This is all new to me and a bit scary. I had a BCC removed from my shoulder in June, I then noticed a change in a freckle/mole on my left leg had changed in a short space of time. To cut a long story short I have just been told I have a malignant melanoma by my GP. I am awaiting the official results from my dermatologist. My GP says they are not 100% sure they moved all of it and the next step will be to have a wide excision something or other. I am awaiting official confirmation from the dermatoligists. I have also noticed changes in other freckle/moles on my body. I should have stayed off google, but I am worried now
Hi and a very warm welcome to the online community
I was diagnosed with melanoma nearly 3 years ago so I can understand all the emotions you're going through.
I noticed that you said that your GP has told you that you have melanoma but you're waiting for the official results from a dermatologist. Has the mole been removed and sent off to be biopsied because until you have the biopsy results no one can be certain if you have melanoma or not?
I would certainly agree with your decision to stay off google as information can be vastly out of date and the internet is full of scare stories. Instead come and join us over in the melanoma group where you can chat to people at different stages of their journey with melanoma.
To join just click on the link I've created and then choose 'join this group' on the page that opens. You can then introduce yourself or ask a question after selecting 'start a discussion' and join in with existing conversations by clicking on 'reply'.
When you have a minute it would be really useful if could pop something about your journey so far into your profile as it helps others when answering or looking for someone with a similar diagnosis. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Edit Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.
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"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
I'm sorry to hear that it's definitely melanoma . I remember how numb I felt when my dermatologist told me that was what my lesion had turned out to be.
Do come and join us in the melanoma group. We're a friendly bunch and happy to answer any questions no matter how daft you might think they are! We have a wide range of experience from those still waiting for their results, those like me who have had a wide local excision (WLE) and optional sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and people who are on targeted therapies or immunotherapies.
Your next step will probably be to have a WLE and SLNB. Clicking on the links I've created will give you more information on both of these procedures. You might also want to print this decision aid and take it with you to help you discuss with your dermatologist whether or not to have a SLNB.
You might also like to take a look at this information that Macmillan have produced on understanding your melanoma diagnosis as it gives suggested questions to ask about your treatment.
Do let me know how you get on tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you.
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"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi
How did your appointment with the dermatologist go yesterday?
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
That's good to hear that it wasn't very deep and that your WLE is so soon.
Yes, it's quite normal to feel as you do. After all, you've just been told that you've had a cancerous mole removed and even though it's gone and hopefully you won't need any further treatment after the WLE your body has let you down big time and it'll take you a long time to trust it again.
You'll probably find that any twinge, sore throat, cough, etc that you get the first thing you'll think is 'does this mean that the melanoma has spread'. In reality it probably hasn't but we all do it.
Wishing you all the best and if you have any further questions pop into the melanoma group.
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"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
