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  • PAP
    PAP Member Posts: 39
    edited July 2009

    MAGGIE.....You look stunning!  Congrats on the haircut.  I will post pic soon. Patti

  • chelev
    chelev Member Posts: 417
    edited July 2009

    I've been using the Nioxin on my brows too, which I think helped them come back so well.  Color is back in them too, thank goodness!  Lashes are coming in just as thick as they were, still short.  I bought Mane & Tail shampoo and conditioner - used it this afternoon.  If nothing else, it smells really good and made my hair very soft.  Now, let's grow!!!

  • RN_ocn
    RN_ocn Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2009

    ReneeS,

    Unfortunately there can be late side effects from radiation. There is something called radiation pneumonitis which is just a fancy word for scarring. The lung is directly behind the breast so sometimes it is virtually impossible to keep the entire lung out of the treatment field. BUT most doctors are very cautious and will minimized radition exposure to other areas. So it is not as common as most people think. If you are feeling short of breath it is definately worth the discussion with your physician. It could be nothing,... but it's always best to know up front. Hope this helps.

  • Lisa1964
    Lisa1964 Member Posts: 760
    edited July 2009

    RN_ocn  It is so nice of you to help us out with our concerns and questions.!!!  Thanks!  Can you tell me what your background is?  Are you a survivor?  Do you work in an oncology ward?  Are you a chemo nurse?  That would be great! Thanks for signing on.

    Lisa

  • Jaimieh
    Jaimieh Member Posts: 925
    edited July 2009

    Started the biotin today.  Is it supposed to be 10,000 mg daily ??  I got the high potency biotin.

  • montana7p
    montana7p Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2009

    OK. So I should probably go back and read the rest of this thread, but don't have the energy right now. But, what's the deal with the crazy white hairs? I just turned forty and had dark blonde/light brown hair with golden highlights and now it looks like fuzzy salt and pepper? Is this really my new hair destiny?

  • Jaimieh
    Jaimieh Member Posts: 925
    edited July 2009

    Montana~ When did you finish chemo ??

  • montana7p
    montana7p Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2009

    My last of 6 TAC chemo was May 5. My eyebrows are growing in nicely and I have baby eyelashes again. Hair on top is definitely regrowing (but not enough that I'd take off my scarf yet -- that seems a ways off), but there are these crazy white hairs all over the place and it's such a dark looking color. 

  • Madge24
    Madge24 Member Posts: 24
    edited July 2009

    montana 7p -- I have had 4 or 6 T/C and I have crazy white hairs too, and also had blondish hair w/ highlights prior to losing it!  I've read on other threads that you get the crazy white hairs, so not to worry!  I think it will come back pretty much what it was before.

  • chelev
    chelev Member Posts: 417
    edited July 2009

    They all seem to come in as crazy white hairs at first, something about the hair growing before the pigmentation process seems to catch up.  My last TC was 4/23 and I've got my regular brown hair coming in, crazy white ones and very stubborn gray hairs that are color resistant!!

  • BooBee
    BooBee Member Posts: 288
    edited July 2009
    Thank you RN.  I was having a difficult time finding others with breathing problems here.  I have an appointment with my PCP tomorrow. I'll research pneumonitis first.  Thank you for your help!!!!!!!!
  • donnadio
    donnadio Member Posts: 674
    edited July 2009
    Montana...I have the crazy white hair thing goin too!!!Have DARK patches here and there and i was more light auburn and or brunette... depending.. so now , i look like a skunk appearing on my head.!!!IMy last treatment was June 10th so you have more than i do most likley!!
  • LindaBusEd
    LindaBusEd Member Posts: 20
    edited July 2009

    Montana and DonnaDio,

    I, too, have the white hair with black strays here and there. My head is not completely covered. I just started going with my wig or head covering in front of my husband while home. I will probably put my head covering back on after I get my hair (what I have) shaped.  I am looking forward to not wearing my wig, however, I feel my hair will not be long enough for me when our daugher gets married in October.

