Hair Hair Hair - Another question
Comments
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Hi all - I am 3 weeks PFC and have been reading your posts for several weeks. I have little drk brown pricklies on the top of my head and white and grey inbetween. My last chemo I lost the ends of my brows and the center of each has thinned a lot. I use the Anastasio eyebrow kit to fill them in. My eyelashes have stayed intact, sso hopefully no more hair will come out anywhere. I just had my 8th rad. out of 33. Thanks so much for all the hair information, right now I have only bought a bottle of biotin shampoo.
Thanks again for all the info and sharing all your pictures, you all look great at any length. Have a great weekend.all!!!
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I haven't posted in a while now but love reading the posts! What strong ladies are here!
I am 4 months post-chemo. My hair is coming in DARK and CURLY. Before I was blonde and super fine hair and definately not curly. BUT, ladies, this is not "pretty" curly.... this is tight small curls........ It looks like hair that is not suppose to be on my head. The main curls ar eon the back of my neck. Does this last? Does this go away as it gets longers? I would say it is between 2-3 inches. Yikes! Don't get me wrong... I am glad to have hair but this isn't pretty.
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Girls - the jc penney here in ohio has nioxin fifty percent off tomorrow from 8 to 1 only. Don't know if its the same where you are, but it may be worth it to check.
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Girls - the jc penney here in ohio has nioxin fifty percent off tomorrow from 8 to 1 only. Don't know if its the same where you are, but it may be worth it to check.
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I love the new line!!! PFC is perfect!!!!
I am leaving today to go to a cosmetology convention for the weekend. The hair styles at this events tend to be extreme and bizarre, so I will actually be spending the weekend at a place where my Marine Corp Recruit look fits right in.
Lisa
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Run 2 jc penney. Half off follicle booster, scalp treatment, shampoo, everythong. Plus in store cupon for extra fifteen percent off!!
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OH MY!!!!! Damn I just spent 65.00 on the treatment and 17.00 on the conditioner. I did not by the shampoo. Now its on sale at jc penny GRRRRRRRRR. I have not opened it yet as I just got it yesterday. But I fear that there are regulations that would prohibit returns. OH WELL!
I am going to use it for the first time this morning. I had this sudden fear that I would be one of the statical 2% that does not get there hair back. But then I thought that life could not be that cruel. I just need to be patient. Monday is week 8 PFC. LOVE THAT!!!!!
Lisa I have been to those conventions they are so much fun. All the cool accessories. Have fun!
You guys are great!!!
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I originally posted this in the T, C and H thread, but it was suggested that it might be better placed here!! Can anyone offer any support or input? I would really appreciate it!!
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I wonder if any of you can help me with something that's causing a great deal of anxiety for me, but probably sounds totally ridiculous to everyone else? This is really freaking me out guys!!
I'm on 12 weekly doses of Taxol and Herceptin with a heavier dose of Carboplatin added in every third week. I began treatment on May 6th and have completed 5 doses of T & H and 2 of T, C and H together. Right now I'm at day 12 since my 2nd Carbo and 33 days into treatment. This coming Wednesday I'll be halfway through treament.
I was told I would lose my hair within 21 days of my first treatment and I was prepared as anyone could be for something like that. I bought my wig and headcovers and started waiting just like everyone else here.
Now here I am, 33 days after treatment began and not one hair has fallen out of my head and it's scaring the every lovin' crap out of me that the Chemo is NOT working. If it can't even kill my hair cells, how the heck is it killing cancer cells!?!??! I know with weekly Taxol and Herceptin (thanks to NanaA) that sometimes the hair just thins, but I was told with the Carbo I would "definately lose my hair within 3 weeks".
Each week I go in for treatment and the Chemo nurses and the Onc. are shocked by the fact that I haven't lost my hair. They just shrug their shoulders and assure me it'll start happening "by next week", yet nothing happens.
I know this must sound like I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth, but this is scaring the heck out of me. The anxiety of thinking that Chemo is not working is freaking me out.
