Hair Hair Hair - Another question
Comments
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Tamlynn110,
I also am on weekly Taxol and started with hair growth about weeks 4-5, Just received Tx. #9 and most of head is covered with soft white/grey covering. Still can see scalp at very top of head but just glad to have hair growth already!!! Some area's are longer than others. Think I will wait a few more weeks before I color it. Lost all my eyelashes though and most of my eyebrows....
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Hi Judy - The Redkin Rough Paste # 12 is fairly easy to find - most hair stylists carry Redkin products, and Sally's beauty supply stores would likely have it, but you could probably get it on line as well. Mine cost $18.00 but you use so little each time, it's probably good for a year or more. Like Jancie's Special Effects, Rough Paste has no odor or greasy feeling.
Weety911 - if you even have 1/4" of hair, the paste helps to "tame" those hairs that are a bit stray and longer than the others. I was suprised that I could actually do something with it when it was that short.
Mai605 - Sometimes ya just gotta laugh at the craziness of all of this! I find I'm much more likely to smile at a funny joke or laugh even if no one else is - so, I'm either becoming a nut case, or I'm really enjoying my life a lot more these days (I prefer to think it's the latter). Glad I could bring a smile to you.
Tamlin110 - I had Adriamycin and Cytoxin first, and all my hair fell out - looked like Howie Mandel. When I started Taxol, I was totally bald, but hair started to grow back just around treatment 4 or 5, like you. I asked my onc, and pessimist that he can be, he said "it will probably fall out again"...well, it didn't and I am now finished with Taxol and on Herceptin (27 down, 25 to go!), and I haven't worn a hat or wig since the middle of October. I just measured my hair with a ruler (do you believe what we do to check hair growth?) and it is 2 1/4" long. I think I have been very lucky, since my hair always has grown fast. To think I used to get annoyed because I needed to get a haircut every 3-4 weeks. Never complain about that (or a lot of other silly things I used to complian about) again.
Pam, Patmichaud, Love to Sail, Carolyn - you've got a great support group on these boards - hang in there and soon you'll be the ones welcoming the newbies - but oh, how I wish none of us had to welcome anyone else to this club.
Have a good weekend everyone.
Geri
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I think it was on another post on this site, but a bunch of us were talking and comparing and have come to realize that those on weekly Taxol DO see hair growth DURING TX and those who are getting dose dense Taxol once every two weeks do not (I, alas, am in the latter group)l. I am 8 weeks PFC now (going on 9) and just starting to get a 5 o'clock shadow (very exciting!) ... am thinking the lower dose that is given once a week allows for hair regrowth. So enjoy that hair!
Cheers,
Lilah
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I'm still here - reading posts but not saying much. I'm almost 7 months PFC and still wearing a wig or hat because my scalp still shows through almost everywhere but especially the top of my head. For the past few weeks I've been using a product called Intragen which is made in Europe and is supposed to stimulate the hair follicules. There's an accompanying shampoo. So far I don't see any difference but it's supposed to take at least 6 weeks so I'll keep trying. Best wishes, everyone
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HRF - we need to send the hair fairy over to you!
I went to my stylist today. I am 7 months PFC. She said that I had 3" of hair in the back. The top of my head is definately fuller (tons more hair) but only about 2-1/2" long. My hair is now covering the tops of my ears. She could not believe the amount my hair grew since I saw her 4 weeks ago.
I told her I was taking 10,000 mcg of Biotin daily and she concurred that the clients that she has that use biotin have faster hair growth, healthy and stronger hair. I think the Biotin has also helped with my taxol nails.
I have had 3 frosts now - spaced 4 weeks apart and so now I am looking more of my old natural blonde color. I did not get a trim today but will next time I see her. We are going to start scheduling 8 week appointments. I figure if I trimmed my hair every 4 weeks it will be hard to get it longer as I will be trimming off any growth that I get but I think the first couple of trims really helped my hair a lot as it is very healthy even though I bleached it blonde through frosting.
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Did anyone lose hair with CMF chemo?
