@sallycinnamon
Forum Replies Created
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- July 20, 2015 at 7:24 pm
That's great news, zhanggar. Now you can breathe again!
I just managed to speak with the nurse at my dermatologist. The lesion on my calf is a dysplastic nevus, and I'm scheduled for a surgical excision on Friday morning. The lesion on my breastbone is still under review–apparently, the dermatologist sent it for another review, so I've no idea what's going on there. Anyway, I'm relieved that this is just a dysplastic nevus and can be sorted out relatively easily. Phew!
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- July 20, 2015 at 7:24 pm
That's great news, zhanggar. Now you can breathe again!
I just managed to speak with the nurse at my dermatologist. The lesion on my calf is a dysplastic nevus, and I'm scheduled for a surgical excision on Friday morning. The lesion on my breastbone is still under review–apparently, the dermatologist sent it for another review, so I've no idea what's going on there. Anyway, I'm relieved that this is just a dysplastic nevus and can be sorted out relatively easily. Phew!
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- July 20, 2015 at 7:24 pm
That's great news, zhanggar. Now you can breathe again!
I just managed to speak with the nurse at my dermatologist. The lesion on my calf is a dysplastic nevus, and I'm scheduled for a surgical excision on Friday morning. The lesion on my breastbone is still under review–apparently, the dermatologist sent it for another review, so I've no idea what's going on there. Anyway, I'm relieved that this is just a dysplastic nevus and can be sorted out relatively easily. Phew!
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- July 20, 2015 at 11:33 am
Sending positive, good thoughts your way, zhanggar! I'm waiting to call the dermatologists office the second they open…
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- July 20, 2015 at 11:33 am
Sending positive, good thoughts your way, zhanggar! I'm waiting to call the dermatologists office the second they open…
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- July 20, 2015 at 11:33 am
Sending positive, good thoughts your way, zhanggar! I'm waiting to call the dermatologists office the second they open…
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- July 19, 2015 at 2:28 pm
Hi stars, thank you so much for your reply. I hope that the way forward for you is as straightforward as can be.
I really appreciate your advice. I originally saw a doctor at University Health Services (I'm a graduate student with student healthcare) at the start of July–we'd been on a family holiday to Florida and while I was putting sun lotion on, I noticed that the lesion on the back of my leg was significantly larger than it had been. Honestly, I wear trousers most of the time and it's in a funny spot towards the back of my calf so although I knew it was there, I hadn't paid attention to it for a long time. The one between my breastbone just looked the same as it always did. Anyway, long stort short, the doctor at UHS said the one on my leg looked suspicious and suggested I see a dermatologist. However, our university hospital (it's a big teaching hospital) only has ONE dermatologist, which is kind of unbelieveable. Without any serious diagnosis, the earliest I could get an appointment with him was early next year, over six months from now! So, doctor suggested I wait until the start of the new semester (end of August) and see another UHS doctor who "knows a bit about skin and can probably do a biopsy." I nodded, booked an appointment, and left.
I knew this wasn't good enough, and decided I was worried enough to call around and find another dermatologist, even though this would take me out of the university health network. I figured it was worh it for the peace of mind. On the second phone call, I got a receptionist who took "suspicious lesion" seriously and squeezed me in to see the dermatologist. This derm is supposed to be good–he has all kinds of certifications and recommendations, so I was pleased to get to see him. I was with him for about ten minutes, fifteen at the most. He diagnosed the actinic keratoses on my face, honed straight in on the two lesions and ordered biopsies. I didn't know enough about biopsies at the time (you can believe I do now) to know that I shouln't have had shave biopsies. I'm hoping that, in the grand scheme of things, this will turn about to be unimportant. Anyway, his nurse did the biopsies, talked me through the side effects of imiquimod, and told me my results would be available online in seven buisness days. Apparently, that's standard procedure for all patient communications. I did ask her what would happen if the pathology showed anything and she said I should call the clinic if that happened–they wouldn't call me. She also suggested that these lesions might just be dysplastic nevi. not necessarily melanoma.
So, off I pootled, and commenced to wait. For some reason that I have yet to fathom, I logged in to the results portal on Friday early evening, and saw that the dermatologist had left a voice mail on Thursday (which didn't come through to my phone, although it should have done) stating that the path results were a problem and I needed further treatment, which would need to be arranged through a nurse. And there we have it. I'm now waiting until the clinic opens tomorrow morning and hoping I can find out exactly what the pathology said, and where to go from here. I'm hoping it's possible that this is a dysplastic nevi and all I need is a couple more mm taking from the biopsy site. I don't know how realistic I'm being with that.
