In situ melanoma

All the best,

All the best,

All the best,

My coworker just went through a bout of this, in office she had the mole completely excised (I think they did slide after slide until there were no more abnormal cells found) I am stage 3B myself so naturally my heart dropped when she told me and I questioned everything the doctor had her scheduled for and not scheduled for. If you mole or primary site is not deep enough in the layers of the skin there isn't any chance of it going to your Lymph nodes. It was hard for me to trust this doctor, even though he has treated me and the clinics we work in are in the same building. I always say if you need a second opinion, what's the biggest thing that can happen?? You feel more at ease and they will explain everything once more and if it helps you understand more then why not? I have had a second opinion done myself and stayed with the second doctor I met with. I really believe that different doctors explain things differently: and truly the hardest thing to do is TRUST that they are doing everything in your best interest.  Trust your gut. She was instructed to take this diagnosis seriously (she is an avid tanner) to start wearing sunscreen and to be vigilant about any new moles or changes to your current moles. I am glad to see you're on here advocating for yourself and educating yourself. Good luck to you! 

My coworker just went through a bout of this, in office she had the mole completely excised (I think they did slide after slide until there were no more abnormal cells found) I am stage 3B myself so naturally my heart dropped when she told me and I questioned everything the doctor had her scheduled for and not scheduled for. If you mole or primary site is not deep enough in the layers of the skin there isn't any chance of it going to your Lymph nodes. It was hard for me to trust this doctor, even though he has treated me and the clinics we work in are in the same building. I always say if you need a second opinion, what's the biggest thing that can happen?? You feel more at ease and they will explain everything once more and if it helps you understand more then why not? I have had a second opinion done myself and stayed with the second doctor I met with. I really believe that different doctors explain things differently: and truly the hardest thing to do is TRUST that they are doing everything in your best interest.  Trust your gut. She was instructed to take this diagnosis seriously (she is an avid tanner) to start wearing sunscreen and to be vigilant about any new moles or changes to your current moles. I am glad to see you're on here advocating for yourself and educating yourself. Good luck to you! 

My coworker just went through a bout of this, in office she had the mole completely excised (I think they did slide after slide until there were no more abnormal cells found) I am stage 3B myself so naturally my heart dropped when she told me and I questioned everything the doctor had her scheduled for and not scheduled for. If you mole or primary site is not deep enough in the layers of the skin there isn't any chance of it going to your Lymph nodes. It was hard for me to trust this doctor, even though he has treated me and the clinics we work in are in the same building. I always say if you need a second opinion, what's the biggest thing that can happen?? You feel more at ease and they will explain everything once more and if it helps you understand more then why not? I have had a second opinion done myself and stayed with the second doctor I met with. I really believe that different doctors explain things differently: and truly the hardest thing to do is TRUST that they are doing everything in your best interest.  Trust your gut. She was instructed to take this diagnosis seriously (she is an avid tanner) to start wearing sunscreen and to be vigilant about any new moles or changes to your current moles. I am glad to see you're on here advocating for yourself and educating yourself. Good luck to you! 

I was diagnosed with MIS in February 2015.  I had a mole on the side of my left calf that looked like it didn't belong there, it stood out and none of my other moles looked liked it.  I went to the doctor for that one, and another on my shoulder, and asked for them to be removed.  My dermatologist was hesitant to remove it as it "wasn't impressive" and he advised me it would leave a scar.  I told him that I wasn't comfortable watching it, that I didn't care if Ihad a scar and yes, please take it off. He did.   I'm glad I advocated for myself, as I got the surprise diagnosis of my life.  I chose to go to the Melanoma Clinic at UM Hospitals in Ann Arbor.  I had a full body examination, and a rescreen of my pathology slides to confirm findings from the first pathologist (both pathologists were dermatopathologists).  I had a WLE about 2 months after the original MIS was diagnosed.  Clear margins.  it has healed very well to the point my scar looks like a scratch now.  Since then, I have been vigilant about my sun exposure, wearing suncreen and going to my appointments.  Because of my initial anxiety, I went to the UM clinic every three months following my surgery, for the next six months for full body exams (and there, you get two every time becasue they have residents).  Every 6 months since thereafter. They said I can now go every year, but I am choosing to stay on the 6 month plan for now. I keep a good eye on skin changes every month and palpate lymph nodes near my original melanoma site.  I informed my opthalmologist and gynecologist of my diagnosis just to be on the safe side.  Now I am trying to get on with my life and not worry so much about my diagnosis – this is getting better as time goes by, but it is taking time.

