› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Awaiting Biopsy Results
- This topic has 9 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by
casagrayson.
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- May 9, 2019 at 6:40 pm
Hello everyone. I’m a new member here, but have widely scanned your forum as I waited for my dermatologist appointment. My story begins about a month ago during my visit to my primary care physician for an annual physical. While listening to my breathing with a stethoscope, she asked if I’d ever had my moles looked out. Now, the answer was no. Truthfully being 30 years old I really never thought much about it. No one close to me has ever had melanoma and it really hadn’t crossed my mind as a possibility. Now, it should have considering I have always had a lot of moles (30+) from my back to my arms, chest, foot, heck even have one on my bottom! Long story short, having so many moles on (especially on my back) it has not been exactly easy to track “new” or “changing” moles.I was scheduled to see a dermatologist near my house for a skin exam, which I went to a few days ago. I undressed and sat there quite nervously, having never gone through this before. The doctor walked in and saw me for a total of 5 minutes. He asked me to lay down, visually inspected my body head to toe, with no extra lighting or instruments just the naked eye. All he said was “Yea you have a lot of moles on your back, but everything looks fine. Pay attention to them and come back in 6 months.” – end of the appointment, didn’t stay to answer questions of any kind. I had a follow up with my doctor yesterday and told her that I wasn’t super thrilled with my experience. Not that I thought the dermatologist was a bad doctor, but that he seemed disconnected and passive. She told me with the amount of moles I have that its important I develop rapport with a dermatologist for regular examinations.
She wrote me another referral for a doctor a littler farther away, but had good reviews. I called yesterday and they got me in this morning, boom right away.
Now, my appointment today could not have been any different. He spent at least 20 minutes examining my skin with a little magnifying glass light device. He walked through why he thought most of my moles were harmless. However, when examining my back he found 5 (FIVE!!!) moles that he found to be suspicious in nature. As he was getting ready to scrape them, he told me that these moles all had either sizes, shape, or slight pigmentation issues. After scraping them off he told me that he would send them in for a biopsy and that he would call me with the news in 1-2 weeks. He also told me not to freak out because he would call for good news or bad news and missing a phone call from him did not mean I had melanoma.
I can honestly say I am pretty afraid and upset. First, the idea of having melanoma that I could have addressed sooner when I have a wife and daughter just makes me feel absolutely ill inside. Second, the other doctor simply telling me everything is fine, only to have 5 moles sent for biopsy just a few days later makes me feel so irritated and upset. The original doctor said he would see me in 6 months, like if one of these 5 moles was cancerous it could have drastically (in my opinion) affected the prognosis.
Today the clock is ticking to find out results. I can say that I feel very afraid. Thank you for anyone who read my rambling.
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- May 9, 2019 at 7:49 pm
Hi JS,
I can understand your fear and waiting for results. Been there. But while waiting is all we can do to get the results, the fear is something we can control. In hindsight, I can tell you all the hours I spent worrying were wasted, even though I did go through melanoma treatment. I could have been living a happier life AND waiting for news. I hope you don’t have cancer, so take a nice deep breath and feel free to chat in this area as often as you wish! Keep us up to date please… -
- May 9, 2019 at 7:58 pm
Hi JS,
If it helps to ease your mind just a little as you wait, I can tell you that the mole I had which was finally determined to be melanoma was seen by 2 previous doctors over a 4-5 year span. I liked both of the dermatologists that suggested it was nothing to worry about, so it’s not that I went looking for anyone else to tell me otherwise. By happenstance I went to a new derm at our group practice, and her philosophy was “if it bothers you, it bothers me”. Turned out to be melanoma, and I was imagining my body already ravaged by cancer cells as I sat stoically by for 5 years thinking it was nothing to be concerned with. After the fact my current dermatologist said that she didn’t think it was melanoma either, as it didn’t fit the regular specifications. I had a wide excision/SLNB last March, and thankfully the cancer showed no signs of having spread. While I waited for results (and that is soooo difficult), I took solace in reading about the new protocols and successes posted by those on this forum, and it gave me great peace. I hope the same for you, and best of luck.
laurie-
- May 9, 2019 at 8:41 pm
Thank you for sharing your story. My thoughts have been racing about what could I or should I have done differently having waited, and what if I didn’t see a second dermatologist. Hearing about your 5 year story makes me feel a little more at ease. I thank you for your story and support.
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- May 10, 2019 at 3:57 pm
Hi JS!I can completely understand your concern. I had an odd looking mole for about 6 months to a year (I’m not exactly sure the timeline but I know it was more than 6 months) before I felt an overwhelming urge to get it checked out. Turned out to be stage 1b melanoma.
I worried while waiting for the initial derm appt, then worried for a week while waiting for those results. Then worried another 2 weeks waiting for the surgical oncology appt. then worried another 2 weeks waiting for the surgery.
Now I’m almost 2 weeks post-surgery (and got all clear results!) and realized I wasted a little over a month worrying over something 1. I couldn’t do anything about and 2. didn’t turn out to be as bad as it could have been. You mentioned your wife and daughter so I’ll tell you something that put it in perspective for me – I don’t know how old your daughter is, but my youngest is almost 4 months so wasting even just ONE month worrying instead of absorbing all the good times with her was not worth it!
Praying you get good results from your biopsies. – R-
- May 10, 2019 at 4:35 pm
Thank you so much for sharing this story. I am 30 years old and my daughter just turned 2 in April. Being with my family and in our routine definitely helps. My mind typically starts to race when I’m laying in bed or sitting at my desk, but I am doing my best to stay positive. My concern really stems from having so many moles that I can’t honestly tell when they came or if they changed. Until I saw the dermatologist I honestly never even considered taking pictures of my back or keeping track of them. Doing my best to remind myself that there is nothing I can do now but wait and see. I’ve always been someone that struggles when I don’t have control over a situation or an outcome. What you said about being worried about something I couldn’t do anything about completely resonates with me. I appreciate what you’ve shared here, as well as what others have. It’s nice to not feel alone.
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- May 13, 2019 at 7:14 pm
I definitely had some moments of weakness and worry this weekend, but looking back at all of your comments really helped a lot. Every time I started to let myself worry too long, I would read some of your feedback and remind myself to be in the moment with my wife and daughter. Thank you to those who have chimed in. No results yet, but it’s obviously only been a few days. -
- May 17, 2019 at 8:56 pm
Well yesterday was one week after I had 5 moles sent for biopsy, and I have not received a call. I was told 1 to 2 weeks, so I’ll just have to hold tight another weekend. Trying to take things one day at a time, but I have moments of weakness. Thanks again for all of your kind words of support. I’ve reflected back on them a time or two.-
- May 18, 2019 at 4:55 am
Waiting is so hard. I’m sorry they didn’t get back with you this week, but I’m not surprised. Hang in there!
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