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Terrified and Confused

Forums Cutaneous Melanoma Community Terrified and Confused

  • Post
    Gordknight
    Participant

      Hi everyone.  I am in a really shitty spot right now.  If you read my earlier posts I had a 0.22 stage 1a melanoma removed from my neck back in October.  I had the WLE done in November and had my regular checkup a few weeks ago and everything was said to be healing nicely.  However, even one month after the WLE procedure there was one spot on my scar that looked darker than the rest.  Occaisionally some dead skin would be on that spot that I could easily remove.  

      Last night however another piece was there, I pulled it off and it started bleeding.  The spot which almost seems under the skin and not on top of it is darker, almost like a black mole.  I immediately called my derm and he is seeing me Wednesday morning.  I have also just accepted a job for the summer that I leave for on monday morning after my appointment, but if this is my cancer returning I dont know how keeping this job is going to be possible with all the surgery I am sure I will require.

      I am just confused.  I had clear margins  Is is possible that a melanoma that took 3 years to turn into a 1a to come back and grow to this size this fast?  I am just at a loss and feel completely drained and beaten here.  Any advice or help or experience would be most helpful.  Thank you.

    Viewing 2 reply threads
    • Replies
        kpcollins31
        Participant

          Some advice I can offer is this… do not panic and do not try to read ahead. This spot you refer to may very well be nothing but it is good to get it checked out. Just take one step at a time here. You have a job lined up – look forward to that and plan on being there. Even if it turns out to be something, you can still work. Plenty of us have continued working through surgeries so there is no reason to assume otherwise. I am stage 4 and work full time. Try to stay positive.

          Kevin

           

          kpcollins31
          Participant

            Some advice I can offer is this… do not panic and do not try to read ahead. This spot you refer to may very well be nothing but it is good to get it checked out. Just take one step at a time here. You have a job lined up – look forward to that and plan on being there. Even if it turns out to be something, you can still work. Plenty of us have continued working through surgeries so there is no reason to assume otherwise. I am stage 4 and work full time. Try to stay positive.

            Kevin

             

              Gordknight
              Participant

                Thanks Kevin.  My ray of hope is that the spot was always darker in the scar from the get go.  I doubt some stray cancer cells go do that within a few weeks.  Also the spot almost appears under my skin than on it if that makes any sense.  Still so hard to not worry.  From the second I got my melanoma diagnosis I have been waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak.  I feel like it happened.  My hat off to you and everyone else dealing with a more advanced stage of this awful disease.  

                shookssr
                Participant

                  I had a spot come back from my WLE about three months after. It was black and dead center. Turned out to be internal bleeding from a stitch popping.

                  shookssr
                  Participant

                    I had a spot come back from my WLE about three months after. It was black and dead center. Turned out to be internal bleeding from a stitch popping.

                    shookssr
                    Participant

                      I had a spot come back from my WLE about three months after. It was black and dead center. Turned out to be internal bleeding from a stitch popping.

                      Gordknight
                      Participant

                        Right I thought about stitches but I dont think any stitches were used on my WLE.  Just that surgeons glue.

                        Gordknight
                        Participant

                          Right I thought about stitches but I dont think any stitches were used on my WLE.  Just that surgeons glue.

                          SusanD713
                          Participant

                            Hey!! I recently had a WLE on my 1a tumor. They too used surgical glue on the outside but I believe they used stitches on the inside. It's possible you had stitches as well. Good luck! I'm sure it's prob nothing though!

                            SusanD713
                            Participant

                              Hey!! I recently had a WLE on my 1a tumor. They too used surgical glue on the outside but I believe they used stitches on the inside. It's possible you had stitches as well. Good luck! I'm sure it's prob nothing though!

                              SusanD713
                              Participant

                                Hey!! I recently had a WLE on my 1a tumor. They too used surgical glue on the outside but I believe they used stitches on the inside. It's possible you had stitches as well. Good luck! I'm sure it's prob nothing though!

                                Janner
                                Participant

                                  You most likely had internal stitches.  They remove tissue down to the muscle fascia and simple glue on the skin wouldn't hold that divot together.  Often times, there are two or three layers of stitches depending on size and anatomy.

                                  Janner
                                  Participant

                                    You most likely had internal stitches.  They remove tissue down to the muscle fascia and simple glue on the skin wouldn't hold that divot together.  Often times, there are two or three layers of stitches depending on size and anatomy.

                                    Gordknight
                                    Participant

                                      Oh interesting.  I didnt know.  Would it be normal for a stitch not to be disolved and be causing this 5 1/2 months post op?

                                      Gordknight
                                      Participant

                                        Oh interesting.  I didnt know.  Would it be normal for a stitch not to be disolved and be causing this 5 1/2 months post op?

                                        Gordknight
                                        Participant

                                          Oh interesting.  I didnt know.  Would it be normal for a stitch not to be disolved and be causing this 5 1/2 months post op?

                                          Janner
                                          Participant

                                            Yes, it is actually a topic that comes up regularly and 6 months is probably about average based on my memory.  A stitch may present in different ways as you will see if you search for that topic.

                                            Janner
                                            Participant

                                              Yes, it is actually a topic that comes up regularly and 6 months is probably about average based on my memory.  A stitch may present in different ways as you will see if you search for that topic.

