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Newly diagnosed

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  • Post
    • June 6, 2015 at 3:15 am
    Renaehunter
    Participant

      Hello,

      i was just diagnosed with melanoma a few days ago. Had a mole that I thought looked different and went to a dermatologist. He told me it didn't look like anything but that he would remove it so that I could be rest assured. Got a call 5 days later telling me it was melanoma. I am devastated. My husband and I had plans to start trying for a second baby this summer (have a healthy 1.5 year old). I have no idea what stage I am. I have to go for MOHS surgery on the 19th of June. I'm really hoping I caught it early but I keep wondering how long it's actually been there as cancer. And I keep reading about future pregnancy causing even stage 1 melanomas to metastasize during prenancy with moms ending up with stage 4 shortly after delivery. As if a cancer diagnosis wasn't enough, now I may not be able to have more children. If anyone has any experience dealing with this or any information on the surgery I would greatly appreciate it. I'm still in shock and don't want to think of all of this:(

    Viewing 2 reply threads
    • Replies
        • June 6, 2015 at 4:12 am
        casagrayson
        Participant

          First, don't be devastated!  Don't worry until you know you have something to worry about.  Hopefully you've caught this very early, the Mohs surgery will take care of it, and you can go on with your life with the melanoma beind you.  

          Without knowing what your biopsy pathology report says, it is difficult to say what all will need to be done.  Do you have any information on depth, rate of mitosis, ulceration?  Did the doctor say it was "in situ" or stage?  How about Breslow depth?  

          We can offer you more infomation if we know more about the lesion.  In the meantime, take a deep breath and realize that most people get early stage melanomas taken care of and never have to worry about that awful word again!  

            • June 6, 2015 at 4:14 am
            casagrayson
            Participant

              And one more thing — stay off the internet!!!  Most of the things you will read are outdated as new therapies are coming at a rapid rate.  Statistics that you will find are no longer valid.  At this point reading is just putting you through unnecessary anxiety.

              • June 19, 2015 at 5:18 pm
              Renaehunter
              Participant

                Thanks Susan! 

                I just went in for my MOHS and all they needed to do was a wide excision. I believe it's stage 1a (Clarks II, .18 Breslow, mitosis 0, no ulceration).

                so it was really good news. He said I didn't need to worry about recurrence in future pregnancy. Have to have a follow up in 4 months so he said if everything was normal, to go ahead. However, I've been reading old posts on this forum with people reporting having a very similar diagnosis and then ending up with recurrence at higher stages after the pregnancy so not sure what to think.

                 

                 

                • June 21, 2015 at 2:14 pm
                casagrayson
                Participant

                  Remember that the folks on this forum are the ones who were the exceptions to the rule, in many cases. What you won't find on this forum are the ones who had a Stage 1 removed and went on to never have to think about melanoma again.  Celebrate your good news and go on with your life.  Practice good sun habits, be vigilant to watch for changes in the moles you have, and live an otherwise healthy lifestyle, and try to put the word "melanoma" on the shelf.

                  Hugs to you!

                  • June 21, 2015 at 2:14 pm
                  casagrayson
                  Participant

                    Remember that the folks on this forum are the ones who were the exceptions to the rule, in many cases. What you won't find on this forum are the ones who had a Stage 1 removed and went on to never have to think about melanoma again.  Celebrate your good news and go on with your life.  Practice good sun habits, be vigilant to watch for changes in the moles you have, and live an otherwise healthy lifestyle, and try to put the word "melanoma" on the shelf.

                    Hugs to you!

                    • June 21, 2015 at 2:14 pm
                    casagrayson
                    Participant

                      Remember that the folks on this forum are the ones who were the exceptions to the rule, in many cases. What you won't find on this forum are the ones who had a Stage 1 removed and went on to never have to think about melanoma again.  Celebrate your good news and go on with your life.  Practice good sun habits, be vigilant to watch for changes in the moles you have, and live an otherwise healthy lifestyle, and try to put the word "melanoma" on the shelf.

                      Hugs to you!

                      • June 25, 2015 at 11:35 pm
                      natasha
                      Participant

                        it is massive correlation betweeen pregnancy and melanoma ,some doctors STILL deny that , but some agree. I had nearly the same diagnosys ,melanoma occured during IVF tretament ,which involves ''pregnancy horomones'' injections. IVF felt. I spoke to a lot of doctors in different countries- some of them said – go ahead with another pregnancy , but some said – if you want to be alive – never get pregnant. My dessision – I am 34 ,don't have children and I will never have children . If I had one melanoma during pregnancy , it is huge risk to have another melanoma during another pregnancy.  A lot of melanoma cases happens to pregnant women , I think it is unresposible for doctors still deny that.