I have had some other side effects including fatigue on days 3 & 4, severe heartburn, feeling as though my entire body is bruised (sore to the touch), but my blood counts are in the normal range (barely) and I haven't had to take the Neupogen shots that were prescribed for me 3 weeks ago. I feel as if my body is resistant or something.
I mentioned this to the doctor the week before last and she sort of blew me off saying the hair loss will absolutely happen!
Has anyone else either had this experience or heard of someone having an experience like this? Please understand that I wouldn't ask unless it was causing this much anxiety, but it is. I'm not looking forward to losing my hair, but the idea that the Chemo might not be working is really upsetting me! HELP!!
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I am sitting here waiting out my 15 minutes with the Prizms on my duck fuzz and baby hairs. Can't wait to see if it looks better. Thanks so much to Lisa1964!!! It was terrific to meet you in person this morning, and to talk "cancer talk" that nobody else really understands!! Have fun in Orlando at the hair show - I can't wait to hear the descriptions of some of the attendees. Hope you made it home before the rain.
Bold - that stinks about the cost - I don't know if you haven't already opened the packaging, you might be able to return it.
Shadow38 - I was not on your regimine, I was on taxotere/cytoxan, and my hair (most of it) fell out. You might just be one of the few people whose hair does not fall out. Has your scalp become tender or felt sore to the touch? That's usuallly the sign that the hair is on the way out or ready to start falling out. I haven't heard from anyone else who hasn't lost their hair,but this is a great group of women - I'm sure there will be some other input soon. Please don't worry too much - you are experiencing the other side effects, and that means the chemo is affecting your system. Maybe your follicles are really really strong?
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Had a great time meeting Chelev today. Boy you didn't waste anytime getting that Prizms on did ya! On my shopping list for the hair convention is a new set of cutting shears and A BACK UP PLAN in case I get the kinky curlies in a few weeks. I am going to bug the crap out of the people selling relaxers!
Shadow, I would nto worry too much about still having hair. You sound like you feel crappy enough every way else that the chemo is working. It is rare, but some people just get lucky with the hair, maybe you are one of them. Of course we will say bad things behind your back if get to keep your hair and we didn't
Bold, I think you can return the products.
Well, as soon as my hubby gets home so I can steal his SUV, I am off to the hair show. The redneck tank I drive does not fit well in the convention center parking lots.
Don't forget to watch the Running of The Belmont at 5:30 Eastern Time - Go Mine That Bird and Calvin!!
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Sure did! It covered the grays fairly well, though I was hoping for a miracle that it would grow my hair too!! (ha ha) - thanks again - will start using this each and every time!
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chelev!!!! I can color it but I can't grow it girl! Glad you got some good results.!
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Shadiw38, I am not on the same chemo you are getting, but I was told I would lose my hair within 21 days and did not really start losing any until 29 days.....and even then I kept my hair for a long time. I never really did lose all of it so had it all trimmed up so it would be even this past Wed. I had a LOT of hair.....do you have thick hair? It did not even thin when I was doing cytoxin/methotrexate and also when I was doing just avastin it didn't do anything to my hair, but the abraxane is what did cause me to lose hair......still have hair on my arms (durn, would like to see that go) and eyebrows, which I wish I would keep, but I can see that they are starting to thin. I don't think this means that your treatment isnt working, maybe just that you have really strong hair. The day before mine started coming out I noticed my scalp was very tender when the wind blew on my hair and then when I touched my head it was tender and it was after that it started coming out, but it took a long time for people to even really notice it was thinning.
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Hey gang!!! Everyone is different when it comes to this. I finished my chemo on 5/20 and didn't start to see hair til about a week and a half later, and it's still peach fuzz. Rads begin roughly 3 weeks after that last chemo of 5/20
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Shadow I think I would feel exactly like you if my hair did not fall out when everyone said it would. But, I want to point out that you did say your blood cell count is on the low side and you've been feeling other side effects. so, the CHEMO IS WORKING!
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I lost my eyebrows and eyelashes PFC about 3 weeks after last tx. When do they start to grow back, approximately?
