Hair Hair Hair - Another question

EmmaC

Last year the kids were waiting in great anticipation for the ice cream man to come around. He finally did and I ran him down screaming for him to stop and I didn't have time to cover my head, I know I scared the crud out of him! This year he stopped by while he was out and about to ask how I was doing! Isn't that sweet!

My nails are still a mess and I am still mad at cancer. maybe it is the tamoxifen!

Momine

Emma, I still get mad at the cancer, and I am not even on tamox

Deb720

I'm 11 weeks PFC and my nails are a mess.  About half of the nail has lifted off on most of my fingers.  I keep them cut short, and if I keep them painted and can't see them, it doesn't bother me too much.  Also washing dishes seems to make them lift more, so I try not to wash dishes at all.

shore1

Deb720, I've found that my nails have gotten much better since taking biotin and biosil. Im 12 weeks pfc, but had taxol not taxotere. I also never clean or even load dishwasher unless im wearing gloves.



Emmac, funny story

Annoula

Kellogs I am not sure why the oncologist told me to take tamoxifen instead of herceptin, what is the difference, I only have an appointment the end of June to see him again. This is all new to me. I saw the radiologist today and he is aware of the tamoxifen, I guess they both agree that is the right medication. Let me know the difference.

Mardibra

it makes sense you would take Tamoxifen because of your ER+ status.  Tamoxifen interferes with the cancer cells ability to be fed by estrogen.  But, as I understand it, every HER2+ patient also gets Herceptin.  Im not HER2+ so im not entirely sure.

Ossa

Anoula  Tamoxifen is for ER+ Herceptin is for Her2+ I am on both .. You should ask your doctor

Kelloggs

Annoula - you should definitely ask your doctor.  You are ER+ and Her2+ and you should be on both Tamoxifen and Herceptin.  Did you have chemo? I am triple positive also with a smaller tumor and similar node involvemet and I had 6 rounds of TCH and will continue with Herceptin every three weeks til I've reached a year.  I also start Tamoxifen today and rads today!  Please talk to your MO about this.  There is a terrific thread here called Triple Positive and I think all the women on there have gotten Herceptin.

Jennt28

Anyone else on Herceptin have their hair grow back very "thin on the ground"?



I have been so happy because I can feel hair growing back and from what I can see it is over 1/2 inch already and I have only done 7 of 12 weekly Taxol/Herceptin.



BUT today I used my phone camera to take some close-up photos of the back of my head and have now realised that the hairs growing are only about 1/5th of what should be there. There are many follicles just sitting there empty with no growth at all :-/



Is this the norm for people on Herceptin or is this weird?



Jenn

LouLou40

My hair grew back during weekly taxol and 3 weekly herceptin, it was thick and fluffy all over by the time I finished taxol.

I know there is a thread suggesting that herceptin slows hair growth but I didn't experience slow growth. Initially it was clear, brownish fluff, before my natural brown color returned. It was curly for about a yr and then went back to being straight

I stopped wearing a scarf during rads, and my hair was long enough to have it colored before I headed back to work 9 weeks post chemo finishing, it was a really weird tabby cat color so had a brown put through it to even out the color.

Im now 2 and half yrs out from chemo and my hair is shoulder length and a have a nice ponytail again

Kelloggs

Jenn - I am experiencing the same.  I am 6 weeks PFC and getting Herceptin every 3 weeks.  My hair started to grow back a little during chemo but it was very sparse so I took the advice of the nurses in my cancer center and shaved it again just after my last chemo.  It is growing back but seems thin to me.  I had a full head of thick curly hair before chemo so I think I'm just looking for more.  I believe it will "fill in".  We just need to give it time, which is very hard.

NCbeachgal

Kellogs-sounds like you have a busy day today. Good luck with your appointments.



LouLou-oh to have a ponytail. You give me hope for the future. I'm only 2 wks PFC but still hopeful.

lago

jen my hair grew back on Herceptin. It seemed to grow at a decent pace but then again my hair always grew quickly. It started off like friar tuck. When I stopped Herceptin it grew even faster. The texture was different. Sort of fur like, lots of hair but dry and the shaft seemed thin. 1 year PFC the texture seems more back to normal.

But I have seen gals that haven't been on Herceptin get really slow regrowth. It does come back but it takes a long time to cover the thin/bald spots… but it does come back. I think we are all different.

Ossa

Jen, I am 6 months PFC and can still see my scalp, but at least it is growing

schatzi14

Ossa...mine too but still hangin in there going topless. I have an underground sprinkler guy coming this afternoon and am a bit apprehensive about meeting him baldish. Hope I don't scare the bejesus out of him.

