Starting Chemo September 2019
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I have my third AC tomorrow. My hair is falling out by the handful. My SEs haven’t been awful, mostly fatigue and acid reflux. Usually 2 days after I get super emotional and “down” and can’t seem to control it. I am still dreading tomorrow.
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HI cat,
Fantastic after tomorrow only one a.c. left for you, I have my 3rd one next week. We are getting it done. Remember us losing our hair is a good thing, hair hold all those chemicals in for years, so its like starting fresh each time...lol
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Sittin at work with my itchy head and this happened.
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I did that this morning too. Felt like I pulled half the hair off my head....
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Welp, at least I don't have to wait for the color to grow off. I haven't decided on hats or wigs. Wigs sounded exciting at first but I tried one on with a wig cap and it was hot and awkward. Maybe I'll feel different if the weather will cool off.
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My wig looks nice, but it is hot and itchy. I wear it to work and my kids functions, otherwise I wear a cotton beanie or go without. I even ventured to the store a few times in a beanie, nobody stared so it wasn’t bad
Last night I finally had enough of the hair stubble, it was making my head sore. So I took a razor to it. My head is now super smooth, not more patches of stubble
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I felt just yucky last night. So, this morning I called in to infusion center to get IV fluids. I feel better having done it. And all the nurses said I did the right thing by going in.
They have recommended that I set up a day to come in about a week after the 4th AC treatment to get fluids. I can always cancel if I feel fine.
Marily
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Tracy - I was wondering if it'd ALL fall out or if it'd be patchy. Is it difficult to shave your head? I know I'm gonna buzz mine off but if it's gonna be all patchy and look like mange I wanna shave it and be smoove.
Snaffle - Glad you're feeling better and have a plan for the next go around.
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Bridget
It was all coming out, if I pinched it with my fingers the stubble would come out in clumps with no effort. I think that's what made my head sore. And yes, it was patchy after I buzzed it before I shaved it
Since mine was just stubble, shaving it was easy. I sat in the shower, lathered my head with shampoo, and just did it. The razor really just pulled the unattached stubble out, it did very little of cutting of hair.
snaffleI'm so happy you went for fluids and feel a little better
tracy0 -
Ok Ladies, day 9 can I assume that the badside effects are over? I would love to fly to Florida for a few days next week before my next chemo,
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Maggie
You should be on the rebound from here, feeling more normal each day. How are your blood counts
Tracy
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Welcome clackie!
Bridget - I didn't dread my 2nd treatment. I was looking forward to being 50% done. But, now I'm dreading my 3rd one, probably because this second one has made me so much more exhausted than the first. I can't wait to feel better and stay that way. But, even if I were done already, I still have a ways to go with healing from the surgery (still have some cording issues and tightness). So, I really still don't feel "normal" yet.
Maggie - Love the shirt! That's awesome that you have such a great support system.
Despite cold capping, I'm losing a lot of hair as well. My head itches so much. I kind of just want to shave it off for relief, but my husband and father keep talking me down. The other night, I had a dream that a bug got caught in my hair and I woke up with a clump of hair in my hand. UGH.
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Tracy, blood counts good, I didn’t have to have fluids, will have checked again in the morning
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I'd say jump on the plane to FL and have fun!
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LMS,
I still have some cording also and tightness, I was told by several ladies that the tightness never completely goes away. The cording seems to resolve its self in my case
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LMS - I hope your cording and tightness resolve sooner than later! I have a lymphatic vessel that is caught in my scar tissue. It's slowly being worked out in physical therapy. It feels like something in my underarm is attached to the rib beneath my breast and down my arm into my elbow so when I lift my arm it pulls all of those areas. I now know why my surgeon keeps saying I'll get used to me "new normal".
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My marble tumor, is half the size and no longer round!! I have very dense breast, this marble caught my attention, the very reason I schedule a mammogram and ultrasound, the other mass I have is just below the marble, I was surprised when the radiologist suggested we biopsy that one as well, both breast feel the same, have always felt that way, I'm not crazy, chemo is working, this shrinking marble may have saved my life!
Hugs ladies
We Got This
Feel them boobs!!
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Thanks ladies! The tightness is improving with therapy. I've only had 2 sessions, though. I should be massaging my scars more than I do, but it's so hard to do when everything is numb and swollen. It just feels so weird.