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I know people who lost hair with CMF chemo even though docs said they wouldn't
Please send the Hair Fairy to me. Has anyone else had the same problem? Is there any chance that my hair will still regrow or am I out of luck? My eyebrows have also not come back .. there are a few hairs but mostly spaces. And there is no hair regrowth on my arms (not that it would bother me if it didn't come back there) .... seems that the hair follicules over my entire body don't want to wake up or they died altogether.
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Hi all, I am just checking in and have enjoyed reading all the posts since Friday. I had Taxol every other week and my hair did not grow back until at least a month after treatment. (it had fallen out from the A-C before the taxol). I am now almost 5.5 months pfc.
Helen, good to hear from you! Sending you big ((((((hugs)))))))!!!
hugs to everyone, Judy x
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HRF -- maybe just slower to come back this time? Have you asked your doctors what they think?
Judy -- hair is looking marvelous! Me too on every other week and only this past week (week 8/9 PFC) have I started having the 5 o'clock shadow look.
Cheers,
Lilah
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So I've read on here that eyebrows can fall out months after treatment - I'm about 5 months out and it's happening =(. Needless to say, it's made me kind of depressed.
I have a couple of questions though - will they all fall out this time? Sometimes I feel them tingling and I'm pretty worried about it. Also, how long until they begin to grow back? I probably have just over half of them right now, but if I touch them, some of them usually come out =(. At this point, it's really only noticable to me, but I don't want them to get worse!!
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Lemony67 - my eyebrows came out 1 month after Taxol and then grew back quickly. They have not fallen out again, but my lashes are slowly thinning out again now - I am 5.5 months pfc.
Take care and hugs to all, Judy x
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Lilah, I wouldn't mind slower if someone would guarantee that my hair would grow back enough to cover my scalp. But I have asked doc and all she says is that "hair always grows back eventually" I've asked for a referral to a dermatologist. I'm almost 7 months PFC. sigh!!!!
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hrf, I'm so sorry about your slow growth. I can hear the frustration in your posts ((((hug))))..... freakin' cancer!!!! Gosh it takes so much from us! I'm saying "Hair Prayers" for you....
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HRF -- I totally relate to your frustration. Hope the products you bought and started this week will do the trick! It sounds like you have some hair growing but sparsely. Sending out prayers for a thick head of hair for you soon!
Lilah
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I finished chemo in December and while losing my hair during treatment hit me hard, it seems to be harder now. I hate seeing myself in the mirror, and today I constantly want to cry because I'm so ugly. I just got a partial wig a few days ago (from Hip Hats With Hair - incredibly nice people), but I feel like such a fraud wearing it, as if everyone knows its fake and I'm just pathetic. I just can't seem to pull myself out of this funk (and I'm already on anti-depressants).
I've been lurking on this topic for a while and started taking Biotin last week based on suggestions posted here. I know I'm just barely out of chemo and you ladies are much further along than I am, but your posts have been encouraging. I guess I just had some silly idea that when chemo was over, all the SEs, including losing my hair, would be over too.
Sido
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Hi ladies Here is my question have any of you had WBR and gotten your hair back where really foucs the radiation too? My hair is coming back finally but I have not had radiation before in my head.. So will I always have this bald spot on the top of my head? If so has any one have any ideas on what to do?? No wigs they make me crazy...... or crazier... thanks for your help!
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Sido - what you are experiencing is the same exact feelings I had. While doing chemo I was too out of it with the steroids, just the fact alone that I was in chemo, feeling lousy and tired that I really didn't think much about the fact I was bald. I couldn't have cared less because I was feeling like crap. Once I got out of chemo I became totally obsessed with getting my hair back. And I do mean obsessed!!! I too felt ugly because not only was I bald, I had gained 20 lbs.
I am just now feeling comfortable about my short hair style. No, it is not long enough for me but I no longer HATE MY HAIR. I am 7 months PFC.
You will get to a good place, it just takes a little bit of time.
