Hello Rainbow2022, 

A warm welcome to Cancer Chat. I am sorry to hear that your mole was found to be a melanoma but it sounds like the prognosis is very good as it was caught early at stage 1a. Our website has detailed information on melanoma which I hope you will find useful. 

It's normal to be scared or to fear that it will come back but it sounds like the experts are optimistic and that there are successful treatments available. One of our members [@AngieT]‍ knows a lot about melanoma and I hope that she will see your post and be able to reassure you or answer questions you may have. 

Our nurses are also available on this free number 0808 800 4040 - their line is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm so don't hesitate to give them a call if there is anything you'd like to talk through with them. 

I will now let our members who have extensive melanoma experience pop by and say hello and share their stories with you. 

Best wishes, 

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Thankyou for replying.

Iv known since January and it's turned my world upside down. I have 2 young children and a surportive husband. I have terrible dark thoughts if I wasn't to be around for them. 
I just can't seem to move on I'm scared of it coming back or having more , I have so many moles,I'm  worried something might get missed and be at a later stage. 
still waiting for my results of the wle and the other moles.

I wake up trembling with fear and I think Iv made myself ill ,Iv lost a stone , I can't eat much. 
I'm worried it's in my body I have had so many weird symptoms over the last year. Iv had back issues which I'm getting a scan for , breast swelling and pain which was examined but not scanned and went down and other things I go on.

i would really appreciate any one else who had this stage how they cope with finding out about this. 
i really hate the word invasive maglinment melanoma it just sounds like a death sentence.

I know the statistics are promising but no one likes to hear that c word it's frightening.

Hi Rainbow 

I had a malignant melanoma removed over 25 years ago. 

Since then I've had the odd one removed but none have come back with anything wrong. 

I too have a ton of moles everywhere. I've learnt to be careful about sun exposure, I've never been a sun lover so it's not been bad for me. 

I did have 5 years of follow up appointments after it was removed. 

Thanks Angela-m

What was your stage if you don't mind me asking?

that's so good to know you are still here 25years later.

i don't No if Iv been over reacting to the stage I have.

I unfortunately did use sunbeds as a teen and then stopped but have been on many hot holidays with intense tanning , but I have never sunbathed much on my front as I was always conscious of the moles I had my back and that's were I got the melanoma upper back, it was black and changed shape went outwards.

im scared of multiple ones. 
My skin cancer specialist has been amazing and I know I will be looked after. Just being told at this age i must be so naive to think it doesn't happen.

I honestly can't remember what stage it was, did they give out details like that then?

I will try to remember to ask on Friday when I get the results of what I just had removed. 

Im coming up to 60 now but at the time I'd just had my daughter and like you was devastated by the news.

They will be keeping an eye on you and it was caught early.

I learnt not to spend too much time in the sun and I  always use a high factor sunscreen.

Thank you Angela-m

i can only hope good things.

I had my second op results today which were clear , phew. 
and the 4 moles removed were mild atipia or something.

taken each day as it comes but still feels so raw.

I have a 2a melanoma so I'm up for a WLA, a sentinel lymph node biopsy and 3 more moles to be excised.

Good to hear you were clear and the others removed were OK. 

Keep checking & wear sunscreen. 

Oh I'm sorry to hear that , is that your second melanoma since you said 25 years ago ?

hope all goes well, sending hugs xx