The physical therapist wants me to see a mental health counselor because I'm not comfortable with my new body yet. It's only been two months! I'm thinking I need a plastic surgeon instead for a little revision to get rid of my dog ears and I might be happier with how I look.
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LMS - I have trouble massaging my scar tissue too. I don't like the way it feels both to my fingers and the area im massaging. My implants are not symmetrical and I have a lot of rippling. My PS briefly discussed fat grafting before my surgery so I guess he knew I'd need revisions. I finally went without a compression cami or bra for the first time last night. I have a lot of strange sensations under my arms, on my sides, under my implants and the center of my chest. I don't like anything touching my chest and I don't like being naked. I even find showering unpleasant now. I'm sure it'll take time to adjust, become familiar with and accept the changes but it'll happen. I've discussed my concerns with my PS but he doesn't seem too attentive. I get the impression he feels it's too early in the game to have these discussions.
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Brilee, LMS use a soft mitten or glove, to massage, it will help with the sensations in fingers and the area, bed bath and beyond, bath and body, are a few places I have seen these, Amazon as well
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I definitely can relate with all who have posted about not being happy with their new bodies. My implants just feel weird and in the way, in addition to being ripply and uneven. My PS is jerky so I think I will need another opinion to see if there are next steps that could help. I’m still on a ton of meds for severe nerve pain post dmx and that will go on for awhile according to my breast surgeon. So next steps would be well down the road.
Like LMS, I am cold capping with almost no success. I’ve lost 80% of my hair with 2 infusions still to go. The whole thing has been very disappointing, and I sadly picked up my wig today. I thought the salon would suggest I shave my head today but they said not quite yet. It’s so tough when it's just constantly coming out. I’m starting to think I can actually hear the hair falling out. As if BC and surgeries and chemo and radiation aren't crappy enough. Ugh!!!
And further LMS, I have nothing against therapists. In fact, I love a good therapist, but thinking you need to see one now because you are not yet comfortable with all of these physical, mental and emotional changes 2 months in seems like your pt doesn't really have a good understanding of what we’re all going through.
Clackie, thank you for the guided meditation suggestion. I think it’s time to head my brain in a new direction.
Hope everyone gets some sleep tonight.0 -
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My physical therapist massaged my scar tissue today and that was somehow less weird to me than doing it myself. 😂 Also, I lost a lot of hair in the shower this morning but boy does my scalp feel better. Today is day 16 since my first treatment. TGIF!!
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I cut the rest of my hair off today and I found it quite liberating. The itching and constant loose hair was driving me nuts!! Now, I’m rocking the wig and trying to get used to this new “temporary” normal
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Bridget,
I have an almost identical picture from a couple of weeks ago. It got to the point where whenever I'd run my fingers through my hair, or get it wet, I'd end up with a huge clump like that. That's when I buzzed it. The buzz was ok for a while, but my scalp was sore and itchy so I took a razor to it Wednesday evening.
Now I'm just dealing with the itchiness that is my wig. I have a feeling I'll be ditching this thing long before my hair grows back to the length I want.
Tracy
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What length are your wigs? I have a rather long one and I tried it on once before my hair started shedding with a wig cap. It definitely needs to be styled but it looks so strange to me even though I had long hair before I cut it last Friday. It's in a bob just above my shoulders now. I noticed my scalp was pretty sore last night but it feels much better after all that hair came out. I figure once it gets thin enough to see my scalp or I have bald spots I'll have it buzzed. I kinda wish it was January and cold. I feel like I'd like the wig better if I could also where a knit cap or a cute hat with it. Right now it's too hot for just a wig much less the hats.
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I bought my wig to look as close to my pre-chemo hair as possible. I did go a little more auburn than the darker brown of my natural color though. My wig goes to my shoulder blades
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My wig is long. The girl who made it cut it the length that my hair was. However, my hair was a medium brown with a lot of texture and this hair is dark brown and relatively straight. To me, it looks like I have a wig on but I guess to the average person it looks like my hair.
The wig makes my head hurt a little because it’s tight and I’m not used to wearing anything on my head. It will do for work or functions where I want to look nice but I won’t wear it at home and when my cute beanies come in, I have a feeling I will be wearing those more to work than the wig.
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Most wigs can be adjusted, if you feel wiggy in it add decorative clips,headbands,or a narrow scarf, have fun with it, promise it will be the easiest hair you ever had!!
We got this!!!
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