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I wish I knew! My lashes are holding on, but at 7 weeks PFC, the brows are very thin, mostly towards the ends. thank goodness for brow pencil and powder filler, but when I first wake up, yikes!!!
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I lost my bottom lashes, and eyebrows thinned out but not gone totally!
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Eyebrows thinned a lot in the center, lost the ends a little past the arch. Still have eylashes
. Does anyone have really fine white hairs on their face now. I have them above and below the ends of what was my brow, spreading on the side of my face towards my hairline above my ears. I never had this hair before. 0 -
Thanks to everyone who responded with encouragement and information. You have no idea how much it helps!! Interestingly, I found a couple of UK websites that listed Carboplatin and Taxol as Chemo drugs that MIGHT NOT cause hair loss.
Lisa: Please feel free to talk about me behind my back. I absolutely deserve it. The nerve of my stupid, arrogant hair!!
Yea....I definitely have the other side effects. My blood must be pretty low this week. I'm really light headed! Usually I'm out of commission on day 3, tired but better on day 4 and completely fine by day 5. Today is day 5 and I'm lightheaded and tired. Believe it or not, that's actually encouraging to me! I guess my blood counts are low. Marybe: I do have a really FULL head of hair, like you. Always have. Maybe that's it. We just happen to have really good roots that hang in there longer than most!! Also I tend to have a really strong immune system. When everyone in the house would be down with a cold or something, for some odd reason, I'd manage to avoid it. Who knows! What I do know is hearing your story is encouraging. I don't feel as alone and just plain weird. I've noticed on two different occasions (after each Carboplatin treatment) my scalp was very sore and tender. Each time that feeling lasted a couple of days and then just went away. Maybe I'm just not noticing the thinning because I have so much hair? I guess it could be. I also still have some hair on my arms, however the other hair on my body is not growing at all. I shaved my legs and underarms a couple of weeks ago and still have nothing growing. Too much information? Definitely!
xpectamiracle: Thank you so much for the encouragement and understanding. I almost feel like a traitor for NOT losing my hair and I really am scared that the Chemo isn't doing it's thing. I never thought I would say this, but THANK GOD for the other side effects. Sounds silly, doesn't it? By the way, I love your name. I'm expecting a miracle also!!
Thanks to all who responded and helped me be a little less frightened. Everyone here is in my thoughts and prayers!
Love, Kathy
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Hi CristiC,
I haven't started my chemo yet, was supposed to last week but was delayed because my liver enzymes were elevated, so trying again next week. I always had very fine, VERY straight blonde hair, but something happened when I turned 40, it started getting curly. Not a pretty curly though, an aggravating curly, like kinky curls in the under layers and if I let my hair dry by it's self now, as opposed to blow drying it, it looks really crazy, with kinks, curls and waves. My hair has always been darker underneath, so I figure there is no telling what it will be like once I lose it, and it starts growing back, imagine there will be a fair amount of gray, but my hair dresser can always fix that, eventually.
Tamara
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Tamara: My two sisters who had early stage ovarian were on carboplatin and they did not lose their hair (both are very healthy, by the way!). I've also heard that taxol does not necessarily cause hair loss. So --- you very well may be one of the lucky ones! Hope so!
Hugs, Linda
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Just found this topic, and got a question. I start my chemo in a couple weeks and he is putting me on Adriamycin/cyclophosphamide for 2 months and then onto Taxol/Taxotere for the next 2 months. Dr. said I would lose my hair, I quess he said that because my hair is so long. Didn't want me to have any false hopes. Has anyone here had those treatments and how long afterwards did it begin to come out?? I'm trying to get ready for all this, but its very hard.
