice physician regularly removed moles but always had them tested. If you decide for the removal (with potential testing, however) and don’t want to see a dermatologist, my guess is that your family doctor would do it for you. Mine didn’t do the whole body check, he just removed the one I specifically asked him to remove.
And I realize now that it doesn’t make sense that I don’t go back to him to have it removed. He passed away and I haven’t found a new doc that I like. He’s a hard act to follow. : (
Yes, I’ve been exercising regularly for several months now and one of the most discouraging things is realizing each day that I have to do it again. Even though I feel better AFTER, it’s never quite enough to make me look forward to it the next time. It’s become a habit now, so I just keep doing it.
Just FYI – I would NOT use the wart remover as someone suggested above! They are entirely different things…
I had a mole on my neck. I didn’t like it. I went to the derm. He said: I can tell it’s not cancerous – but anything we take off has to be sent in for testing. He shaved it off in two seconds. It bled a little. He did tell me: I can specify something it was removed bc it was rubbing on your swimsuit straps & therefore it was not removed for cosmetic purposes & your insurance will pay.
My insurance did pay. So if you go – tell them it rubs on your swimsuit halter strap and gets irritated.
Also, my derm assistant always asks if I want a full body check when I go in. I just say no thanks & it’s NEVER a big deal!
I also have one of the moles with hair. My sympathy. Your regular doctor probably will remove it, BUT if it’s “just cosmetic” insurance may not cover it. I had a cyst removed recently by my PCP for cosmetic reasons and had to pay for it out of pocket, to the tune of several hundred dollars.
I am one of those freaks that loves the gym, but you have articulated exactly how I feel about drinking water. I know I’m chronically dehydrated (especially because I like sweating at the gym), and that water is SO GOOD FOR ME, so every now and then I make a point of drinking more.
I force myself to down a glass at the sink when I first get up, I fill a water bottle and make myself remember to actually drink from it during the day, I make a point of drinking at meals and during the meal, not just at the end… and it is exhausting, and good grief, the time and effort I have to waste with all the extra bathroom trips to pee! And then the next day? All. Over. Again. Ugh.
I’ve had tons of moles removed by a dermatologist. Some did come back as “pre-cancerous” which is like a 2% chance of someday being cancer. Anyway, since I get them removed and tested I don’t have even a copay for my insurance. If I just had them removed it would be cosmetic and cost money. It seems goofy since the end result is the same.
Insight into my brain: I read this post title as “Exercise; Mole As In Moe-lay, The Delicious Mexican Sauce That You Put On Chicken.” And I thought, “Yes, mole is probably worth exercising for.”
I went to my family practice doctor once with a question about a mole. He asked if I wanted him to lop it off right then, I said yes, and he…did. We moved to a procedure room with sterilized instruments and his nurse assisted. It was super quick!
Oh, and as far as cost goes, my doctor *did* sent it off for testing (because that was what I wanted – it had been changing shape) and, while my insurance technically covered the lab fees, what they actually did is say 100% of the fee applied to my deductible so I ended up having to pay it all. Definitely check your specific plan to see whether cosmetic or testing is cheaper!
YES.. I didn’t try to put it into words, but that is EXACTLY how I feel about my Fitbit. I am so so thrilled with myself when I hit all the goals and turn all the parameters green; and then it’s so disheartening when I wake up and I’m back at zero.
I completely agree about the exercise thing. I definitely think of the Hyperbole and a Half comic “all the things” when it comes to those.
Your post did make me think about an intriguing possibility – would there ever be a good way to trade horrible chores like calling the doctor with a friend? My partner and I have a small version of this (I do phone things and most local driving, he buys plane tickets and does most freeway driving), but he and I are rather similar when it comes to other things we loathe, so we can’t trade off all that effectively. My friends who would be good at this live far away, but your post is making me realize that that’s not always an impediment, since a lot of the detestable things on my to-do list aren’t location specific.
I’m going to ponder this, but would love to know if you’ve ever tried it. (And the grandiose part of my brain is now thinking of a giant Swistle-inspired message board, where we trade chores we hate with other like-minded people, then all trade netflix suggestions.)
I absolutely LOVE your idea of a Swistle-inspired message board!!
I love this idea. I’d be up for making phone calls for people.
Oooooo. I wonder if this could work. I’m trying to think what I could offer in trade. I could…worry about something.
I feel your pain re: hair-growing moles and exercise. WHY?!
