Hi,
I posted here last week, in the early morning of the 14th (around 2am) I had an itch and felt a bump but fell back asleep and forgot. Next evening it was itchy again so I looked and there's a brand new 1.5mm round (sticks up about the same) jet black lump. I made a GP appointment the next day and they saw me Friday morning.
GP sent and urgent 2ww referral to the RVI but I didn't hear back, waited the weekend (there closed weekend) and all of Monday. Tuesday the NHS App said to chase it up as it was due. I did but was told just to wait, next day NHS App had a red 'action' warning because its passed due and to contact again and was told just to wait and that they have 4 weeks to respond and NHS guideline don't apply.
Today my App updated with an appointment tomorrow morning but that's just for an appointment for someone to look at the referral sheet. They said they said due to the bank holiday I won't be told if the accept the referral until Wednesday next week and that IF the do accept they will put me on the wait list which is currently 10-14 days which would make it 9th June at earliest to be seen for the first time.
The lump has changed drastically in 6 days, its was round and a black/red/purple colour with it looked like a slice, mostly smooth with small bumps on top but its now opened up in the middle like a rotting blackberry and started shriving and going wavy.
I feel like no one has any urgency, the nurse just said there hundreds of others waiting to (as if its selfish to expect it to be done quickly). Its a suspected nodular melanoma and I don't feel I HAVE 4 weeks to waste waiting, my mam and aunt where stage 4 by their diagnosis and died within 6 months.
If I go private how does it work?
Would the NHS accept private results?
Would they then start treatment like WLE or SLNB or any other treatment?
I don't have insurance so cannot afford everything out of pocket but I just want this off me now and private places say they have no wait lists.
Hi Possy
Waiting for an appointment to get a suspicious lump checked is always a stressful time and I can totally understand your frustration.
I had an odd lump appear on my arm and went to see my GP who didn't think it was anything to worry about but said he'd refer me under the non-urgent pathway. As we were shortly going away for a lengthy holiday I decided to pay privately to see a consultant dermatologist. From memory I think my appointment was a couple of days after I booked it and cost me £180.
The consultant knew that I didn't have insurance so, after he decided he wanted to remove it, he sent a letter to my GP asking the GP to refer me to his NHS clinic. This meant that I didn't have to pay to have the excisional biopsy. So after my initial consultation, which as I said cost £180, all the rest of my treatment was on the NHS.
I have no idea how much the excisional biopsy would be privately but your local private hospital should be able to give you a guideline figure.
After having a private consultation it was about 6 weeks later before I had the excisional biopsy with the consultant on the NHS.
Let me know what you decide to do
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi BethJS
I didn't have suspected nodular melanoma, in fact melanoma wasn't suspected at all but the consultant wanted my lesion removing to find out what it was.
What brings you to our group? I assume you have a suspicious mole or lesion that needs removing.
Anne
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
