when did your hair start to grow back

dreamer

barb - e-mail me.  I have a couple of suggestions. karen_baranik@yahoo.com  I was in the same boat - my hair was horrible and I brought it back and its amazing now.  I feel so bad for anyone that is having that same trouble and hope that I can help.

RIV54

Hello everyone, I finished chemo July 25, 6 rounds of TAC. My hair started growing back about 6 weeks later, very soft and curly. Unfortunately, it is still very short. It seems like its been growing forever. I have a 2 year old grandson who has had several hair cuts in the same amount of time and my hair is just about an inch long. I'm grateful for the curls though.

Barbeqrn

Harley!!!!!!! How was your cruise??? I hope it was everything you wanted and more! You deserved a break from all this cancer stuff!!!!!!! We all do!!! barb

kiki56235

I finished my last Taxol on Dec. 12th.  My hair started to fuzz in about two weeks after that.  Now I have a full head of fuzz.  The first stuff was gray and it freaked me out.  I didn't like the colour so last week I coloured my whole head, are you ready for this, shocking pink!!  I can't stand the scarves any more so I thought what the heck.  I like it and all of my friends think it's so me.  About the weight thing, I gained 20lbs and am having such a hard time losing any of it.  So much for Tamoxifen causing weight loss!  Don't know what I'm going to do if I don't lose some of it before I go back to work, can't wear track suits to work everyday!!!  :-)  I suppose taking hoodia or something like that wouldn't be such a good idea??

dreamer

Hi -I'm on Tamoxifen, also. I have been fighting weight gain tooth and nail.  I've been on it for over 2 years and have gained 15 lbs.  But I workout and eat healthy (most of the time) - it doesn't matter - I'm still gaining slowly!  My doctor said alot of it is water.  He said hang in there - in 3 more years when I'm done, I'll lose it.  Well, I'm frustrated because my clothes don't fit anymore!!!  I have been a fitness buff for as long as I can remember, and now it doesn't seem to matter.  I miss working out and knowing it was making a difference.  Although - I'm sure it would be worse if I didn't work out.  My girlfriend gained alot of weight on Tamoxifen and when she went off, the weight came off quick.  My doctor said I could take water pills, but they make me shakey.  I don't like that feeling.  But I did lose alot of water the one time I tried it!!  Organic green tea should help with the water, also!  Good luck!!

JulieF

Ladies - I never went 6 weeks without coloring my hair, and what I have now is all grey fuzz...so now I'm hoping when I have more of a growout people will think it's platinum!



Harley44 - is it wait at least 6 month until after chemo or any/all treatment therapies?

Harley44

Barb,

The cruise was GREAT!  I will try to send you a pm later...

How are you doing?  I feel like I've been gone a month, instead of just a week.

Talk to you later,

Harley

Harley44

Julie F-

I read somewhere, I can't remember where, that we should wait until six months after our last chemo tx to color or otherwise process our hair.  When I mentioned it to my onc, he said... "Hasn't it been six months?"  So... that is leading me to think that it's ok to color my hair after FOUR months after chemo.  I still want to try to use only NATURAL dye, like something henna-based... just because I am just so scared about the chemicals I use in and on my body, and the chance that they may possibly cause cancer.  I know I am being silly, but...

I guess we have to do what we feel comfortable doing...  Who knows?  Maybe in a few months or years, I'll be using all kinds of different chemicals on my hair.

I have read lots of posts from others who are coloring their hair earlier, and they haven't had any problems.

