SarahS

Hey Natasha,

I don't post here too often anymore (NED 5 years), but I popped on the site today and saw your post.  In terms of pregnancy, here in the US dermatologists and oncologists generally suggest that you wait 2-3 years after your diagnosis before getting pregnant.  I've had 3 primaries. The first was when I was 21, and that was stage 1. At that point, pregnancy wasn't even on my radar. The second was when I was 23, stage 0, thin melanoma. I had just gotten married, but we weren't planning on starting a family yet, so waiting wasn't an issue. The last primary was when I was 25, stage 3a.  We had just decided to start trying when I found out about the diagnosis.  So instead of trying to get pregnant, I was trying to get through treatment, not fun!  I was told to wait 3 years before trying, but we actually waited about 4 years. I'm actually pregnant right now (yay), and doing well.  I'm seeing my dermatologist every 3-4 months, and my oncologist every 6 months. I do worry about the mel coming back, but I try not to think about it, and just try to stay viligant on watching my moles and staying in tune with my body.   I'm not sure if you're ready to get pregnant now, or if you're just curious, but I'd say if your doctor said go ahead and you feel ready, then go for it!  Good luck!

Hey Natasha,

I don't post here too often anymore (NED 5 years), but I popped on the site today and saw your post.  In terms of pregnancy, here in the US dermatologists and oncologists generally suggest that you wait 2-3 years after your diagnosis before getting pregnant.  I've had 3 primaries. The first was when I was 21, and that was stage 1. At that point, pregnancy wasn't even on my radar. The second was when I was 23, stage 0, thin melanoma. I had just gotten married, but we weren't planning on starting a family yet, so waiting wasn't an issue. The last primary was when I was 25, stage 3a.  We had just decided to start trying when I found out about the diagnosis.  So instead of trying to get pregnant, I was trying to get through treatment, not fun!  I was told to wait 3 years before trying, but we actually waited about 4 years. I'm actually pregnant right now (yay), and doing well.  I'm seeing my dermatologist every 3-4 months, and my oncologist every 6 months. I do worry about the mel coming back, but I try not to think about it, and just try to stay viligant on watching my moles and staying in tune with my body.   I'm not sure if you're ready to get pregnant now, or if you're just curious, but I'd say if your doctor said go ahead and you feel ready, then go for it!  Good luck!

Hey Natasha,

I don't post here too often anymore (NED 5 years), but I popped on the site today and saw your post.  In terms of pregnancy, here in the US dermatologists and oncologists generally suggest that you wait 2-3 years after your diagnosis before getting pregnant.  I've had 3 primaries. The first was when I was 21, and that was stage 1. At that point, pregnancy wasn't even on my radar. The second was when I was 23, stage 0, thin melanoma. I had just gotten married, but we weren't planning on starting a family yet, so waiting wasn't an issue. The last primary was when I was 25, stage 3a.  We had just decided to start trying when I found out about the diagnosis.  So instead of trying to get pregnant, I was trying to get through treatment, not fun!  I was told to wait 3 years before trying, but we actually waited about 4 years. I'm actually pregnant right now (yay), and doing well.  I'm seeing my dermatologist every 3-4 months, and my oncologist every 6 months. I do worry about the mel coming back, but I try not to think about it, and just try to stay viligant on watching my moles and staying in tune with my body.   I'm not sure if you're ready to get pregnant now, or if you're just curious, but I'd say if your doctor said go ahead and you feel ready, then go for it!  Good luck!

Hi there,

Not sure how far you're willing to travel, but I see Dr. Doolittle at the KU Cancer Center in Kansas City and he's wonderful!

I moved to the KC area (from Boston) about a year and a half ago, and I was nervous about finding a mel specialist — I couldn't be happier with Dr. Doolittle and the KU Cancer Center. Definitely top rate!

Best of luck!

~Sarah S.

stage 3a, NED almost 5 years

Hi there,

Not sure how far you're willing to travel, but I see Dr. Doolittle at the KU Cancer Center in Kansas City and he's wonderful!

I moved to the KC area (from Boston) about a year and a half ago, and I was nervous about finding a mel specialist — I couldn't be happier with Dr. Doolittle and the KU Cancer Center. Definitely top rate!

Best of luck!

~Sarah S.

stage 3a, NED almost 5 years

Hi there,

Not sure how far you're willing to travel, but I see Dr. Doolittle at the KU Cancer Center in Kansas City and he's wonderful!

I moved to the KC area (from Boston) about a year and a half ago, and I was nervous about finding a mel specialist — I couldn't be happier with Dr. Doolittle and the KU Cancer Center. Definitely top rate!

Best of luck!

~Sarah S.

stage 3a, NED almost 5 years

Hi Jaimy,

I just wanted to wish you luck with interferon and the year ahead. I was also diagnosed with stage3 mel when I was 25 years old – mole on back of right leg, micromets in sentinel node in groin making me 3a. I started interferon in Feb. of 2007, and completed 9 months. It definitely wasn't easy, but I don't regret doing it, not for one second. I really do believe it worked for me. And I'm happy to say I'm almost 5 years cancer-free! 