But, I'll be getting back into my university network at the first available opportunity–primarily because I'm not thrilled that a) they did a shave biopsy and b) they've been so lassaiz-faire about communicating with me. Besides, if this anything that needs ongoing attention, I'd rather be with a healthcare network with huge facilities and resources. So, after I get my results tomorrow, I'll be calling the hospital dermatologist to get an appointment in six months, even if all that does is put me in the system for regular skin checks. I'm very glad that something told me to get a biopsy as soon as possible, even if it does still turn out to be nothing. It will have been worth it for the peace of mind. And, if it is something unpleasant, better that I find out now and start treatment than have it lingering for another six months.
Wow. That's quite an essay I wrote. I appreciate your advice and kind words, and am sending positive thoughts back in your direction 🙂
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- July 19, 2015 at 2:28 pm
Hi stars, thank you so much for your reply. I hope that the way forward for you is as straightforward as can be.
I really appreciate your advice. I originally saw a doctor at University Health Services (I'm a graduate student with student healthcare) at the start of July–we'd been on a family holiday to Florida and while I was putting sun lotion on, I noticed that the lesion on the back of my leg was significantly larger than it had been. Honestly, I wear trousers most of the time and it's in a funny spot towards the back of my calf so although I knew it was there, I hadn't paid attention to it for a long time. The one between my breastbone just looked the same as it always did. Anyway, long stort short, the doctor at UHS said the one on my leg looked suspicious and suggested I see a dermatologist. However, our university hospital (it's a big teaching hospital) only has ONE dermatologist, which is kind of unbelieveable. Without any serious diagnosis, the earliest I could get an appointment with him was early next year, over six months from now! So, doctor suggested I wait until the start of the new semester (end of August) and see another UHS doctor who "knows a bit about skin and can probably do a biopsy." I nodded, booked an appointment, and left.
I knew this wasn't good enough, and decided I was worried enough to call around and find another dermatologist, even though this would take me out of the university health network. I figured it was worh it for the peace of mind. On the second phone call, I got a receptionist who took "suspicious lesion" seriously and squeezed me in to see the dermatologist. This derm is supposed to be good–he has all kinds of certifications and recommendations, so I was pleased to get to see him. I was with him for about ten minutes, fifteen at the most. He diagnosed the actinic keratoses on my face, honed straight in on the two lesions and ordered biopsies. I didn't know enough about biopsies at the time (you can believe I do now) to know that I shouln't have had shave biopsies. I'm hoping that, in the grand scheme of things, this will turn about to be unimportant. Anyway, his nurse did the biopsies, talked me through the side effects of imiquimod, and told me my results would be available online in seven buisness days. Apparently, that's standard procedure for all patient communications. I did ask her what would happen if the pathology showed anything and she said I should call the clinic if that happened–they wouldn't call me. She also suggested that these lesions might just be dysplastic nevi. not necessarily melanoma.
So, off I pootled, and commenced to wait. For some reason that I have yet to fathom, I logged in to the results portal on Friday early evening, and saw that the dermatologist had left a voice mail on Thursday (which didn't come through to my phone, although it should have done) stating that the path results were a problem and I needed further treatment, which would need to be arranged through a nurse. And there we have it. I'm now waiting until the clinic opens tomorrow morning and hoping I can find out exactly what the pathology said, and where to go from here. I'm hoping it's possible that this is a dysplastic nevi and all I need is a couple more mm taking from the biopsy site. I don't know how realistic I'm being with that.
But, I'll be getting back into my university network at the first available opportunity–primarily because I'm not thrilled that a) they did a shave biopsy and b) they've been so lassaiz-faire about communicating with me. Besides, if this anything that needs ongoing attention, I'd rather be with a healthcare network with huge facilities and resources. So, after I get my results tomorrow, I'll be calling the hospital dermatologist to get an appointment in six months, even if all that does is put me in the system for regular skin checks. I'm very glad that something told me to get a biopsy as soon as possible, even if it does still turn out to be nothing. It will have been worth it for the peace of mind. And, if it is something unpleasant, better that I find out now and start treatment than have it lingering for another six months.
Wow. That's quite an essay I wrote. I appreciate your advice and kind words, and am sending positive thoughts back in your direction 🙂
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- July 19, 2015 at 2:28 pm
Hi stars, thank you so much for your reply. I hope that the way forward for you is as straightforward as can be.
