Has anyone started a forum for Chemo in Dec 2008?

bobcat

Firni - I too have been on AI's since March after completing chemo.  Things started coming in slowly but surely through the summer and then by September my brows and lashes started to go again.  I now have some lashes, a shadow of brow that looks ridiculous, nothing underarms or down below and leg/arm hair is nonexistent again.  I did however develop a lush peach fuzz on my face which is truly alarming and disgusting and I hack at with scissors.  I see my onc in 2 weeks and wonder what he will tell me this is all about!!

Have a great day ladies.  I haven't been posting but do keep up with you all.  Just couldn't let the hair thing go to see if others are having the same experience.

Bobbi

Texas357

Let's see what the studies show by that time. According to my oncologist, some have shown that the side effects outweigh the benefits after 5 years.

swest

Hi ladies!  I hope everyone is doing OK.  I want to ask you for some help.  I really need your opinions.  I posted my reconstruction pictures on the Timtam's forum.  I really think I need to have a revision to upgrade to larger implants, high profile to give me more projection.  Let me know what you think.  I can take the criticisms!  Thank you all!

Texas357

Swest, I agree that more projection would look nice. Keep in mind that with no breast tissue, you won't lose anything once you lose the weight.  But it's all in what you need to see when you look in the mirror.

Firni

Sonia, Your original result does look good.  I do think you PS has the surgical skill.  But you need to do what you need to feel better.  Bras not fitting is the worst.  With my original implants, I tried on over 100 bras and couldn't find one that fit.  After the revision to go a little larger, I don't have any problems with bras.  There is still some "empty space" with some due to the NAC missing.  But that is nothing compared to before the larger implants.  

In the photos, it does look like your one side is smaller than the other.  Is that why the pocket revision? 

swest

Firni - The left side has always been smaller, even before BC.  I think my body must absorb the implant more on that side.  They are the same size implants.  The smaller side (right) has at the base an area that is not rounded to make the fold.  I really think I am going to press for 700-750 high profile implants.  I realize that they will never fully fill out the tips of the bra but it has to be better than what I have now.

Thank you Texas for the kind words!  You are too sweet!

I really appreciate your imput, thank you for responding!

Firni

Sonia, my natural right side was smaller than the natural left side.  Still is a little bit.  I'm thinking that's just how my chest is.  I'm not worried about it tho.  I figure if both sides pretty much fit into the same size bra, it's all good.

Texas357

Just learned that a woman diagnosed a year before all of us, a friend of my sister's, may have a recurrence. It showed up on the skin on her chest. I hate this disease! And I hate how it can just pop up. Statistics don't matter.

Live each day out loud ladies! Get out there and live!

Firni

Texas, I'm so sorry to hear about your sister's friend.  That really sucks.  I'll tell ya, I just about get to where I feel l"m living a normal life again and then I hear about a recurrence with some one and all the little squirrels start racing around in my head again.  I guess that is the new normal life now.

bobcat

My friend's sister was also just diagnosed with BC in her other breast and she's not even had her exchange surgery yet!!  BC s**ks!!

swest

YES!  BC S**KS!!!!!

EleanorJ

Aw, sorry to hear about those 2 ladies. It does suck. I had a follow-up with my oncologist today. I hadn't been there since July and I have to say it was quite hard for me to be there. It made me so uncomfortable to be in that waiting room and seeing those patients. I was one of those last year! This older lady was going in for her first chemo, she couldn't have been younger than 70, with a walker and couldn't even keep her head up straight. I felt so bad seeing her in there, I just wanted to hug her! All cancer S**KS!!!

My MIL's friend that has lung cancer, is now on her second type of chemo. First one, while being extremely aggresive, didn't do anything. While she was on chemo & radiation at the same time, cancer spread to her brain, kidney, some gland. Geez. The new chemo isn't shrinking anything but for some reason it's keeping her comfortable and giving her energy! It's so hard to see people go throught that when I had it so easy!

Texas357

Anyone else still have missing lashes and brows? My lashes are about 1/3 the length they were pre-chemo,and brows are very sparse. In other words, my eyes still look like I'm going through chemo.