Harley

carolmoore291169

HI. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I HAD TO WAIT 6 MONYHS BEFORE I COULD COLOUR MY HAIR I FOUND THIS VERY UPSETING AS I WAS ONLY 36/37 WHEN MY HAIR FELL OUT WHEN IT STARTED TO GROW BACK IT WAS GREY BUT GREAT ADVICE FROM MY HAIR DRESSER WAS TO USE A COLOUR MOUSSE IT WAS FANTASTIC THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT IT COMES OFF AT NIGHT AND WENT ON TO MY PILLOW CASE PUT A TOWEL OVER OILLOW TO STOP THE MESS TRY IT IT REALLOY WORKS GOOD LUCK

aran63665

Hi - I am about to start taxotere/cyclophosphamide treatment in 2 weeks. Its 4 treatments, 3 weeks apart.  Can anyone tell me about the details of what they went through, a typical treatment day, side pills you had to take to prevent nausea, low blood count, etc.  What about their side effects - when did hair loss start, how did you feel after 1st treatment? Could you travel in between chemo treatments? Thanks!

new to this whole thing!!

carolmoore291169

hi there.. i also had 4 lots of taxotere were do i start.... for me this was quite hard to cope with .this is just my experience REMEMBER every one is different here i go... VERY VERY TIRED WEEPY ACHES AND PAINS EVERYWERE ESPECIALLY IN MY LEGS LOSS OF APPETITE LACK OF SLEEP FINGER AND TOE NAILS WENT BROWN FLAKEY AND HAD RIDGES IN THEM TALK TO YOU ONC SHE WILL ADVISE YOU ON MEDICATION FOR SIDE EFFECTS I LOST MY HAIR AFTER 1ST CHEMO SO SORRY IF THIS SOUNDS ROUGH BUT THIS WAS JUST HOW IT EFFECTED ME OTHER LADIES MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS FIND OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN MY BEST WISHES TO YOU HANG ON IN THERE YOUR IN MY THOUGHTS PLEASE TAKE CARE....LOVE CAROL XX

RIV54

aran - I had 6 rounds of chemo 3 weeks apart. My first tx was the roughest. I was prescribed EMEND and Decadron for the first 3 days starting on the day of tx. The day after tx the nausea started followed 2 days later by diarrhea. Immodium worked for me. After that the other tx weren't all that bad once I got control over those SE. I think the first tx hit the hardest because it was a shock to my body. I started losing my hair almost exactly 3 weeks after the first tx. I didn't experience the metallic taste I've heard about, but some foods did taste rather nasty to me. Things like apple and orange juice tasted really bad all the way through tx. I discovered lemon sherbert and lemon-lime seltzer helped with some of the bad tasting food. I think it has something to do with cleansing your palate. Later in tx fatigue set in. Some SE don't manifest until later. My chemo team said its because the chemo effects are cumulative. You can pretty much do whatever you're up to.

Travel is not a problem. Just make sure you take whatever you need to be "comfortable". And if you go on a long trip just be back in time for your next tx. LOL. Good luck.

susan_02143

My hair waited six months to grow. I was at the bottom of the class. It is only recently that I am actually letting it grow though. Turns out that I [without really knowing it] had a superstition that if I let my hair grow again, the cancer would return. Silly, but you know, it was my reality.

*susan*

p.s. I am two years NED now. 

aran63665

Thanks Carol! I need to know the nitty gritty to prepare for the worst. It can only get better from there!aran

Barbeqrn

Aran,

My advise about TC  is to get on this board with March 08 women getting ready to start because it really helps get through everything.  I had 6 TC treatments and found #5 to be the worst.  I had 6 days of gastritis type discomfort every day after each treatment.  I lost alot of hair after #5 too...until then I was still able to go wigless, I just cut my hair it a cute short cut that everyone loved.  Now I am trying to get back to that look!!!!  I had read if you took VIT E prior to chemo it would help with hair loss....they mentioned a mega dose of 1600 mg and I did that for 2 weeks prior to dose #1.  I had some hair loss afterr the first treatment and expected more but it stopped.  I was so happy but I didn't keep taking the E as I was told not to....the mega dose is not without risks though....All in all, I think the treatment was doable but depressing after # 4!   Good luck! Barb

twink

bump ... for the girls just finishing chemo

carolynf

Mel,

Mine started growing after the 8th treatment of taxol. I had 4 DD A/C and 12 taxols.  When I finished taxol I had a good buzz cut look!

Carolyn