I was diagnosed with MIS in February 2015.  I had a mole on the side of my left calf that looked like it didn't belong there, it stood out and none of my other moles looked liked it.  I went to the doctor for that one, and another on my shoulder, and asked for them to be removed.  My dermatologist was hesitant to remove it as it "wasn't impressive" and he advised me it would leave a scar.  I told him that I wasn't comfortable watching it, that I didn't care if Ihad a scar and yes, please take it off. He did.   I'm glad I advocated for myself, as I got the surprise diagnosis of my life.  I chose to go to the Melanoma Clinic at UM Hospitals in Ann Arbor.  I had a full body examination, and a rescreen of my pathology slides to confirm findings from the first pathologist (both pathologists were dermatopathologists).  I had a WLE about 2 months after the original MIS was diagnosed.  Clear margins.  it has healed very well to the point my scar looks like a scratch now.  Since then, I have been vigilant about my sun exposure, wearing suncreen and going to my appointments.  Because of my initial anxiety, I went to the UM clinic every three months following my surgery, for the next six months for full body exams (and there, you get two every time becasue they have residents).  Every 6 months since thereafter. They said I can now go every year, but I am choosing to stay on the 6 month plan for now. I keep a good eye on skin changes every month and palpate lymph nodes near my original melanoma site.  I informed my opthalmologist and gynecologist of my diagnosis just to be on the safe side.  Now I am trying to get on with my life and not worry so much about my diagnosis – this is getting better as time goes by, but it is taking time.

I was diagnosed with MIS in February 2015.  I had a mole on the side of my left calf that looked like it didn't belong there, it stood out and none of my other moles looked liked it.  I went to the doctor for that one, and another on my shoulder, and asked for them to be removed.  My dermatologist was hesitant to remove it as it "wasn't impressive" and he advised me it would leave a scar.  I told him that I wasn't comfortable watching it, that I didn't care if Ihad a scar and yes, please take it off. He did.   I'm glad I advocated for myself, as I got the surprise diagnosis of my life.  I chose to go to the Melanoma Clinic at UM Hospitals in Ann Arbor.  I had a full body examination, and a rescreen of my pathology slides to confirm findings from the first pathologist (both pathologists were dermatopathologists).  I had a WLE about 2 months after the original MIS was diagnosed.  Clear margins.  it has healed very well to the point my scar looks like a scratch now.  Since then, I have been vigilant about my sun exposure, wearing suncreen and going to my appointments.  Because of my initial anxiety, I went to the UM clinic every three months following my surgery, for the next six months for full body exams (and there, you get two every time becasue they have residents).  Every 6 months since thereafter. They said I can now go every year, but I am choosing to stay on the 6 month plan for now. I keep a good eye on skin changes every month and palpate lymph nodes near my original melanoma site.  I informed my opthalmologist and gynecologist of my diagnosis just to be on the safe side.  Now I am trying to get on with my life and not worry so much about my diagnosis – this is getting better as time goes by, but it is taking time.

Hi – here's my story with melanoma in situ:

Three years ago, I noticed a newish mole above my right elbow and was concerened about its size (around the size of a pencil eraser). When I saw the PA at my dermatology office, I pointed out the mole and she initially didn't state that we should biopsy it. She basically left it up to me since it was "borderline" in size. I fervently asked her to biopsy it and it turned out to be Stage 0 melanoma in situ. Needless to say, I no longer see this PA. The dermatologist performed the surgery and my margins were clear.

Just this past week, I saw my dermatologist for my 6 month skin check and directed her to an asymmetrical mole on my arm, just above where my original melanoma was. She biopsied it and it was on the spectrum between benign and melanoma in situ. Just had my second surgery this week. My point is that we need to be vigilant about our own health as patients and carefully examine our bodies regularly and definitely get skin checks frequently. 

It is definitely stressful living as a melanoma survivor since we never know if we'll get another melanoma and there's a decent chance we will. So thankful I found this forum.

Hi – here's my story with melanoma in situ:

Three years ago, I noticed a newish mole above my right elbow and was concerened about its size (around the size of a pencil eraser). When I saw the PA at my dermatology office, I pointed out the mole and she initially didn't state that we should biopsy it. She basically left it up to me since it was "borderline" in size. I fervently asked her to biopsy it and it turned out to be Stage 0 melanoma in situ. Needless to say, I no longer see this PA. The dermatologist performed the surgery and my margins were clear.

Just this past week, I saw my dermatologist for my 6 month skin check and directed her to an asymmetrical mole on my arm, just above where my original melanoma was. She biopsied it and it was on the spectrum between benign and melanoma in situ. Just had my second surgery this week. My point is that we need to be vigilant about our own health as patients and carefully examine our bodies regularly and definitely get skin checks frequently. 

It is definitely stressful living as a melanoma survivor since we never know if we'll get another melanoma and there's a decent chance we will. So thankful I found this forum.

Hi – here's my story with melanoma in situ:

Three years ago, I noticed a newish mole above my right elbow and was concerened about its size (around the size of a pencil eraser). When I saw the PA at my dermatology office, I pointed out the mole and she initially didn't state that we should biopsy it. She basically left it up to me since it was "borderline" in size. I fervently asked her to biopsy it and it turned out to be Stage 0 melanoma in situ. Needless to say, I no longer see this PA. The dermatologist performed the surgery and my margins were clear.

Just this past week, I saw my dermatologist for my 6 month skin check and directed her to an asymmetrical mole on my arm, just above where my original melanoma was. She biopsied it and it was on the spectrum between benign and melanoma in situ. Just had my second surgery this week. My point is that we need to be vigilant about our own health as patients and carefully examine our bodies regularly and definitely get skin checks frequently. 

It is definitely stressful living as a melanoma survivor since we never know if we'll get another melanoma and there's a decent chance we will. So thankful I found this forum.