I am booked in on Saturday 23rd for a wide excision.i was lucky and had no issues with 1st mole removal. Will this one be much the same or is it a bigger cut and more stitches. I've to get a 0.5cm I think cut all round. I could drive home last time so will I be able to drive home this time. Thank you.
Hi Diamondring
It's exactly the same procedure but, as you've said, taking an extra 0.5cm all around the original biopsy site.
You haven't said whereabouts on your body you're having the wide local excision (WLE), so that will likely have some bearing on whether you can drive afterwards or not. If you're not sure, give your SCNS (skin cancer nurse specialist) a call and she should be able to advise you.
It would be great if you could put something about your diagnosis and treatment into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select '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.
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Thanks for updating your profile Diamondring
My lesion was also on my arm, the back of my upper arm to be precise.
When I had my WLE I had a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) at the same time so definitely wouldn't have been able to drive afterwards as the two operations require a general anaesthetic.
I've had other minor procedures to remove 'spots' since under local anaesthetic and the clinicians involved have always checked that I had someone to drive me home afterwards.
Although a local anaesthetic doesn't usually make you feel drowsy, I think it depends how uncomfortable the operation site is afterwards as to whether it's safe for you to drive. I think a quick call to your SCNS would be best.
Anne
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
That's good that they think you'll be okay to drive and I hope you'll not be too sore afterwards.
You're definitely not a fraud, you've been through the same biopsy and follow-up treatment as a lot of us, and you've also been through all the emotional ups and downs as well.
((hugs))
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
