Lol Diwy
my OH was very impressed at the lack of hair and very disappointed when it grew back and when I refused to have it all waxed off again. Men! It did grow back very fluffy and fine at first but I was amazed how quickly it grew. I never lost my eyebrows or lashes, and the hair on my legs doesn’t seem to have come back much but then I never had very hairy legs anyway. Armpits are patchier than before. very odd.
Naz I’m sorry you feel crap - I totally understand one of the things I miss most is my “face” I have no eyebrows or eyelashes and my face just disappears when I take my make- up off but I do put it on every day even today which is day 2 of chemo just to make sure I remember that I have a face and it will return. It is a very isolating and disabling experience.
You said you felt good after the seminar -if there is a Maggies centre near you, you should pop in there - they at least can give you a real hug instead of the e-hug that you can get from us
A big one from me if you need it today xxx
Hi Everyone
Thanks especialy to Jayney and Jan for your very informative comments. I am due my third FEC next tuesday. Have lost the hair since before second treatment but so far eyebrows and lashes are still here. Have 3 tax after this and was wondering when to expect the lashes and eyebrows to disappear? Have bought false eyelashes but not sure if they will stay on as I have nothing to attach them to. Any advice?
We all have to remain strong through this. I never thought I would be wishing time to pas so quickly so that I could see a brighter light at the end of the tunel. Not just for me but more for husband and kids. We are all going through a lot aren’t we! But I’m determined to get through this and wish all you lovely brave ladies the very best with the remainder of your treatment. Kep giving me practical advice and laughs. x
mnc,
Can’t see a reply to your question. I had tax and carboplatin last year at the same time as herceptin. Carried on with the herceptin until the beginning of this year. Now on capecetabine and lapatinib. My hair grew back when I was on herceptin alone. A different colour and texture, but hey hair is hair!!! Bonkers really as I had my mum’s hair colour before and now I have my dad’s!!! Just waiting to see what happens to it now.
Snoogle
x
Hi Recs
Yes, have had a hard weeek to be honest, been feeling much more down than usual, mainly over the self image thing, it just seems to have got to me at the mo, so having a good old cry in the bath helps as no-one but anyone on here truly understands…
When i look at my children, all innocent and dependent, i think thank god i have done it for them, myself and my OH, but then when i look at myself in the mirror, i hate what i see…and yes i do feel isolated and ‘different’ even if i do a damm good job of hiding it all.
What is the Maggies centre? I have not heard of it? The self image session was the best three hours i spent on this journey so far. Just being with other who knew how i was feeling and being open and hoenst…it was great.
Thanks for the hug…trying to stay upbeat…xx
Mrs mc, i have just had my second tax, and my brows and lashes started to go after the first one…BUT it may not happen to you, so don’t panic yet…
I have to say, the lady at the self image session did not recommend false lashes, she said that the glue to attach them could cause irritaion and that they may also destroy the new ones when they start grow back. She recommended drawing a line over the eye lids to give definition, and for the brows, she said ditch the pencil and invest in a brow definer, you can get it from Debenhams apparently, it comes in a little compact, half has a little palette of wax which you brush over your brow line, and the other palette has the colour which you brush over the wax and hey presto, new brows - it is brilliant, not cheap (about £25) but well worth the investment!
Thinking of you next Tuesday…
Naz xx
NAZ - were you given anti-biotics with the Tax? I am given a weeks worth to take about 4 days after the Tax, and they make me very depressed (it’s a recognized se, they even warn about becoming suicidal!). I wonder if this might be contributing to you feeling very down?
No, i wasn’t given antibiotics for after the TAX finty. I am sure it is an combination of the steroids and the TAX. I feel much more down today than with the last one…i don’t understand. I am so cross with everyone, so snappy and so tearful…i hate it all…xx
Yes, the steroids probably - I didn’t have antibiotics with the FEC, but always felt very tearful on days 4 and 5 - didn’t connect it at the time, but that would be coming down off the steroids. I’m finding the Tax much harder than the FEC - thank god I didn’t have the 6 x Tax that was originally planned - never thought I’d be pining for FEC!
