Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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didel: Vit D and your hormone levels are the important ones. No one ever checked my Vit K-it just helps with the body's ability to use the vitamin D.
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sptmm-I lost about the same amount of hair as you. About 8 weeks pfc, my onc told me that if I had not lost them yet, odds are I wouldn't loose them. I had my last chemo on 05/28 and I still have not lost them. They are thinner than they used to be, but they are still here!0
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Curious, anyone used Rogaine while on Arimidex? I'm using essential oils on my scalp but really would like to hear of any success. Arimidex has slowed down the regrowth of hair, patchy, especially in the front of my scalp. Thank you!!
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MBJ, thanks for all the "levels" info. I know my thyroid is low. My PCP ran the tests and I'm just barely in the low normal range. She thought that was wonderful and won't give me a referral. I just need to figure out how to get one from her. So sorry Your hair is falling out again.
I had tried the women's strength Rogaine and I did grow some stubble. The stubble never grew out. I quit using the Rogaine and the stubble all fell out. I know I can grow it but I just don't know what to do to make it grow and stay.
I did just get some rosemary and sweet almond oils and will try that. Everything I read says it takes a couple months to see results. I don't have high hopes. But I'm going to try it anyway.
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Firni: Try going on breastcancerchoices.org and they have a list of dr's there that do the natural thyroid meds, which is what I am on. Way better for you and it works! If I don't take my thyroid meds I am in quite an awful fog. My estrogen level was at .5 after chemo so since I don't have hormone receptive cancer my dr is starting me on a low dose bioidentical estrogen cream. Hope it gets rid of the hot flashes and hair loss. It's all about getting everything in balance naturally for me. I use the men's rogain--It works way better then the women's version. They all take a couple of months to work:(
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I've been reading eagerly about DIM--this seems to be one of the newer hormone balancing methods. I'm sure my estrogen is completely crashed, haven't had that tested, but probably will in December. That may also explain why the hair growth is so horribly slow. I am ER+, so even my naturopath is wary of bioidenticals. After some studies on progesterone as a possible source of inflammation and cancer, Dr. Lee's work seems in question.
Week 8.5, full fuzz that is starting to lie down a bit. This is a pathetic voyage, but I hold on to the hope of any hair changes with glee!
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MHP70 - Congratulations! Fuzz is good - hair is on its way :-)
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MHP I've been taking DIM for almost 2 years now. It is the one thing that my "gut" tells me I HAVE to have. My onc told me that they don't really know the effects of progesterone and so the PR+ status is pretty much ignored. There is a lot of debate on whether progesterone is benifitial or harmful if you are PR+. Sadly, ER+ means we must keep the estrogen out of our bodies. But I don't understand why if we take a tumor receptor blocker like Tamoxifen. So, we can live cancer free and die of heart disease and terminal wrinkles. Yes, there is a bit of vanity here too. I won't even comment on the hair issue, coz if you've read thru the thread, you know I'm one of the few unlucky ones. Don't want to be Debbie Downer on this thread.
MBJ My insurance doesn't cover naturopaths or the meds they Rx. So, for now, that is out of my reach. Translated: budget. I will check out the website tho. Knowledge is power. My question about the rogaine, If you stop using it, do you lose the hair it helped to grow? I've heard both ways. My doc says yes. My derma says no. My Rogaine stubble fell out while I was using it, so I stopped.
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Firni: From what I understand, Rogaine will grow hair but it won't prevent fall out from high testosterone, which is what you have when you don't have estrogen. There is a product that combats the testosterone hair loss that is topical called Xenna 183 Topical Scalp Solution. Here is the link. http://www.xenna.com/183.html I have used this before and I am using it again and whenever my scalp feels "tingly" I put some one and it stops it and helps with the hair loss. This should go away in a couple of months once my hormones are in balance. BTW: Bioidentical Estriol, according to Dr. Lee, is the only kind of estrogen than doesn't cause or contribute to breast cancer. Firni: there are dr's within standard medical care that take insurance and you are covered (Blue Cross to name one) that do bioidenticals, you just have to research it.0
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Mel, your hair is really pretty. Mine is almost the same length. It started growing in about 6 weeks into the weekly Taxol. I'm 2 weeks post chemo. My husband colored it dark brown last weekend. We got the stuff at the beauty supply. I'm already seeing tiny gray roots. My hair is curly on top and kind of straight on the sides, but I have full coverage. I'm still wearing a wig. It's too much of a shock to wear it short for me. My eyebrows are still missing, but my lashes are starting to grow in.
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Hi MBJ
I just wanted to tell you all of my experiene just in case it helps someone. I worshipped Dr. Lee, read his book throughout my menopause (age 49, 50, 51), and used Progesterone Cream (Progest by the brand Emerita) bought from a health food store from Nov. 2004 to until my cancer in July 2010 I really believed that Progesterone gave me strength and made me feel wonderful. I still believe that it balanced me out tremendously with my hormones. That's why I was so shocked, so shocked to get diagnosed with cancer anyway. During 2004 to 2010, in the beginning the product contained "paraben", a carcinogen known to cause cancer. I have tried to contact the company and ask them at what point did they stop putting parabem in the product, but was not able to get any good information. Since my cancer, my gyne told me to stop using all hormones, and I agreed with her. I have put Dr. Lee's book away for good now, no more bio-identical hormones or anything for me. I will try to get all my hormones from natural food only and let my body make all the hormones.
