Hi Sophie,

I know how anxious you must be, being referred & it happening so quickly. Your GP has been great in dealing with you so promptly & the 2 week referral is standard for a mole that looks suspicious. Your referral appointment is also happening slightly quicker than usual because only referrals are being seen face to face at the moment - regular check up appointments for melanoma patients are being done over the phone because of Covid, so there is more time for the dermatologist to see new referrals.

You have been given good advice as to what may happen if the dermatologist thinks the mole needs removing for a biopsy. If it needs removing, it's usually done at a different appointment & it's done as a day surgery patient. Can I just add that 75% of people referred to dermatology are given a clean bill of health, either at the referral appointment or after biopsy results are received. A couple of recent posts on this forum have been from people in your position & their biopsies have come back clear, so the odds are in your favour.

If it should turn out to be melanoma it will depend on how deep the melanoma has grown as to what treatment happens next. If early stage, like SDG3, only routine check ups will be necessary for a short period of time. If later stage, further surgery & drug treatment may be necessary, but that only occurs in a small number of new referrals.

Good luck with your appointment and please let us know how you get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient) 

Thankyou SDG3 and AngieT for your thoughtful replies - I am sorry to hear of both of your diagnoses. 

I think I am a bit in shock as my partner (rightly or wrongly) had tried to convince me it was nothing so I attended the appointment perhaps a bit naive as to what the outcome of it would be. I’m still not really sure he entirely understands the possible severity of this. I’m also presuming he can’t come with me to the appointment due to COVID restrictions. 

Do you know if they’ll take a look at other moles? I don’t have many which is partly why I have the referral as the one on my shoulder looks completely out of place. Do they also tell you there and then what they suspect it is?

Thankyou both for taking the time to reply x

I'm so very happy to hear your results were benign. Take care and get your life back to normal now xx

Hi Lauren,

I'm really sorry that you are going through all this and the wait for results are taking so long.

I know several melanoma patients in Northern Ireland and sadly the waiting times are very long. This is due to the Health Service being impacted by problems within the Government. 

I really hope you aren't left waiting that long and that the situation improves within your health service.

Angie (melanoma patient)

Thankyou Angie for all of your wonderful support xxx

Hi Sophie,

My heart was in my throat as I was reading this as I am going through a similar thing right now. I am so pleased to hear it was benign you must be so relived.

My appointment with Dermatology is next Thursday and I am bricking it. My lymph node on the same side of the mole has been raised for 4 weeks now so as you can imagine my head is shot to pieces. Praying I have the same outcome as you.

xx

Hi Reyhan,

I’m so sorry to hear you are experiencing something similar. It is really hard to not let your imagination run wild. 

Yes I can imagine - I had convinced myself my swollen glands were to do with it and had begun to peace together the absolute worse scenario. It turns out they were to do with tonsillitis in the end! 

I do hope it works out okay - in the meantime try and distract yourself. I know it’s easier said then done but this process can be prolonged and it doesn’t help to worry yourself sick. There are lots of people on this thread who have been a real comfort and help to me. 

Please let us know how you get on xxx 

Hi Sophie, 

i am so happy for you after reading all your previous posts I can imagine how nervous you were feeling.. I just hope I have the same outcome :( 

No I went for my referral and they told me I would get a letter to have the mole removed but due to covid 19 I could be waiting up to 9months... then two days later I had a call from the hospital asking if I could be down within the hour to have it removed. Then they told me I will have to wait 12 weeks for the results. I assume our health service here in N.ireland isn't doing aswell as yours in England. Many thanks for your well wishes and help. I will keep use informed once I know x 

Hi Angie, 

yes unfortunately I believe this is the case for us in N.ireland. When I first went to the GP they sent an urgent referral and told me I would be seen within two weeks.. four weeks passed and I heard nothing so I rang the appointments line at the hospital and they told me I would have to wait a year to be seen and would only be seen sooner if my GP red flagged by case. Luckily my GP did and I was seen within two weeks back in April.

When I spoke to the consultant they told me I would need the mole removed and tested and I would have to wait between 6-9months for this to happen due to covid 19 but to try not to worry (easier said than done). Two days later I got a phone call from the hospital to ask if I could be down within the hour to have the mole removed and of course I jumped in the car and went straight down.

When they removed the mole at the start of May I asked when I should have the results and they just said it will probably be 12weeks due to covid19. It's been 4weeks and I'm not even sure if I should be expecting a phone call or a letter for my results so I'm just a ball of nerves thinking the worst. But I will keep use informed as soon as I find out and wish you all the very best x x 

Hello everyone, 

This post has been very helpful for me. I am 25 and my boyfriend noticed a new mole on my shoulder/back last Sunday ( 30th August). I sent images to my GP that day and they asked me to give them a call. I called them on Tuesday and went through a series of questions. They told me they would refer me to the dermatologist within 2 weeks. The dermatologist called me on the Friday morning and told me I have an appointment on the following Tuesday (today).

I have started to get a little nervous now as they got me in so quickly and called me a few times on the Friday. I am trying not to worry myself too much, but I am a worrier by nature. It was great to read that other people, like Sophie, were going through the same thoughts and feelings that I am. 

My appointment is in less than 2 hours. Wish me luck! 

Hi Bella 

My results came back as clear too but it has made me think that urgency to get you in doesn't always correlate with the outcome! Even though at the time I didn't think that way at all...!

Hope it goes well! Xx

P.s so glad to hear your results were clear Sophie! I'd been following this thread but hadn't any notifications but just seen the updates. 

Hello again everyone,

My appointment was yesterday and I'm so relieved that it is over. All the staff at the hospital were wonderful.

The doctor didn't seem to think it was cancerous but took images and removed it just in case. I had the removal done there and then and now I'm just waiting for the results. 

Thanks for all your kind words 

Good luck Bella. Hopefully you won't be waiting long for the results and they come back fine xx