Naz, I had severe physical and emotional lows when I was on tax. Not sure what your steroid usage is, but to start I had three days worth, day before day of and day after treatment. It was decided that I was hitting a sudden low after stopping the steroids and my prescription was changed so that I tailed of using them over about a week. That helped me. Not sure if yours is the same issue.
Snoogle
x
Snoogle, my steroids are taken the day before chemo and for two days afterwards, so sounds like the same as yours to begin with?
I am certain they are too blame for my low mood as i have never felt so miserable in my life, i was not like this on FEC at all!
I know it will pass by the weekend and into next week, just feeling very poor today, like no-one cares and all of that stuff…
Naz x
Naz, my be worth chatting over with your chemo nurse about possibility of steroids causing you problems. It was one of my chemo nurses who suggested it to me.
Snoogle.
x
Hi Ladies,
I found I had a crash after stopping the steroids following every session. (I had them for FEC and TAX as I was on high dose chemo) I still have terrible lows now but they are “chemo induced menopause” related and much less predictable. At least they don’t last as long. It’s awful because even though you know why you feel like that it doesn’t make you feel any better.
The therapist at my local salon talked me out of false eyelashes too because she says they don’t stick properly if you don’t have your own to support them. She recommended the same as the self image lady. Line your eyes for definition and it did work quite well. I still do that rather than put mascara on my weak newbies.
Naz, do you have something planned for your good days that you can look forward to? I found that helps shake me out of my low moods. It doesn’t have to be anything spectacular just coffee and a cake with a good friend mostly but it was the anticipation that made the difference.
Hope you feel better soon and can enjoy your weekend.
Love Jan xx
Hi Jan
I think i need to do more nice things during my good days, that could be half the problem.
I seem to have got myself into a rut at the mo, as before diagnosis i was looking for a job after being at home for a while with my little ones who are 5 and 2. Now i have kind of lost track of things and am spending too much time cleaning and running about after everyone without doing alot for myself (apart from my reflexology on a Monday morning, but soon to come to and end as my 8 sessions are almost over now…)
I think once the last tax is over and done with i will start to pick up quickly and get back on track again…just so desperate to look and feel normal again, as i feel the the whole experience has finally caught up with me at long last.
Sorry for all the negativity, it is the steroids i know for sure.
Naz x
I’m so glad I found this place, at last I can mention stuff without worrying that people will think I’m stupid. And even if you do, you don’t know who I am. So, having been brave enough to mention the ‘wee’, what I wonder now is, does anyone else think they can smell the chemicals that have been put into them. I have often caught a whiff of them, more so when I was actually having chemo obviously, but even sometimes now, usually when in the loo, which I suppose makes sense, especially with Fec, but not always. At the time I was having Tax, I’m sure I could sometimes smell it from the arm it went into (the one with the fried veins.)
Am I imagining this? Haven’t mentioned it to any doctors/nurses incase they think I’m barking.
Hi
Yes, i have had this, you are not going mad or anything like that…
I have noticed it after each treatment…a metallic chemical smell…YUK!
Not got a lot going for us have we ? We look c**p, & probably stink as well !
Still at least we know we’re not delusional !
I have a nice pair of pyjamas that I can’t bear to wear anymore. I bought them for wearing in hospital after my op. They’ve been washed numerous times but I swear I can still smell the stuff they put on the dressings after my mastectomy.
Naz, you’ll be glad to know you should feel better fairly quickly after your chemo finishes.
Jan xx
Hope so Jan…all i want is my hair back today, just my hair, the way it was…x
Diwy I noticed the smell too - and as I have a heavy cold and a poor sense of smell, it must be bad! I can smell it on my skin for a week or so after chemo and it’s horrible
Ladies can I join this thread/rant? Does anyone know if it is usual for body hair to go 1st and how long is the interval between that and head hair going or is my body doing it the wrong way around? Any comments would be welcome. One eyebrow is looking distinctly patchy and body hair nearly all disappeared although I am not very hirsute normally but it was still a shock. I have my name on the waiting list for the Look good feel better session but was told there is a 2 1/2-3 mionth waiting list. I got their CD Rom thing whicjh is interesting.Have a wig lined up but have had to put it in the cupboard as I am sure it is glowering at me( yes I know it does not have a personality) but it makes me weep sometimes.LOL Jackie