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Sido - What kind of dog is that in your avatar? Is it a long-haired Corgi? FYI - my hair did not grow back at all on the DD taxol. The Femara is making it grow VERY slowly as well. The hair on my legs, however, grows like weeds.
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The hair on my head is slow but steady but like Jane, the hair on the legs is growing super fast. I think the hair on my legs is longer than the hair on my head!
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If I hadn't shaved my legs for the past year, I could probably braid it like Rapunzel by now!
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Sido - hang in there! It takes a good long while after chemo to start feeling "normal" and even that is a different normal to before BC.
I finished on July 27th, took my headscarf off for Thanksgiving and still suffer with heartburn from the chemo. My eye lashes are also coming out again now for a second time.
I still have bad days when I cannot stand the sight of myself (I had a bilateral mastectomy and the reconstruction did not work). I wear prosthetics and I sometimes feel like a fraud, but I prefer how I look when I wear them to when I don't. A year ago, who would have thought that we would even have had to think about these things?
Each day is a step forward and it takes a long time. During chemo, I never believed that the end of July would come and now it is January! Come here any time you want to vent or share, that is what we are here for. These ladies are the best!
Helen, how are you doing today?
Hugs to all, Judy xoxox
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Judy -- if I may ask -- why didn't reconstruction work for you?
Sido -- I do think that there is a feeling, once you finally make it thrugh the chemo and start feeling like your old self again, to want the hair NOW. God nows I did feel that. I actually, and this is going to sound weird, think I look cute with no hair when I'm wearing a black turtle neck -- very dramatic! But I am tired of the wig and still don't have anything LIKE enough hair to go topless anywhere but at home. Hang in there... it WILL grow.
Cheers,
Lilah
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Hi Lilah
Of course you can ask! I had the expanders put in when I had the bilat mastectomy and the skin did not heal, it died. So I had to have a second surgery to have the expanders removed together with the dead skin. It was all very upsetting. There was no time to do anything else, because the Onc wanted to start the chemo asap.
At some stage, I want to decide whether or not to have the surgery at all, it is quite major surgery I believe and they will need to take skin from elsewhere on my body.
Hugs, Judy x
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Ah so sorry Judy -- that sucks. Seems unusual to have such a major failure to heal. I assume you are looking at other options (like TRAM or DIEP or Lat Flap)? Although risk of necrosis is also there for those surgeries. Do they know WHY your skin died?
Hugs,
Lilah0 -
Stephanie - I am 7 months post chemo and I think you have more hair than I do. Your hair is beautiful. How did you style it like this?
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Thanks Lilah - you are very sweet. They said it was because I used to be a smoker and the blood flow was not as it should have been. It is all in the past now, as is my smoking ...
Hugs to all, Judy x
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Yay for smoking in the past! Wow I used to be as well... but a while back... so maybe that is the difference (so far so good for me with healing). I did develop an infection last week but antibiotics seem to be healing it. Anyway maybe with time and no smoking the circulation can improve? I am sorry. But you do look so radiant in your avatar -- love the gorgeous hair and that smile! You will find your way, I have no doubt.
Cheers,
Lilah
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Judy - I had the exact same thing happen to be, supposedly due to lack of blood flow too. I had the implants removed by emergency surgery on Christmas Eve 2008. I am scheduled to have lat flap surgery in two weeks. I am nervous that its going to fail again, but the PS said it will work because I will have better blood flow with the lat flap.
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Jane_M, yes, my dog is a longhaired corgi. Breeders call them "fluffies" and consider it a grevious fault in the coat, which is why I was able to have him.
Thank you all for the encouragement! Jancie, I gained weight too (which I'm working on) and am starting to finally lose my steroid "moon face." At least a little.
Judy, I'm a former smoker too. How long ago did you quit?
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Judy, I'm so sorry your recon failed. I had no idea. (((hugs))) I'm thinking of you. I'm sure if you go ahead with a different procedure, it will work out.
I'm back at work and trying to pretend I'm normal. At least it keeps me thinking about other people and things.
Helen
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