I've about decided that if they aren't better by summer, I will look into permanent (tattoo) makeup: brows and eyeliner. Hard to move on when I look at my reflection and see the "chemo look" staring back.

lovemyfamilysomuch

Thinking about all my bc friends.  We went through it last year and will continue to be there for each other!!  Prayers for all.

bobcat

Texas - my brows are horrible and my lashes just fell out again.  My onc said it is an SE from arimidex.  I don't know.  I too hate looking in the mirror and seeing that chemo look - it's just depressing.  And each day something new -like losing the lashes again.  I'm thinking of trying false eyelashes but what I really hate is the no brow look.  Having to draw them on every morning just sucks and I hate how I look to my SO in the morning.

Texas357

I'm on Femara, and I was wondering if that could be contributing to the problem. Sometimes I get so resentful of this "new normal". I just want "me" back!

Firni

Well, I have about 10 brow hairs on each side on the inside corner of my eyes.  My lashes are very thin, short and they have kinks in them so I can't even put on mascara.  My body and head hair is falling out again too.  I feel so sure that it's the Tamoxifen.  Bobcat, I'm almost surprised your onc said that losing your brows and lashes is from the Arimidex.  My onc keeps insisting that AIs and Tamox DO NOT cause hair loss of any kind.  He's such a liar.

I've thought about the permanent makeup but I'm so afraid they'll slip and I'll have some super thick line or a bump or something I don't like.  I will continue to draw for now.  You know, I've gotten so used to the chemo face and the bald spot on the back of my head, I don't even think it's unusual when I see myself in the mirror.  Now that is sad.

Firni

Caroline, I'm sorry about your MIL's friend.  It's scary when the oncs start using different kinds of chemo like that.  It is weird that chemo can be used to keep people comfortable.  Must be a different kind than we all had.

How did your onc appt. turn out?   

EleanorJ

Firni, it went well, everything is normal, it just made me anxious to be in there.

About the hair thing. I used to be so sad because I always had very thick & long eye lashes & brows and after chemo it just wasn't getting as long as before and as thick. Now keep in mind that I didn't loose all during chemo (probably because of before thickness?), well, I looked at myself today and realized that my eye lashes were finally as long as they used to be. I had heard about the 3 month mark when it starts falling again, now I heard an explanation that made a lot of sense. You're hair are on a growing cycle, they fall all the time, but just a few here & there. When you loose all due to chemo, your hair is now ALL on the same cycle, so when it's time for eye lashes to fall, they all fall because they all started growing at the same time. It can take a year for the hair to start alternating so that they don't all fall at once.

A couple of months ago, my lashes & brows started going by clumps. As much as it stinks, it's normal. The first time I washed my hair and got a handful in my hand, I was almost panicked until I calmed myself by reminding me that I was loosing hair ALL the time in the shower before chemo. It's normal.

You might want to wait a bit before you go ahead with the permanent make-up, that's big step.

Bold

Hi my friends. Just a quick interesting point. I am not on any hormone blocking drugs and I have hardly any eyebrows. Before  chemo I had thick brows. My eyelashes are thin as well. Body hair is still soft. Tomorrow is my Check-up with onc. Gulp!!!

Peace

Firni

Glad everything turned out well with your onc, Caroline.  Hope yours goes as well, Bold.

I guess the whole hair thing is just part of the gifts of chemo.  Actually, Caroline, your hair is getting pretty long.  Bangs down to you eyebrows.  Wow!  You could even wear a head band or use barrettes.  My hair looks like Bold's is in her avitar.  Except my hair is dark and there are some bald spots.  That's 11 months after chemo and one tiny hair cut to shape the sides.  No length was taken off.   

Texas357

Thanks ladies. It sure helps to know that I'm not alone!!! Y'all continue to be in my prayers!

Bold

Firni: Try ovation cellular therapy. You might need a jump start. I have never cut mine and I finished chemo in April. No bald spots but no bangs either. Time!!!!

I am just soooo glad to be over the harsh stuff. I am still very fatigued. I have burning tongue sometimes and my hips and lower back are very weak compared to before treatment. My breast that I had the lumpectomy on is sore. It does not help that the cat is always walking on it! (But she is soo wonderful hard to get mad at). Well off to shower and shave and smell nice and look good for my Onc. We are a strange species. I think that he will care more about me if he thinks I care for myself or something like that. lol

Love Love Love

BonnieK

Hi ladies,

I haven't been to this thread for a long time, but we all went through chemo at about the same time so thought this would be a great place to stop by and say hello.  Chemo ended for me last February and I started on Arimidex in March.  Had exchange in April and rads in May/early June.  Had another exchange last month because I had capsular contracture.  My hair is in a short style now and I even have bangs, but there are some thin spots on the crown.  Eyelashes are much thinner than before and eyebrows were so thin that I had permanent makeup done a few months ago.  Even though they look much better, I'm not totally happy with the results.  The facial fuzzies plague me too, so I cut it or shave it and next may try waxing.  Fatigue never left me after the treatments, so I have decided to take an early retirement from my job in May.  Can hardly wait!