Do you notice my extreme bitterness in my email? Yes, I spent $39.99 every month and used it religiously and totally and completely believed in it, as per Dr. Lee's explanations, but in the end, I got cancer, maybe from it, who knows? And who can prove it anyway? Dr. Lee's book titled "what doctors don't tell you about pre-menopause".
Vina
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Vina: I am so sorry to her this! I think that I am alergic to Progesterone and I am not taking it. There is some tidbits of information that I gleaned fro this book. It explained why hormones weren't working on me for my fibroids--they were too large. It also confirmed my diagnosis of adrenal exhaustion prior to BC. I am always too scared to self medicate so I go to an integrative dr. I too wonder if progesterone does more harm then good. Hormones are such a delicate balance. Have you gone to the website breastcancerchoices.org? I am doing the iodine protocol and I think the lack of iodine in our unnaturally grown foods is the culprit! As we age we need melatonin, selenium, biotin, vit A, B, C, D, E & K all which are very protective of our immune systems and protective of BC. I don't think you did anything wrong and I don't think any one product is to blame. Imagine, all of our food is grown in chemicals unless it is organic! How can this not have an effect on our bodies over time? Same with parabens in our beauty products. So I try to eat organic, I try to eat low fat, I try to keep my weight down and I only have a little bit of sugar after a meal. I also try to stay active. Hugs.
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Kittycat: Yay, you have hair! I felt like from an alien planet with short hair. Soooo not me! I was still wearing my wigs when I had an important meeting or when I was feeling insecure up until a month ago. I still feel as if I have "old lady" hair. My DH thinks it's cute but I cannot wait until I have normal hair again.
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As I move along in this journey, I think I subscribe to the "if it's sounds too good to be true, it probably is" camp. Dr. Lee's work is being questioned now in some studies on progesterone as an inflammatory substance that could potentially trigger BC. I think, though, none of us will ever really know what triggers this monster entirely. Don't think in those terms. As my mother says, you do the best you can with the information you have at the time, and that's all any of us can do!
Parabens are highly questionable, but they are not "known carcinogens". Equally questionable are all the plastics we come into contact with every day, even when we try hard not to!
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I am scheduled for Lupron injection in 11 days. I am 6 weeks after chemo with some fuzzy hair all over my head. I will put my pictures, hopefully I will not scary anybody. Since Lupron would stop my estrogen production would it stop my hair growth as well? What happens with women who removes ovaries (my plan down the road).
MHP70 You are 2 weeks ahead of me. Are You on Tamoxifen?
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Hi Nikola,
I'm not due to be on Tamox until 2 weeks after radiation. And I'm not planning on starting until I get the hair show on the road, I can't imagine a few more weeks is critical. If anyone has other info about that, please pipe in!
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I agree with You. I would most likely postpone my first injection just to get some coverage and then can grow slovely.
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I did it! I went to a Dave Matthews Band concert this past week withOUT a hat on...and I was nervous at first, but then I didn't care b/c I would never see any of those people again. Then the next day I went to work without it on. Everyone was so nice about it and said I looked good. It was definitely liberating! Thank you all so much for the encouragement, I couldn't have done it without you
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Yay Mel!!! Liberating, isn't it? Good for you.
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MelBell - YAY!!! for you. I'm sure you look great. Your avatar looks good and I like the picture you shared of the top-of-your-head a few posts back- Nov 8th I think. Anyway, I'm right there with you - about the same amount of hair but I have grey in mine :-) Maybe I'll 'come out' soon too!
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This picture is 7 months out of chemo. Colored and highlighted
All I do is wash and fluff lol
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Very nice Claire - encouraging too!
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Claire - Your hair looks great! Can't wait to get mine to that length and fullness.
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Claire: Very cute!!!
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MBJ - I really like your hair. How long have you been post chemo? I showed some friends my hair and they said it didn't look bad at all. I still won't wear it short in public. I'm like you, I'm not used to wearing it short. I've had long hair since I was in the 11th grade. That was a LONG time ago!!! And my short hair stint in the 10th grade only lasted a year.
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kittycat, I'm sure that you would look beautiful no matter how long your hair is.
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hey ladies.. 3jays of the "stuffed animal hair" am going this week for another trim. i will tell you from experience, if you cut curly hair, you just get shorter, tighter curls!!
im grateful ( that hair is coming in) and discouraged. the top thinned out incredibly.. however, i looked at some old pics and noticed to my surprise ! that i was getting the two spots on either side of the head ( i forget what theyre called ) they were receding thats the word!! i never noticed, till this started to come in. now, i have my hair trimmed about every 6 weeks. am now trying to decide 1 more trim on top, or let it grow..
one of my solutions during chemo to a wig, was, a scarf, with a bang ext. Am.CA SOC sells them in their TLC catologue. that made things cooler than a hat; but not so glaring as going commando. i don't have any obcious hairstyle, yet. but do go natural, but on big occasions, still wear wig. by the way, its not nearly as nice looking Or as long as yours MBJ. but, im grateful for every little favor!! i did start Biotin, which my gp says helps hairgrowth, and i discovered tnite that emu oil helps not only joint pain, but stimulates hair growth. gonna be greasing that in my thin spots soon. ordering it for my knees, adding in on the scalp.. a twofer. will letcha know...3jays
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so, lets see..
nope, pic wont show sorry...
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maybe..
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bb
sorry, couldnt get it larger. will try next time 0
