HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Hair loss

Support Forums
>
Breast Cancer
✚ New Topic locked
1 2 34
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/19/2005 10:53 AM (GMT 0)
I never stopped shaving my legs during AC, where is the justice in that? I did lose lots of lashes and brows...but never lost it all. I think I did lose all of the hairs but there was a lot of regrowth by the time the last ones fell out, I did use some makeup to help darken my brows a little, but not really noticeable. I also kept stubble on my head the whole time, so not 100% of my hair fell out.

Hang in there Bern!
Lori
Posted 9/19/2005 2:47 PM (GMT 0)

Bernadette,  I’ve had my 4th Taxol and have not lost brows or lashes, and still have a lot of head hair.  I think Taxol is not as harsh as AC, but the double whammy affect may be the culprit.  And, I keep hearing everybody reacts diffently.  You never know….we'll hope for the best.

Mary 

Posted 9/19/2005 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
Lori & Mary

Thanks for the reply, I now have hope again that my lashes and brows will stay. I have a little hair left on my legs but it is not noticable because my leg hair is so blond. My underarms (thank God) have NO hair at all! I like most women hate to shave.

I had a small area at the end of my scar in my underarm that just didn't heal and I was looking closer at it yesterday and there is what looks like fish line coming out of it. I tried to pull it out but feels like it is attatched to the other side of the scar. I had two purple threads come out of my port scar too. I dont know if these were left of were supposed to dissolve wierd huh?

I have adjusted nicely to having no hair, I even went to friends house yesterday and took my wig off for most of the time. I get way too hot with it on so anytime Im inside I like to take it off.
Posted 9/19/2005 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Bern,I had 4 taxol treatments and the first one my lashes and brows started thinning.The Taxol made my bones hurt really bad.And i gained all the weight back that i had lost.I didnt feel as sick with taxol but i hurt...Tammy
Posted 9/19/2005 7:56 PM (GMT 0)
Tammy

That was another thing I was afraid of, the pain with Taxol. I dont know if you remember but I had a reaction to Taxotere and was out of it for an entire week. I ached from head to toe and could hardly move. I think I will talk to my Dr tomarrow and see if there is anything else Im too afraid of another reaction like that. Did you loose all of your lashes or did they just thin out? Thanks for the post.

I looked up the side effects for Taxol and it does not say weight gain anywhere??? I hope I dont gain I have kept some weight off and would like to loose more.

Posted 9/19/2005 8:42 PM (GMT 0)

Brnadebt said...
Lori & Mary

Thanks for the reply, I now have hope again that my lashes and brows will stay. I have a little hair left on my legs but it is not noticable because my leg hair is so blond. My underarms (thank God) have NO hair at all! I like most women hate to shave.

I had a small area at the end of my scar in my underarm that just didn't heal and I was looking closer at it yesterday and there is what looks like fish line coming out of it. I tried to pull it out but feels like it is attatched to the other side of the scar. I had two purple threads come out of my port scar too. I dont know if these were left of were supposed to dissolve wierd huh?

I have adjusted nicely to having no hair, I even went to friends house yesterday and took my wig off for most of the time. I get way too hot with it on so anytime Im inside I like to take it off.

Bern, I just found out when last week when I went to the Onc for followup from my rads that I still have stitches under my breast from my surgery on 7/27!!!! I remember seeing a fishing line like thing after my surgery but thought it would disolve. I'm going tomorrow to have them taken it out. Geesh! I DO NOT REMEMBER THEM TELLING ME TO COME BACK AFTER MY RADS!!! I'm glad you're starting to handle the no hair thing. I keep looking everyday for signs or more hair than normal coming out and it's only been 4 days since my 1st treatemtn.

Posted 9/19/2005 8:44 PM (GMT 0)
Bern,I lost weight with the first half of treatment i think becayse i didnt feel to good and then when i started Taxol i wanted to eat everything,I felt good just had aches and pain...Tammy
Posted 9/20/2005 12:06 AM (GMT 0)

I haven't had any pain with Taxol...just a few aches I figured due to old age...I'm 63.

Mary

Posted 9/20/2005 2:01 AM (GMT 0)
Kathy, Tammy & Mary

I guess Im just a big worrier and should learn to cope. I guess I will just have to wait to see if the Taxol makes me ache and loose my lashes maybe I will be lucky and they will stay.

Im still not sure about the fishing line I will tell my Dr tomarrow about it and see what she says. This will be my 3rd chemo and hopefully I will have only 4 AC and then go onto the Taxol. I have to ask her about that too.

Kathy did you do rads first? Mary Im glad that the Taxol does not make you ache. Im worried because of the reaction had from the Taxotere.

Tammy I have lost some weight too and hope not to gain any back. I have heard that the tamoxofin makes you gain too so I will have to be careful.

