Anyone NOT lose hair doing DD ACT?

Kathleen48

I was diagnosed with TNC on March 31, 2010.  I also have BRCA-1.  I had a lumpectomy in mid-April (before we knew I was BRCA-1 positive -- now I will need a double mastectomy post-chemo).  I started chemo on May 12 and have a second infusion of DD AC-T on May 26. My onc has assured me I will lose the hair, but so far nothing is falling (I know, it's not two weeks yet!).  But am wondering if anyone else has had DD AC-T and NOT lost their hair completely ... thanks!

Titan

I would be surprised if anyone on here did not lose their hair....My hair started falling out 16 days after the first treatment...so be prepared because it goes fast.  If your head starts to tingle and actually kind of hurt the hair is loosening up.  I remember sitting outside at a track meet the day I started losing my hair and it felt like it wasn't attached anymore and that the wind would just blow it off my head...scary..!!

MicheleS

The adriamycin will cause you to lose your hair.  Mine fell out shortly after my 2nd treatment.  {{hugs}}

ebann

I started to lose my hair about the 21st day. It felt like someone was pulling on my hair. It was all over my pillow and came out in clumps in the shower. It would be great if you do not lose your hair and be that 1 in a million. Sorry to hear you have to go through this. I wish you the best.....Survival is the key

ghostie

My hair has always been the most memorable thing about me, so I was unhappy (to say the least) to hear that I was going to lose it. I did dose-dense ACT, just as you are starting.

At first, it seemed that my hair was not going to fall out so easily! I went to my 2nd AC treatment with most of it still intact. The nurse smiled at me (it was Christmas Eve and I wore a Santa hat to try to be festive) and told me that it would start coming out in a few days. She was dead-on. A few days later the serious exodus began. And in addition to the scalp feeling sore, something weird actually happens to the texture of the hair! Even after shampooing, it feels flat and dirty and limp. It doesn't feel 'connected' to your head anymore. Within another week, I realized that the only reason I still had hair on my head was because I was doing my best to not touch it or comb it or anything.

New Year's Day I shaved my head. Couldn't stand the way it felt anymore. I think that waiting made me able to accept it better, because it had begun to look and feel so bad that I actually couldn't wait to get it off my head. Never cried a tear over my hair, even though it was the only pretty thing about me (along with my long eyelashes which are also now gone).

When it bums me out, I imagine to myself that I'm starring in a movie that required me to shave my head, and this will soon pass. I think of shaved-headed beauties like Demi Moore, Sigourney Weaver, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman. And I also hum the Sinead O'Connor song: "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got."

Hang in there! You are not alone.

kmartin

Hi Kathleen,

My hair fell out on about day 23, 2 days after Round 2. I felt like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree...all the dry needles falling off...making that crinkly sound : ) My hair also became very dry, dead looking. My hairdresser cut it very short at about day 21 and the rest started falling out on day 23...then my husband shaved the rest off. It was summer for me so I wore bandanna style scarves and baseball hats...hardly ever wore my wig. It was very hot, and with the hot flashes just couldn't stand it. I also don't work during the summer, so that helped.

I was talking with a friend who was treated for ovarian cancer and she says, hair is very over-rated. Once you lose it you realize how easy it is to just shower and towel dry and forget it. My hair came back thicker and with more body than before, so try not to sweat it too much. It does grow back! It's a very small price to pay...

Kathy

Bambaloos

I am on AC and my hair fell out day 16 after the first treatment.  I was surprised just how quickly it did come out, it was on my pillow case in the morning and large chunks in the shower.  It does grow back, so hang in there and do the scarf thing!!  Mandy

Luah

My onc guaranteed I'd lose my hair. (I did DD AC followed by weekly taxol.)  It didn't really start coming out big time until about Tx 3 - about day 27. And halfway through taxol it started growing again. 

Claire_in_Seattle

I had long hair all my adult life, but have to say that chemo is the hard way to "update your look".  I did the update in two parts.  First, I had my hair styled into a chic bob, then I had it buzzed so someone else would have the mess to clean up.

Was so glad I did that.

I didn't lose the bulk of my hair until Week 4, and then lost it gradually.  Was glad I invested in a lint pick up thingie.

I never lost all of it completely, and it started to regrow at the end of AC.  But lost my eyelashes and brows during Taxol and all growth stopped.  Brows and lashes are just now growing back at Week 7 following last Taxol.

One thing I did was get a wig with a style close to the bob I chose.  Actually, I got two, one black and one black with red streaks in it.  Got them at a trendy boutique, and $27 each.  I never worried about any of the "cranial prosthesis" stuff, as figured cheap enough.

I can't wait to ditch them though and will do it as soon as I have anything on my head that looks decent.

I was surprised at what a non-event losing my hair turned out to be.  It helped that Main Squeeze thought I was beautiful either way.  I was focused on my health and knew that hair grows back.

Something that one of my guy friends made abundantly clear to me.  Because I never got to the point of having as little hair as he now has!!!!

Issymom

Kathleen- As everyone has confirmed, you will lose your hair.  The idea was VERY hard for me but then I realized I didn't have a choice and so I focused on the wig, hats, etc...  I am 5 weeks post chemo and though I really am looking forward to having hair again, I am really used to being bald.  Showers are so much quicker.

Sorry you will be joining us baldies.

Kathleen48

Thank you all so much for your supportive responses!!  I did begin losing my hair at day 13 -- ironically, my 48th birthday!  I did go that evening and have it buzzed by my stylist, who made it so easy and less traumatic.  And the anxiety now is gone.  Yes, I have to wear the wig to work and sometimes it's hot and itchy, but coming home and taking it off is so pleasant and I never realized how much I relied on my hair, but didn't need to.  Survival truly is the point!  Thank you again -- have a great holiday weekend!!  K

Titan

Kathleen...on a positive note...I started chemo on April 29th of 2009 (had 4 DD AC and 4 DD Taxol). and began getting some fuzz on my head in July!  It was so exciting..wore the wig a total of 6 months and then it was thrown in the back of my closet!