Evening all,
Not sure why I joined maybe just to get things off my chest more than anything.
I was diagnosed last Tuesday or having a superficial melanoma following a biopsy the month before, on that biopsy the dermatologist was convinced it was a wart and just took it off but it obviously came back as being melanoma.
Guess I took it OK at the time, they said they needed to do a wider exertion, I asked when and they did it 20minutes later. It is on my right elbow so an awkward location. I am now on the waiting list to get a sentinal node biopsy. I want it done cos I want to know the staging and if it has spread in any way. It hit me more when I got home, I am 37 and have a 3 1/2 year old daughter and a 1 1/2 year old son. As soon as I saw them it hit, with all thoughts going through my head of if I waited too long to get checked and the damage is done. That's what I want to find out.
I noticed just after Christmas something wasn't right. I noticed the mole before but looked slightly different but thought nothing of it. Then something started to grow from it, a clear lump, originally I thought another skin tag cos I have a few, I did a normal (but worst thing) a Google search and everything I found about skin cancer it didn't match. It looked different, it was clear, even a trained dermatologist thought it was a wart, that's what it looked like to me. Then I came across the dreaded E of the ABCD etc. That's when I panicked cos the only thing it looked like was nodular melanoma even tho I have been diagnosed with superficial. As bad as it sounds I hope it is just superficial and not nodular. It's the not knowing what's killing me. Looking at the kids and wondering if I am going to be there for them, it's hard not to worry, I try and keep as strong and positive as possible but at the same time think the worse. This part of my life has only just began with having an amazing family.
It's so hard to find any examples like mine, that has grown from within a mole outwards with only a tiny bit of pigmentation to the side. I am hoping both dermatologists were right, the tiny bit of pigmentation was melanoma and the growth was a wart, least then there is a chance it hasn't done any damage, if reading about elevation and the whole lot is melanoma ill keep thinking the worse.
I want the sentinal node biopsy so I know the answers to stop the doubts. It's been a kick for sure, sorted diet out ASAP and being more active, I will do everything I can to fight what is happening for my kids and my wife of course. So if anyone has anything else they can say to do, I'll try it. Even started having Beetroot juice and I bloody hate them but will do anything.
Sorry for going on for so long, just needed to vent.
Stevie
Hi and a very warm welcome to the online community
I'm very sorry to read that you've recently been diagnosed with melanoma and I can totally understand how scared you feel having had the same diagnosis myself over 3 years ago. In fact, our stories are very similar. Like you, my dermatologist didn't think my lesion was anything to worry about and I think we were both shocked when it came back as a superficial spreading melanoma.
I can understand why you hope that it really is a wart and not melanoma but I'm afraid that it's unlikely that the pathologist has got it wrong. Equally don't go to the other extreme and think that it might be a nodular melanoma when the pathology results show that it's a superficial spreading melanoma, the most common type.
As you've found from trying to find a picture of your exact melanoma on Google it's very difficult as they don't always look like dodgy moles! I had an amelanotic melanoma, which basically means it was a pale pink and I only found it when I touched my arm one day and found a lump I hadn't noticed before.
My best advice would be to stay away from Google as you'll only scare yourself and treatment for melanoma has come on so much in the last few years. If you want to ask any questions then I'm happy to try and help. You could also join us over in the melanoma group, as most people in the skin cancer group have either basal or squamous cell carcinomas.
For the majority of people having a wide local excision (WLE) is the only follow up treatment they'll need for a melanoma, and you had this done last week. I can see that having this on your elbow might be an awkward and painful place but hopefully the wound will settle down soon.
I had dissolvable stitches, so didn't need to go back and have them removed, but I had an appointment with the surgeon who did the operation a fortnight later when I also got the results of both my WLE and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Thankfully both were clear. Do you have a date for when the results of the WLE should be ready?
Like you, I wanted to have a SLNB so that I would know if the melanoma had spread or not. If you want to ask any questions about the procedure I'd be happy to tell you.
You've said that you want to have a SLNB to see if your melanoma has spread and to check the staging. Your melanoma will already have been staged and your consultant or skin cancer nurse specialist (SCNS) should be able to tell you what stage it is.
Melanoma staging is based on how deep the melanoma was and whether it was ulcerated or not. Mine was Stage 2A as it was 1.45mm deep with ulceration. Yours will probably be at least Stage 1B, if you've been offered a SLNB, as they don't normally perform that for anything less that 0.8mm deep.
It doesn't actually matter in the scheme of things whether you're Stage 1A or 2C as we all get the same treatment and follow up care. Treatment only changes if your melanoma is restaged to Stage 3, after a positive SLNB, but hopefully that won't happen to you.
After you've had your SLNB you'll then start 5 years of being followed up by your consultant dermatologist. Initially you'll have your skin and lymph nodes checked every 3 months for 3 years and then every 6 months for 2 years.
It's great that you've decided to adopt a more healthy lifestyle but one of the most important things you can do to prevent a recurrence or another melanoma is to be safe in the sun. This doesn't mean that you have to stop doing things you used to enjoy doing in the sun, unless that was sunbathing, but you need to change some things to protect yourself.
When I was diagnosed with melanoma I was given a leaflet with the following advice and thought you might find it helpful:
The first summer after I was diagnosed was particularly hard as I used to enjoy sitting in the sun. However, I quickly got used to the new regime and now automatically reach for a hat when I go outside.
I also leave a hat permanently in the car, so if I forget to take one with me I know I'll have one, and leaving a tube of sunscreen in the glove compartment is a good idea too.
When you have a minute it would be useful if 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 'Edit 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.
Right, I think I've bombarded you with enough information for now but if you want to ask me anything, please do!
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Waiting for results is really hard but remember, the melanoma has already been removed and the WLE is a "mopping up" exercise to make sure that no stray cells were left behind. Most people's WLE results come back clear with only a tiny proportion of people needing a second WLE.
There's no way you can tell what Stage you are by looking at your own melanoma as it's the depth below the surface which is measured not how tall it was above the skin. The depth of the melanoma also determines how large a WLE is performed. Deeper melanomas have 2cm removed all around the original site while shallower ones have 1cm removed.
If you ring your SCNS she'll be able to tell you what depth it was, known as the Breslow depth, and what Stage you are.
I forgot to add in my previous reply that if you click on any of the green writing it takes you to more details on that subject.
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi
I just wanted to check in with you and see how you were doing as I know that, understandably, you were struggling a bit with the fact that you had had a melanoma diagnosis.
Did you give your SCNS a call to find out about the staging, as I know you wanted to know this?
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi
Glad to hear that you've had your WLE and SLNB.
As you said, waiting for the results is always tough but I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that they come back negative. Do you have an approximate time for when the results should be back?
I too found my operation sites were sore rather than painful and I had pretty much completely recovered by the time I went for my results two weeks later.
A tip my consultant gave me for checking my body was to take photos of all the different areas, eg. right lower leg, left upper arm, etc and then use those as a base to check against when you do your monthly checks. I'm very moley so find this indispensable otherwise I'd never spot a new mole.
You should get a date for the first of your 3 monthly check-ups roughly 3 months after your SLNB and WLE were done. However, if you're worried about any changes to your skin between now and then just give your SCNS a call and she'll arrange for you to see a dermatologist.
Do come back and let us know your results when you get them.
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
