› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Having some issues
- This topic has 21 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 6 months ago by
POW.
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- October 16, 2013 at 2:15 pm
History:
Thin lesion on ear helix, finally removed after biopsy, excision, wide excision with skin graft, and finally wide excision removing a good chunk of ear but now have clear margins..
Lesion was thin, so they never questioned the possibility of spread, in fact I never even got a thickness until AFTER the FULL excision, when most of it was gone anyway.. At THAT time, depth was .8mm.. (wonder what original thickness was? who knows..)
***In back of mind, although thin, is there a possibility of surgical enduced spread?
Lately, have been having SEVERE symptoms. Daily headaches, severe fatigue, immense pressure in head like I could cry blood or bleed out my ear holes, loss of coordination at times (falling while walking UP stairs, running into things) And silly little things like putting sugar in the coffee basket instead of grounds, and if I drop something, seems I re-drop it again 3 or 4 times before I can even stand back up all the way from picking it up the FIRST time!
Today is the worst by far… Woke up with a MASSIVE headache, extreme fatigue, was wondering if I was going to make it to work driving! I saw my primary doc on the 9th of this month, presented him with these symptoms, and he sent me with a script for an anti depressant to treat tension-type headache. I understand where he's coming from, and wants to rule out any other possibility before we get into imaging, but it's been over half a year since these headaches started, and they are getting MUCH worse, and now accompanied by other things..
I have not taken the meds yet. (amatryptaline) Got them filled, but am debating because 1) I dont like taking pills, especially anything more than ibuprophin, which wont even cure the pain, it somewhat lessens it. 2) I dont believe this pain is from tension type headache, I really dont want to think it's from the melanoma, especially where it was thin and borderline in nature, but I cant help but shake this feeling that SOMETHING is going on in my brain, melanoma or not. 3) If I were to have tension headaches (or depression) They would have surfaced LONG before now, I consider myself to be a VERY strong individual and can handle any stressors or angst in my life. (though there is actually none at this moment-besides this pain!)
I will be calling him today (oh and Ive never seen a mel specialist through any of this, have been treated by primary physician for biopsy, ear nose and throat doc for full excision, and plastic doc for wide excisions and graft.) But rather than waiting for november to follow up, I want imaging done NOW, and I want bloodwork done, because when something takes away your ability to function normally, it needs to be diagnosed, and remedied ASAP…
Am I wrong to worry this much? Has anyone else had these symptoms and it end up being something wrong in your cranium?
Thank you :'(
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- October 16, 2013 at 4:26 pm
I would most certainly find myself a melanoma specialist and get seen ASAP. Your symptoms deserve more of a check than what you have gotten from your primary MD.-
- October 16, 2013 at 5:42 pm
Thank you for your reply. I just spoke to my primary about an hour ago, and he is making an appointment for a CT scan (which I had to insist upon).. So that's a good place to start.
He seemed very put-out, because I wasn't taking the meds he gave me, because i wanted to rule out anything REAL sinister before we start toying around with pills and month-out follow ups… in fact he was VERY rude "well, ms. ***, I need a decision, what do you want to do?"….. so I ask about alternative causes/solutions (since we didnt check my ears and such, could be something as simple as a massive ear infection, and what do I get for a response? "Well you can come down and I'll check your ears, or you can take the advice I left you with last time you were at the office"……. wow.
So if the CT scan doesn't come back clean and/or my problems persist, I will be seeking medical services elsewhere… :'(
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- October 16, 2013 at 11:46 pm
This is just a general response and not melanoma-specific. If I had a doctor that had treated me with such disdain I would not be darkening his/her door again! Seriously, I look for a doctor that is a partner in my health care, not a dictator. (I've had cancer and also have another "benign" brain disorder leading to tumors that have to be removed … so I've seen plenty of doctors in my day.) Also, your symptoms really merited much more testing than he provided. It is very likely that this is nothing related to your melanoma, but they still merit a work-up!
Don't be worried and alarmed, but find someone who will take you seriously!
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- October 16, 2013 at 11:46 pm
This is just a general response and not melanoma-specific. If I had a doctor that had treated me with such disdain I would not be darkening his/her door again! Seriously, I look for a doctor that is a partner in my health care, not a dictator. (I've had cancer and also have another "benign" brain disorder leading to tumors that have to be removed … so I've seen plenty of doctors in my day.) Also, your symptoms really merited much more testing than he provided. It is very likely that this is nothing related to your melanoma, but they still merit a work-up!
Don't be worried and alarmed, but find someone who will take you seriously!
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- October 16, 2013 at 11:46 pm
This is just a general response and not melanoma-specific. If I had a doctor that had treated me with such disdain I would not be darkening his/her door again! Seriously, I look for a doctor that is a partner in my health care, not a dictator. (I've had cancer and also have another "benign" brain disorder leading to tumors that have to be removed … so I've seen plenty of doctors in my day.) Also, your symptoms really merited much more testing than he provided. It is very likely that this is nothing related to your melanoma, but they still merit a work-up!