I really appreciate your advice. I originally saw a doctor at University Health Services (I'm a graduate student with student healthcare) at the start of July–we'd been on a family holiday to Florida and while I was putting sun lotion on, I noticed that the lesion on the back of my leg was significantly larger than it had been. Honestly, I wear trousers most of the time and it's in a funny spot towards the back of my calf so although I knew it was there, I hadn't paid attention to it for a long time. The one between my breastbone just looked the same as it always did. Anyway, long stort short, the doctor at UHS said the one on my leg looked suspicious and suggested I see a dermatologist. However, our university hospital (it's a big teaching hospital) only has ONE dermatologist, which is kind of unbelieveable. Without any serious diagnosis, the earliest I could get an appointment with him was early next year, over six months from now! So, doctor suggested I wait until the start of the new semester (end of August) and see another UHS doctor who "knows a bit about skin and can probably do a biopsy." I nodded, booked an appointment, and left.
I knew this wasn't good enough, and decided I was worried enough to call around and find another dermatologist, even though this would take me out of the university health network. I figured it was worh it for the peace of mind. On the second phone call, I got a receptionist who took "suspicious lesion" seriously and squeezed me in to see the dermatologist. This derm is supposed to be good–he has all kinds of certifications and recommendations, so I was pleased to get to see him. I was with him for about ten minutes, fifteen at the most. He diagnosed the actinic keratoses on my face, honed straight in on the two lesions and ordered biopsies. I didn't know enough about biopsies at the time (you can believe I do now) to know that I shouln't have had shave biopsies. I'm hoping that, in the grand scheme of things, this will turn about to be unimportant. Anyway, his nurse did the biopsies, talked me through the side effects of imiquimod, and told me my results would be available online in seven buisness days. Apparently, that's standard procedure for all patient communications. I did ask her what would happen if the pathology showed anything and she said I should call the clinic if that happened–they wouldn't call me. She also suggested that these lesions might just be dysplastic nevi. not necessarily melanoma.
So, off I pootled, and commenced to wait. For some reason that I have yet to fathom, I logged in to the results portal on Friday early evening, and saw that the dermatologist had left a voice mail on Thursday (which didn't come through to my phone, although it should have done) stating that the path results were a problem and I needed further treatment, which would need to be arranged through a nurse. And there we have it. I'm now waiting until the clinic opens tomorrow morning and hoping I can find out exactly what the pathology said, and where to go from here. I'm hoping it's possible that this is a dysplastic nevi and all I need is a couple more mm taking from the biopsy site. I don't know how realistic I'm being with that.
But, I'll be getting back into my university network at the first available opportunity–primarily because I'm not thrilled that a) they did a shave biopsy and b) they've been so lassaiz-faire about communicating with me. Besides, if this anything that needs ongoing attention, I'd rather be with a healthcare network with huge facilities and resources. So, after I get my results tomorrow, I'll be calling the hospital dermatologist to get an appointment in six months, even if all that does is put me in the system for regular skin checks. I'm very glad that something told me to get a biopsy as soon as possible, even if it does still turn out to be nothing. It will have been worth it for the peace of mind. And, if it is something unpleasant, better that I find out now and start treatment than have it lingering for another six months.
Wow. That's quite an essay I wrote. I appreciate your advice and kind words, and am sending positive thoughts back in your direction 🙂
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- July 18, 2015 at 11:22 pm
Here are my pictures.
This is the one on my leg:
This is the one on my breastbone:
The next three pictures are the biopsy site on my leg the day after, two days after, and three days after (first picture is kind of bloody):
Good luck on Monday!
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- July 18, 2015 at 11:22 pm
Here are my pictures.
This is the one on my leg:
This is the one on my breastbone:
The next three pictures are the biopsy site on my leg the day after, two days after, and three days after (first picture is kind of bloody):
Good luck on Monday!
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- July 18, 2015 at 11:22 pm
Here are my pictures.
This is the one on my leg:
This is the one on my breastbone:
The next three pictures are the biopsy site on my leg the day after, two days after, and three days after (first picture is kind of bloody):
Good luck on Monday!
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- July 17, 2015 at 9:48 pm
So, since I posted my reply to you I've had a message from the dermatology clinic. Apparently, there is a problem with my path results and I "need further treatment." Of course, I only just got this message, it's Friday early evening, and I can't get hold of anyone to find out what's going on. It's going to be a long weekend.
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- July 17, 2015 at 9:48 pm
So, since I posted my reply to you I've had a message from the dermatology clinic. Apparently, there is a problem with my path results and I "need further treatment." Of course, I only just got this message, it's Friday early evening, and I can't get hold of anyone to find out what's going on. It's going to be a long weekend.
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- July 17, 2015 at 9:48 pm
So, since I posted my reply to you I've had a message from the dermatology clinic. Apparently, there is a problem with my path results and I "need further treatment." Of course, I only just got this message, it's Friday early evening, and I can't get hold of anyone to find out what's going on. It's going to be a long weekend.
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