Hair loss...no chemo or radiation

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src3acs
src3acs Member Posts: 40
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer

Hi there, hoping someone can help me with my issue.  I had a BMX with DIEP in Oct 2012.  I also had a lung revision for a nodule (benign) the day before.  So my recovery was very very long.  Anyway, once I was up and moving around, showering more often, drying my hair I noticed massive amounts of hair in the shower, in my brush and on the floor.  I did not have chemo...was to sick from the lung surgery and didn't need radiation since I had BMX.  I did start Tamoxifen but my MO says that should not cause my hair to fall out.    Now 8 months and two reconstructions later my hair is still coming out.  My MO suggested Biotin but I haven't tried it yet.  Luckily I had very thick hair....but people are starting to notice how thin it is.  I even find hair all over my pillow after sleeping.  Has anyone else experienced this?  Did you try anything to make it stop or slow it down?  Will it eventually stop?  Well wishes to everyone!!!!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited June 2013

    Hi src3acs,

    According to the main Breastcancer.org site's page on Tamoxifen, thinning hair can in fact be a side effect of Tamoxifen. We're sure you'll be hearing from others soon, who can share their experiences as well!

    Hope this helps!

    --The Mods

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  • mumofone
    mumofone Member Posts: 36
    edited June 2013

    Sorry to hear about your problems :(. Like you, I have had no chemo/rads, just tamoxifen which I started 10 days ago. I had my first post-diagnosis haircut last week and was horrified to see my hair was thinning at the front and sides... my hair was wet and i was under the lights so it was quite noticeable. My hairdresser suggested that the recent stress had caused the hair loss and reassured me by saying that new 'baby' hair was coming through. She suggested I massaged my scalp on a regular basis to encourage growth.

    Take care of yourself, and I hope my experience relieves your worry just a little... :)

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  • dogsandjogs
    dogsandjogs Member Posts: 1,907
    edited June 2013

    One of my neighbors had all her hair fall out while on Tamoxifin. It did come back after she finished her 5 years, curly! very full! and grey. Before that it had been a mousy brown and very thin. So she is very pleased===

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  • src3acs
    src3acs Member Posts: 40
    edited June 2013

    Thank you all for the information.  I will bring this up again at my next MO appointment.   Mumofone, please keep me posted about how you are doing with your hair.  Wow...hope I don't lose all of mine but feel I am slowly headed in that direction.   Frown

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  • src3acs
    src3acs Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2013

    Kayb....I will definitely ask my Onc about DIM.  Thank You! Smile

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  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited July 2013

    I had RADs but not chemo & have been on Tamox for about 1 1/2 yrs. I've got the reseding hairline thing going. Not too bad so far. The "comb over" is working OK but I hope this stops or reverses itself.

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  • kimba486
    kimba486 Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2013

    Thank you! That's so good to hear. I have heard of one other lady in my area that happened to. (total hair loss, now growing back.) I've lost most of mine and I was hoping to hear a story like that. My doctors don't really completely believe it's from the tamoxifen. I switched to femara to see if it grew back and it didn't. I guess I can be on this 3 more years! Not fun. Thanks again...

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