› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Questions about possible spreading
- This topic has 15 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 4 months ago by
WithinMySkin.
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- April 15, 2016 at 6:33 am
I was diagnosed with 7.0 mm melanoma. It arose from what I figure to be leftovers from a previous melanoma. I guess it would be considering nodular melanoma since my dermatologist described the lump making up the melanoma as a nodule. The nodule is on my ankle so thankfully that puts it further away from a lot of vital organs.
Anyway I want to get a good idea of whether or not it has spread to a lymph node or other organ. I'd appreciate getting opinions. (I understand it's no replacement for actual tests but I have to wait for that and want to gather input in the meantime)
I've been having an issue with my reproductive health for months now. Vaginal burning and discharge that won't go away despite taking antibiotics, painful varicose veins and blue-ish marks in general that feel like bruises and are fairly painful (I'm not pregnant), I also have 3 dark freckles on my labia that have developed within the past month that I noticed at around the same time the blue-ish marks and painful varicose veins there appeared.
I'm sorry. I know this isn't a gynecology forum and I feel stupid for asking since from what I'm mostly reading it seems that melanoma tends spread to the lymph nodes and other internal organs so assuming that theres some new secondary site presenting itself on the surface of the body doesn't site right with me. I'm mostly asking because I am having a hard time finding alternative explanations for my reproductive health issues and I have also been diagnosed with HPV. I know the exact type of HPV I have but have no other information on it so I can't tell if it is the type that puts me at higher risk for vulvar melanomas or not.
I feel very uncomfortable bringing this up with a doctor in person for various reasons which is why I'm posting this anonymously.
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- April 15, 2016 at 7:50 am
I cannot comment on whether your melanoma has spread or not. Your case sounds complicated.
You say "It arose from what I figure to be leftovers from a previous melanoma." Have you had a melanoma before?
I think you are going to have to face up to discussing your reproductive system symptoms with the doctor who is considering your melanoma.
The alternative would be to go and see a gynecologist and mention the melanoma to her/him. She/he could then write a report for your oncologist.
Even if the two sets of symptoms are not linked, the treatment for one might affect the treatment for the other.
I have a morbid phobia of doctors. These approaches have helped me:
(a) Putting the mental health issue upfront and centre. Most doctors respond well to that. If one doesn't, I ask to see someone else.
(b) De-personalising the situation by taking photos and writing down my symptoms. Doctors still ask to touch but I say no. Sometimes I can shut my eyes and let them look.
(c) I am not so phobic of nurses. I have had excellent experiences interacting with specialist nurses.
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- April 15, 2016 at 7:50 am
I cannot comment on whether your melanoma has spread or not. Your case sounds complicated.
You say "It arose from what I figure to be leftovers from a previous melanoma." Have you had a melanoma before?
I think you are going to have to face up to discussing your reproductive system symptoms with the doctor who is considering your melanoma.
The alternative would be to go and see a gynecologist and mention the melanoma to her/him. She/he could then write a report for your oncologist.
Even if the two sets of symptoms are not linked, the treatment for one might affect the treatment for the other.
I have a morbid phobia of doctors. These approaches have helped me:
(a) Putting the mental health issue upfront and centre. Most doctors respond well to that. If one doesn't, I ask to see someone else.
(b) De-personalising the situation by taking photos and writing down my symptoms. Doctors still ask to touch but I say no. Sometimes I can shut my eyes and let them look.
(c) I am not so phobic of nurses. I have had excellent experiences interacting with specialist nurses.
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- April 15, 2016 at 8:15 am
I was diagnosed with a melanoma when I was 17. I'm now 20 and it has returned. I have good reason to believe that it originated from the melanoma I had at 17 because I was told that the melanoma was only present in the deeper sections of the dermis and not at all present in the higher secontions.
I might bring up reproductive things if given good reason to but I'm hoping whatever team I have this time will do an actual full body exam unlike my dermatologist and see reason for suspicion. That scenario requires discomfort on my part but I guess whatever helps.
I'm hesitant to see a gynecologist because that's part of why my situation is complicated.
Mostly I'm afraid of bringing up something that deeply discomforts me to bring up and it ending up being completely irrelevant.
My discomfort is especially intense because I present myself as male and am legally male so I don't want to be seen as an oddity and I don't want to go in for uncomfortable procedures that I'm not even sure how to cover with my insurance since they initially denied coverage of my attempt to get a pap smear for the reasons I've already mentioned.
