Dermatologist Visits for for Stage 3+

I'm not stage III, but stage I with a history of 3 primaries.  I found all my primaries.  I actually went 7 years without seeing a derm between #1 melanoma and #2 because of insurance issues.  If you can take pictures of your moles and monitor them that way, then YOU can look for change.  Anything changes then you can have that removed.  Otherwise, just see your oncologist.  The likelihood of a second primary is < 10%.  You don't want to ignore your skin, but it isn't your biggest worry already being stage III.  I think if you can feel comfortable monitoring yourself for CHANGE, then I personally see no reason to visit the derm.  For me, I now go more regularly, but I'm honestly concerned more with the other skin cancers than I am with melanoma.  If I felt I had something suspicious that was changing, I have it removed.  But otherwise, I'm really asking my derm to look for the other cancers that come with sun exposure.

Do what makes YOU confortable!

I'm not stage III, but stage I with a history of 3 primaries.  I found all my primaries.  I actually went 7 years without seeing a derm between #1 melanoma and #2 because of insurance issues.  If you can take pictures of your moles and monitor them that way, then YOU can look for change.  Anything changes then you can have that removed.  Otherwise, just see your oncologist.  The likelihood of a second primary is < 10%.  You don't want to ignore your skin, but it isn't your biggest worry already being stage III.  I think if you can feel comfortable monitoring yourself for CHANGE, then I personally see no reason to visit the derm.  For me, I now go more regularly, but I'm honestly concerned more with the other skin cancers than I am with melanoma.  If I felt I had something suspicious that was changing, I have it removed.  But otherwise, I'm really asking my derm to look for the other cancers that come with sun exposure.

Do what makes YOU confortable!

I'm not stage III, but stage I with a history of 3 primaries.  I found all my primaries.  I actually went 7 years without seeing a derm between #1 melanoma and #2 because of insurance issues.  If you can take pictures of your moles and monitor them that way, then YOU can look for change.  Anything changes then you can have that removed.  Otherwise, just see your oncologist.  The likelihood of a second primary is < 10%.  You don't want to ignore your skin, but it isn't your biggest worry already being stage III.  I think if you can feel comfortable monitoring yourself for CHANGE, then I personally see no reason to visit the derm.  For me, I now go more regularly, but I'm honestly concerned more with the other skin cancers than I am with melanoma.  If I felt I had something suspicious that was changing, I have it removed.  But otherwise, I'm really asking my derm to look for the other cancers that come with sun exposure.

Do what makes YOU confortable!

What Janner says makes a lot of sense, as usual. Your most immediate concern would be enlarged lymph nodes rather than a new melanoma lesion, and your oncologist will check you lymph nodes regularly. Take picture of any skin lesions that concern you– use a ruler or a dime or something as a size guage–and look for changes. You should be fine. Rotten situation with the damn insurance deductibles, though. I'm sorry you have to deal with that on top of your cancer.

What Janner says makes a lot of sense, as usual. Your most immediate concern would be enlarged lymph nodes rather than a new melanoma lesion, and your oncologist will check you lymph nodes regularly. Take picture of any skin lesions that concern you– use a ruler or a dime or something as a size guage–and look for changes. You should be fine. Rotten situation with the damn insurance deductibles, though. I'm sorry you have to deal with that on top of your cancer.

What Janner says makes a lot of sense, as usual. Your most immediate concern would be enlarged lymph nodes rather than a new melanoma lesion, and your oncologist will check you lymph nodes regularly. Take picture of any skin lesions that concern you– use a ruler or a dime or something as a size guage–and look for changes. You should be fine. Rotten situation with the damn insurance deductibles, though. I'm sorry you have to deal with that on top of your cancer.