Melanoma diagnosis

Hi , I’m sorry to hear about your 1b diagnosis and worry but welcome to the online community.

My advise is

Accept that you will worry, because it’s very natural and can’t always be ignored.

Find some good friends or here to express those worries otherwise the worries tend to get bigger. 

discover which ways of coping with uncertainty works for you, what distraction, or preparation works best (the Macmillan information and support sections I found useful) 

Have some phrases ready for when people ask you how you are, and be ready for some phrases about the weather that were perfectly fine before to really start annoying you now, oh and you will now notice everyone’s else’s moles and sunburn.

Remember that a statistic is a statistic and doesn’t dictate how you will feel 

check if you have a critical life insurance policy

stay safe in the sun (I have F50 suncream with me from April to October)

take a note pad to appointments with any questions you want to ask (otherwise if you are like me you will forget) 

One of my best questions is who do I contact if I’ve forgotten to ask something today. 

Go to the yearly melanoma patient conference or watch the you tube videos if you can’t go. 

Live a healthy lifestyle to help your immune system fight this

I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, but probably raised a few conversation points as well maybe, but done on for too long this morning !! 

And ... you might only have wanted info for your SLNB which I haven’t had, but others on here will be glad to help I’m sure. 

Nice to meet you 

Hi and a second welcome to the online community.

I understand only too well how shocked you'll be feeling having had the same thing happen to me almost exactly 3 years ago.

I'm one of those in the group who KTatHome mentioned has had a SLNB and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. 

By the way, great username! I assume you have a sausage dog or maybe 27?

x

Hi ,

I have experienced your diagnosis earlier this year.  Stage 1b, 0.8mm thickness. 

I had a wide local excision and SLNB which came back clear.  KTatHome has pretty much covered everything, I would recommend using this site and discussion area for anything you need to know!

Try not to worry!

Thanks for the reply

Thanks for the reply

Don't have a sausagedog just a name I came up with on my Nightshift last night. 

How long did it take you too get an appointment for you SLNB and did you get the all clear?

I don't even like the sun lol

Hi

How are you? I was just going through the recent messages and realised that I never replied to your question about how long it took to get my appointment for my WLE and SLNB, so I must apologise!

I had a date for my pre-op, where I met the plastic surgeon who was going to perform the operations, come through quite quickly. However, it was about 8 weeks between diagnosis and the pre-op and then another couple of weeks before the actual operations. This was delayed mainly because Christmas and New Year got in the way otherwise it would have probably been a couple of weeks quicker than that.

Two weeks after the ops I went back for the wounds to be checked and was over the moon to be told that no cancer cells had been found in either the WLE or SLN.

Do you have the dates through for your ops yet?

Hi ,

I'm currently going through the same as you! Had my 1B diagnosis earlier this year and had my WLE and SLNB just over a week ago. Everyone has given you great advice and I just wanted to let you know that there's someone out there going through the same. If you need to chat or have any questions feel free to message me.

MH20

I am 42 and I was diagnosed on 9th August 2019 as having stage 1b on one mole on my back and stage 1a on another mole further down my back. I had a WLE and SLNB on 10th October and two weeks later I was told the SLNB was clear. I’m now on 3 monthly follow-ups.

I felt very upset at my diagnosis but found talking to my husband and friends about how I was feeling helped and this site has been fantastic. It’s a worrying time for you but like my doctor said to me they have found it early so try and stay positive.

Any questions just ask.

Best wishes 

Hi guys, I was diagnosed on Oct 18 with 1b superficial spreading melanoma on my lower back, I'm 38. I've just had my letter for my pre op for snlb and wle on Dec 27th, does anyone know roughly how long between pre op and actual op, only its been two months since diagnosis now and looking more like 3 months until actual operation. Is this a normal waiting period. My original biopsy was way back in September, I hate to moan but the waiting for results is for me worse than the diagnosis.