Subungual Melanoma referral

Hi, I'm new here and worrying like mad. I had a fungal nail on my thumb with a light black line down the side, I went the docs twice and they said it's more than likely fungal as the rest of my nail was yellow brown and crumbling off. I was told to use a home remedy of nail applicator which can take up to a year. They don't like to give pills for fungal nail as I would need a liver function test due to the strength of them apparently. 

Anyway, I just carried on with my home treatment for nearly a year now, the black has thickened and is starting to raise my nail bed at the side. At the weekend, blood was spurting everywhere from and it was seeping blood all weekend. my nail went flat but stayed black. it's now raised up again with what looks like a lump of skin (I thought it was a blood blister) but smelling so I went to my gp again to treat infection if I had one.

saw a different gp and he agreed I had an infection and gave me anti bs. He then said he was referring me to a specialist and to expect an appointment within 2 weeks to be tested for menalona! 

straight away I went to Dr Google, I cannot sleep with fear, I'm 40 with a 6 year old son and no other family. I'm petrified that the black line has been there for well over a year and nothing has been done and it could potentially now have put my life at risk. Can somebody advise me or help me relating to this I'm so so scared waiting for an appointment and all I'm doing is imagining the worst.

Thankyou 

Parents
  • hi mum has had a biosy on her  nail 4 weeks ago and we still have had any news....is this good or bad?

  • Hi,

    You can't tell whether it's good or bad news from how long it takes I'm afraid. The current waiting time for results can be anything from 2 to 5 weeks. All biopsies go through the same procedure - they are examined by histology, the report goes back to the consultant and then the results are discussed at a Multi Disciplinary Team meeting (MDT). This is where the dermatologist, plastic surgeon, oncologist and specialist nurses decide on the next course of action for each patient as per the biopsy results (discharged if benign or further surgery if positive). The hospital then contact the patient to (usually) come back for their results - it's rare they give results by phone or letter. If the hospital didn't give your mum an idea as to the waiting time for her results, I would ring them on Monday and ask if the results are available and when can you expect to hear from them? Sometimes results are delayed because the MDT is only held once a week.

    Good luck, I hope you aren't waiting too much longer and that they bring good news. Please let us know how you get on,

    Angie (melanoma patient)

  • Hi Margndog

     

    First time poster here. How was your operation on the 11th? I hope you are ok. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that but as strange as it sounds if it has meant you are cancer free it was worth it.

     

    Just to let you know my story and to let you know you are not alone. I noticed a clear black line on my right thumb about 8 months ago. I thought nothing of it as I was having some adominsl pain at the time so was preoccupied I suppose (that pain was the reason I joined this site as I thought the worse back then)

     

    I had a Dr appointment online 2 weeks ago for something else and mentioned this line on my thumb during the consultation-  no advice was given but 1 picture sent by email a week ago got me referred immediately to dermatology. No explanation or anything. I literally just got a call to book an appointment with the hospital.

     

    I am completely in the dark and worried. But, well - I am not alone either I see. 
     

    Hope you are going ok.

  • Hi

     

    yes mums op went really well thanks. Toe is removed  and she is walking with shoes on. its only taken a month. She got the results on Friday to say that they had managed to remove all the cancer with the toe as caught early enough.

    its a really worying time when you don't know whats happening I hope that you get a few answers when go see someone but they usually can't say much until the biopsy results come in. 

    Here if you need a chat. Don't read too much as there seems to be lots they can now do thats not on Google. Fingers crossed for you. 

  • Hi All

     

    Biopsy booked in for next week - not looking forward to it!

     

    Plastic Surgeon thinks its benign, so that's stopped me completely panicking, although until they see it fully and test it I know they can't be certain. 

     

    Louise x

  • Hi

     

    Hope you get your dermatology appointment soon. The problem I had was no one would believe that my toe nail hadn't received a trauma. Then from a two week referral it was 3 months before my toe was amputated! It took 2 months to even get the Biopsy. So by the time I was told it was definitely cancer I was totally prepared.

