Waiting results

Hi Familylover23 and, as this is your first post, can I offer a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

I can remember what a stressful time waiting for results is and I'd love to be able to tell you why you have an appointment next week, but like you I'd be guessing.

When I had my biopsy an appointment was made at that time for me to come back and get my results, so I would have seen the consultant whether it was good news or not. Your hospital may also have the same protocol in place. 

I shall be keeping my fingers crossed for a good result for you but, if it's not, there are plenty of us here who have dealt with melanoma to offer support and answer questions.

Hi, thank you for your reply.

I am sure whatever the reason it’s for the best. Just guess I expected a call before having an appointment made. 
I do recall my consultant saying if I needed anything further It would likely come through plastic surgery as it’s located on the back of my upper arm. 

Many thanks for the support. 

Hi Familylover23 and welcome.  I'm sorry to hear about your worries.  

The NHS is certainly does not always run the right way and I've had letters informing me of a scan before I've had a verbal report of why I need it.  It's a very stressful time waiting for results for sure.  

The plastics surgical team as the name suggest are a surgical team who in this field of melanoma are usually involved in carrying out a wide local excision to ensure there are the recommended margins of clear tissue around the melanoma and often do skin grafts.   

As you've not even had a diagnosis of melanoma yet this sounds like an odd appointment but it could be a mistake, or it could be that your dermatology team are using the same area as the plastics team for appointments or as you are most probably worrying about it could be that you've positive results and the surgery is the next step and your dermatology team think you've already had your biopsy results 

I'm sorry you've got to wait til Monday, if you can distract yourself to help pass the time all the better. 

Fingers crossed it's just a blip in the huge NHS system of crossed wires and your results are negative for melanoma.  

• X

Hi, thank you for your reply. 

so I managed to call them this morning to be told the only information they could give me is that it was a referral from dermatology. 

so I am still none the wiser why I have been referred. So just have to wait until I get there on Thursday to find out more. 

Hi, just wondered how today went Familylover23?  X

Hi there Alottment Lover, 

So I have stage 1 melanoma, however they seem to think they have removed it all, going to do a WLE to ensure the surrounding area is clear. 

feel very relieved to know and very lucky that it was caught when it was. 

thank you for asking. 

Gosh that must have been a shock for you, hearing your biopsy results from the plastics team is not the usual way as they're surgeons.  It should have been the dermatology team who told you.  Anyway I'm sorry that you've got diagnosed with melanoma but glad that it's been caught early.  

How are you feeling?  Even though it's been over two years since I was diagnosed I haven't forgotten my emotional state after being told I had melanoma.  I cried so much and just thought well that's it I'm going to die.  Of course that's a natural way to feel initially but as scans and more surgery and treatment started I became less fatalistic about the whole thing.  

Please be kind to yourself and ask for support from family and friends.  It is a big thing no matter what stage it's been diagnosed at.  We're always here to listen.  Take care.

Lucy x

Hi there Lucy, 

After everything I had imagined in the build up to the appointment, I was relieved to hear something, although scary.

 
I think it is still sinking in, and not really sure how to feel? I know I am very lucky that it’s been caught early and could be gone.

 
i feel exhausted at the moment, just always tired.. but don’t really feel like I should be feeling that way. 

thank you for all your support 

Danni x

Hi hon, I'm so pleased it's a low grade melanoma. 

As regards your tiredness --When we hear we've "got cancer" our minds go into overdrive, fearing the worst, worrying if it's more serious than the doctors say or if it will return in our bodies even though a WLE gives clear margins should mean it's gone for good but we're never quite sure.

All the worry since you first found the mole/leision/ nodule followed by the confusion re results )which by the way never come quickly enough to suit anyone) then the shock of getting a cancer diagnosis means you've been living life on the edge for a while so it's no surprise that you are so tired. Don't underestimate the effect of the diagnosis.  So all in all the tiredness is very normal. 

 Try and rest as much as possible and eat healthily, take care in the sun and you will be a priority fast track if you get another mole or swollen lymph glands with no apparent illness.  

So as I've said the severity of the grade does not dictate the severity of the reaction or tiredness.  Look after yourself well and we're always here.

Lucy xxx

• Hi, i just wanted to say when i got my diagnosis Stage 2 , I had a 3 month wait before my WLE, I felt exhausted, i felt unwell and was sure the cancer had spread. It hadnt, i got the all clear. I hope all goes well. Take care x