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- April 15, 2016 at 8:15 am
I was diagnosed with a melanoma when I was 17. I'm now 20 and it has returned. I have good reason to believe that it originated from the melanoma I had at 17 because I was told that the melanoma was only present in the deeper sections of the dermis and not at all present in the higher secontions.
I might bring up reproductive things if given good reason to but I'm hoping whatever team I have this time will do an actual full body exam unlike my dermatologist and see reason for suspicion. That scenario requires discomfort on my part but I guess whatever helps.
I'm hesitant to see a gynecologist because that's part of why my situation is complicated.
Mostly I'm afraid of bringing up something that deeply discomforts me to bring up and it ending up being completely irrelevant.
My discomfort is especially intense because I present myself as male and am legally male so I don't want to be seen as an oddity and I don't want to go in for uncomfortable procedures that I'm not even sure how to cover with my insurance since they initially denied coverage of my attempt to get a pap smear for the reasons I've already mentioned.
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- April 15, 2016 at 12:35 pm
You are male. It is nothing to do with your anatomy.
I absolutely understand how awful it is to be forced into situations where issues that are acutely private have to be shared.
Issue one – not being a run-of-the-mill patient
I think any good doctor will cope just fine. My melanoma specialist and my endocrine specialists cope with the fact that I tell them that being with them is like someone with a phobia of spiders being in a room with a giant tarantula.
When I meet a new doctor, I hand him or her a short typed statement explaining the basics of my phobia. I do not assume that he or she had read my (now copious) notes. Also, it means I control the language of the explanation more carefully that I would if I were speaking. Of course, I am particularly motivated to inform them as any consultation becomes impossible if my phobia is triggered.
I wonder if it would be easier on you if you double-checked that the doctor you were seeing was properly informed.
Issue two – your returning melanoma
It breaks my heart that you are so young. I do hope that some of the symptoms you describe turn out not to be because of your melanoma but have a cause that is easier to tackle. Even if the melanoma has started to spread, the hopeful news is that there are the new immunotherapies and the other targetted biological treatments.
Issue three – your general health
Could you be suffering from a fungal infection like thrush, which antibiotics will not touch? You need to try to knock off any infections and knock back thet HPV so that your immune system can attack those melanoma cells.
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- April 15, 2016 at 12:35 pm
You are male. It is nothing to do with your anatomy.
I absolutely understand how awful it is to be forced into situations where issues that are acutely private have to be shared.
Issue one – not being a run-of-the-mill patient
I think any good doctor will cope just fine. My melanoma specialist and my endocrine specialists cope with the fact that I tell them that being with them is like someone with a phobia of spiders being in a room with a giant tarantula.
When I meet a new doctor, I hand him or her a short typed statement explaining the basics of my phobia. I do not assume that he or she had read my (now copious) notes. Also, it means I control the language of the explanation more carefully that I would if I were speaking. Of course, I am particularly motivated to inform them as any consultation becomes impossible if my phobia is triggered.
I wonder if it would be easier on you if you double-checked that the doctor you were seeing was properly informed.
Issue two – your returning melanoma
It breaks my heart that you are so young. I do hope that some of the symptoms you describe turn out not to be because of your melanoma but have a cause that is easier to tackle. Even if the melanoma has started to spread, the hopeful news is that there are the new immunotherapies and the other targetted biological treatments.
Issue three – your general health
Could you be suffering from a fungal infection like thrush, which antibiotics will not touch? You need to try to knock off any infections and knock back thet HPV so that your immune system can attack those melanoma cells.
-
- April 15, 2016 at 12:35 pm
You are male. It is nothing to do with your anatomy.
I absolutely understand how awful it is to be forced into situations where issues that are acutely private have to be shared.
Issue one – not being a run-of-the-mill patient
I think any good doctor will cope just fine. My melanoma specialist and my endocrine specialists cope with the fact that I tell them that being with them is like someone with a phobia of spiders being in a room with a giant tarantula.
When I meet a new doctor, I hand him or her a short typed statement explaining the basics of my phobia. I do not assume that he or she had read my (now copious) notes. Also, it means I control the language of the explanation more carefully that I would if I were speaking. Of course, I am particularly motivated to inform them as any consultation becomes impossible if my phobia is triggered.
I wonder if it would be easier on you if you double-checked that the doctor you were seeing was properly informed.
Issue two – your returning melanoma
It breaks my heart that you are so young. I do hope that some of the symptoms you describe turn out not to be because of your melanoma but have a cause that is easier to tackle. Even if the melanoma has started to spread, the hopeful news is that there are the new immunotherapies and the other targetted biological treatments.