Ossa

Schatzi14.. I have been going topless for about a month.. Only get the odd look, Have decided this is who I am, I did not choose this "hairstyle" and am no longer going to hide behind a wig/hat any more

Feels great once you come to this conclusion

schatzi14

Ossa...For sure....I decided they will know I had chemo...so what? Actually I love the feel of my head...so does DH...he tells people that now I have more hair than he does. He is fascinated how it is growing back. If this is the worst SE we will have, we are indeed lucky. I washed all my scarves and head coverings yesterday. Done with them!!!!!!!!

I tell people this is my summer style by Carlo Fidani...he is the one that donated all the money for the Cancer Clinic and it is named after him.

MizMarie

My hair filled in quickly, and it is very thick, very curly, and appears to grow straight up, rather than down.  I look like a poodle!

schatzi14

MizMarie

How far PFC are you?

MizMarie

Schatzi, I am almost 21 weeks PFC, and my hair is about 1.5 inches long if I stretch it out straight.  It was curly before, but since I never wore it short, I'm not sure how much of what I have now is chemo vs natural curl.  It has no shine whatsoever.  I hope by next month there will be enough hair to justify a visit to the salon.

Annoula

Okay I will ask my doctor about herceptin when I go see him. I did 7 chemos, 4 cycl.. and 3 taxotere. I am presently doing radiation. I have 8 more to go. Total 25 treatments of radiation. 

Annoula

Miz Marie, when did you finish chemo and your hair grew  so fast, That's great!

MizMarie

Thanks, Annoula.  My last chemo was December 8th, and I have photos from December 28 that shows a five o'clock shadow.  While it came in and filled in fairly well, an inch and a half in nearly 5 months is nothing to brag about

MamaV

My bangs touched my eyebrow! Did you hear me?? 
MY BANGS TOUCHED MY EYEBROW!

YIPEEEEEEEE!

(ok, admittedly, only when wet, but still!)

There is hope my dear friends, there is hope!

Vicky

schatzi14

MamaV

OMG you are back to normal....you also have eyebrows! I am getting there too.

I tossed the wig 3 months PFC

NCbeachgal

This thread gives me hope but is sometimes discouraging as well. I read about hair growth at 3 months, 5 months and a timeline for going topless. I see the photos and think everyone pictured is so beautiful and confident.

At 2weeks PFC, I am obsessed, actually obsessed, with my head. I'm afraid to even ponder the amount of money I've spent on scarves, hats and wigs. I mostly hate each and every head covering. I find having my head covered all the time hot (not sexy-just hot). it's gonna get worse during the summer heat and humidity. I'm not a person who is willing to just go around bald. Not gonna happen-not now-I'll say not ever.

I realize it's a reality I have to deal with but I swear I'm weary of it. I head back to work soon. I'm in medical sales and am in and out of the car numerous times during my work day. I dread crawling in and out of that hot car with my hot head and my baked boob (from radiation which I start the same week I return to work).

I just took a deep cleansing breath. Maybe that will help; or I may hyperventilate because I need more than one cleansing breath to help the stress I'm feeling today. I'm pissed that my stress stems from stupid hair and not a more lofty concern like...I can't come up with anything. I'm obsessed and now I'm done bitching.

schatzi14

NC

Welcome and bitch all ya want...that's why we are here. You will be surprised how fast your hair grows once it begins. I NEVER thot I would go topless without my usual thick hair but once it is all covered, you will feel differently.

As far as the baked boob, I had 16 rads and it never felt that way. Didn't feel any different that the other one. Just faithfully use the GLAXAL BASIS cream 3 times a day and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Kelloggs

Congrats MamaV!!!  I'd shout that from the rooftops too!  How far PFC are you?

Ossa

MamaV.. What the heck is bangs???  LOL  Yay for you.. Mine stands straight up... only about 1 inch long.. hohum.......

Welcome NC.... I used Glaxal Base as well, works great.. Now use food grade organic coconut oil... Best moisturizer I have ever found.. I use it as make-up remover, face moisturizer, and body moisturizer.. and no I do not smell like a pinacolada

Seagrover

Ncbeachgal, I am also 2 weeks PFC and feel like you do. I'm tired of looking at my bald head in the mirror. I live in Florida and am also dreading wearing the scarves in the summer. I have a tiny white fuzz I can see in my 10x mirror. But some of my head is still slick as an onion on the sides. I have lost all my eyebrows and eyelashes. Any idea when they will come back? I have been putting a lash product but don't see much as yet.



Also, recently have been having leg discomfort. Wondering if this is due to the neupogen shots I had in the last few weeks.