Hair Hair Hair - Another question

dltnhm

tucker3 - 

It's a blood test that will give 3 results: your estradiol level, your FSH, and your LH. 

Mine was actually checked prior to chemo due to a study. Although I was 48 - I had not experienced any perimenopause symptoms and my estradiol level was completely normal. I had a normal period the week before chemo and it has never returned - 2 years 7 months. My levels were tested at 2 years with my Estradiol level in a post-menopausal range but my FSH & LH numbers are still at levels that are not menopausal. We did not test them for my last appointment in June but I have an order for them in October. In the meantime I have continued on Tamoxifen. 

Hope this helps. 

A detour from the hair topic :-) 

Congrats on completing Chemo!

HomeMom

Kite -Here is the wig when I tried it on in the wig shop. The blonde wig I also bought is in the back ground partially covered but the long brown wig in front of it - on the table. I like both of them.

HomeMom

Here is the blonde - I've had total strangers tell me how beautiful my hair is!  The red one is on the dresser lol

noonrider

No, its not a matter of staying on Rogaine for financial gain for the company. Your new hair will fall out when you stop using Rogaine, HOWEVER that is when the hairloss is due to something like alopecia. So far the thin areas I had before chemo seem to be coming in at the same rate/thickness as the rest of my head. I will probably just drop down to once a day usage instead of the twice per day I'm on now. Its not that expensive ($40 for three months) and its just part of my routine now.

jbokland

that's Ritzy Rags!!  

islandmom

HomeMom, those are two very different looks. You look great in both.  You must have confused a few people.  The long hair makes you look so young.  Maybe long hair is in your future.  

About the hormone blood tests,  they keep indicating I am still not menopausal.  I have not had a period since I was in my mid thirties, because I had an ablation.  I have been having hot flashes on and off,  since I turned forty, so I was so sure I was past menopause.  However, the tests keep showing otherwise.  I am 51 and I am happy to take Tamoxifen because I have Osteopenia, borderline Osteoporosis.  

I keep worrying that when I hit menopause my hair will thin, my skin will wrinkle, and my brain will stop working, overnight.  So before when I was convinced I was past menopause,  I felt good because I thought all the changes had already happened.

HomeMom

jbokland - Yes ma'am it is ! They give you 35% off if you're going through chemo. I was there on Friday ordering one of those baseball caps with hair in brown (all they had was platinum blonde and black). I want it to go walking. 

islandmom - I know right? Every time I wear the blonde wig someone tells me I look like a teenager. I get compliments on the red one, but usually from people who have not seen me in the blonde. I wear the short one to work and the blonde for going out to dinner, movies or family events. Two different sets of people see me so no confusion there. They had a wig there that looks like my short one only grown out to the shoulders. I'm thinking of getting that one for work for the winter. With just extremely small, almost invisible fuzzies growing right now, it could be a while before I can go topless.

My hair seemed to start thinning out about 5 years ago but it was like overnight it started. Some said it was most likely menopause, but I was still getting my period regularly. I'm hoping it was the bc in some small way. My mom is 80 and has better hair then I had.

Kite

Thanks Homemom! You look great! I think after I get back from the Metastasis Breast cancer conference I am going to do some wig shopping. I am just to impatient. Lol

I love them both on you! 

anotherNYCGirl

Homemom, - I love the long blond wig!!       

Now thinking I should go buy another wig, too!

HomeMom

Thanks Kite and anotherNYCGirl - It's going to be a big let down when I DO get my old hair back! lol 

Beatmon

home mom, both wigs are adorable

HomeMom

Thanks Beatmon - Glad summer is over here, it was hot hot hot wearing a wig in 95+ degrees and 99% humidity

lago

noonrider I use the generic Minoxidil from Walgreens. Buy it in the 3 pack and what for it to go on sale (sometimes half price). Lots cheaper that Rogaine. Granted Rogaine goes on sale too. Stock up when on sale.

MomMom

Lago,  I'm surprised you are still using Minoxidil as your hair growth is so phenomenal.  Is that why?

OK, I'm gonna ask a really stupid question.  I am at 8 weeks PFC and my hair is 1 1/8" on top (more thin on top than anywhere else at this point), 1 1/4" on the side near my ear, and 1 1/2 " at the nape of the neck.  I've attached some pics of the back and top from this morning.  It seems to be straight at this point.  If it were to end up being curly as is the case for so many, how long does your hair have to be before it curls??  Told you it was a stupid question:-).  My hair has always been stick straight.  There is more dark hair which joined the white fuzz stuff I started with.  But overall, it looks more salt & pepper by far than it did pre-chemo.  Don't get me wrong.  At this point, I'm grateful for ANY hair, but I'm a long, long way from going out without a hat or wig.