God bless you all, Mary
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Hi Mary,
I'm in the same boat you are and start towards the end of June. I've talked to others who have gone through this as well as my Aunt and theirs started coming out right after the first treatment, not all of them lost it in clumps but my Aunt did. I'm going to be on Cytoxan and Taxotere which is what she was on so I am expecting the same result as hers. I'm hoping to get my strength up to go wig shopping next week, tried once but cried too much. Don't know about you but hearing the words chemo and hair loss were harder than any of the rest. Sending hugs and prayers your way, keep us updated since you start sooner...Paula
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Paula,
My husband and I went an bought me a short wig yesterday. I am getting my hair cut this coming Wednesday (donating to locks of love) and earlier today I went on-line and ordered some hats from "tlc" they have some really cute hats. I try to keep my spirits up and pray alot. I lost my mom to breast cancer 9 years ago she had just turned 65 years old, much to young.. My mom had alot of strength, she never cried once, oh how I wish I could do that. Some day are good and other I cry alot, people just don't understand how we feel. I love this site for that exact reason, we do know what it's like.
God bless you all, Mary
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Mary - that's the same treatment I had. I lost the majority of my hair right after my second a/c. I cut it reaaly short and got a wig and cried tons. Kept my brows & lashes until the taxol. They thinned, I eventually lost them all after last taxol. Losing brows & lashes was worse than losing hair. I am 5 weeks from last taxol, brows & lashes starting to come in, hair is coming, but short. Hope that helps.
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Hi Nodapearl,
Thanks, I would love to be one that gets to keep her hair, but that's just a dream. Hope you are handling it better, we need to take it day by day. I know I'll cry my eyes out, when I found out I had to have a mastectomy, I cried so much I got a migraine. Pretty sad, huh!! I get to see that dr. this coming Tues. June 9, 2009. Its just too much at one time, and my honey is having his second cancer surg. on July 1. His a man, they don't cry LOL but he trys to understand me.
Thanks again, Mary
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Hi, ladies. I was on taxotere/cytoxan and had lots of hair (hairstylists hated how long it took to blow out), almost to mid back. I cut it the day before my port placement to a really short haircut I didn't love, so I wouldn't get too attached. My doctor told me it would definitely fall out. 15 days to the letter, my scalp started hurting and then I started having clumps pull and fall out. We buzzed it with the clippers, and I lost it in large patches. 7 weeks (this week starts 8 weeks) from last treatment and have about 1/8" of my dark hair coming back, with lots of long gray what we call duck fuzz. If you are on either or both of these treatments, you will lose most if not all of your hair. I thought mine was staying in too because I had gone almost 2 weeks after first treatment and nothing was falling out, but it does eventually. Brows are thin too. But, it's slowly (emphasis on slowly) growing back in.
My advice to those sisters starting their chemo is be prepared - if you have longer hair, cut it before chemo and get the grieving process out of the way. I cried all day when we cut it short. The buzz cut? Nothing. It was relief because of the scalp tenderness as your follicles try to release the hair. Go online and check out wigs, scarves and hats - you might end up with a variety, depending on where you live, if you work (I work in public relations, so a wig during the day and "commando" at home, bandanas most of the time out running errands) and what you are comfortable with. Best of luck to you - we have been through this and it's tough, but you can do it! Then, you'll be joining us in our "when is this stuff going to grow back" sessions!!!
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I am 9 l/2 weeks past last TCH. Hair is growing back slowly; it's very short and thin in places. Actually, the sides and back have good coverage; but my scalp shows through in several places on top. I decided to color it today since it was almost 100% gray/white. It is darker than my usual color (done in salon), and bald areas seem more noticeable than before coloring. I am concerned that the top may not grow back as full as it was since I'm talking femara and herceptin. Have others had this type of growth pattern? If so, did it fill in later? I surely don't want to wear a wig forever!!
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Howdy Ladies! I am back from the Premeir hair show. I came home with a product that is "supposed" to be a miracle. It is called RestHAIRation. These folks swear I will have a full head of hair in 6 weeks. The starter kit was so cheap, I had to try; I got a 16 oz Shampoo, 16 oz conditioner aand a 8 oz volumnizer for 5 dollars!!!!! Too cheap not to try!!!! My hubby said (you have to love him) 'Yea it was cheap and a good deal, unless it makes what hair you have fall out'
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