Hair loose

Hi Maura, don't feel abnormal. I had a really tough time losing my hair and still don't like the feeling of being bald!! All I'm waiting for is this chemo to be over so I have my dam hair back! I hate not having hair. I miss it so much. I lost mine sort of suddenly. I remember it feeling fine and then on the 13th day, I suddenly noticed that I had a lot of hair in my brush. Then the 14th day, I literally could pull a clump out so it happened rather fast with me. I kind of grossed out when it happened not wanting to have it get worse so I had my head shaved the next night.

Just wanted to tell you your are normal!

Heidi

Maura,   I had chemo last summer and yes, my hair was very, very painful.  After the first tx it began to fall out.  By the 2nd tx I had it shaved off completely. I think losing my hair was harder than losing my breasts!!!! It was very emotional for me. The good news is that re-growth started before my last tx which was Sept 18th of '07.  I now have 3-4 inches of very curly, thick hair! I bought a very nice wig but couldn't stand to wear it so I used the chemo head covers/scarfs when I went out in public & when I was at home I went bald-something I never thought I could do! I never realized how attached to my hair I was! Just remember, it does grow back!

Chattie

Maura and Sue,

What you are feeling is normal. 

I lost my hair by my 2nd chemo treatment.  I had 3 and 1/2 FEET of my hair cut off, when it started to come out.  That put it to just above my shoulders.  Then within 2 days, I was getting it shaved because it was falling out by the handfulls.  For me it was harder to lose my hair than to be told that I had cancer.  You could not see the cancer by looking at me, but you could sure tell that my hair was gone.  I had long hair for 15 years and that is what everyone knew me by.  So for me cancer stole my identity in a way.  The only time that I have cried during all of this, is when I had my head shaved.  So, you cry for a few moments and then you realize that it is just hair.  It will grow back!!!  

If there is one good thing that comes from having cancer it is that you will lose all of your vanity.  When I would go out with my family and friends to eat and I felt like people were looking at me (and they were), a bald woman with a bandana around her head is a little hard to miss, I tried to show that I may have cancer, but it did not have me.  Cancer does not have to control you.  You take control of it.  There are some circumstance that you don't have control over, but the way that you choose to deal with this is up to you.  For me, I was told that I had cancer and I saw it as one more thing that I had to deal with.  So I had chemo, a bi-lateral mastectomy with expanders, exchange surgery with silicone implants and just had my nipple reconstruction done last week.  My journey is almost over, but the impact that I have had on other people is tremendous. 

Every woman in my family has had a mammogram and thank God all were ok, but they would not have done that if I didn't have cancer.  They had been putting it off for years because they did not want to know if they had cancer or not, but now they know that they don't.  I said that if one person gets checked and finds out that they are ok, or that they are not and need treatment, because of me and what I am going through then it is worth it to have cancer.  So far to date...7 of the women in my family have been found to be breast cancer free!!! 

Just remember that you are not alone.  All of the women on this site are here for you and will be a great comfort to you.  Keep a positive attitude.  That is what has got me through this. 

Candy 

Yep, I felt the same way!  I lost the breast, but nearly couldn't handle the loss of hair!  And yes, it hurt horribly I thought.  In fact it still hurts and it's growing in now, but I think the arimidex is doing something there!

Shaving it did help with the hurt, but you'll still have follicles with the hair in it, so it continues to hurt, just not as bad.  THe only way I could describe the hurt, was like I'd had my hair in a high pony tail too long and was just let down or as if someone was pulling it in the opposite direction it was growing? Does that make sense?

I couldn't do the wigs, just me, but used scaves and little hats (thank heavens it was winter for me!   Went without after I had about 1/2 inch of hair finally!

Maura,

I felt the same way as you, I could handle loosing my boobs but not my hair, eyelashes or eyebrows.  My hair started falling out after my second tx.  I could feel my head tingling and hurting.  I did not shave my head at all.  I just let it fall out and I lost he last of it shortly after the end of my last chemo.  I wore a bandana around the house and what hair I had still showed through.  I wear wigs but basically to work and if we go anywhere.  I have not been one who can walk around with a bald head, but I do have a lot of respect for these woman.  I myself have hidden my Cancer from a lot of people so this is why I chose not to go around bald. 

June