Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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hello, ladies. wondering if someone can direct me to the proper thread about what to expect from chemo. i had my surgery first, and now chemo & radiation and hormone therapy will be preventative. i have yet to meet my oncologist, so i won't know my regimen until 1/28. all i know right now is that i'll be on Tamoxifen for 6-12 weeks.
i read the shopping list for chemo thread last night, and was up half the night crying. i am better if i'm prepared, but i just wasn't expecting all the possibilites of what can go wrong. i think i read too much at once. i'm miserable about losing my hair & eyebrows, i can't bear the thought of going to a wig salon, but cannot imagine how one can possible buy a decent wig online. i don't even know where to begin as to researching supplements. i'll be working thru my chemo ... and whereas my coworkers are kind and supportive and love me, all i can picture is not making it to the ladies room in time to puke.
i'm just so depressed and confused. sorry for crashing this thread, but any guidance to the proper threads would be greatly appreciated. i don't suppose there's a "happy chemo stories" thread? *weak smile*
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Lisa, find us on the chemo January 2009 thread. sorry to have you join us, but the support from the group will make all of the diffrence. I know its a lot at once, but we can get through this
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Lisa - it truly sucks that any of us have to go through this BUT we do get through it. As kmmd said, join a thread with people who will be going through chemo the same time as you. My support group, the wonderful ladies of May 2008, has been invaluable to me. You can also read any of the threads from other groups that are in various stages of treatment to see how their experiences went. For the lighter side of it all, "The Road to Hell...." is a great thread. Good luck!
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Lisa, believe it or not, but almost all the chemo stories you'll read in this forum have happy endings. The middle part may be a bit gruesome and will probably scare you; but the ending is where we complain about the curls in our hair (instead of being bald), and fuss about how our adult acne has come back (after it disappeared during chemo), and plan for reunions and lazy afternoons on someone's porch (or in her living room, this time of year).
So, follow kmmd's lead, and wander over to the "January 2009" chemo thread and introduce yourself. The problem with the chemo shopping lists is that we've tried to think of everything, and that makes the lists pretty daunting. I've re-read the lists several times since I finished chemo last June, and what strikes me is how few of the things on the lists I actually bought or did. I am a minimalist, though. I try very hard not to fret about things until they appear on my doorstep. (There are posts in the BCO archives that would disprove that statement, of course.)
Your cancer center or oncologist's office will give you the basic information you'll need to get through chemo. What you find here is meant to supplement that--to help you with the little things a physician might not think of, or might not think are important. But, there is no need for you to show up at WalMart with a U-Haul trailer and a limitless credit card, and buy everything on the shopping lists even before you know what you'll need.
You can do this. I know, because I did it, and I'm a real chicken when it comes to hurting and puking and mouth sores and bathroom stuff. The most important thing for you to know is your oncologist's phone number. These days, almost all the harsh, immediate SE's of chemo can be prevented or quickly treated. Most of us will tell you that the anticipation is far worse than the real deal.
Hugs...
otter
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Lisa - what Otter said. 100%.
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Hi, Lisa ~ I think another thing to remember is that there are women who have few to no SE's, and, if that's the case, may not ever log onto a site like this, looking for reasurance. So, as wonderful and supportive as all of the women here are, we may tend to be the ones who are more communicative about our SE's. Also, remember that not every woman gets every SE, or even a significant percentage of them. And certainly not all together, which is the impression you may get when reading through a thread. Of the 5 or 6 over the counter preps I purchased going into chemo, I used Biotene mouthwash (it's wonderful), a generic version of Clartin (for Neulasta pain), and maybe 1 more (can't recall). But I never needed 1 of the 2 antinausea drugs or the antidiarrhea drug my onc gave me to have on hand. I got sick to my stomach twice that I recall, and both times it was clearly because I'd eaten something that that didn't agree with me. Had I not eaten things with raw onion (fish tacos the first time; a Greek Salad another), it would not have happened at all. Hope this helps to ease your mind ~ Deanna
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HI All!
I'm looking through here to see if any of you talk about facial hair and am not seeing it. I finished chemo 9/23. Started Tamox 12/1 and am 'fuzzy' on my face and neck and shoulders. I thought it must be Tamox but I heard from a couple of members it's more likely to be chemo. Did any of you have facial hair that started this late after chemo ended? (2-3 mo) Did it last or get worse/go away? Thank you so much! I hate to start shaving and end up with a REAL beard!
Snapple
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Snapple7 - go back about two or three pages and you'll find a discussion on facial hair.
My hair is coming back in wavy/curly and going in every possible direction! I'm thrilled to have hair - but what on earth do you do with it at this stage? The hair on my neck and sideburns is starting to show with my wig on, so I'm thinking about going 'commando' because I don't want to buy another wig at this point. But it doesn't look or act anything like my (real, regular, old - don't know what adjective to use) hair. Should I schedule a hair appointment just to find out what to do with it??
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Adrienne, kmmd, Deanna, NatsFan & otter ... thank you so very much. now i'm crying, but it's because you've warmed my cockles and brought be back to a semi-sane place.
i haven't lost my twisted humor about having cancer & both breasts removed. i'm sure i'll have a field day with chemo.
really, thank you. (((group hug)))
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Hi Lisa810,
I am not a "joiner" but I honestly have survived my mastectomy surgery, Chemo, AI's and 2 days ago my exchange surgery because of the unbelievable warmth and caring of the people in my "Hot August Baldies" group and the TC and other threads. Yes, go to the Jan. 2009 group and others that will become your team. It is such a gift to have each other.
