Melanoma

[Froomp]

I was sent to a dermatologist yesterday, about a black line under my toe nail. I expected him to send me on my way reassured it was just one of those things. Instead he has told me I need a biopsy and will get the appointment in the next week or so (cue panic).
The line has been under my toe nail for at least 8/9 months. If this is Melanoma is this going to be too late for effective treatment?
And has anyone had a biopsy and it turned out not to be cancer? The dermatologist said looking at it he was sure it wasn’t blood, which rules out trauma so what else could it be?
I’m in a real state and don’t know how to talk myself down.

I have a friend who has cancer first spotted as a dark mark under a toenail. He writes a very funny blog about his experiences.

He’s had a shit time but also is continuing to live a brilliant life.

I really hope it isn’t cancer OP, but if it is, you will find a path through x

@RachelEllenR Yes of course. I can't seem to message from the app but can via the website.

@OrangeSamphire what's his blog called please?

It’s called I Did It @RachelEllenR

Will try and link...

I Did It

Just sending a hand hold to all who need it

Thank you all for the support. It’s the waiting I can’t cope with. I just need some answers.

I had a panic attack last night I just can’t shake the feeling that I’m waiting to be told I’m about to die.

Us humans have developed the tedious habit of always anticipating the worst. I think once it was useful to fight off sabre-tooth tigers but now it's just really unhelpful.

You could try the port-cullis visualisation technique: each time that dreaded thought pops up, imagine a big metal port-cullis come clanging down in front of it, and say to yourself 'that thought is out of bounds'.

Thanks. I’ve really been trying. But when the nail was off and my consultant could get a good luck he seemed fairly convinced it was something sinister.

That must be terrifying and I'm so sorry you're going through this but it still doesn't mean a bleak prognosis. Keep us posted.

@Froomp The waiting is the worst. I found Welda Stress Spray was good when I was in the throes of breast cancer last time. Do take someone with you for the biopsy results. The treatment regimes are so much better than waiting and getting results. I got through four operations in four consecutive months and radiotherapy was ok but the fatigue has been long lasting. My cancer meant I didn't have to have chemo. I can honestly say that the getting results was the worst bit of it all. You can do this. I saw the dermatologist today and he is fairly sure mine is blood under the nail.

Just wishing you every strength and best wish. Let me know what happens.

Thank you Flyingarcher. I’m just a mess at the moment. I’m not sleeping or eating I’m bursting into tears all the time. It hurts too much to look at my children. I just have had a breakdown and don’t know how to pull myself together again.

What's your next appointment or step?

You are allowed to be upset and I think it's good to allow yourself to cry and be upset in order to process it. Then stop and do something else. All easier said than done. Post on here even - people will reply and help.

@Froomp I hope the results do not take too much longer. Thinking of you.

That’s the thing I don’t know the next step. I was told it would either be a letter (I assume if the biopsy came back clear) or an appointment, more likely an appointment (I assume if it’s cancer). I’ve had neither yet. I have phoned the hospital every day this week but they keep telling me the results aren’t back yet/ haven’t been reviewed yet. I feel like I’m going mad.

I'm no expert whatsoever so I'm sorry if it's false hope but surely if it was THAT serious they'd be calling you back in urgently? I'm thinking of you OP and I really hope in a few months time this will be nothing but a horrible memory x

Really hope you get answers soon.

I can't imagine how hard this waiting game is for you. Hope you don't have to wait too much longer

SpecialKRocks223 that’s what I thought but TBH it seems like neither good nor bad news at this stage because they just don’t have the results to decide if I need an urgent appointment or whatever.

If it is melanoma that doesn’t mean I’m going to die, right?

No, it doesn't mean you are going to die.

Treatment for melanoma has taken huge, huge leaps in the past few years.

If it's early stage, it's very treatable.

Worst case if it's gone beyond that, there are very effective new treatments.

Have you not had any more news yet?

Sending you strength op

The very best of luck OP.

@Froomp I hope you are ok, the waiting is unbelievably stressful. Maybe my own experience will help put your mind at ease a little. I had a large mole on my back, right in the middle. It was found quite by accident by a doctor one day who told me it needed removing ASAP. Like you, cue major panic stations. Especially when I realised that it had been there for two years, growing and changing (I had photos and when I compared them I realised just how much it had grown). It was truly a hideous time, I read all the stats and scared myself stupid. All the worst case scenarios went through my mind. The consultant was realistic and said that I needed to prepare myself that it was more likely to be something than nothing. It was removed urgently by a plastic surgeon who rushed the tests through. And when they came back, it showed that I did indeed have melanoma. However, they had caught it at stage 1a. This thing had been on my back for at least two years. I was expecting them to tell me it was stage 3. I had some more surgery and now I go and get prodded and poked every couple of months. But I guess the reason I’m telling you is that I was where you are now in my mind and I get how awful it is. Try not to go to the worst case scenario, though I know saying that doesn’t really help. All the very very best, you’ll know soon enough and then you can make a plan