 

HomeMom

I'm two weeks today and all I have are small fuzzies. How long before they actually look like hair?? MomMom yours looks like you could even get a trim!

MomMom

Homemom,  There is no way I need a trim - I wish:-)!! 

BosumBlues, Thanks for the feedback.  I wouldn't mind some curls, even if they don't last forever, so maybe it will start to curl when it gets longer.  Right now, sure seems like it will be straight again to me.  Anyone else notice a curl or kink shortly after hair growth began?

Thanks!

LizzyinMI

MomMom - My hair was also always poker straight.  It came like yours - white fuzzy then my darker brown so it was salt and pepper.  Weird thing was as it got to the length yours is, I realized the root end of the white fuzz was actually dark brown (I had to pull a few to check that out).  I started going without my scarves at about 7 weeks PFC but I've always worn my hair short so it didn't bother me.  I put a little bit of gel on it to lay down the fuzziness.  Had my first trim at about 3 months to loose the fuzz.  I thought mine was coming in straight but it was at about 4 months I realized it was curling.  I'm just over a year PFC and I'm back to my 5 week hair cut cycle and I think my next cut will probably take out the last of the curl. 

LakeGirl2

I am 16 months PFC. I had one trim to even up my very short hair about 4 months PFC. My hair stylist thinks it will need to be cut soon. It has come in curly.

MomMom

Thank you all for your responses so far!  Lizzy, your post was encouraging to the point that I may still get curly hair, if only for awhile.  Also, will be pulling out white hairs as the days go on to see if any dark roots there - an excellent tip!! 

Paula

MomMom

Another point.  I will not be going without a cap or wig until there is NO scalp showing anywhere - an important criteria for me.  Pre chemo I had a lot of hair. 

Mikesgirl17

Hi girls.  Going out tonight with 2 of my sisters.  I tried a different style and I think it may be to fluffy.  I never thought I'd be saying that about my hair again.  Have a glorious week end!

Lisaj514

wow mikesgirl, your hair looks great. You would never know that you had little hair a few months ago. It looks great on you and natural. Im a little jealous of those with dark straight hair. I'm getting compliments, but from the little old ladies at the nursing home where I worked for 2days this week. They like my gray short curly hair, oh no, I need a young gray curly style.

Mom mom, I had much less hair at 8 wks PFC. Yours is coming in well even though it doesn't seem like it. It's getting darker so it's changing to more "normal". Maybe you should have the fine white ends trimmed especially in the back. But I know how self conscious you are, I was similar. You'll see, it'll start coming in now..I bet in a month you'll have enough to go topless. I went topless at about 3 mo and I was a slow grower, I had less than you at 8 wks. I'm 5 months Pfc now and have only trimmed it myself around my ears as well as a few long stragglers that would stick out. I was curly before but now it's even curlier. My curls started to return about 3 months post little by little. 

Beatmon

mikes girl, your hair is adorable!

jbokland

No hair here,,,my friend wearing my new Sassy Head design:

MinusTwo

Mike'sGirl - great hear & gorgeous picture.  

MomMom - my hair came in straight for a great pixie style, but then turned really wavy after a month or so.  I've threatened to just "fluff" it when wet and it is all curls, but so far I've been trying to flatten at least the top & sides a little.

Growing hair while on Herceptin is a REAL pain.  I'm 9 months PFC and still only have 2-1/2".  But only one more Herceptin infusion next week then the growing can start.

Lorbgoo

I am 4 moths PFC and my hair is just starting to curl but not really that noticable. It kinda looks like bed head. Lol

Lorbgoo

4 months PFC

lago

MomMom I was using Minoxidil for about 6 years prior to diagnosis. My hairline started to recede. After chemo a lot of that receding grew back… but then the AI kicked in. So I'm still using it.

kittycat

hi girls. I am almost 4 years post chemo. My hair came in so beautiful and thick. I was in heaven!  Then about 2 years out it started to shed.  I still have a lot of hair, but it's not as nice as it used to be. My hairdresser told me last week that I've probably lost half my hair. Ugh!  I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago and my oncologist said it might be lack of hormones. I've gained weight , too. I'm on a low carb diet and have lost about 5 lbs. I need to lose at least 10 more.  Cancer, the gift that keeps on giving!  

Anyway....

Have any of you girls who are a few years post chemo having issues with excessive hair shed?  I'm going to the doctor to get my bloodwork done (it always comes back normal). I'm also going to see a dermatologist in town who specializes in women's hair loss. 

lago

kittycat my hair came in nice too but in my case they put me on an AI for hormone positive cancer… and my hair has been shedding. There are some women on the AI that have it really bad. It's due to the lack of hormone. If you look at very old women you will notice many of them have very thin hair. This is due to the lack of hormones. But to be sure talk to your doctor to be sure it isn't your thyroid or a vitamin deficiency or maybe something else.