Sub Q question
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Sub Q question

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Sub Q question

  • Post
    • February 18, 2016 at 8:45 pm
    gregor913
    Participant
    I was just wondering if someone can explain to me what a sub q is. Sometimes when I shave I get bumps underneath my skin but they go away. I would think those are just pimples. How do you know you have a sub q. Will sub q go away on there own if you get them. What do they feel like. Is there a color to them. Greg
Viewing 8 reply threads
  • Replies
      • February 18, 2016 at 10:09 pm
      WithinMySkin
      Participant
      Hey Greg! I had an in transit in-situ (aka sub q) on my leg between the primary lesion and my SLNB site. Mine was small, about the size of a pencil eraser, raised a couple mm, and purplish in color. I know many people have had all kinds of different colorings, from pink to black. I knew mine was melanoma because it didn’t go away after a week, and if it were an ingrown hair, it would have gone away in that amount of time.

      Some people do have bumps from treatment and/or “twitchy” immune system flare-ups. But I’ve only heard of that on the legs. If these are bumps after shaving your face, I would say your skin is most likely being extra sensitive. Try and rest a warm wet towel on your face before shaving to decrease the sensitivity and see if that helps. I have to do that on my leg due to lymphedema.

      Best,

      • February 18, 2016 at 10:09 pm
      WithinMySkin
      Participant
      Hey Greg! I had an in transit in-situ (aka sub q) on my leg between the primary lesion and my SLNB site. Mine was small, about the size of a pencil eraser, raised a couple mm, and purplish in color. I know many people have had all kinds of different colorings, from pink to black. I knew mine was melanoma because it didn’t go away after a week, and if it were an ingrown hair, it would have gone away in that amount of time.

      Some people do have bumps from treatment and/or “twitchy” immune system flare-ups. But I’ve only heard of that on the legs. If these are bumps after shaving your face, I would say your skin is most likely being extra sensitive. Try and rest a warm wet towel on your face before shaving to decrease the sensitivity and see if that helps. I have to do that on my leg due to lymphedema.

      Best,

        • February 19, 2016 at 12:48 am
        gregor913
        Participant
        I read your profile. Was your second melanoma slnb in another spot. Was just wondering why the onc did not do the clnd the first time. And decided to do clnd for recurrance. Just curious that’s all. Cheers Greg
        • February 19, 2016 at 1:29 am
        WithinMySkin
        Participant
        It was my choice to wait on the CLND after a positive node in the SLNB. The German study had just come out saying a CLND may not help overall survival, and I didn’t like both my surgeon and my onc at UF Shands at the time, so I chose to wait while I hunted for a new team. By the time my in-transit popped up, I also had an enlarged lymph node in the scar of my SLNB. So I chose then to undergo the CLND with a new team that I trust at MGH in Boston. All this stemmed from a 2.1 mm primary on my left leg. I’m actually glad I waited because I now have a team I trust so no regrets!

        All the best,

        • February 19, 2016 at 1:29 am
        WithinMySkin
        Participant
        It was my choice to wait on the CLND after a positive node in the SLNB. The German study had just come out saying a CLND may not help overall survival, and I didn’t like both my surgeon and my onc at UF Shands at the time, so I chose to wait while I hunted for a new team. By the time my in-transit popped up, I also had an enlarged lymph node in the scar of my SLNB. So I chose then to undergo the CLND with a new team that I trust at MGH in Boston. All this stemmed from a 2.1 mm primary on my left leg. I’m actually glad I waited because I now have a team I trust so no regrets!

        All the best,

        • February 19, 2016 at 1:29 am
        WithinMySkin
        Participant
        It was my choice to wait on the CLND after a positive node in the SLNB. The German study had just come out saying a CLND may not help overall survival, and I didn’t like both my surgeon and my onc at UF Shands at the time, so I chose to wait while I hunted for a new team. By the time my in-transit popped up, I also had an enlarged lymph node in the scar of my SLNB. So I chose then to undergo the CLND with a new team that I trust at MGH in Boston. All this stemmed from a 2.1 mm primary on my left leg. I’m actually glad I waited because I now have a team I trust so no regrets!

        All the best,

        • February 19, 2016 at 12:48 am
        gregor913
        Participant
        I read your profile. Was your second melanoma slnb in another spot. Was just wondering why the onc did not do the clnd the first time. And decided to do clnd for recurrance. Just curious that’s all. Cheers Greg
        • February 19, 2016 at 12:48 am
        gregor913
        Participant
        I read your profile. Was your second melanoma slnb in another spot. Was just wondering why the onc did not do the clnd the first time. And decided to do clnd for recurrance. Just curious that’s all. Cheers Greg
      • February 18, 2016 at 10:09 pm
      WithinMySkin
      Participant
      Hey Greg! I had an in transit in-situ (aka sub q) on my leg between the primary lesion and my SLNB site. Mine was small, about the size of a pencil eraser, raised a couple mm, and purplish in color. I know many people have had all kinds of different colorings, from pink to black. I knew mine was melanoma because it didn’t go away after a week, and if it were an ingrown hair, it would have gone away in that amount of time.

