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does WLE hurt much under local anesthesia during procedure
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does WLE hurt much under local anesthesia during procedure

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › does WLE hurt much under local anesthesia during procedure

  • Post
    • July 26, 2017 at 11:49 pm
    jason1635
    Participant

      Sorry for wimpy question.  I am having two of these on upper/lower back for "evolving melanoma in situ" and a severe atypia.  Think both are 5 MM margin cuts.  I choose local against surgeon recommendation for general anethesia. He said–this will hurt!

      Any advice for pain/nerves for this procedure under local only. wasnt nervous until he said it would hurt and started thinking about the whole dx and the surgery.  thanks for all the great posts and feedback.  This site has helped me a lot in the last two weeks understand something i didnt know anything about.  THANK YOU

      Jason

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    • Replies
        • July 27, 2017 at 12:42 am
        Janner
        Participant

          Everyone has different pain tolerances.  I've had well over ten WLE and consider them an inconvenience – even returning to work after.  I find them uncomfortable and the stitches annoying but my tape allergies are usually more painful than the actual wound.  I don't tend to do pain meds but will use ice and elevation.  Others find them much more traumatic.  You can make this a big deal or hopefully just an inconvenience.  

            • July 27, 2017 at 1:37 am
            jason1635
            Participant

              Thank you Janner and Anonymous for the replies and advice.   I have read many of your replies on this site Janner, and can only imagine how much positive impact you have had on so many lives through this website.  I know include myself in that group 🙂  I appreciate it very much.  Mine is in the afternoon, so decided to take the rest of the day off, but will drive to and fro, probably gingerly … THANK YOU

              • August 13, 2017 at 3:10 pm
              jason1635
              Participant

                Thanks all for the info and personal stories on WLE.  Mine went fine under local, didn't hurt, just odd feeling.  In retrospect glad I did this way, as got to ask surgeon questions during procedure.  10 days later stitches from both excisions came out and doc said no residual lesion (Yeah!!!)  He said it was healing great.  After stitches the smaller scar on my lower back popped open driving to work and later this week the larger melanoma scar popped open with a large circle.  Has this happened to any of you?  My wife an I put manuka honey and sterile pads for a day and then replied new steri strips.  Not sure if they can close the wounds… Doesnt "feel infected" but definitely a lot of clear drainage with some white (not yellow) exudate.

                My question, will an open wound like this heal.  Doc said could come back and assess, but likely they would just put a=or check steri strips and give anti biotics.  Anybody gone through this and have a timeline that it atkes to heal an oen wound like this?  Really thankful the path came back with no evidence of residedual disease or lesion, so focusing on the positive after a week of seeping through shirts and awkward/pain feelings in the wounds.  Thanks all happy sunday!

              • July 27, 2017 at 1:01 am
              Marksa2570
              Participant

                I've had several too and they are not that bad.    You feel the needle when they numb it then they do their thing.    I think you said it's your back – I've seen a few posts on here about specific care for that area.    Hopefully you have someone to change your bandages for you   

                Just follow the doctors orders, keep it clean and don't overdue it and be very grateful it's out of you early!    You are very fortunate.    Good luck and let us know how it goes.  

                  • July 27, 2017 at 1:34 am
                  Nanners10
                  Participant
                    I had one with local as well and it was fine. It was in an awkward spot on my shoulder so it took a while to heal and still gives me tightness and sometimes pain but the procedure was fine.

                    Nancy

                  • July 27, 2017 at 12:35 pm
                  Jamie1960
                  Participant

                    During the procedure, you may feel tingling / mild stinging sensation well before any actual pain, at which point you simply request more local. Piece of cake.

                    I do think you are wise to take the afternoon off (and have someone else drive you home). With two excision, you will receive a fair amount of local anesthetic and your body will need the time to recover from the procedures / anesthetic.

                      • July 27, 2017 at 7:15 pm
                      jason1635
                      Participant

                        Thank you all, finished the surgeries a few hours ago and they were pretty simple. more awkward and uncomfortable than any real pain.  I just want to thank everybody here for the advice on the dx from my path reports and what to expect from the surgery.  Doc said it was pretyy rare for an upgraded dx on melanoma in situ even with a shave biopsy, so at this point just waiting and hoping for a report back that everything was removed with clear margin.  Not sure what others think but based on some discussion here and my lack of any clearmargins on the shave (he said this was common) he agreed to take a little more than 5MM, more like 7MM.  another sq inch of skin hopefully cheap insurance against reoccurrence or any stray cells.  THANK YOU all the help and support processing a dx that really surprised me (now I know it shouldnt have and need a prev mx plan)  Jason

                      • July 28, 2017 at 12:42 am
                      Ridingaroundwith27Jennifers
                      Participant

                        Hi Jason,

                        I had mine done (this was 11 years ago now) under local because I was 7 months pregnant at the time and was concerned about having general anesthesia and babies health.  Mine was located on my upper back slightly right of the spine.  It was a day procedure so just in and out.  I waited longer to go in than in recovery. I had Tylenol for pain and was OK.  It really wasn't that bad and I'm pretty wimpy.  I was super nervous about being awake during the procedure so they let me bring my disc-man (yep I'm that lame) and listen to music.  You'll be fine.  If I can do it so can you and you probably aren't as lame as I am.  : )

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