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Wise to Wait?
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Wise to Wait?

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Wise to Wait?

  • Post
    • May 8, 2018 at 5:24 pm
    almostalice
    Participant
      Hey guys, I’m new but not new to the subject. Was diagnosed 2004, two primaries one was Nodular 6mm Stage 2C (T4b to be exact). Another primary found as in-situ SSM but not dysplastic 2011.

      I’m from the UK and moved to USA. This’ll be my first exploration in America for treatment.

      I have watched an atypical progress behind my knee into what I think could be in-situ SSM but it already has the starting apperance of the nodular I have survived at least in part.

      I called up a preffered derm however was given a 3 month wait as a new paitent. This will if positive by my 4th primary and my question really is should I wait the 3 months and take photos as evidence of evolution OR just get into any clinic regardless?

      I’m not at all panicked and am numb to it which could be a bad thing or a good thing to get me through the wait. Any thoughts given the history?

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        • May 9, 2018 at 1:00 am
        Johnjk04
        Participant

          Hi Almostalice – When you made the appointment did you tell receptionist your history with melanoma and also your current situation? With a 6mm modular in your history, I feel you definetly might be seeing the return of the melanoma. With my derm, anytime I have a concern, he told me that he would get me in within one week. So my opinion, call the derm back, explain your situation and if it's still 3 months wait – tell them bye- bye. Get a derm that frigging cares instead of someone driven by the Botox bounty.

            • May 9, 2018 at 1:14 am
            almostalice
            Participant
              Hey thanks for the reply. They had actually moved it up from September to August and I’ll keep calling back for cancelations.

              I would like to be in that clinic long term as it has a good reputation (hence longer wait probbably).

              What I think I should do though with a level head is stick with that appointment but seek removal of the mole from a different clinic. I guess I’m also trying to figure out how to navigate a foriegn health system too, but I do come from a place of looooooong wait times, where my surgeon told me to Google Melanoma.

            • May 9, 2018 at 1:01 am
            Johnjk04
            Participant

              Hi Almostalice – When you made the appointment did you tell receptionist your history with melanoma and also your current situation? With a 6mm nodular in your history, I feel you definetly might be seeing the return of the melanoma. With my derm, anytime I have a concern, he told me that he would get me in within one week. So my opinion, call the derm back, explain your situation and if it's still 3 months wait – tell them bye- bye. Get a derm that frigging cares, instead of someone driven by the Botox bounty.

                • May 9, 2018 at 11:48 am
                Johnjk04
                Participant

                  Hi Almostalice – welcome to the United States of America. This is your life that you have a lot of stake in. If I was in your place I would call every derm until I found one that would take me in a couple of weeks. Tell the receptionists your story. Now is the time to fight for your health and life. Excuse me for getting dramatical but I just wish for you to have a great outcome.

                  • May 9, 2018 at 8:22 pm
                  almostalice
                  Participant
                    Thank you I appreciate the concern and advice.
                    • May 10, 2018 at 12:27 am
                    Mark_DC
                    Participant

                      hi Alice – I am British too, and used to waiting. Here I completely agree with John. I would find a good dermatologist or a melanoma specialist, given your history. I am not sure about removal – you may need the right kind of removal so that it can be properly biopsied.

                      I see my dermatologist every three months and if something weird pops up then i just go without an appointment, and he gives a quick look. He knows this is important for me.

                      i would invest the time finding the right people, check this forum they might have recimmendations of people in your area, and make sure they do the right type of biopsy / removal (others know better), and then make an appointment (i would think you have to wait a week or so)

                      good luck Mark

                    • May 10, 2018 at 11:25 pm
                    ThinkingPositive
                    Participant

                      Hi Almost Alice,

                      Last summer I made my first appointment to have spots on my face looked at; I was given a 3 month wait at a dermatologist; I kept that appointment and also called around to a plastic surgeon who would look at the spots on my face.  i got in in two weeks; she biopsied one which turned out to be stage 2A melanoma and hence the beginning of my melanoma journey; so maybe this strategy might work for you.

                      • August 29, 2018 at 9:01 pm
                      almostalice
                      Participant

                        UPDATE: Coming back to update. The three month wait flew by in no time and life continued as normal. I became a home owner too during the wait! It came back at 0.9mm Breslow (CL 3) after a punch biopsy. Staging T1b and looking very much like a nodular but without ulceration! So yay!

                        Vigilance is the cure, though I had to wait 3 months I feel like waiting to get in at Vanderbilt will in the long run be worth it. We're doing WLE and they've recommended SNLB … which for me is crazy (my 6mm and 1mm never had node biopsy) and shows how much has chnaged in the 14 years I've been on this watchlist.

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