It's great to catch up with your posts and see that we are all going through similar things.

-Bonnie 

EleanorJ

I've chicken out of hair cuts twice already. I kept wanting to get it shaped but was never willing to get the scissors in. I'm actually glad I never cut since it doesn't need as much shaping now. Even though my hair grew through chemo, I kept shaving because it was the fuzzy stuff growing. By the time I finished chemo in March, I think the fuzz part was about done so real hair started growing. Been doing the barrettes since October, headband still looks bad! Hubby & I are going away for a week for our 10 year anniversary this June, so I'm waiting until then to get a cute cut and look great for our second honeymoon

Quite honestly, I'd rather be dealing with the lack of hair right now. Chemo did a number on my liver, I can't seem to be handling wine like before! LOL! I know, I shouldn't even be drinking wine, but I'm French, there's no way around it, I'll drink wine till the day I day My liver does seem weaker though. And I have a bad case of cording right now. Started therapy this past Friday. I love my therapist, she's the best and it's already helping a lot. I spent 3 weeks with a bent arm before I couldn't stand stretching it. The good news, I found today, is that when cording goes all the way to your hand, you usually can get rid of it for good. But now fun, at one point I couldn't even do laundry or dishes! Wearing a sleeve right now. My breast is still sore, not much but enough that it can get worrysome, but I try not to think about it.

While we're all out of the tunnel, it will still take a while before our bodies than be back to before chemo But... WE'RE ALL ALIVE And that's what matters.

Firni

Caroline,  maybe your liver is just out of practice.  As I remember, wine did not taste very good to you for a while.  You'll just have to keep working on it.

Bold, how was your appt?  I ordered some ovation when they had a special going around Christmas time.  It's a bit pricey otherwise.  For some reason, the order didn't go thru.  So, I'm waiting for another special.  I'll try again.

Hi Bonnie.  Good to see you checking in.  Sorry you're going thru all the same crap as the rest of us.  Knowing we wouldn't be done when we were done with chemo didn't really sink in till now. 

Texas357

Caroline, getting your hair shaped can sometimes add to how full it looks. At least it did with mine, and with another friend who lives nearby. Hers looked adorable after she let the stylist play with it!

BonnieK

Caroline -- your hair is so long and it looks great!!  When mine first came back I wasn't sure I could bear to ever have it cut, but that first trim made it look SO much better.  My hair is really curly now, which has been a challenge, and the color was awful at first -- thank goodness for hair coloring products! 

 My liver is also a little messed up now.  I was on a low dose of Macrodantin (antibiotic) for a couple of months because of recurring UTIs, and my liver enzymes went up and caused cramping, pain, etc.  As far as drinking goes, I've never been a big drinker, but can't really tolerate it at all now.  I've had a total of one drink and a few sips of wine in the last 16 months.

 On a very happy note, we got two beautiful bengal kittens just before Thanksgiving and they are amazing!  

EleanorJ

Firni, believe me, I'm putting my liver into practice During chemo wine tasted awful, but as soon as chemo was over it was great again. I can't really go past 3 glasses (not that I need more!) So I really can't complain too much.

Bonnie, at least you weren't a big drinking to start with. I just can't drink water with a good meal, I would be a mess in your shoes! LOL!

I'm finally ok with the look of my hair. Seems like every month or 2, I need to come up with a new way to fix them and I always manage to find something that looks good. The short-short was challenging, I dyed them until I got close enough to my natural color and haven't put any dye in my hair since July or August. At this point, I no longer feel the need to shape it to look better. I'm so glad I'm past that stage. And yep, super curly as well, people can't believe it! Whenever I straighten them, it's twice the lenght! I did cut my bangs so that it would be nicer & straight, that helped a lot. Now going for the lenght. I was going through old pictures last night and I was so sad looking at my long nearly straight hair But if it's curly now, I'm hoping it will stick with the lenght, I always wanted curly hair

EleanorJ

Anyone else enjoying the snow? The kids and I are having a great time, school's out, probably until Monday!

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