My dermatologist thinks i have a melanoma. Dust needed!

[katebar]

Hi guys. Just need some mega dust from the super Pser's. Went for my routine 6 month skin check (I had 2 BCC's removed inthe last year) and a mole that I always have felt uncomfortable about has changed and it is probably a melanoma .
I am having it removed tomorrow but feel sick about it. He reassured me that it would be a very early one but then he quoted the survival rate in 10 years for one this size and it was 96%. I'm like well what happened to the other 4%?
Anyhoo dust please and more importantly please get any suspicious freckle or mole checked out ASAP.
I guess a childhood spent on the beach burnt to a crisp in Australia was always going to lead me down this road but it is still a shock.
Katex

 

[blondebunny]

oh man that stinks! I had 2 precancerous cells removed when i was like 16 and 18... and then at 23 i got BCC skin cancer, and was able to use Aldara cream to make it go away, which it did, thank heavens or they would have had to cut a huge part of my chest out to get it all out which woulda been terrible but since then 2 years ago i quit going outside all together... i only ever go outside if its like the store or something and never too long because i dont want to get it again... very scary to have it so young!

But DUST and LOTS of it for you! How long does it take to get the results??? Hopefully you get them back quick!

I just had a scare 2 weeks ago, i noticed a weird spot..not even a mole that i never had before and it mimicking what my BCC spot did so i got scared and told them to take it off immediately and get it tested, and thank heavens it came back okay.. But i am overly cautious with my skin now and everyone around me i try to explain to them it doesnt matter what type of skin you have, you can get skin cancer!

When i was younger i did too get burnt alot and i really do think that some of my more serious burns i got were what caused my first BCC spot....i have an amazing sunblock i use now and it works like perfect i get nothing if i have to go out so its nice!

Again, lots of DUST for you... I feel so bad for you because its such a suckie thing to be going through! Let us know when u get the results back in!

 

[mary poppins]

Lots of dust to you. I hope you get good news, and soon.

Routine skin exams from head to toe are extremely important.

 

[Pandora II]

Lots of dust to you.

My SIL had a stage 4 melanoma and was given a 30% chance of survival - she did a year of chemo and has scans every 6 months, she also had the nearest lymph node removed and it hadn't spread which was a big relief. Last month had her 5 year check-up and was given the all-clear.She's thrilled as she can now try and get pregnant - the hormones can trigger a relapse so she has had to wait.

So, even with a very aggressive melanoma there is a good chance of survival. If they get it at a very early stage then you should be fine plus, they're never going to give a 100% survival rate and who knows what comorbid conditions that 4% had...

 

[gemgirl]

I will pray for you katebar. Please try to remain strong and positive. They're catching this early and that's a very good thing.

We have another PSer who is a veteran of the skin cancer wars. I'll point her to this thread. I'm sure she'd be happy to give you some encouragement and support.

 

[Ninna]

Sending lots of dust your way katebar.

 

[packrat]

Lots of dust to you Katebar! It's something I worry about too.

 

[movie zombie]

my dad has had several removed and he's now 86. think positive!

MoZo

 

[risingsun]

I will pray for you katebar. Please try to remain strong and positive. They're catching this early and that's a very good thing.

We have another PSer who is a veteran of the skin cancer wars. I'll point her to this thread. I'm sure she'd be happy to give you some encouragement and support.

That would be me. I have had BCCs, a SCC, and my latest was a melanoma, which was removed last January. It, too, was caught very early. I was given the same survival rate as you. For people who are prone to skin cancer or precancerous lesions, my best advice [other than wearing sunscreen] is being seen regularly by your dermatologist. When these things are caught early, the survival rate is very high. I see both my derm and my surgeon on a rotating basis. I'm being seen every four months now. Right after the melanoma was removed, I was seen every three months for the next six months. Please have hope. An early stage melanoma is very treatable. I am ordering a truckload of dust to be sent to you. Let us know how things go.

 

[kelpie]

I'm so sorry you are going through this. *big heap of dust to you*

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Katebar - sending dust your way. Hope all goes well.

Blondebunny - which sunblock are you using now?

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Katebar, dust dust dust! I'll be thinking of you.

 

[drk]

Hope it's not a melanoma, or that if it is, you're well within the good 96% of those stats. Skin cancer is scary. I should go get checked out too.

 

[blondebunny]

Katebar - sending dust your way. Hope all goes well.

Blondebunny - which sunblock are you using now?

I am using Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Sunblock... I use the 45 SPF with helioplex. I can say from experience with this sunblock how amazing it is. When i was on my honeymoon i put it everywhere (or so i thought) and i was white everywhere except where i forgot to put it which was 2 spots so i looked like a moron, but it proved to me how amazing this sunscreen was. After I got my first BCC at 23, i got really crazy about my skin and stopped going out all together, but on my honeymoon i knew i needed a good sunblock and researched all those crazy things and found this to be one of the top sunblocks out there (this was back in february for reference, not sure if anything new has come out)- sorry to threadjack... im just a crazy person now when it comes to my skin because i never took it serious before but now i am a huge person about trying to get everyone to go to a dermatologist! They tell me to come every 6 months but i usually go about every 4 because i like to be on top of it!