If you ever need any advice on interferon or anything, don't hesitate to send me an email! Best wishes!

~SarahS

Stage3a, NED almost 5 yrs

Hi Jaimy,

I just wanted to wish you luck with interferon and the year ahead. I was also diagnosed with stage3 mel when I was 25 years old – mole on back of right leg, micromets in sentinel node in groin making me 3a. I started interferon in Feb. of 2007, and completed 9 months. It definitely wasn't easy, but I don't regret doing it, not for one second. I really do believe it worked for me. And I'm happy to say I'm almost 5 years cancer-free! 

If you ever need any advice on interferon or anything, don't hesitate to send me an email! Best wishes!

~SarahS

Stage3a, NED almost 5 yrs

Hi Jaimy,

I just wanted to wish you luck with interferon and the year ahead. I was also diagnosed with stage3 mel when I was 25 years old – mole on back of right leg, micromets in sentinel node in groin making me 3a. I started interferon in Feb. of 2007, and completed 9 months. It definitely wasn't easy, but I don't regret doing it, not for one second. I really do believe it worked for me. And I'm happy to say I'm almost 5 years cancer-free! 

If you ever need any advice on interferon or anything, don't hesitate to send me an email! Best wishes!

~SarahS

Stage3a, NED almost 5 yrs

Lee, sorry you're having to deal with melanoma, it's such an evil monster.  I just wanted to share my story with you quickly. I've been diagnosed with 3 separate primaries – first was in 2003, I was 21 years old, it was on my back, stage 1. The second was on my left arm, thin melanoma, stage 0, that was in 2005. Then in 2006, when I was 25, I was diagnosed with stage 3a melanoma, mole on the back of my leg, micromets in sentinel node in my right groin.  After the final diagnosis, I was pretty devastated, three melanomas in 3 years was too much. I felt pretty hopeless, thought I'd never go more than a few years without another primary or a recurrence. BUT I fought on, I had a complete lymph node dissection at the end of 2006, then I completed 9 months of interferon in 2007.  And today I'm 4 1/2 years NED, soon to be 5 years in March – sometimes I can't believe it! It's been a long road, not a day goes by that I don't think about melanoma, but I've found as time goes on, I'm less worried and scared, and I just try to live life.

I know it's tough right now to imagine the years ahead, years of NED, but it is possible.  There are many people out there with positive stories, and hopefully they'll share them with you here.  Hang in there! This is a good forum for questions, info and support, so you're in the right place.

Sending positive thoughts your way!

~SarahS 

Lee, sorry you're having to deal with melanoma, it's such an evil monster.  I just wanted to share my story with you quickly. I've been diagnosed with 3 separate primaries – first was in 2003, I was 21 years old, it was on my back, stage 1. The second was on my left arm, thin melanoma, stage 0, that was in 2005. Then in 2006, when I was 25, I was diagnosed with stage 3a melanoma, mole on the back of my leg, micromets in sentinel node in my right groin.  After the final diagnosis, I was pretty devastated, three melanomas in 3 years was too much. I felt pretty hopeless, thought I'd never go more than a few years without another primary or a recurrence. BUT I fought on, I had a complete lymph node dissection at the end of 2006, then I completed 9 months of interferon in 2007.  And today I'm 4 1/2 years NED, soon to be 5 years in March – sometimes I can't believe it! It's been a long road, not a day goes by that I don't think about melanoma, but I've found as time goes on, I'm less worried and scared, and I just try to live life.

I know it's tough right now to imagine the years ahead, years of NED, but it is possible.  There are many people out there with positive stories, and hopefully they'll share them with you here.  Hang in there! This is a good forum for questions, info and support, so you're in the right place.

Sending positive thoughts your way!

~SarahS 

Lee, sorry you're having to deal with melanoma, it's such an evil monster.  I just wanted to share my story with you quickly. I've been diagnosed with 3 separate primaries – first was in 2003, I was 21 years old, it was on my back, stage 1. The second was on my left arm, thin melanoma, stage 0, that was in 2005. Then in 2006, when I was 25, I was diagnosed with stage 3a melanoma, mole on the back of my leg, micromets in sentinel node in my right groin.  After the final diagnosis, I was pretty devastated, three melanomas in 3 years was too much. I felt pretty hopeless, thought I'd never go more than a few years without another primary or a recurrence. BUT I fought on, I had a complete lymph node dissection at the end of 2006, then I completed 9 months of interferon in 2007.  And today I'm 4 1/2 years NED, soon to be 5 years in March – sometimes I can't believe it! It's been a long road, not a day goes by that I don't think about melanoma, but I've found as time goes on, I'm less worried and scared, and I just try to live life.

I know it's tough right now to imagine the years ahead, years of NED, but it is possible.  There are many people out there with positive stories, and hopefully they'll share them with you here.  Hang in there! This is a good forum for questions, info and support, so you're in the right place.

Sending positive thoughts your way!

~SarahS