Don't be worried and alarmed, but find someone who will take you seriously!
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- October 16, 2013 at 5:42 pm
Thank you for your reply. I just spoke to my primary about an hour ago, and he is making an appointment for a CT scan (which I had to insist upon).. So that's a good place to start.
He seemed very put-out, because I wasn't taking the meds he gave me, because i wanted to rule out anything REAL sinister before we start toying around with pills and month-out follow ups… in fact he was VERY rude "well, ms. ***, I need a decision, what do you want to do?"….. so I ask about alternative causes/solutions (since we didnt check my ears and such, could be something as simple as a massive ear infection, and what do I get for a response? "Well you can come down and I'll check your ears, or you can take the advice I left you with last time you were at the office"……. wow.
So if the CT scan doesn't come back clean and/or my problems persist, I will be seeking medical services elsewhere… :'(
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- October 16, 2013 at 5:42 pm
Thank you for your reply. I just spoke to my primary about an hour ago, and he is making an appointment for a CT scan (which I had to insist upon).. So that's a good place to start.
He seemed very put-out, because I wasn't taking the meds he gave me, because i wanted to rule out anything REAL sinister before we start toying around with pills and month-out follow ups… in fact he was VERY rude "well, ms. ***, I need a decision, what do you want to do?"….. so I ask about alternative causes/solutions (since we didnt check my ears and such, could be something as simple as a massive ear infection, and what do I get for a response? "Well you can come down and I'll check your ears, or you can take the advice I left you with last time you were at the office"……. wow.
So if the CT scan doesn't come back clean and/or my problems persist, I will be seeking medical services elsewhere… :'(
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- October 16, 2013 at 5:36 pm
I believe if you go to ER with severe headache they would do CT or MRI right away. Maybe this at least will give you a piece of mind until you see a specialist/negotiate with your PCP.
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- October 16, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Thank you, if I have another day like today before my CT scan appointment, I just may do that…
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- October 16, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Thank you, if I have another day like today before my CT scan appointment, I just may do that…
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- October 16, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Thank you, if I have another day like today before my CT scan appointment, I just may do that…
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- October 18, 2013 at 12:49 am
CT scans are rarely used to look for brain tumors; MRIs, especially with and without contrast dyes, are what most doctors use when looking for brain tumors. Your symptoms are not trivial. They may have nothing to do with melanoma, but whatever is causing them is something that should be investigated thoroughly and quickly. I agree with the other posters that you really should get yourself to a melanoma specialty center as soon as possible.
I also agree that the fastest way to get a brain MRI is to go to an emergency room. The good ones have their own MRI and CT machines (seperate and distinct from the radiology department's machines) which are not heavily booked in advance. And if they do find something of concern, they will admit you to the hospital immediately and get an attending radiation oncologist to see you that same day. My brother's oncologist always told us that when he developed neurological symptons (which he did 2 or 3 times) he should go through the ER because imaging and admission (if necessary) were much quicker.
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- October 18, 2013 at 12:49 am
CT scans are rarely used to look for brain tumors; MRIs, especially with and without contrast dyes, are what most doctors use when looking for brain tumors. Your symptoms are not trivial. They may have nothing to do with melanoma, but whatever is causing them is something that should be investigated thoroughly and quickly. I agree with the other posters that you really should get yourself to a melanoma specialty center as soon as possible.
I also agree that the fastest way to get a brain MRI is to go to an emergency room. The good ones have their own MRI and CT machines (seperate and distinct from the radiology department's machines) which are not heavily booked in advance. And if they do find something of concern, they will admit you to the hospital immediately and get an attending radiation oncologist to see you that same day. My brother's oncologist always told us that when he developed neurological symptons (which he did 2 or 3 times) he should go through the ER because imaging and admission (if necessary) were much quicker.
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- October 18, 2013 at 12:49 am
CT scans are rarely used to look for brain tumors; MRIs, especially with and without contrast dyes, are what most doctors use when looking for brain tumors. Your symptoms are not trivial. They may have nothing to do with melanoma, but whatever is causing them is something that should be investigated thoroughly and quickly. I agree with the other posters that you really should get yourself to a melanoma specialty center as soon as possible.
I also agree that the fastest way to get a brain MRI is to go to an emergency room. The good ones have their own MRI and CT machines (seperate and distinct from the radiology department's machines) which are not heavily booked in advance. And if they do find something of concern, they will admit you to the hospital immediately and get an attending radiation oncologist to see you that same day. My brother's oncologist always told us that when he developed neurological symptons (which he did 2 or 3 times) he should go through the ER because imaging and admission (if necessary) were much quicker.
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