Worried About Excisional Biopsy

Hi there, I've had a birthmark on my upper thigh real close to the groin since birth (of course) and recently noticed changes in it. It has a light brown area of skin around the mole which is irregular and has a notch in it, it is black and brown in center and has black mole like thing growing inside of it now. The doc thinks it is melanoma and wants it removed and tested next Wednesday. I'm really worried about the biopsy itself because of where it is and how sensitive it might be afterwards. Anyone going or gone through this lately? I am worried to death about the surgery and of course finding out the results afterwards. Do they give you any pain medication during recovery? What will it look like, feel like? Any info would make me feel more informed and prepared going into this rollercoaster ride.
Jenn

The surgery should be out paitent. You go in and go home the same day. Yes they give pain medicine. Procedure is not dreadful. Discomfort for a few days.

After the procedure make sure you have a full
Body cat-pet scans by your doctor. Melanoma will travel. Demand this procedure!!!! If your doctor's does not do this change doctors!!

What is this procedure and should I ask for it after I get the results of the biopsy? Or should I go on and request it now?
Thankyou so much, I don't know as much as I want to know about all this, and you're a tremendous help!
Jenn from Tenn

I am sorry this site will not allow you to post e-mails. If you still want my sons finance's e-mail we will have to work this out.

If they determine the mole is Melanoma a PET- CAT SCAN is imaging(x-ray) of your whole body to see if Melanoma shows up elsewhere. I have read a lot on the messages board where the cancerous mole was removed,however, the doctor never went further for test to see if it show up anywhere else and then a year later it shows up.

Well since we can't technically exchange email addresses I guess I could try to give you mine in a round a bout way. --- Message edited by CancerCompass staff: for personal protection, email address removed. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html ----Maybe that'll be okay??:) I'm hoping for the best Wednesday, Is it your son's fiance who has melanoma? It's definitely scary when I've heard how many doctor's think of melanoma as a simple procedure to fix..."just cut it out and you'll be fine". And then the patient is diagnosed later with stage 4 and it is beyond "repair". Thankyou again, my husband and I feel so alone in all this because we had never heard of any of this until my doc. visit!
Jenn from Tenn