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Melanoma

CazzzzF
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Hi. I was diagnosed with Melanoma Stage 4 in May last year. I have only just found the strength to join this site as I have avoided looking on line about my diagnosis. It's taken me a year to feel that now is the time to start looking into things. Due to COVID all appointments are done over the phone including receiving my initial results from a mole being removed. This was a complete bolt out of the blue and I still can't get the conversation out of my head. The nurses at the hospital are excellent and have said if I need to ask any questions they are available. I just find it very difficult over the phone. The last 12 months have gone in a blur and although I have a very close family I thought it would be nice to get in touch with people who are going through or have gone through the same

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    Hi Cazz,

    It's good that you now feel able to talk to others about your diagnosis and learn more about it. You say that your appointments are telephone ones. Are you receiving any treatment?

    Angie (melanoma patient)

  • Offline in reply to AngieT

    Hi Angie

    many thanks for replying. It's very much appreciated. 
    yes I started on target therapy in September last year. I go to my local hospital every 4 weeks and have my bloods, weight, BP taken and then later that day I have a telephone appointment to check how I am and whether I have had any issues with my meds. They then issue my next 4 week prescription. 
    From the start in April last year I have had 2 on site appointments (both with my consultant). The initial contact with my GP, dermatologist and plastic surgeon were all telephone appointments and I was given results etc on a telephone call. The last one was 3 days before I was having an operation to remove a lymph node in my groin to advise that they wouldn't be doing the op because the latest scan was showing that the melanoma had spread and so I needed to start treatment instead. 
    I then had an appointment with the consultant to go through starting treatment. Can't remember much from this because I was too uptight. 
    I had my 2nd appointment recently with the consultant to discuss changing my treatment to immunotherapy 

    The target therapy treatment has been great and I have been very fortunate not to have any side effects. Initial results have been fine but the lymph node in my groin has suddenly come up. This was a few days after my COVID jab so I thought it may be to do with that. The consultant has decided to give it another 6 weeks and will then scan again to see what is happening. 

    apologies. I know my reply is a bit long winded. I've even cut it down a lot !!  
     

    kind regards 

    caz

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    Wow that's must have been super tough to handle; you should be super proud of yourself for how far you've come under the challenging circumstances.

    I like you have only just found the courage to reach out to others like us, I have stage 3 melanoma. I've struggled with the mental challenge of first the diagnosis which was actually Stage 2B and then the positive SLNB and the subsequent worsening of the condition to stage 3 and having been told I'm BRAF positive too. Many of the conversations are blurry or I can't even remember them. 
    Ive reached out here today because I wanted to find people like you to talk through things with. While our families are great at supporting diacuasions from those with similar diagnosis can be more akin

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