  • Magnola
    Magnola Member Posts: 75
    edited July 2009

    Today, I had my preop for my exchange surgery scheduled for next Tuesday-Yippee!  The nurse said to discontinue using Biotin until after the surgery.  Anyone know why?  Is it a blood thinner?

    Still not even stubble for me-nothing is growing!  YUCK! I'm five weeks PFC on Thursday. 

  • Lisa1964
    Lisa1964 Member Posts: 760
    edited July 2009

    Magnola, I have no idea why the nurse said that,  What could possibly be in it?  It is shampoo for Pete's sake?  You should not expect anything atg 5 weeks PFC.  Once you hit 6 weeks, you will see growth,

    For those of you that love horses and have been kind enough to let me vent; the pathology came back today for Miracle,  He has Adeno Carcenoma.  His mom has been told he will be with us for 4 to 6 months,  Please pray for Heather and Miracle: A wonderful friend and a great horse.

    Lisa

  • ChrisC433
    ChrisC433 Member Posts: 70
    edited July 2009

    Linda,

    My son gets married October 3rd.  My last chemo was 6/15.  I have the white fluff with some brown coming in now.  I too am hoping to have some hair by his wedding.  I don't mind a wig for the service and pictures, but I would love to have nothing on at the reception!  I just had my lumpectomy and SND yesterday.  I hope it doesn't slow down the growing process.  My brows are sssooooo thin and I have a few top eyelashes and no bottom ones.  Not sure why they waited to Taxol was finished before they fell out!

    Magnolia:  I am taking 10,000 mcg of Biotin and this was reported before my surgery yesterday.  Doc never told me to stop taking it????  They told me to wait to take my pills (Arimidex, Calcium, and Biotin) until later in the day post surgery.

  • BevR
    BevR Member Posts: 6
    edited July 2009

    Okay, I remembered I had a bottle of Biotin (it hasn't expired yet!) but it is 1000 mcg tablets. Since the dose most of you are taking is 10,000 mcg. Do ya'll think it is safe to take 10 tablets a day? Should I break it up and take it throughout the day or what? Since I have it, I hate to go out and buy a larger dose tablet.

  • Lisa1964
    Lisa1964 Member Posts: 760
    edited July 2009

    BevR - I have been breaking it up during the day.  My hubby researched biotin and found thzt you cannot take too much.  Your body will just expel the extra.  Some days I forget and don't get all 10 down.  I too have the 1000 tablets.

    Lisa 

  • BevR
    BevR Member Posts: 6
    edited July 2009

    Thanks Lisa!

  • Janely
    Janely Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2009
    I saw growth beginning 5-6 wiks after chemo. I'm 57 and have been dying my hair for ages, so I wasn't sure what color it would be. Turns out I'm quite grey, with white at the temples. Now, 3 months after chemo, it looks thick  but it's still pretty short and I continue to wear my longer brown haired wig. It would be a relief not to wear the wig, but I'm self conscious about revealing the grey. I remember being told not to dye the hair at least 7 months after chemo and truthfully, after all those chemicals I'm not anxious to add more!
  • neogirl
    neogirl Member Posts: 54
    edited July 2009

    Hi everyone,

    I am getting ready to start chemo and was told I would lose my hair after the 2nd treatment. Once I am done chemo, I get 6 weeks of radiation.  Does your hair start to grow back after chemo stops or do I have to wait til the radiation is done also.?  I will appreciate any info anyone has.  Thanks and good luck to everyone going thru this. 

  • neogirl
    neogirl Member Posts: 54
    edited July 2009

    Hi everyone,

    I am getting ready to start chemo and was told I would lose my hair after the 2nd treatment. Once I am done chemo, I get 6 weeks of radiation.  Does your hair start to grow back after chemo stops or do I have to wait til the radiation is done also.?  I will appreciate any info anyone has.  Thanks and good luck to everyone going thru this. 