                                              Gordknight
                                              Participant

                                                Thanks Janner and everyone for your replies.  It really helps lessen the stress.  Its just so unerving when the spot is in the exact location on the scar where your melanoma was removed.  I honestly dont know where I would be without this board and the people here.  

                                                Gordknight
                                                Participant

                                                  Thanks Janner and everyone for your replies.  It really helps lessen the stress.  Its just so unerving when the spot is in the exact location on the scar where your melanoma was removed.  I honestly dont know where I would be without this board and the people here.  

                                                  Gordknight
                                                  Participant

                                                    Thanks Janner and everyone for your replies.  It really helps lessen the stress.  Its just so unerving when the spot is in the exact location on the scar where your melanoma was removed.  I honestly dont know where I would be without this board and the people here.  

                                                    Gordknight
                                                    Participant

                                                      One other quick question.  Can a biopsy still be taken from a spot that has a scab on it?  After it bled it obviously scabbed up.  Just hoping that its still something that can be removed and biopsied if need be.

                                                      Gordknight
                                                      Participant

                                                        One other quick question.  Can a biopsy still be taken from a spot that has a scab on it?  After it bled it obviously scabbed up.  Just hoping that its still something that can be removed and biopsied if need be.

                                                        Janner
                                                        Participant

                                                          Your derm will have to determine that.

                                                          Janner
                                                          Participant

                                                            Your derm will have to determine that.

                                                            Gordknight
                                                            Participant

                                                              Update:  Saw my awesome derm today.  He removed the scab and underlying skin to be safe, but he said its most likely a sututure rupturing or an allergic reaction or something to that effect.  He said he would be absolutely blown away if it was a recurrence as there was no pigment visible to the naked eye after he removed it and in the last 15 years he has only had one recurrence in a scar area and it was on a lesion far more advanced than mine.  Feel much better now, and also thank you to everyone for your replies.   

                                                              Gordknight
                                                              Participant

                                                                Update:  Saw my awesome derm today.  He removed the scab and underlying skin to be safe, but he said its most likely a sututure rupturing or an allergic reaction or something to that effect.  He said he would be absolutely blown away if it was a recurrence as there was no pigment visible to the naked eye after he removed it and in the last 15 years he has only had one recurrence in a scar area and it was on a lesion far more advanced than mine.  Feel much better now, and also thank you to everyone for your replies.   

                                                                Gordknight
                                                                Participant

                                                                  Update:  Saw my awesome derm today.  He removed the scab and underlying skin to be safe, but he said its most likely a sututure rupturing or an allergic reaction or something to that effect.  He said he would be absolutely blown away if it was a recurrence as there was no pigment visible to the naked eye after he removed it and in the last 15 years he has only had one recurrence in a scar area and it was on a lesion far more advanced than mine.  Feel much better now, and also thank you to everyone for your replies.   

                                                                  Janner
                                                                  Participant

                                                                    Your derm will have to determine that.

                                                                    Gordknight
                                                                    Participant

                                                                      One other quick question.  Can a biopsy still be taken from a spot that has a scab on it?  After it bled it obviously scabbed up.  Just hoping that its still something that can be removed and biopsied if need be.

                                                                      Janner
                                                                      Participant

                                                                        Yes, it is actually a topic that comes up regularly and 6 months is probably about average based on my memory.  A stitch may present in different ways as you will see if you search for that topic.

                                                                        Janner
                                                                        Participant

                                                                          You most likely had internal stitches.  They remove tissue down to the muscle fascia and simple glue on the skin wouldn't hold that divot together.  Often times, there are two or three layers of stitches depending on size and anatomy.

                                                                          Gordknight
                                                                          Participant

                                                                            Right I thought about stitches but I dont think any stitches were used on my WLE.  Just that surgeons glue.

                                                                            Gordknight
                                                                            Participant

                                                                              Thanks Kevin.  My ray of hope is that the spot was always darker in the scar from the get go.  I doubt some stray cancer cells go do that within a few weeks.  Also the spot almost appears under my skin than on it if that makes any sense.  Still so hard to not worry.  From the second I got my melanoma diagnosis I have been waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak.  I feel like it happened.  My hat off to you and everyone else dealing with a more advanced stage of this awful disease.  

                                                                              Gordknight
                                                                              Participant

                                                                                Thanks Kevin.  My ray of hope is that the spot was always darker in the scar from the get go.  I doubt some stray cancer cells go do that within a few weeks.  Also the spot almost appears under my skin than on it if that makes any sense.  Still so hard to not worry.  From the second I got my melanoma diagnosis I have been waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak.  I feel like it happened.  My hat off to you and everyone else dealing with a more advanced stage of this awful disease.  

                                                                              kpcollins31
                                                                              Participant

                                                                                Some advice I can offer is this… do not panic and do not try to read ahead. This spot you refer to may very well be nothing but it is good to get it checked out. Just take one step at a time here. You have a job lined up – look forward to that and plan on being there. Even if it turns out to be something, you can still work. Plenty of us have continued working through surgeries so there is no reason to assume otherwise. I am stage 4 and work full time. Try to stay positive.

                                                                                Kevin

                                                                                 

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