Starting Chemo in July 2009

chrisct

I wonder if Jamie Lee Curtis knows that we use her hair as an example to describe ours as it grows back?  My daughter told me recently that I remind her of someone on tv.  I said Jamie Lee Curtis - the lady in the Activia commercial.  She said, Yeah- that's it. 

eliz46

Hi everyone. My hair is about 1/2 inch real thick i will post a pic soon. i have dyed it brown, now i can really watch the regrowth. its awesome i do still were a bandana i like them now. i love the chia pet example.  and to the woman who asked about shaveing her arm pit.....well mine has a mohawk look to it becouse of the scare line is right through the middle of my arm pit.  i did purchase an electic razor but it feels to strange to shave cause i can't feel my pit. and it feels like its pulling the hair .......i have asked my boyfriend to shave it for me but know help there lol ......it makes me laugh and thats such a good thing.....i am starting to feel great and i just hit the almost 2 month post chemo ......and yeah the leg hair has come back full force.

Eph3_12

I also have the translucent stuff on the very top, so I look bald in the top center, but there is hair there.  This picture was taken New Year's Day-last chemo 9-10-09. Joni2

jacee

Ok, are you ready.....I'm THROUGH with chemo!!!! Finally had my last tx on Monday. I suppose I'm the last of the Jedi's to finish. Hoping this last 6 months has kicked this cancer's butt!!! Now a month off....then to rads.

My hair has grown the whole 12 weeks I've been on taxol. Lots of white on top and salt & pepper on sides..probably 1/2-1" long all over. Still feels like a tennis ball, so soft. Can't really do anything with it, but DH did tell me my hair was messed up when I woke this a.m. Hoping it stays and doesn't fall out post chemo. Minimal hair on legs. Lashes & brows missing in action...

Thank you ladies for SOOOO much support during these past 6 months...a true lifeline when I felt I was sinking. It has been wonderful to have you share this time with.

Jayne_in_UK

Hello Triple J's. I hope you are all doing well.

Joni1 congratulations on finishing chemo! I bet it feels great. I hope rads goes well for you with few SE's.

Kathy so sorry that you had a second primary, but it's good that you didn't need chemo again. I certainly agree that once is enough.

Nikki I haven't shaved my armpit yet either. I do have a few hairs growing there, strangely enough I have more armpit hairs on my rads side. After surgery I used Nair hair remover on it but it irritated my skin and I am reluctant to use it again now. I'll have to do something though.

Joni2 I love your new picture! My hair is still very pale on the top and sticking up. Where it lies a bit flatter at the sides and back it looks darker. Can hardly wait until I have enough to think about styling it.

Niknak0320

Joni, great pic - I think mine is similar in length but coming in much darker...and I think I see gray LOL which my husband always teased me before cancer about not having any gray hairs!

Congrats Jacee on finishing!  

PauldingMom

Yep, still scares me to shave my pits. But I haven't had much or any growth under the arm I had radiation on. Nothing on my arms either. Now my legs are a different story. It's spotty but where it is growing it's growing fast. 

Velvety!! perfect word. One of the kiddies I watched wanted to touch my new hair and said, "It feels like a kitten." 

gillyone

Nothing in armpits or nether regions so far.

Eye lashes and brows returning but I'm prepared (from reading) for eye lashes to fall out again.

I am off to California tomorrow - first trip further than the oncologists in 6 months. I don't wear my wig on a regular basis, usually a scarf or hat. Should I be concerned about going through security? Do they make you take hats off? Can't remember!!!

o2bhealthy

Joni1 - YEAH! Whoooot! Whoopee! NO MORE CHEMO!   I am so happy for you!!

Joni2 - Love the new pic...

Eph3_12

Joni1-Thank Goodness you made it through; I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad you are finished!

Joni2

gillyone

Well done Joni1. I HOPE you are the last triple J to make it through - what a wonderful thought that we are all done!!

jacee

Thanks team...couldn't have done it without you!

balsie

Jacee.....so happy you are finished...I remember that wonderful feeling! 