      Some people do have bumps from treatment and/or “twitchy” immune system flare-ups. But I’ve only heard of that on the legs. If these are bumps after shaving your face, I would say your skin is most likely being extra sensitive. Try and rest a warm wet towel on your face before shaving to decrease the sensitivity and see if that helps. I have to do that on my leg due to lymphedema.

      Best,

      • February 18, 2016 at 10:11 pm
      jamieth29
      Participant
      Greg i have heard people talk of them as hard or soft round pea like…off of treatment they definitely don’t go away on there own. But on treatment who knows. Melanoma can present in so many different ways… color no color etc. If its something that caught your attention have it checked. Most people catch their own reaccurance not the doctors.
      • February 18, 2016 at 10:11 pm
      jamieth29
      Participant
      Greg i have heard people talk of them as hard or soft round pea like…off of treatment they definitely don’t go away on there own. But on treatment who knows. Melanoma can present in so many different ways… color no color etc. If its something that caught your attention have it checked. Most people catch their own reaccurance not the doctors.
        • February 18, 2016 at 10:16 pm
        gregor913
        Participant
        My derm said it was a pimple under my skin. I want to know because my wife does do skin checks on me by my slnb and wide excision. Cheers Greg
        • February 18, 2016 at 10:16 pm
        gregor913
        Participant
        My derm said it was a pimple under my skin. I want to know because my wife does do skin checks on me by my slnb and wide excision. Cheers Greg
        • February 18, 2016 at 10:18 pm
        gregor913
        Participant
        As far as melanoma in the lymph. Does that go away if it gets enlarged or does it just keep getting bigger until treatment is done. Sorry for the double post greg
        • February 18, 2016 at 10:18 pm
        gregor913
        Participant
        As far as melanoma in the lymph. Does that go away if it gets enlarged or does it just keep getting bigger until treatment is done. Sorry for the double post greg
        • February 18, 2016 at 11:12 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        Any type of cancer rarely just "goes away".  Most likely, things continue to grow.  You are looking for something new, different, enlarged, painful, or just something that your "gut" thinks isn't ok.  You know what things are like now, look for something new and different.  There is no one who can give you an accurate description of what YOU might experience if you had a recurrence as things present differently on everyone.  You are just looking for something out of place or different FOR YOU.

        • February 18, 2016 at 11:12 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        Any type of cancer rarely just "goes away".  Most likely, things continue to grow.  You are looking for something new, different, enlarged, painful, or just something that your "gut" thinks isn't ok.  You know what things are like now, look for something new and different.  There is no one who can give you an accurate description of what YOU might experience if you had a recurrence as things present differently on everyone.  You are just looking for something out of place or different FOR YOU.

        • February 18, 2016 at 11:12 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        Any type of cancer rarely just "goes away".  Most likely, things continue to grow.  You are looking for something new, different, enlarged, painful, or just something that your "gut" thinks isn't ok.  You know what things are like now, look for something new and different.  There is no one who can give you an accurate description of what YOU might experience if you had a recurrence as things present differently on everyone.  You are just looking for something out of place or different FOR YOU.

        • February 18, 2016 at 10:18 pm
        gregor913
        Participant
        As far as melanoma in the lymph. Does that go away if it gets enlarged or does it just keep getting bigger until treatment is done. Sorry for the double post greg
        • February 18, 2016 at 10:16 pm
        gregor913
        Participant
        My derm said it was a pimple under my skin. I want to know because my wife does do skin checks on me by my slnb and wide excision. Cheers Greg
      • February 18, 2016 at 10:11 pm
      jamieth29
      Participant
      Greg i have heard people talk of them as hard or soft round pea like…off of treatment they definitely don’t go away on there own. But on treatment who knows. Melanoma can present in so many different ways… color no color etc. If its something that caught your attention have it checked. Most people catch their own reaccurance not the doctors.
      • February 19, 2016 at 12:52 am
      gregor913
      Participant
      Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate it. Since I’m a melanoma newbie. Cheers greg
      • February 19, 2016 at 12:52 am
      gregor913
      Participant
      Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate it. Since I’m a melanoma newbie. Cheers greg
      • February 19, 2016 at 12:52 am
      gregor913
      Participant
      Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate it. Since I’m a melanoma newbie. Cheers greg
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