Newly diagnosed with Melanoma currently Stage 2a........sleepless nights

Hi TrueRed and a very warm welcome to the online community

I'm very sorry that you've had to join us but hopefully you'll find it's a great place to ask questions, share experiences and get support from others who have been diagnosed with melanoma.

I too was diagnosed with stage 2a melanoma, in my case 4 years ago now, and remember how worried I felt. It's natural to worry that it might have spread, we all do, but my advice would be to just take one step at a time and concentrate on what you know rather than waste energy worrying about something that may not happen.

I had a WLE and SLNB and I'm happy to tell you about those procedures if there's anything you want to know and if you want to read my story just click on my username or profile picture.

x

Hi Latchbrook

Thank you for the warm welcome and your reply x Just seems a lot going on and to absorb it, as been overwhelming at times. Feel as I’m no stranger to cancer as my daughter when she was 7 years old was diagnosed with (ALL) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia , three years of treatment and now she’s 17 years old and remains in remission, Im very thankful on many levels. Just taking a day at a time at the moment , Best wishes xx

Hi TrueRed, it sounds like your team are taking very good care of you to make sure they don’t miss anything after your previous bad experiences. I have never had a primary found but when it had spread to my lymph nodes the biopsy showed it was melanoma. I’m hoping that fits your not being diagnosed early criteria you were looking for. My diagnosis was in 2015, an early scan showed a spot on my lung but it has not changed, my team say just to think of it as part of me and nothing more. I have scans very 3 months. I had an MRI to my liver in June as the CT had picked up a suspicious legion but the MRI showed it was nothing, my team are careful to. You are not alone in your worry we all worry when we are awaiting for results or treatment to start. It’s very natural. 

I haven’t had a WLE or SLNB as I had no primary found, but I’m wishing you luck for your January op. I have had an op to remove one lymph node that wasn’t responding to the immunotherapy I was/am on, as latchbrook says it’s good to take one step at a time. I had a different approach with my family, I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide my concerns and so I felt I needed to tell them what was worrying me, not all the time granted as I needed to talk myself round to the positives sometime, but also so did my husband, who was at first trying to hide from me how he felt. Things were a lot easier once we had both cried together. 

Hi TrueRed and I'm sorry that I missed that you'd replied to me. 

That must have been very hard for you all having to deal with your daughter's cancer diagnosis when she was so young but it's great to hear that she's been in remission for such a long time now. Hopefully, you can see from that that cancer can be controlled and hopefully you'll have good news after your SLNB too.

Just like KTatHome I felt I had to tell my family and close friends as, for me, the more I talk about something the less I worry about it. Also, I didn't want them to be surprised if I suddenly became emotional and I didn't want to lie when the usual pleasantries of 'how are you' came up. However, it's a uniquely individual decision and only you know whether to tell people or not.

x

Hi KT Thank you for your reply xx

Hi latchbrook

I have a good network of friends and a supportive partner but sometimes I know it’s hard for them and I’m mindful of that especially my children and don’t want to overly worry them. Your right and thank you for the good advice to try not to worry about things that may not happen and to take this process in my manageable chunks the best I can xx 

I’m in exactly the same position... diagnosed stage 2a in November and I have my SLNB and WLE next week. Definitely getting scarier as it approaches. Having a lot of niggly pains all over and parano it’s all linked. Just need to wait for the SLNB but then it’s waiting for results aswell. Everything seems to take so long! I feel you x

Hi MammaT and a very warm welcome to the online community although I'm sorry that you've had to find us.

I was diagnosed with a Stage 2a melanoma in December 2016 and had a WLE and SLNB the following February. It's natural to be scared about the procedures, I was too, but hopefully I can reassure you that you'll be well looked after and if I'd known then what I know now I wouldn't have been half so apprehensive. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have about the operations if that would help 

When you go for the procedures ask how long the results are currently taking to come back. I had mine 2 weeks later, although the original biopsy had taken 6 weeks.

When you have a minute, it would be really useful if you could pop something about your journey so far into your profile as it really helps others when answering or looking for someone with a similar diagnosis. 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.

Do come back and let us know how you get on

x

Hi MammaT

yes me too next week for SLNB and WLE ! Yes I’m getting nervous and can relate to the niggles. I go for the nuclear medicine injection thingy the day before my WLE. Best wishes and keep me updated when you can xx

I’m the same! Although they’re admitting me the same day as the nuclear medicine and scan as I have to travel to another county for my surgery. So looking like a 2 night stay for me xx hope all goes well... nice to have found someone in the exact same position x