Issue three – your general health
Could you be suffering from a fungal infection like thrush, which antibiotics will not touch? You need to try to knock off any infections and knock back thet HPV so that your immune system can attack those melanoma cells.
-
- April 15, 2016 at 8:15 am
I was diagnosed with a melanoma when I was 17. I'm now 20 and it has returned. I have good reason to believe that it originated from the melanoma I had at 17 because I was told that the melanoma was only present in the deeper sections of the dermis and not at all present in the higher secontions.
I might bring up reproductive things if given good reason to but I'm hoping whatever team I have this time will do an actual full body exam unlike my dermatologist and see reason for suspicion. That scenario requires discomfort on my part but I guess whatever helps.
I'm hesitant to see a gynecologist because that's part of why my situation is complicated.
Mostly I'm afraid of bringing up something that deeply discomforts me to bring up and it ending up being completely irrelevant.
My discomfort is especially intense because I present myself as male and am legally male so I don't want to be seen as an oddity and I don't want to go in for uncomfortable procedures that I'm not even sure how to cover with my insurance since they initially denied coverage of my attempt to get a pap smear for the reasons I've already mentioned.
-
- April 15, 2016 at 7:50 am
I cannot comment on whether your melanoma has spread or not. Your case sounds complicated.
You say "It arose from what I figure to be leftovers from a previous melanoma." Have you had a melanoma before?
I think you are going to have to face up to discussing your reproductive system symptoms with the doctor who is considering your melanoma.
The alternative would be to go and see a gynecologist and mention the melanoma to her/him. She/he could then write a report for your oncologist.
Even if the two sets of symptoms are not linked, the treatment for one might affect the treatment for the other.
I have a morbid phobia of doctors. These approaches have helped me:
(a) Putting the mental health issue upfront and centre. Most doctors respond well to that. If one doesn't, I ask to see someone else.
(b) De-personalising the situation by taking photos and writing down my symptoms. Doctors still ask to touch but I say no. Sometimes I can shut my eyes and let them look.
(c) I am not so phobic of nurses. I have had excellent experiences interacting with specialist nurses.
-
- April 15, 2016 at 8:20 am
First, I am sorry that you are going through this – it's a pretty awful time, the time of diagnosis, where every tiny bit of your body seems somehow suspicious for melanoma. If your melanoma was 7mm then you could be anywhere from stage 2B to stage 4, see:
https://cancerstaging.org/references-tools/quickreferences/documents/melanomasmall.pdf
You won't really know until further tests are done – in your case, I'd be expecting a sentinel lymph node biopsy and probably CT or PET scans. So you are still in the process of being diagnosed, there's no clarity around your final diagnosis yet and that is stressful.
There's really no good way of anyone knowing about spread to lymph or other until you undergo these tests. Why not take things one step at a time and just get through this process first?
As for your gynecological problems, don't blow them out of all proportion due to the stress of a melanoma diagnosis. Just manage one thing at a time, one step at a time, baby steps.
The symptoms you describe don't seem in any way linked to melanoma in my opinion. However, as a melanoma patient, one of the hardest things that we all have to get used to is fronting up to our doctor with all of our fears and symptoms so they can be checked and – in most cases – discounted as something else or nothing at all.
I would share your symptoms with your doc for one reason only: peace of mind, plus it's good practice for what lies ahead (working closely with your doc and being very quick to act on any health concerns or suspicions you have.
All the best, please take care of yourself and give yourself time/space to get used to the shock of a melanoma diagnosis.
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- April 15, 2016 at 8:20 am
First, I am sorry that you are going through this – it's a pretty awful time, the time of diagnosis, where every tiny bit of your body seems somehow suspicious for melanoma. If your melanoma was 7mm then you could be anywhere from stage 2B to stage 4, see:
https://cancerstaging.org/references-tools/quickreferences/documents/melanomasmall.pdf
You won't really know until further tests are done – in your case, I'd be expecting a sentinel lymph node biopsy and probably CT or PET scans. So you are still in the process of being diagnosed, there's no clarity around your final diagnosis yet and that is stressful.
There's really no good way of anyone knowing about spread to lymph or other until you undergo these tests. Why not take things one step at a time and just get through this process first?
As for your gynecological problems, don't blow them out of all proportion due to the stress of a melanoma diagnosis. Just manage one thing at a time, one step at a time, baby steps.