                        • June 25, 2015 at 11:35 pm
                        natasha
                        Participant

                          it is massive correlation betweeen pregnancy and melanoma ,some doctors STILL deny that , but some agree. I had nearly the same diagnosys ,melanoma occured during IVF tretament ,which involves ''pregnancy horomones'' injections. IVF felt. I spoke to a lot of doctors in different countries- some of them said – go ahead with another pregnancy , but some said – if you want to be alive – never get pregnant. My dessision – I am 34 ,don't have children and I will never have children . If I had one melanoma during pregnancy , it is huge risk to have another melanoma during another pregnancy.  A lot of melanoma cases happens to pregnant women , I think it is unresposible for doctors still deny that.

                          • June 25, 2015 at 11:35 pm
                          natasha
                          Participant

                            it is massive correlation betweeen pregnancy and melanoma ,some doctors STILL deny that , but some agree. I had nearly the same diagnosys ,melanoma occured during IVF tretament ,which involves ''pregnancy horomones'' injections. IVF felt. I spoke to a lot of doctors in different countries- some of them said – go ahead with another pregnancy , but some said – if you want to be alive – never get pregnant. My dessision – I am 34 ,don't have children and I will never have children . If I had one melanoma during pregnancy , it is huge risk to have another melanoma during another pregnancy.  A lot of melanoma cases happens to pregnant women , I think it is unresposible for doctors still deny that.

                            • June 19, 2015 at 5:18 pm
                            Renaehunter
                            Participant

                              Thanks Susan! 

                              I just went in for my MOHS and all they needed to do was a wide excision. I believe it's stage 1a (Clarks II, .18 Breslow, mitosis 0, no ulceration).

                              so it was really good news. He said I didn't need to worry about recurrence in future pregnancy. Have to have a follow up in 4 months so he said if everything was normal, to go ahead. However, I've been reading old posts on this forum with people reporting having a very similar diagnosis and then ending up with recurrence at higher stages after the pregnancy so not sure what to think.

                               

                               

                              • June 19, 2015 at 5:18 pm
                              Renaehunter
                              Participant

                                Thanks Susan! 

                                I just went in for my MOHS and all they needed to do was a wide excision. I believe it's stage 1a (Clarks II, .18 Breslow, mitosis 0, no ulceration).

                                so it was really good news. He said I didn't need to worry about recurrence in future pregnancy. Have to have a follow up in 4 months so he said if everything was normal, to go ahead. However, I've been reading old posts on this forum with people reporting having a very similar diagnosis and then ending up with recurrence at higher stages after the pregnancy so not sure what to think.

                                 

                                 

                                • June 6, 2015 at 4:14 am
                                casagrayson
                                Participant

                                  And one more thing — stay off the internet!!!  Most of the things you will read are outdated as new therapies are coming at a rapid rate.  Statistics that you will find are no longer valid.  At this point reading is just putting you through unnecessary anxiety.

                                  • June 6, 2015 at 4:14 am
                                  casagrayson
                                  Participant

                                    And one more thing — stay off the internet!!!  Most of the things you will read are outdated as new therapies are coming at a rapid rate.  Statistics that you will find are no longer valid.  At this point reading is just putting you through unnecessary anxiety.

                                  • June 6, 2015 at 4:12 am
                                  casagrayson
                                  Participant

                                    First, don't be devastated!  Don't worry until you know you have something to worry about.  Hopefully you've caught this very early, the Mohs surgery will take care of it, and you can go on with your life with the melanoma beind you.  

                                    Without knowing what your biopsy pathology report says, it is difficult to say what all will need to be done.  Do you have any information on depth, rate of mitosis, ulceration?  Did the doctor say it was "in situ" or stage?  How about Breslow depth?  

                                    We can offer you more infomation if we know more about the lesion.  In the meantime, take a deep breath and realize that most people get early stage melanomas taken care of and never have to worry about that awful word again!  

                                    • June 6, 2015 at 4:12 am
                                    casagrayson
                                    Participant

                                      First, don't be devastated!  Don't worry until you know you have something to worry about.  Hopefully you've caught this very early, the Mohs surgery will take care of it, and you can go on with your life with the melanoma beind you.  

                                      Without knowing what your biopsy pathology report says, it is difficult to say what all will need to be done.  Do you have any information on depth, rate of mitosis, ulceration?  Did the doctor say it was "in situ" or stage?  How about Breslow depth?  

                                      We can offer you more infomation if we know more about the lesion.  In the meantime, take a deep breath and realize that most people get early stage melanomas taken care of and never have to worry about that awful word again!  

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