     

    It's hard for you waiting but I am sure you will get better treatment than me. Please let us know how you get on. 

  • Thank you for your reply and I am pleased your mum is doing well. I had my toe amputated 10 days ago, the dressing was removed today and the area has healed ok. I long to get moving again  wearing a soft shoe. I  I also had a Sentinel Lymph Node biopsy which has left me with a swollen lump and a painful groin, the doctor suggested I wear cycling shorts!. I know my toe was magligant but will have an appointment within the next three weeks to discuss the SLNB.

  • How did yours present? Mine is a line throughout my nail, from nail folds to top and varying shades of brown - wider at the cuticle. 

     

    Its now feeling a little tender beneath than nail as well. 

  • Hi concerneddaughter1 

    That is great news. Give my thoughts to your mum. She is very brave.

     

    Yes it is a worrying time. I have got an appointment with the dermatologist on the 28th September 2020. The referral time was within 2 weeks - the seriousness with which the Dr has taken it has left me stunned not least because I saw it at least 8 months ago and just thought nothing of it. 

  • I am sorry to hear about this Margndog. That is beyond frustrating and I can't offer any words to console you over the unecessary and costly delays. Sounds as if you are on the mend and I hope in some way lots of good comes from this even though that sounds silly.

     

    I have an appointment booked with the dermatology department in 7 days time which was within 1 week of sending a picture of my thumb nail to my GP. As I say, no discussion was had as I was discussing other issues and I so far I have had literally no  medical feedback. I sent the picture and received a referral to dermatology. and that is it. 

     

    My line does not appear to go into the cuticle but is a dark line which goes along the entire nail. Looking at the nail, I can see a similar but lighter line about 1 cm to the side of which also goes along the entire nail.

     

    I am finding I have moments of deep breaths but the speed of things hasn't given me time to really think about it and I am trying not too. I am not sure what to make of this right now.

     

  • Biopsy done yesterday, the pain after the anaesthetic wore off has not been pleasant 

     

    More stitches than expected as the lesion was hard to find apparently, not sure if that's a good thing or not.

     

    Results expected in 4 weeks, it's going to be a long 4 weeks...

  • Hi  LWAFC

    im sorry you have had to experience more pain than you had hoped for. 
    It was the same for me, I had a lesson removed on my pinky toe and I was in agony after the anaesthetic wore off which shocked me as for a tiny toe I didn't expect that. I was told it was because I was walking around too much and literally pressure .... but with young children it was hard not to walk around. 

    I hope you don't have to wait long for your biopsy results and I will keep everything crossed that it is negative. 

    it's a long wait and very stressful, but hopefully you will feel in less pain today, keep up with pain relief and try to rest as much as you can. 

    take care

    sharon 

Reply
  • Hi  LWAFC

    im sorry you have had to experience more pain than you had hoped for. 
    It was the same for me, I had a lesson removed on my pinky toe and I was in agony after the anaesthetic wore off which shocked me as for a tiny toe I didn't expect that. I was told it was because I was walking around too much and literally pressure .... but with young children it was hard not to walk around. 

    I hope you don't have to wait long for your biopsy results and I will keep everything crossed that it is negative. 

    it's a long wait and very stressful, but hopefully you will feel in less pain today, keep up with pain relief and try to rest as much as you can. 

    take care

    sharon 

Children
  • Thanks Sharon

     

    I'm resting, no work for a week as no way I could type on a keyboard!!

     
    Looked back on the thread but can't see how you got on after your biopsy, was it benign or are you still having treatment? 

  • Hi, 

     

    Well my first biopsy on my little right toe was negative thank god, however about 7 weeks ago I noticed another lesion on my other little toe but this is about 4mm wide - the one biopsied was just 1mm wide. 
     

    I am not again stressed and terrified but trying to think positive that the other one was ok. 
    move been referred back to the dermatologist and have an appointment on the 13th Oct, so another long wait for me