Scared about hip pain

Look for the most likely explanation first.  THen look for zebras (melanoma).  Truthfully, 9 years out from a stage IB lesion is low risk, and hip pain when you have a herniated disk is high risk.  You can have sciatica, referred pain or other simple explanations.  I'd probably be talking to a back doctor if I were you.

Best  w

Look for the most likely explanation first.  THen look for zebras (melanoma).  Truthfully, 9 years out from a stage IB lesion is low risk, and hip pain when you have a herniated disk is high risk.  You can have sciatica, referred pain or other simple explanations.  I'd probably be talking to a back doctor if I were you.

Best  w

Look for the most likely explanation first.  THen look for zebras (melanoma).  Truthfully, 9 years out from a stage IB lesion is low risk, and hip pain when you have a herniated disk is high risk.  You can have sciatica, referred pain or other simple explanations.  I'd probably be talking to a back doctor if I were you.

Best  w

YEP.

I’ll give you a different take. In January 2013–almost 10 years after having a stage I mole removed from my chest–I started to experience pain in my lower left arm and wrist. I didn’t get an X-ray because I knew I hadn’t injured my arm, fallen, etc. I would wear a brace and ice my arm (per primary doctor). In July 2013, I was diagnosed stage IV. To skip to the end, it turns out that I had a bone lesion (since radiated) as revealed by a simple X-ray. The arm pain was the earliest outward sign of metastatic disease–who knew? My suggestion would be to request an X-ray and tell the doctors that you are a melanoma patient. That said, as noted by others, it is statistically unlikely that you’re having a recurrence.

I’ll give you a different take. In January 2013–almost 10 years after having a stage I mole removed from my chest–I started to experience pain in my lower left arm and wrist. I didn’t get an X-ray because I knew I hadn’t injured my arm, fallen, etc. I would wear a brace and ice my arm (per primary doctor). In July 2013, I was diagnosed stage IV. To skip to the end, it turns out that I had a bone lesion (since radiated) as revealed by a simple X-ray. The arm pain was the earliest outward sign of metastatic disease–who knew? My suggestion would be to request an X-ray and tell the doctors that you are a melanoma patient. That said, as noted by others, it is statistically unlikely that you’re having a recurrence.

I’ll give you a different take. In January 2013–almost 10 years after having a stage I mole removed from my chest–I started to experience pain in my lower left arm and wrist. I didn’t get an X-ray because I knew I hadn’t injured my arm, fallen, etc. I would wear a brace and ice my arm (per primary doctor). In July 2013, I was diagnosed stage IV. To skip to the end, it turns out that I had a bone lesion (since radiated) as revealed by a simple X-ray. The arm pain was the earliest outward sign of metastatic disease–who knew? My suggestion would be to request an X-ray and tell the doctors that you are a melanoma patient. That said, as noted by others, it is statistically unlikely that you’re having a recurrence.

Mat, isn't it extremely rare for someone stage I (low risk) to get any type of scan?  Normally wouldn't have had a SNB either.  Insurance companies and oncologists typically don't go there for a 0.50.  Did you have other high risk characteristics to get all that follow up and a PET?

My primary melanoma was .51mm with signs of regression to about .70mm. I also had residual thymus tissue (admittedly I never quite understood why this was a concern.) Other than that, no special factors. I did have wide excision, SNB under left arm and PET in 2003 (no PET sine). I also got scanned (CT) for the first 3 years of the 10 of follow-up. Perhaps I had a combo of good insurance and a good melanoma specialist who knew how to spin the details with insurance. In the end, however, the stage IV wasn’t caught particularly early. In any case, my situation is not the norm-I’m just suggesting to be vigilant and ask for the X-ray (unlike me).

As for my left arm pain, not sure describing it will do much good since bone lesions and pain will present differently depending on location, right? The pain was, at times, steady and debilitating and, at other times, transient and manageable. It presented itself like tennis elbow-turning my lower arm, e.g., to type, became very painful.

no chance there was another different primary?

