Hello,
I’m a 25 year old mama of a toddler. I was diagnosed with stage 1a melanoma in 2022, had SLNB which was negative. A month ago, I was diagnosed with another primary on my shoulder. It was amelanotic and had been there for a very long time. Details from my pathology about it were that: non ulcerated, 0 mitoses, radial growth phase, no regression, no TIL, superficial spreading. I have surgery and SLNB in a few weeks.
My mental health is in shambles. Sometimes I look at my daughter and tear up, and imagine the worst. My life feels like a nightmare. I have anxiety attacks and am depressed most of the time. It’s hard being diagnosed so young when life is so good.
Some of the aspects of my pathology were somewhat encouraging but of course the depth is what matters most and that’s still unknown since they did a shave biopsy.
I’m concerned because I’ve had shortness of breath since my baby was born 1.5 years ago, and sometimes weird headaches. I’ve not had any kind of CT or PET, but have had continuous blood work, CBC and metabolic panels all good, LDH normal/low, 2 chest X-rays that checked out, a head MRI that was ok, and I see the dermatologist every 2 months about.
I’m scared I have stage 4 with these strange symptoms. If you had stage 4, did you have symptoms at all? I hope it’s unrelated. I’m not able to cope. Does blood work or X-rays even show melanoma? Was yo LDH elevated? Thank you for reading and for responding. I feel so alone. Everyone things it’s “just” skin cancer.
Hello Windyroads,
I hope that you do not mind me replying as I had a different cancer to you but I noticed your post and was worried for you.
I am sorry to hear that you had a melanoma diagnosis in 2022 and have recently been diagnosed with another primary on your shoulder. I wish you the best of luck with your surgery.
I can understand how hard it is for you to be diagnosed at a young age and also being a Mum.
Have you got anyone around you to support you? Mental health is hard at the best of times but with the worrying about cancer as well it must be tough. Have you got any support from your GP for your mental health?
I see that you are also worrying about some other symptoms and scared that it may be stage 4. I can understand that during times like these any extra symptom makes you worry even more and makes it hard to cope. It does sound though that they are really monitoring you with the continuous bloods, chest x rays, MRI and the dermatologist visits and that anything untoward would be picked up?
I know that it is hard with a toddler around but would talking to someone help? The number for Macmillan support line is at the bottom of this. They are lovely on there and will just listen if that is what you need.
Please do not feel alone, there are some lovely people on here that will want to give you support.
Take care
Jane