My hair is coming back but very dark and I was a blonde....I think . I told my twin brother the other day...I have colored highlighted etc.  so much I really don't know what colorI should be. ha!

Enjoy your day!

Balsie

josybee

Jacee, Congrats on finishing!!!!!

Kathy16

Just checking in once in a while - usually I just read up and am so thankful and celebrate the people who are all done - Joni, Jacee and others!  This time I had to post b/c you all articulated the hair issues so well.  I'm going through some harder challenges (post-TE infection being treated and worrying about that) and I'm not yet back to work, so lately it's been the hair - both on my head and under arms.

I also have a Jamie Lee, but I have wavy, thick hair, so it's going every which way and looks weird, not nice and flat like hers.  Grew in brown with very minimal highlights of my old blond.  It takes 2-3 months before you really start to see growth progress, so don't lose hope those who just finished chemo. Has anyone looked into hair extensions or has anyone colored hair yet?  I'm not sure whether to just put the stocking cap on and do the wig for another couple months in public or what?  What is everyone else doing?  Also - the electric razor I had irritated my skin so I use a regular Bic Sensitive disposable and am just very careful - run it under hot water and use it only once.  Maybe this is tempting fate? 

o2bhealthy

I am using a regular razor for pits...I keep it separate from the rest of the family and 'thankfully' only have to use it once or twice a week.   I don't have full feeling in my arm pits yet and I am careful.  I think that the extreme caution warnings we all got were mainly during chemo and while our immune system was so compromised...the further out were are and the more our immune rebounds from the treatments, the less likely an infection can develop.  At least thats my understanding...

My hair on my head has come in very full and thick but in no where near the Jamie Lee Curtis length   I started a new job during chemo and just went to work commando...it has been kinda fun having the clients track my hair growth each month.  I wish it would grow faster but I think that's all our wish.  I also wish it would decide on what color it wanted to be since it is a mousy brown, gray, blond and some black.  It is also a mix of straight and wavy...

Kathy16 - if your are comfortable going without a hat or wig...GO FOR IT!!!

Kathy16

O2B - I think you look great - I always think others look great without a wig, but just can't seem to think I look so good without - anyway I wanted to give you this other thread site for those who are in transition with the hair.

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/746606?page=1#idx_24

Eph3_12

I'm going in for a "trim" again on Friday, 2nd one post chemo.  It's just to get the strays that for some reason have grown extra fast and are sticking out in weird places.  I'm thinking of keeping the Jamie Lee, I like no fuss hair.  Except it probably requires more frequent cuts (see 2nd sentence)

Joni

o2bhealthy

Thanks for the link Kathy...I am soooo jealous of all the hair stories there...I am 3 1/2 months out and my hair is still so short...GI Jane look...I am on Herceptin until August so I am wondering if I will have to deal with slow growth until then...not enough for a trim yet

Niknak0320

Just wanted to share a slideshow of my "hair progress" from 4 weeks past my last chemo to 12 weeks (today)

Click or copy/paste on the link to see

Hope everyone is well!

http://s352.photobucket.com/albums/r325/Niknak0320/Hair Progress/?action=view&current=16bce1c6.pbw

stef58

Nikki, Love the pics/ Mine is about the same length but thicker and of course grayer. Congrats on all that are finallyt done. It is a great feeling. i had my exchange and breast reduction last monday and feel good this week. Just all the stiches itch. I think my surgries are done.  What are your doctors saying to you when you go post chemo visits? I had tumor blood tests and that was about it. Put me on tamoxifin. Hugs Dianne

gillyone

Nikki - the pictures are great!! I am 11and1/2 weeks PFC and I have a little less hair than you. Have you been brave enough to go topless? You certainly look good!!

 Dianne, glad everything is going well. I had a 4 week PFC doctor visit and it was just like all th ines during chemo. I see him again in February which will be 3 months after the last visit. Don't know what that will involve. But as I am TN treatment is pretty well done with.

Feeling good!!!

Jayne_in_UK

Michelle good for you starting a new job and going commando. You are looking great.

Nikki I love your slideshow, your hair looks so thick. I am 11 weeks PFC and mine is not as thick on top yet. I have a feeling it won't be long until I go topless though.

