Hi, I've recently had a melanoma removed and am awaiting further investigation and some lymph node removal.
It's all quite a shock, and scary. Can anyone share their journey through the next stages?
Any advice?
Hi Bostinwench and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
I'm sorry to read that you've recently been diagnosed with melanoma and I know how scary it can be having been diagnosed myself 5 years ago.
After I was diagnosed I had a wide local excision (WLE) and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and I'm assuming that this is what you're referring to when you say that you are "awaiting further investigation and some lymph node removal". If this is what you are having then the following is my experience.
The SLNB is optional and only offered for melanomas over a certain depth as it's not treatment but a diagnostic aid to see if the cancer cells have already travelled to the first lymph node, known as the sentinel node. If you are having this then either the day of your operation, or in my case the day before, you'll go to your hospital and have a radioactive dye injected as close to the site where the melanoma was as possible. This dye then flows to the sentinel lymph node and the surgeon can then see which node needs removing. Depending on where your melanoma was it could go to more than one node. Mine was on my arm so my SLNB was in my armpit.
Later that day or the next day you'll then have both the WLE and SLNB done under local anaesthetic. The WLE is similar to your original excisional biopsy except a larger area all around the original site is taken away to make sure that clear margins around your original melanoma are achieved. The SLN and WLE are then sent off to be biopsied. Just like when you had your biopsy ask how long it should be before you get your results and how you'll get them.
You'll probably need to take painkillers for a few days after the operations depending on where they were performed but all this information will be given to you, along with how to look after the wounds, etc, when you go for your pre-op.
I hope this helps a little and if you want to ask me anything please feel free 
It would be great if you could pop 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.
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
You are right that possibly the worst bit is waiting for the results. I'll be keeping everything crossed for no sign of cancer from your WLE and SLNB.
(((hugs)))
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