  • DENRulzBC
    DENRulzBC Member Posts: 99
    edited July 2009

    Hi Kathy,

    I think it depends on your treatment, I had DD 4AC and 4T.  I saw peach fuzz between treatment 3 and 4 of the Taxol, but then I lost my eyebrows and eyelashes.  My hair started falling out on the night of my second treatment which would have been day 14/15.  I had two friends go to my hairdresser's with me the next day and had it shaved.  I bought a wig but never wore it, just wore scarves and turbans from Headcovers.com.  Now I'm wearing a baseball hat as I have some fuzz on top and it's hot outside.  I'll finish chemo next Mon. 7/20.  Good luck to you, you'll make it through fine and the women here are a blessing in so many ways.  Keep coming back for support, I love them all.  HUGS, Dawn

  • JudyNaomi
    JudyNaomi Member Posts: 209
    edited July 2009

    Hi Dawn, nearly done! Are your eyebrows and eyelashes showing any signs of coming back yet? Mine are starting to go, and am really nervous about it!

  • DENRulzBC
    DENRulzBC Member Posts: 99
    edited July 2009

    JudyNaomi,

    I think I have one lonely eyebrow on the right side and a couple on the left.  Probably 1/2 my eyelashes, they didn't start going until about 3 weeks ago, no sign yet of any new growth but trust me I think I check it every hour on the hour UGH!  I think it might be worse than losing the hair.  I'm crossing my fingers that they'll start back soon.  It's 2 weeks today that I saw the first peach fuzz on my head and I'm amazed at how much there is already, I can now feel all the fuzz there without actually feeling my head.  It's still all really light in color except for a quarter size on 1 side seems to be darkening up, I'm hoping that maybe the pigment is coming back, if it stays that way very long I might start to look like an alien.  Hope you're doing OK, keeping hanging in there.  

    HUGS, Dawn

  • SusieMTN
    SusieMTN Member Posts: 43
    edited July 2009

    I had my last Chemo 2 Jan "09 and my hair is now 11/2 inches long, it came in far thicker than before but it is white and black. Use to be brown. My eyelashes however are not very long and not thick at all which is a bummer, eyebrows also thin and sparse.  Hair started regrowing during Chemo (12 weeks) and it started with the peach fuzz about week 6ish. 

    Come on eyelashes!  GROW darn it!

  • Lisa1964
    Lisa1964 Member Posts: 760
    edited July 2009

    Susie, that is very encouraging to me.  I had my laat tx Feb 9, 2009 and just in the last week have I seen what I consider a normal rate of growth.  Are you still on herceptin?

    Lisa

  • kellyless
    kellyless Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2009

    My last chemo was 6/12 and I have about 1/4 inch of the mostly colorless fuzz all over.  If you close your eyes and pet it, it feels kind of like a soft gerbil or something.  My goal is to have enough to dye and go hat/scarf/wigless at the first high school football game 8/29 - very ambitious, I know.  I'm in Dallas so it'll probably be 107 degrees that day, so if I just have enough to cover the scalp I'm going for it!

    The weird eyebrow stubble is just starting to show up as well - thankfully it seems to be dark from the get go, and not this weird colorless stuff that's on my head.  The loss of eyebrows & lashes makes me feel so patient-y. 

    Kathya0814 - I've not heard of radiation slowing anyone's hair from coming in.  I did my 3rd of 33 treatments today, no one has mentioned it affecting hair growth.  And I showed my fuzz to my radiation onc on Monday - I know she would've said something!

  • cnemeth
    cnemeth Member Posts: 136
    edited July 2009

    My last chemo was the end of April and I have about 3/4" of hair all over.  Have been told that I look like Jamie Lee Curtis ~ more a reflection of the color than anything else.  The eyebrows are coming in similar to Andy Rooney ~ totally out of control.  Can't complain though, am just glad that they are coming in.  The eyelashes are coming in slowly ~ there are about 4 or 5 original ones that hung on.

    Can't decide if I want to bother with hair color anymore.  Will have to wait and see what I end up with.

    Does Tamoxifen affect your hair?!?

  • Jane_M
    Jane_M Member Posts: 932
    edited July 2009

    My last chemo was 1/19.  I have about 1 1/2 inches of stick straight, do-nothing hair on my head. My brows and lashes came back rather quickly, but my lashes are falling out again.  A lot of women complain about the curls, but I relish the thought of curls.  I hate what I have right now.

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