Take care.......
Posted 9/20/2005 3:39 AM (GMT 0)
Im on tamoxifan now for about 2 weeks,im hoping i dont gain anymore weight...Tammy
Posted 9/21/2005 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
Bummed out.....living 25 miles inland from Galveston means packing up my bird, my older sister and heading for the hills, on the run from hurricane Rita.  Talk about bad timing, the dr. called for me to come in at 8:00 in the morning for a blood test, see him at 10:30, then have my usual chemo appt. at 12:00.  Seems my marker number has gone up recently.  Don't know if he'll change my chemo or what.  That will take up most of Wed.  Need to be on the road asap Thursday, as the rest of the coastal world will also be evacuating.  Say an extra prayer, that dm hurricane will drop dead.  See you on the other side of the storm.

Mary

Posted 9/21/2005 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
Are you coming this far, Mary when you head out? Send me an email and I will give you a phone number. Hugs Mary K.
Posted 9/22/2005 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone

I went to have my chemo yesterday and my counts were extremly low so no chemo. I had a shot of nuelasta again and now my back is aching and having spasms. Remember I thought it was the shot that had made me so sick before. I guess it did cause the aching but not the rest. I was taking neupogen but I dont like having to go back everyday for 3 days I live 40 minutes from there. I will still get it after my next chemo because it does work better. My Dr sent me to have a chest xray because of this cough I have had for over a month. I think I have pneumonia just want I needed! Other than that I feel okay I think Im going back to work tomarrow so that will help my attitude. I like to keep busy.

When all of you lost your hair did you still have some stubble?? I have growth all over my head. There are spots that are completly bald but the rest is stubble.

Mary I will be praying for your safety.
Posted 9/22/2005 12:25 PM (GMT 0)
Bern I was wondering how your bronchitis was. Please take care. I'm lucky with my docs locations. I live 7 miles from work and all my docs are in between my home and job, so I can do a doc appointment during my lunch if need be. At this point in y life, I couldn't deal with the stress with having to drive almost an hour for an appointment.

Posted 9/23/2005 9:05 AM (GMT 0)
Kathy

Iam doing alot better with the coughing. But my Dr would not sign a release for me to go back to work. My blood count was dangerously low and she advised me to stay home for a few days.

Living in the Seattle area everthing is a drive, I live 22 miles from my work but it takes me an hour to get there. I picked an oncologist close to my work so that I could do my radiation on my lunch hour (I didnt think I would have chemo) When Iam home like this the commute is much better but when I work it is worse because of the other workers going in at the same time. I dont know if you are familiar with the Seattle area But I work in Bellevue and live in Bothell/Mill Creek area.

How are you feeling??? I hope you got past the nausea part. It is no fun feeling sick all of the time.
Posted 9/26/2005 4:53 PM (GMT 0)

Hi everyone, today is my first radiation treatment - I have to admit I'm a little stressed about it. I think it's not knowing how my body will react to it. I'm not expecting anything for the first week but am dreading the next 3.

I'm hoping it's easier than chemo and I'm also hoping that I don't make it worse than it is by freaking out about it. I heard from a friend who had gone through it to think of it as a pink Pac Woman chomping up the bad cells so the new healthy ones can grow.

Thanks everyone for giving me hope through your experiences! Please keep me in your thoughts today.

Love and hugs from Denver,

Donna

Posted 9/28/2005 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
Donna

I have not had radiation yet but most people say it is a piece of cake compared to chemo. I just had my 3rd chemo today and I hope I will be fine. Did you feel more tired as the chemo sessions went on. I have heard that each one it is a little harder than the rest. I have been fine after the other ones my only problem has been my cough. Good luck!
Posted 9/28/2005 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bernadette,

I'm not sure if everyone has the same reaction to the chemo but I do have to say that it did have an accumulative effect on me. And I had a different reactions to my second go around with chemo - first time was AC and this time was with Taxol. I really got worn out and I was very emotional, kind of like the worst case of PMS you can imagine. No one mentioned that as a side effect but it was for me both times. Guess chemo produces the same type of hormones. My poor husband - here he thought we were through all of that after menopause!

On my way with the radiation and heard yesterday from my rad onco that I should expect to have burning because I've had a mastectomy and a recurrence. She said that because they will treat the top layer of skin (that's the thinnest because of the implant) as well as the deep tissue (she told me my recurrence had gone into my chest wall ick) I will have some burning. Who knows what that really means -- some burning?? Guess it depends on your skin etc. I am a little depressed about the whole thing and trying to have an imagine of the Pink Pac Girl eating the cancer cells and healthy pink cells replacing them.

Some days are better than others!!

Wow, can't believe you're still dealing with your cough - that has to be a drag. Are they giving you anything to help?

