It usually takes between 2 - 4 weeks. I'm assuming your consultant is the dermatologist and the surgeon was a Plastic Surgeon so someone may not be up to speed with the current histology waiting times. Seeing as your consultant said 2 weeks I would ring their secretary this week and ask if your results are back. They can't tell you your results over the phone (if they are back) but they may be able to arrange an appointment so you at least have some idea of the time scale. Please don't think the wait necessarily means bad news - it can just be down to histology and dermatology workloads and holiday/sickness periods.

Good luck,

Angie

Hi Newmum,

I'm so sorry to hear about your worries. My mum died of secondary breast cancer and, when I was first diagnosed I was convinced that the same would happen to me. Fortunately, that was 10 years ago. I had a second bout 9 years ago and, more recently I have had further worries with 3 suspect melanoma maligna. These were all on different parts of my body - my face, just below my eye, my back and my leg, just above my ankle.

I was referred to see a dermatologist, who referred me to see a plastic surgeon. He carried out an excisional biopsy on each occasion. I was told to make an appointment for 4 weeks, but when I went to make it, I was told that they would send me an appointment in the post. When this arrived it was for 4 months. I phoned up the consultant's secretary to be told that this was the first available appointment.

Fortunately, I was at the hospital a week after I had my biopsy to have the stitches on my face removed. The nurse asked how I was and I told her about my return appointment. She said that I shouldn't have to wait that long. She told me that the plastic surgeon was in the unit that day and went off to speak to him. He returned with her and phoned his secretary himself. When he returned, he told me that my results were already back and that the lesion was benign. Fortunately, the other 2 were benign too. I return in a few weeks for a check-up on my face and leg and, hope that all is still clear.

Appointment times seem to vary a lot from one hospital to another. We all tend to think the worst at this stage, but fortunately this seldom turns out to be the case.  It would certainly be worth your time phoning your consultant's secretary to see if she can bring your appointment forward. If she can't, ask to be put on a waiting list for any cancellations.

I do hope that you are successful in doing this and, that it is all good news when you get it. Do please let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thanks Angie,

If it doesn't come on Monday I'll give them a call.  It's so awful waiting for the postman everyday. 

Your reasurance about the waiting time is really helpful.  I really appreciate your words of support. 

Thanks again and hope you're ok X 

Thank you Jolamine

I'm sorry to hear about your mother. 

4 months is a ridiculous amount of time to wait. I'm glad you managed to get your results sooner and it was good news.  

I will call them on Monday if the letter doesn't appear and hopefully I'll get an appointment or at least  an idea of how much longer I'll have to wait.  Thank you for your advice.

I hope your next appointment goes well x

I called the consultant s secretary today.  She said the results are taking approximately 3-4 weeks at the moment.  Also he is apparently only in once a week on a Thursday. She did confirm my results are not back yet :( 

Thanks for advice ladies. At least I know not to wait around for the postman for the rest of the week which I have found soul destroying XX 

It sounds like he only does his clinic on a Thursday. The rest of the time he will be in surgery, doing ward rounds, at meetings, doing private consultations etc. Over the years I've managed to work out where & when my consultant is on each day of the week :D I would guess you probably won't hear anything until the back end of next week I'm afraid. Keep yourself busy and try and put it to the back of your mind until then xx

Hi Newmum,

At least you now know when to expect the results, so try your best to do something with your time instead of waiting for the postman.

Hope that it is good news when it comes.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Any results yet? 

Mine came back as precancerous cells but they are confident they got everything and there is no further action required other than skin checks by a dermatologist every now and then. 

I really hope your results are positive x

So glad you got good news. You must be relieved. 

No results for me yet. I don't expect to hear until the end of the week at the earliest now X 

Hi Misty,

This is great news. I'm sure that you must be relieved. It's also good to hear that no further action is required. I sincerely hope that it remains like this in years to come.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx