Melanoma

juat been diagnosed with melanoma on my scalp ..this growth has caught everyone out i saw 4 different GP's before asking the last GP to refer me i was not happy...the last GP said i dont think its what the other dr's have said it is....great...waited for my none emergency referal saw dr  at hospital in march he thought it was a nevus sebatious and a basil cell carsanoma he said he wanted to do biopsy...june i rang hospital and said how long will my biopsy be i have waited since march.. appointment came for early july had biopsys done...i was told results will come back after my 2 week holiday in july...during my holiday they rang me asking when i was back ...told them 24th i was booked in for the 25th july where we were told its melanoma and they were totally shocked as they really didnt expect a melanoma...my appointment to see plastic surgeons  is the 21st aug ...to say i am absolutly ******** myself is an understatement as they are worried over the size of what is on my head...i am terrified its spread and i am going to die ..and leave my 8 year old adopted daughter all i keep thinking about is she has already lost one mum the thought of her loosng another breaks me completely ....

  • Hi,

    That is such a shock, especially after such a long wait for a diagnosis. I know how you must be panicking and stressed out but please try to slow down and take stock. They have removed the melanoma and the next step will be a Wide Local Excision - a larger removal of tissue to ensure they have removed a safe margin around the melanoma. Because of the location they will explain everything at this next appointment - I suggest you take someone with you so that you don't miss anything that has been explained. Also write down any questions you have that they may not have covered. They should tell you the size (depth) of the melanoma and that will influence your treatment. 

    Treatment & research has been moving quickly & is still ongoing and treatments are available now that weren't last year so the outlook is more optimistic for melanoma patients than it once was. I will send you a friend request so that you can pm me if you want to speak privately. Good luck and please don't despair,

    Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient)