› Forums › General Melanoma Community › melonoma
- This topic has 14 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 14 years ago by
annabanna.
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:04 am
i went to the dermatologist Monday 5/8/11 and they called today and told me the biopsy they did came back melanoma. they are sending me to specialist in birmingham, al but it is going to be june 2nd before they can they get me in. i just wanted to know if this is normal or if this is to long to wait to see specialist. just don't know how i can take waiting this long to know something.
i went to the dermatologist Monday 5/8/11 and they called today and told me the biopsy they did came back melanoma. they are sending me to specialist in birmingham, al but it is going to be june 2nd before they can they get me in. i just wanted to know if this is normal or if this is to long to wait to see specialist. just don't know how i can take waiting this long to know something.
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:24 am
You need to give us more details. What is the Breslow depth (look at the pathology report), mitosis, did they get clear margins? Any details will help. When you say specialist are you referring to a melanoma specialist or a surgical oncologist?
At least as of last year I know that there is a mel specialist in Birmingham although I can't remember his name. You are basically talking 2 weeks. It often takes that long to get a first appointment unless there are advanced issues. I know that when I originally progressed it took me a couple of weeks to get in with a melanoma specialist.
I'm sorry that you have had to join us but we will help as much as we can. Next time you post it will help if your subject heading asks something a little more specific. Tell us about yourself. I live in Anderson SC about 4 hours from Birmingham. We are there quite often because my son lives in Leeds. We were there just last week for about 3 days.
Take a deep breath,
Linda
Stage IV since 06
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:36 am
ok i will try to watch and not post more than once. i do not know any of this information the dermatologist called today and said that the biopsy was melonoma and wanted to send to see dr urist at kirkland clinic uab. i have a follow up with the dermatolgist on may 20th. the nurse said after the specialist looked at pathology report they may change my appointment.
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:43 am
There is a very good chance that they are setting you up with a surgeon. The next step is a wide excision. If the lesion was deep enough they will do an SNB. That's when they inject a dye into the area and it goes to the first lymph node and then remove it and biopsy it. If they say they are going to do an SNB make sure that they do it before the wide excision!
You can show up at your derms office and request a copy of the pathology report. That way you can post it here and we can give you some questions to ask at your appointment.
Make yourself a notebook. Get copies of all reports. If they do any scans request a copy on either a DVD or a CD. In the notebook write your questions and the answers. Do not go to an appointment alone. You are scared and you need another pair of ears.
Linda
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:46 am
yes my sister is a nurse and she already agreed to go to all appointments with me and my husband. should i wait and request the report when i go to appointment friday or call monday and get the report. thank you for any help all i have been doing most of the day is research and crying. i really did not expect this when i had the biopsy.
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:57 am
If you get the report ahead of time then we can help you formulate questions, however, the Dr. office might put you off till the visit. Glad you have people to go with you!!
Emotionally when first diagnosed or when first being told you have a recurrance it is very difficult. As your head clears it does get easier. Sometimes doing research when you don't have your own personal facts can cause more anxiety.
When reading some of our posts, please remember that you may have either an insitu or be stage 1. Many on this board are stage 3 and 4. Many of us have hung around because we have active disease, those who are NED (no evidence of disease) often go off living and only check back here to let us know how their doing.
If you Dr tells you that you are level 3 for example. Please realize that does not mean stage 3!! At this point you cannot be staged so they might just tell you a Clark's level. That's talking about what level of the skin the lesion went through. Many make that mistake and panic. A wide excision must be done before you can be staged.
I'm off to bed now. MRI in the morning and I have to drive over 2 hours. Try to get some sleep tonight. Night time can be the hardest.
Linda
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:57 am
If you get the report ahead of time then we can help you formulate questions, however, the Dr. office might put you off till the visit. Glad you have people to go with you!!
Emotionally when first diagnosed or when first being told you have a recurrance it is very difficult. As your head clears it does get easier. Sometimes doing research when you don't have your own personal facts can cause more anxiety.
When reading some of our posts, please remember that you may have either an insitu or be stage 1. Many on this board are stage 3 and 4. Many of us have hung around because we have active disease, those who are NED (no evidence of disease) often go off living and only check back here to let us know how their doing.
If you Dr tells you that you are level 3 for example. Please realize that does not mean stage 3!! At this point you cannot be staged so they might just tell you a Clark's level. That's talking about what level of the skin the lesion went through. Many make that mistake and panic. A wide excision must be done before you can be staged.
I'm off to bed now. MRI in the morning and I have to drive over 2 hours. Try to get some sleep tonight. Night time can be the hardest.
Linda
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:46 am
yes my sister is a nurse and she already agreed to go to all appointments with me and my husband. should i wait and request the report when i go to appointment friday or call monday and get the report. thank you for any help all i have been doing most of the day is research and crying. i really did not expect this when i had the biopsy.
-
- May 14, 2011 at 3:43 am
There is a very good chance that they are setting you up with a surgeon. The next step is a wide excision. If the lesion was deep enough they will do an SNB. That's when they inject a dye into the area and it goes to the first lymph node and then remove it and biopsy it. If they say they are going to do an SNB make sure that they do it before the wide excision!
You can show up at your derms office and request a copy of the pathology report. That way you can post it here and we can give you some questions to ask at your appointment.
Make yourself a notebook. Get copies of all reports. If they do any scans request a copy on either a DVD or a CD. In the notebook write your questions and the answers. Do not go to an appointment alone. You are scared and you need another pair of ears.
Linda
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:36 am
ok i will try to watch and not post more than once. i do not know any of this information the dermatologist called today and said that the biopsy was melonoma and wanted to send to see dr urist at kirkland clinic uab. i have a follow up with the dermatolgist on may 20th. the nurse said after the specialist looked at pathology report they may change my appointment.
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- May 14, 2011 at 3:24 am
You need to give us more details. What is the Breslow depth (look at the pathology report), mitosis, did they get clear margins? Any details will help. When you say specialist are you referring to a melanoma specialist or a surgical oncologist?
At least as of last year I know that there is a mel specialist in Birmingham although I can't remember his name. You are basically talking 2 weeks. It often takes that long to get a first appointment unless there are advanced issues. I know that when I originally progressed it took me a couple of weeks to get in with a melanoma specialist.
I'm sorry that you have had to join us but we will help as much as we can. Next time you post it will help if your subject heading asks something a little more specific. Tell us about yourself. I live in Anderson SC about 4 hours from Birmingham. We are there quite often because my son lives in Leeds. We were there just last week for about 3 days.
Take a deep breath,
Linda
Stage IV since 06
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