Stay in touch, we are here
Hugs to you,
Gail/Desert Rider
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Lisa810, if you know what your "cocktail" will be, there is probably a thread for that specific groups as well. I tend to stay in the taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin (TCH) thread more than my Oct 2008 thread because the side effects can differ from cocktail to cocktail. Hang in there girl, you can do it.
I have been reading this thread for a few months and I have to say you guys crack me up! My last tx will be Feb 9th and I am so looking forward to having hair again. I want enough hair to go hatless by Mar 21, that is my 45th birthday. If I turn 45 bald, it will be a very grey day!!!
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Artsee thanks for all the Encouragement I did it! Yup I went to my hairdresser and we did an itsy bitsy trim and shaped up my "hair" We also did a color and the Dark/Grey is all gone! poof! It's wonderful!!! Still very very very short, but I feel like I have a hairstyle...well really I'm working toward a hairstyle. But it feels great I feel like I'm back in control even if it's just a itsy bitsy hairdo!
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You go girl....That control thing made me feel sooooo good. I'm not real good when it comes to some one else making decisions for me. But I guess it is what it is.Everyone is comenting on how long my hair is, so hang in there.
Take care, Artsee
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Any Hair is wonderful hair!!!!!
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Lisa810 ~ Looks like you got the encouragement you needed from the great gals on this site. Only one thing I wanted to add. Look at all this as the Grandest Adventure. Also, that you won't get all the side effects, only some. It is doable. I never got mouth sores, hospital visit, low blood counts, or red hands. My fun effects I could handle. You'll focus on yourself, make sure friends help out, and have fun with wigs or hats. You get lots of love from here.
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Updated picture of my hair growth. I tried styling my out of control curls and waves. Not sure if this is a style but I was in control for a change.
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I cannot wait till I have as much hair as Karin!!!! Mine is 1/2 inch... grrrrr... I will be in a wig till next year......:)
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Karin - Is that the same color hair you had before it came out or did you color it? Did it start out that awful colorless gray like so many of us have? How far out of chemo are you? Have you had it trimmed at all?
Sorry for so many questions, inquiring minds want to know!
Estepp - I think I will be wearing a wig for quite some time too. Mine is about an inch and a half. My wig was short hair and it started to hang out from under it, so I had to buy another one! I think its starting to curl.........or just going wild! As soon as I can, I am going to get a teensy weensy trim as Artsee recommended. I am 4 months out of chemo.
Lori
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I can't find our digital camera to take a photo of myself, but I realised my hair looks just like my baby picture, so I scanned that.
Even down to the little split in the front, lol. I guess I was always meant to have a center part.
Of course, while this looks very cute on an 18 month old, it doesn't look so great on a 57 year old It's not quite as wispy, though...more hairs now.
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Gosh Karin! Great hair!
I look like my brother did when we were kids in the summer, like a little boy's "crew cut".
Laura and Goldie: I swear if I had an inch and a half I might ditch this wig!!! (Well maybe not, it's freezing lately! the Wig is like a hat! ha!)
I don't have much now, maybe 1/3 inch? I can't tell, it is like all different lengths!
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I look just like my brother now too Bev...LOL.... I will wear a wig until the hair is 3 inches or so. Probably by June unless it slows down growing thanks to herceptin starting up again soon....:)
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Lori - Yes it is the same color as my pre-chemo hair. No I never had the colorless grey nor the downy fluff so many start out with. Mine just came in fine dark and straight. Here are pics that were taken almost 3 months out of chemo.
On the 30th of this month I will be 6 months out. Here is a current pic of the back of my head. You can see all the unruly curls and waves. My hair is not as salt and peppery as it looks in the photo although it is there. The lighting makes it look worse then it is.
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Karin, WOW, you had a LOT OF HAIR come in from 3-6 months! Woooo!
I can't wait.
Was your hair curly prior?
Spring (Beverly)
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started at 6 weeks with some blonde fuzz..by 8 weeks i went without scarf and had short thick hairdo. Then it got pretty wavy, then tighter curls and now after six years is bone straight.
It will happen for you.
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Karin You have lots of great hair! Thanks for sending in the pictures! I am 22 weeks out but mine is just a little more than yours at 3 months. I'm thinking the tomoxifen is not helping, Anyone else this far out with such little hair???
Carmelle 6 years thats GREAT !
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Nancy...what an adorable baby you were.........and you still look nice at 57!
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Beverly, No my pre-chemo hair was fine and straight.
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Hi folks,
What does say 12 weeks out mean? Twelve weeks from the last chemo or from three weeks later when it wears off?
Also how do you measure your hair when it is so short? Also, mine looks like it is various lengths -- if I could measure it I would not be able to say it was 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch, etc. I did not have a buzz cut so maybe that is why.
Jo Anne
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Hiyas ~ I kept the brows and lashes until my hair started growing back, then funny things started to happen with the brows - first they thinned on the inner parts (next to nose), that is a funky look. This week they are thin at the ends, which isn't so bad, looks like I tweezed a little much. But my LOWER lashes bit the dust, they mostly fell out, the uppers are fine tho.
What is up with this?!!!!!!!!!!
(Not really expecting any answer)
Looking forward to the pixie look. Not there yet as you can see. More like the lichen look.
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Jo Anne - I did not do anything to my hair as it was falling out, but when it started coming back I had to trim the long sparse hairs a bit because it was so freaky. Sort of like weeds in the grass. So I did trim the old hairs to match the new ones, not a job really as there was so little hair left from the last chemo.
I'd say an 1/8 to a 1/4 inch, it is almost nothing, but adds a shade of color to my head there. I did apply a little Clairol to it as it came in almost all grey and horrified my 11 y.o.
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