Also on Chin Hair Watch. It’s been a number of years, but my Family Doc lopped off many a mole for me. Well, maybe 10. I don’t remember if they were tested or not, and I only paid my copay. He’s only sent me to a dermatologist once, for a Very Suspecious Spot. He was 80% certain it was akin to an age spot, but in a moist environment, so not presenting as it would on, say, my arm. It was indeed suspecious, but not cancer and was lopped off by the gyn.
I had a tiny “freckle” lopped off by my dermatologist when I was there to have something else removed. He always sent EVERYTHING off for testing and that little innocuous looking freckle came back as melanoma. I was 29. SInce then I have things lopped off and tested every 6 months. I don’t get the aversion to full body checks – they save lives. My recommendation – go to a dermatologist, tell him/her the mole is bothering you, have a full body check and get it removed along with whatever else might need removing. You’ll be glad you did!
Sometimes I find exercising is best when I’m actually stressed out. I like to put in my iPod and run as fast as I can until I can’t anymore, walk for a bit, and then repeat until I’m tired. It feels soooooooo good to pound all of my frustration into the ground and feel out of breath- it’s distracting and I get an endorphins high after awhile.
I’ve had all my “been there my whole life” moles removed by a primary care physician. Even the family doctor who literally would not confirm my second pregnancy, but saw me for two minutes to refer me to an OB-GYN (presumably necessary for insurance purposes?) happily removed a large mole I had on my shoulder that was getting irritated by my bra strap. I THINK he sent it off for testing, and cited the irritation as the reason for the removal. I don’t remember what I paid for it, but I believe at least some portion fell under insurance.
I exercise for mood reasons and I actually really like doing it, but it was much harder before I started going to classes at the gym. The right class gives me motivation for the exercise, and provides something to structure my day with two small children around. Plus I have companions in suffering. But I find myself very disappointed at how short-lived the effects are. Yes I’m in a better mood these days, but if I slack off for even a week, I can tell the difference. It’s discouraging when I think “This is great for my life now. What happens in one or three or five years when I’m completely bored with exercise?”
Sigh. I have a lot of moles, and to be honest, I don’t mind them just by themselves. I even like them. It would be difficult for me to imagine my face without them. I have one above my lip, one at my brow, one on my cheek, and a few on my neck. But some DO have hair grow out of them, especially the one on my cheek, and I have to constantly be on the lookout to tweeze. I’m thinking about just doing electrolysis for *just* those hairs to see if they then don’t grow back.
This is exactly how I feel about most housework, especially dishes and laundry. I hate the fact that there is no “done.” Unless we quit eating food and become nudists, I mean.
There’s been plenty of good advice above about getting the mole removed… I’m here to chime in on getting while body skin screening.
I have skin cancer on both side of my family, and red hair, blue eyes, and parchment white skin with freckles. I’m a walking skin cancer breeding zone. So, I went to see a dermatologist to ask for a “baseline” screening. I figured it might be a good idea to have someone who knew something take some notes for the future.
The two things I learned:
1. You don’t undress completely, you get to keep your bra and undies on. Thank goodness, because I was dreading how that might go.
2. They give you a paper shirt to wear and a sheet for over your legs for modesty. And those paper shirts are definitely NOT one-size-fits-all. Because I’m a bit buxom and the paper shirt tore down the middle so essentially I was sitting there in paper sleeves and a hot pink bra and undies. It’s just a nice thing to know – that those paper shirts are fragile.
I can just call the dermatologist and get an appointment without a referral. They can do a full body check (I have lots of moles) and the insurance will cover that once a year. Once I went in before the year was up, since I swear that a mole on my back was bumpy and it didn’t used to be. They took it off, just to check and it was fine. I had another mole that is bumpy and annoying. I asked if they could take that one off too. They said that insurance wouldn’t cover that, because it looked normal and it would cost $300+. So instead I used apple cider vinegar and removed it myself, that way. (I googled ‘mole removal’ and found out about it that way.) The process did sting and I did manage to ‘burn off’ some of my regular skin, so it scarred a little. But now you can’t tell at all. It is around my neckline, so visible.
Our insurance will cover mole removal if the Dr thinks it looks suspicious, but otherwise they won’t.
I also noticed that the ones that I thought looked weird were actually fine and the ones that they did remove were ones that I wouldn’t have thought were strange. So it’s worth getting checked anyhow…though I should have gone in last fall and never did!
I have a big mole on my chin that grows big hairs. :/