The symptoms you describe don't seem in any way linked to melanoma in my opinion. However, as a melanoma patient, one of the hardest things that we all have to get used to is fronting up to our doctor with all of our fears and symptoms so they can be checked and – in most cases – discounted as something else or nothing at all.
I would share your symptoms with your doc for one reason only: peace of mind, plus it's good practice for what lies ahead (working closely with your doc and being very quick to act on any health concerns or suspicions you have.
All the best, please take care of yourself and give yourself time/space to get used to the shock of a melanoma diagnosis.
-
- April 15, 2016 at 8:20 am
First, I am sorry that you are going through this – it's a pretty awful time, the time of diagnosis, where every tiny bit of your body seems somehow suspicious for melanoma. If your melanoma was 7mm then you could be anywhere from stage 2B to stage 4, see:
https://cancerstaging.org/references-tools/quickreferences/documents/melanomasmall.pdf
You won't really know until further tests are done – in your case, I'd be expecting a sentinel lymph node biopsy and probably CT or PET scans. So you are still in the process of being diagnosed, there's no clarity around your final diagnosis yet and that is stressful.
There's really no good way of anyone knowing about spread to lymph or other until you undergo these tests. Why not take things one step at a time and just get through this process first?
As for your gynecological problems, don't blow them out of all proportion due to the stress of a melanoma diagnosis. Just manage one thing at a time, one step at a time, baby steps.
The symptoms you describe don't seem in any way linked to melanoma in my opinion. However, as a melanoma patient, one of the hardest things that we all have to get used to is fronting up to our doctor with all of our fears and symptoms so they can be checked and – in most cases – discounted as something else or nothing at all.
I would share your symptoms with your doc for one reason only: peace of mind, plus it's good practice for what lies ahead (working closely with your doc and being very quick to act on any health concerns or suspicions you have.
All the best, please take care of yourself and give yourself time/space to get used to the shock of a melanoma diagnosis.
-
- April 15, 2016 at 5:23 pm
I’m terribly sorry about your diagnosis. It seems you have lots on your mind, and rightfully so. I would have to suggest checking your hormone levels for the vericose veins. I’m not sure if you’ve been on hormone replacement therapy, but the body can have a very hard time adjusting to changes in hormones. This and a pap smear could both be done at a planned parenthood or a state healthcare facility at a very reasonable price (and avoid the insurance debacle). I can’t say if your melanoma is linked to the recent gynecologic problems, but I have to encourage you to bring up these problems with the oncologist. I know you may feel embarrassed to engage in this conversation, but your providers need to know all of your symptoms in order to be able to do what is best for you. The medical community is very good with discretion. If you still dont feel comfortable, consider traveling to a more distant Healthcare facility for peace of mind. But please…take care of yourself and your body. Do what is best for you rather than what society says is right. You only have one life. -
- April 15, 2016 at 5:23 pm
I’m terribly sorry about your diagnosis. It seems you have lots on your mind, and rightfully so. I would have to suggest checking your hormone levels for the vericose veins. I’m not sure if you’ve been on hormone replacement therapy, but the body can have a very hard time adjusting to changes in hormones. This and a pap smear could both be done at a planned parenthood or a state healthcare facility at a very reasonable price (and avoid the insurance debacle). I can’t say if your melanoma is linked to the recent gynecologic problems, but I have to encourage you to bring up these problems with the oncologist. I know you may feel embarrassed to engage in this conversation, but your providers need to know all of your symptoms in order to be able to do what is best for you. The medical community is very good with discretion. If you still dont feel comfortable, consider traveling to a more distant Healthcare facility for peace of mind. But please…take care of yourself and your body. Do what is best for you rather than what society says is right. You only have one life. -
- April 15, 2016 at 5:23 pm
I’m terribly sorry about your diagnosis. It seems you have lots on your mind, and rightfully so. I would have to suggest checking your hormone levels for the vericose veins. I’m not sure if you’ve been on hormone replacement therapy, but the body can have a very hard time adjusting to changes in hormones. This and a pap smear could both be done at a planned parenthood or a state healthcare facility at a very reasonable price (and avoid the insurance debacle). I can’t say if your melanoma is linked to the recent gynecologic problems, but I have to encourage you to bring up these problems with the oncologist. I know you may feel embarrassed to engage in this conversation, but your providers need to know all of your symptoms in order to be able to do what is best for you. The medical community is very good with discretion. If you still dont feel comfortable, consider traveling to a more distant Healthcare facility for peace of mind. But please…take care of yourself and your body. Do what is best for you rather than what society says is right. You only have one life.
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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