Choroidal Melanoma

ashleemondo

Hello everyone, I was writing to find anyone else who may have this cancer. I was just diagnosed with this cancer after going to my eye doctor. I woke up one morning and noticed an increased amount of floaters in my vision. I blew it off for months and also because I didn't have insurance or money to pay for an eye visit. When I finally got the money to see an optometrist, I went to Target Optical. I did the picture scans of the eye, and that's when the optometrist said that I had some form of detachment of my retina. She quickly contacted my primary doctor to request that they send a referral to a retinal specialist. I was seen the next day and the optometrist confirmed that it wasn't a detachment but it was melanoma in my retina. I didn't even know that it was possible to have melanoma inside of the eye. They then sent me to a different doctor who specializes in these types of issues and he confirmed that it was indeed Melanoma. He even told me as well that this cancer is rare, 1 in 4 million. I am waiting for MRIs to be scheduled, as well as a biopsy/mapping surgery next month. They will map the tumor in my eye with special markers and then I consult with a radiation specialist to get a mask made for my face to use during radiation. And then I will be going to radiation for 4 days in a row.

With all that being said, are there others out there who are experiencing this now or in the past? and how was your process?

Currently, I'm on anti-anxiety medications because the anxiety of this all is completely unbearable. And I guess, I am curious if it's normal to have this much anxiety while having cancer.

Thank you all for taking the time to read and comment.

eDivebuddy

I haven’t had uveal melanoma, but my wife gets checked for it regularly since she’s had melanoma before. I know it’s extremely rare in people who aren’t light-skinned—less than 1 in a million.

The fact that they’re contemplating radiation is a good sign that, even with the delay, it’s still early. Are you having proton therapy?

Anxiety is completely normal. I haven’t met a single person who didn’t feel some level of it. I refused help at first, but after a couple of weeks without sleep, I found myself talking to my dead relatives. One call to the cancer center later, and I had a prescription for Xanax. I slept for days. It took me a couple of years to stop having random panic attacks, and I still feel a little anxious sometimes—but nothing like before.

Good luck to you.

andstal

Hi, I've been dealing with uveal melanoma for the past 8 years. Started in 2016. Went to eye doctor, she referred me to ophthalmologist because she thought it was detached retina, but ophthalmologist said no, I have a mass in backside of eye. It was too large to do plaque(sp?) radiation, so eye was removed. Things were fine until 2019 when I had reoccurance. This this time I had everything in the eye socket removed. Then in 2024 I had a third reoccurrence. This time they went in thru the skull. Further scans showed it metastasize to the lungs. I did radiation on the lungs and the eye socket. Last week my oncologist said the radiation worked, however I now have a lymphoid that is of concern, so more radiation for me. Thats my story in a nutshell.

I would be concerned if you were NOT anxiety ridden. I've got a script from my doctor for klonipin to help me get through. My other recommendation is join a cancer support group and see a therapist who specializes in cancer.

Realize you will experience cancer ghosting from family, friends, workmates. You can contact me directly if you would like and I will try and help you go through this uveal melanoma. You can get through this!

Andy