Dianne congratulations on being done with surgery. It will probably be about a year before I have my exchange, to give my skin a chance to recover from rads. It's good to hear that yours went well.

Gill I'm glad you are feeling good now you have finished treatment. 

I hope everyone else is doing well. Hugs. 

Eph3_12

Nikki, I have about the same amount of hair as you except a tad thinner on top & white as white can be (I was white/silver/some dark, prior to chemo)

Kathy16

Happy New Year and congrats to all who hung in there and just finished or are finishing chemo!  We made it through 2009 and let's look forward to 2010 with hair!  Thank you, too, Lisa, for starting such a nice board.  It's so encouraging to come here - I just love reading about the hair discussions b/c it means we're getting on with life.  I got some information today at an upscale salon that I thought might be interesting to you:

- apparently you need 8 months to fully grow hair back for a real "style" with bangs down to your eyebrows

- At the Jamie Lee Curtis stage, it's too short for hair extensions

- There are wonderful human hair "clip ins" that are just beautiful and no one would ever know that you're wearing bangs clipped in.  (that's the good news - now for the bad).  They start at $995 (no, I didn't forget the decimal).

I'm about14 weeks past my last chemo, so they recommended possibly wearing the wig another month and at 20-24 weeks growth or so, coming in and they could pull my hair through the cap, highlight it blond and just shape it up to make it look like a trendy style.  I would have loved one of those clip ins, but I just can't justify spending $1,000 when I've been on FMLA and it would be so temporary.  Here's hoping and praying for a healthy 2010 for all of us. 

PauldingMom

I went topless the other night! It was much more difficult than I thought. I had won two tickets to a performance of Chinese Performing Artist. So we got dressed up and I decided to not mess with the wigs. I messed and messed with it and added a little Victoria Secret glitter spray to it. My poor husband not knowing of my commando plan came in and said, "You should wear Elvis tonight." (code name for one of my wigs). I almost cried. Here I stood getting all my gusto up to brave the crowd and he had no idea. My youngest daughter was there and she said,"Dad, she's not wearing a wig tonight and she looks beautiful!"  He was so distraught. and agreed with her repeatedly. 
Poor guy. Anyway everything went well except I was so cold.
I've read the concerns about hair dye and BC. My onc. said it was bologna but I am still concerned. I went to Sally's yesterday and got a bottle of temporary dye. It worked great.No ammonia or peroxide. My gray looks blonde now and the rest is darker brown. I think I'll start going with out wig much more often now that the color looks a little more like my normal color.Anyone else coloring there hair?

gillyone

Well done Lisa!!! Another major step!! Your daughter was wonderful. You should post a topless picture for us.

PS73

Joni - wow, I am super excited for you that you are finished.  You were the jedi imo who had it the roughest with chemo.  So glad for you! 

Lisa, it is cold isn't it.  I stopped wearing the wigs and I haven't gotten as many looks as I thought I would.  I put some gel in my hair to mess it up- the whole 1/2 " of it.  I think (I hope) I look like a french girl.  ..I think it's attitude.  When I wore my first scarf in public I had all this pizzazz like I was ms. fashion and I didn't get a  look but then one day w/ another scarf I was so paranoid and every person looked at me like I was a cancer patient (which I was).

Im two weeks out post bmx and can't wait to have these pesky drains out.  Ive never been one to sit around but I find myself obsessed with ABC daily and it keeps me out of trouble like pulling my left pec muscle opening the oven last week.  Well, I got into lots of trouble for that one so needless to say, Im still in my robe right now.

I wish you all warmth and wellness.

eliz46

Hi Lisa i have dyed my hair also .......kinda cool i can get a couple uses out of one box. oh how nice it is to have some of my hair back, i am starting to feel more like myself. like im together again. 

Anonymous

Hi Lisa,

I colored my hair also and it looks much better than the white stuff that came back instead of my dark brown hair. I also used something  without peroxide so would be more gentle on the virgin hair. I have an appointment for my  Pet Scan results today wish me luck. Hugs to all.