Have to agree with Janner. Seems the most likely culprit is not going to be mel. My husband has years of back pain post injury and back pain can definitely radiate to the hip… it can radiate to many areas and with many intensities and types of pain. There can also be multiple other explanations. My oncologist told me years ago " we all have aches and pains, but if you develop one that lasts for 2 weeks, let me know and we will evaluate it. "  So, unless it was an excrutiating pain demanding more urgent treatment, I have gone by this rule of thumb. If this has been persitent, I would certainly go to my Dr to have it checkes out, and if no reasonable definitive diagnosis is come up with, I would pursue it until I was satisfied. BUT… I would say the very greatest possibility in your case is that it is unrelated to the mel.

Let us know what you decide and what you find out. Hopefully you can quickly get peace of mind over it.

Tina

Have to agree with Janner. Seems the most likely culprit is not going to be mel. My husband has years of back pain post injury and back pain can definitely radiate to the hip… it can radiate to many areas and with many intensities and types of pain. There can also be multiple other explanations. My oncologist told me years ago " we all have aches and pains, but if you develop one that lasts for 2 weeks, let me know and we will evaluate it. "  So, unless it was an excrutiating pain demanding more urgent treatment, I have gone by this rule of thumb. If this has been persitent, I would certainly go to my Dr to have it checkes out, and if no reasonable definitive diagnosis is come up with, I would pursue it until I was satisfied. BUT… I would say the very greatest possibility in your case is that it is unrelated to the mel.

Let us know what you decide and what you find out. Hopefully you can quickly get peace of mind over it.

Tina

Have to agree with Janner. Seems the most likely culprit is not going to be mel. My husband has years of back pain post injury and back pain can definitely radiate to the hip… it can radiate to many areas and with many intensities and types of pain. There can also be multiple other explanations. My oncologist told me years ago " we all have aches and pains, but if you develop one that lasts for 2 weeks, let me know and we will evaluate it. "  So, unless it was an excrutiating pain demanding more urgent treatment, I have gone by this rule of thumb. If this has been persitent, I would certainly go to my Dr to have it checkes out, and if no reasonable definitive diagnosis is come up with, I would pursue it until I was satisfied. BUT… I would say the very greatest possibility in your case is that it is unrelated to the mel.

Let us know what you decide and what you find out. Hopefully you can quickly get peace of mind over it.

Tina

YEP.

YEP.

Mat, isn't it extremely rare for someone stage I (low risk) to get any type of scan?  Normally wouldn't have had a SNB either.  Insurance companies and oncologists typically don't go there for a 0.50.  Did you have other high risk characteristics to get all that follow up and a PET?

Mat, isn't it extremely rare for someone stage I (low risk) to get any type of scan?  Normally wouldn't have had a SNB either.  Insurance companies and oncologists typically don't go there for a 0.50.  Did you have other high risk characteristics to get all that follow up and a PET?

My primary melanoma was .51mm with signs of regression to about .70mm. I also had residual thymus tissue (admittedly I never quite understood why this was a concern.) Other than that, no special factors. I did have wide excision, SNB under left arm and PET in 2003 (no PET sine). I also got scanned (CT) for the first 3 years of the 10 of follow-up. Perhaps I had a combo of good insurance and a good melanoma specialist who knew how to spin the details with insurance. In the end, however, the stage IV wasn’t caught particularly early. In any case, my situation is not the norm-I’m just suggesting to be vigilant and ask for the X-ray (unlike me).

As for my left arm pain, not sure describing it will do much good since bone lesions and pain will present differently depending on location, right? The pain was, at times, steady and debilitating and, at other times, transient and manageable. It presented itself like tennis elbow-turning my lower arm, e.g., to type, became very painful.

My primary melanoma was .51mm with signs of regression to about .70mm. I also had residual thymus tissue (admittedly I never quite understood why this was a concern.) Other than that, no special factors. I did have wide excision, SNB under left arm and PET in 2003 (no PET sine). I also got scanned (CT) for the first 3 years of the 10 of follow-up. Perhaps I had a combo of good insurance and a good melanoma specialist who knew how to spin the details with insurance. In the end, however, the stage IV wasn’t caught particularly early. In any case, my situation is not the norm-I’m just suggesting to be vigilant and ask for the X-ray (unlike me).

As for my left arm pain, not sure describing it will do much good since bone lesions and pain will present differently depending on location, right? The pain was, at times, steady and debilitating and, at other times, transient and manageable. It presented itself like tennis elbow-turning my lower arm, e.g., to type, became very painful.

no chance there was another different primary?

no chance there was another different primary?