Love and hugs from Denver,
Donna
Posted 9/29/2005 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
Well, the dreaded happened for me today. A LOT of my hair fell out this morning. I thought I was going to be able to handle it, but I cried and it took all I had not to cry at work today and on top of that, a nice coworker was leaving today so we couldn't even hug goodbye because she was emotional and she knew I was having a bad day. I got my wig, but come to find out my ins won't pay for it because I didnt go to a participating memeber, which no one EVER told me they had some!!! mad I can send it back but now I have to run to a place that's about 50 miles from me on Saturday to see one she ordered for me in a color that may be close to mine. I have talked to my ins co several times about this issue and they always tell me something different. I finally got some straight answers after 2 months! mad How can I have positive thoughts each day when I keep getting kicked down by something. Sorry to be so negative, but I'm really down right now and just needed to vent.
Posted 9/30/2005 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
Katt, call those people tomorrow. I do not believe that you should have to drive 50 miles to get a wig. To me, that is not local and they should let you get one "local". Talk to a supervisor if you have to and tell them you can not have to drive that far for a wig.

JUJU

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaaaaaaa  My "a" is sticking!!!

 

Posted 9/30/2005 11:48 AM (GMT 0)
I just give up at this point. Nothing is working in my favor. This place that is so far away says she has a lot of wigs and she ordered one for me that hopefully will be the color close to mine and it will be there when I get there tomorrow. I think next time my job changes insurances I will go with the more expensive plan so I can go out of network.

Posted 9/30/2005 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Kattbird, I understand how you feel I cried (and still do somedays) about losing my hair, having scars and feeling sickly. Some of this stuff feels very defeating and I think having your hair fall out makes things seem worse! To me it's a stark reminder of what our bodies are going through.

I think I mentioned before that I experience horrible PMS like symtoms which of course made everything worse. Don't know if every chemo does that but both AC and Taxol did for me.

Insurance companies can be a pain! Do you have a case manager?? My insurance assigned one to my case and it really helped. She acts as an advocate for me and she also reviews my treatments to make sure they are appropriate.

Hopefully the new place will have a wig that fits and that is close to your color.

I'll be thinking about you - hope it gets better soon.

Love and hugs from Denver,
Donna
Posted 9/30/2005 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
Donna

I have learned that the treatments are accumulative too, I had my 3rd AC on Tuesday and by Thursday I could not keep my eyes open. I also had a shot of Neulasta and it has made my whole body ache. I had changed and had Neupogen and did not have body aches but they wanted me to take Neulasta so I went back to it. Never again I had a bad reaction the first time and again now no more Neulasta. I could not believe how tired I was yesterday I could not stay awake for more than an hour, I feel like I slept the whole day away.

Have you had your first rads yet? I hope you dont burn like they saud you would alot of the women here have gone thru it with no burning at all I will pray that you will be one of them. It is bad enough everything else we go thru and then have to deal with more pain.

I still have a little cough but Im on my 4th antibiotic and it is finally getting it. The hardest thing right now is that my work wont let me come back yet. My boss says that he dosn't want me to get more sick. I understand how he feels because of the type of work I do but Im going nuts staying home. We are going into the cold time of year and I will have to be in and out alot and that worries him. Also the guys I work with have got colds so he is afraid of me catching it. I love my job and miss it alot so hopefully he will let me go back soon.

Take care
Posted 9/30/2005 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
Katt

Im so sorry about the hair....I hate the fact that we have to loose it. I know how you feel it has been the worst part of all of this. Iam sending you a ((((((((HUG)))))))) I feel like crying just reading your post. And then on top of it all you have to fight to get your wig paid for. Sometimes things just suck!!!

Dont feel bad about venting we all need to at sometime. I know you have listened to me when I have had a hard day. Maybe we should all get punching bags for days like this :) I hope the wig she ordered will work for you. Keep us posted......chin up!
Posted 9/30/2005 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bernadette, I had Neulasta too and you are so right it's very painful. The only thing that kept me doing it was that I had chemo every other week and my white count would be too low to get it if I didn't take the Neulasta. It kept me in constant leg cramps.

Had my 3 radiation treatment yesterday and going again today, only 6 weeks to go. I was so frightened on my first day that I broke down and cried. Let me tell you that made for a great first impression! My rad onco said I will get some burning because I've had a mastectomy, an implant and a recurrence. Plus my second tumor was in my chest wall so I'll get both a top skin and bottom chest treatment. I'm certainly not looking forward to getting burned but maybe it won't be as bad as I'm projecting.

I've been making myself laugh --- as the machine starts up I mutter (to myself) go get 'um eat all of those crummy (insert a stronger word here) cancer cells! Sounds crazy but it seems to be helping, at least I'm not crying during the treatments.

What kind of work do you do? I know what you mean about staying home. It's not what it's cracked up to be when you can't do anything but sleep! But on the other hand you must need it. Chemo takes a toll on our bodies.

Hope your cough gets better soon.

Love and hugs from Denver,
Donna
✚ New Topic locked
1234