Katebar-sending more dust for you!!!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Katebar - sending dust your way. Hope all goes well.

Blondebunny - which sunblock are you using now?

I am using Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Sunblock... I use the 45 SPF with helioplex. I can say from experience with this sunblock how amazing it is. When i was on my honeymoon i put it everywhere (or so i thought) and i was white everywhere except where i forgot to put it which was 2 spots so i looked like a moron, but it proved to me how amazing this sunscreen was. After I got my first BCC at 23, i got really crazy about my skin and stopped going out all together, but on my honeymoon i knew i needed a good sunblock and researched all those crazy things and found this to be one of the top sunblocks out there (this was back in february for reference, not sure if anything new has come out)- sorry to threadjack... im just a crazy person now when it comes to my skin because i never took it serious before but now i am a huge person about trying to get everyone to go to a dermatologist! They tell me to come every 6 months but i usually go about every 4 because i like to be on top of it!

Katebar-sending more dust for you!!!

Okay, thanks. That's what I use, except a stronger SPF. Same thing has happened re: missing a spot. While visiting Disneyland, we spent 8 hours out in the sun and I ended up with a triangle of tan on my shoulder. lol Looked great hahaha

 

[digitaldevo]

Lots of dust coming your way!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

LOTS of dust heading your way!

 

[Bliss]

Dust and prayers for you!!!!

And hugs...

 

[TravelingGal]

Lots of DUST DUST DUST and a big HUG!!!

 

[katebar]

I'm back guys with great news. Your dust and kind thoughts worked! iI is NOT a melanoma thank goodness. Apparantly it was on the cusp and I have had wide excision but fortunately for me there were no malignant changes found.
I want to thank each and every one of you for stopping by and in particcular Rising Sun for sharing her own story. Whilst when I was reading your post RS I felt a blarst of fear cos that was my story but after I processed it I realised how postive you were and how no matter what it does not have to be a worst case scenario.
Pandora your story on your SIL was also inspiring and I thank you too for sharing that with me. It really is such a wonderful and hope filled story and I wish your sister a happy and healthy pregnancy soon.
Also Blondebunny thank you too for sharing your experiences and your tips on sun protection are invaluable.
Yet again I have been drawn back to this community after some time away because of the level of support that Pse'rs give to one another. To often we tend to get fixated on the negatives but I have only ever had wondeful expereinces here.
Finally, I urge everyone to have regular skin checks perfomed by your doctor and if worried about any spot please get it checked out. My dermatolagist told me that sun damage alone is not necessary for a melanoma to form so even those of you with minimal sun exposure or damage need to be aware that they can show up.
Kate x

 

[Deelight]

Kate I just saw this and came to post dust for you - but seems like a better result - Sucks about the incision but I am so glad to hear it wasn't a melanoma

It is really hard living in Australia the sun is so harsh here it serves as a reminder to get moles checked - I am just glad you had a happy outcome

 

[AGBF]

I'm back guys with great news. Your dust and kind thoughts worked! iI is NOT a melanoma thank goodness. Apparantly it was on the cusp and I have had wide excision but fortunately for me there were no malignant changes found.

Kate-

I am so glad I read through the entire thread carefully! I can't tell you how wonderful it was to come to the end and find a find a fairy tale ending! I am so relieved on your behalf!

I just had a mole (more like a raised freckle) removed from my left thigh about six months ago because I had noticed the color was starting to change. The dermatologist, when she excised it, dug really deep. She sent away the tissue and made me come in for a microscopic exam of the area as it was still healing. It wasn't skin cancer, but obviously was going through some changes that made her want to be certain that skin cancer was not about to develop! I wasn't going to mention this when you were dealing with an actual melanoma, but since we both had a close call, I will. What can I say? When I was a child there was no sunblock! I am as fair skinned as one can be and all that happens if I go in the sun is that I burn and get more more freckles. So I don't. But whatever sun I have had was too much!

Deb/AGBF

 

[katebar]

Thanks Deelight. Sadly there is no escaping ou sun realistically, and of course Qld has the highest incidence of melanomas in the world .
Gee Deb that must have been scary for you. I have not been offered a mircoscoptic review yet but I am going back in a few days to have the stiches out so......................
Thanks everyone for your support again. It was so appreciated and did make a difference to my anxiety in a good way

 

[blondebunny]

that is fabulous news katebar!!! So happy that our dust worked ;-D Your siutation has made me even more cautious than i already am with my skin now!! if only i could get my family to listen to me when i tell them to use sunscreen and not oil! lol

 

[Tuckins1]

Lots of dust to you!!!!! I hope everything turns out ok, and chances are it will.

 

[lizzyann]

lots of dust to you! I am glad you got some good news from your Doctor!