hello ladies,
I have had 4 lots of Epi chemo and 1 session of Xeldoa tablets the 2nd session starts tomorrow.
I have lost 99% of my hair on Epi but managed to keep my eyelashes and eyebrows, but now when i was told that i would have hair starting to grow back i am starting to lose my eyebrows and eyelashes. Could anybody tell me if this is normal and if so will these and the hair on my head ever grow back?
HI! Candys,
I thought I was keeping my eyelashes and brows, lost hair with 4 epi started on cmf 3weeks ago started to loose both lashes and brows it makes you feel so naked, hope they grow in sooooon. best wishes Jeanx
Hi Candy, Yes your hair will grow back! (3 or 4 months after your last session, Its like baby hair at first very silky and smooth)I Its a real bummer about the eye lashes and eye brows hey, I always thought it made me look a bit freaky, an eye brow pencil makes a bit of difference, I was always tempted to draw different ones every day?!I have been bald twice now (almost have a decent crop to go out scafless again) I was tempted to have a henna tattoo put on my head. A friend made some scarves for me this time, its good to have different ones for different outfits. Anyway Good luck, and just remember that you will have hair again, (even the pubic hair grows back too!) Love Suzy
I am soooooo glad you started this thread as I was wondering the exact same thing!!! I have had 4 Epi and 1 full cycle of CMF, next cycle starts tomorrow. I too managed to keep hold of my eyebrows and eyelashes throughout the Epi, and just when I was told my hair would start to grow back, which it is, my eyebrows have become unruly and sparse and my eyelashes have all but vanished!!! I’m well pi**ed off, but relieved that its not just me!
Take care and lets hope we are not hairless for too much longer!
Kelly
-x-
P.S. Now seem to be shaving my legs every few days, boo!!!
hi - I’m on day 8 tomorrow of my third cycle of CMF after having 4 epi’s. Its only the last few days that my eyebrows and eyelashes are reappearing - BUT THEY ARE GREEEEEAT!!!
I keep looking at my eyelashes - too short for mascara but I HAVE A FULL SET OF THEM - can you tell I’m pleased!!!
My head hair is ridiculous - its starting to grow on the top but the sides are still like a baby’s bum - I want it all overmy head NOW!!!
Hiar is growing everywhere else except under both arms - odd!!!
hi Just wanrted to let you know about your hair I finished my chemo 3 weeks ago I had 4 epi and 4 cmf I have my eye lashes back and my eyebrows I also have a nice bit of hair on my head. It did come back grey so last week I went to the chemist and got nice and easy lightest blonde and put it on it came out great. I feel so well now and have quite a bit of energy I had to start the arimadex tablets yesterday I hope I dont have all the side effects that I have been reading about some of them are terrible. I have to stay on these for 5 years I am now hopeing to start a new job in the next 2 weeks so I feel my life is getting back to normal So all you who are struggling with your chemo at the moment there is light at the end of the tunnel. Believe me I had all them problems with my veins and I was just like you all dreading that 3rd Wednesday I had one extremely bad one the canula went in with great difficulty then she took it out again I was crying terrible my husband had to walk out. I said I was not going to have the rest of my chemo but I did in the end the rest of them werent as bad. So I hope it all goes quick for you as I feel now the last 7 months have flew past. If you want to ask anything then dont hesitate I wish you all the best of luck You Take Care Love Linda xxxxx
Thank you for your post i’m glad you are feeling well. I am worried about the return of hair on my head. I have some left that did not fall out with Epi about 5% if i’m lucky my head is hurting like it did before my hair fell out, but i have a few hairs that are like baby hair ie thin and fluffy, will these turn into “propper” hair or fall out and my normal hair start to re grow, people have mentioned that my head will feel like sandpaper when my hair starts to grow, but i don’t feel this at all and i’m starting to get really worried now.
Candy
Hi Candy nice to hear from you the first bit of hair that started coming in was fluffy I thought O my god whats happening so I kept the wig on then after about 3 weeks I noticed it was starting to go straight as it was getting a bit more weight on it as my hair was growing. So I started to brush it every day with a soft brush.Then 1 day 2 weeks ago it was quite warm outside and as I was only going to the chemist I thought sod the wig and went out without it. The lady in the chemist looked at me twice I said yes its me she said my god your hair looks great I said are you joking she said no people are paying a lot of money for that look so I have never put the wig back on again and its growing lovely. It did come in a bit grey so the blonde dye makes it look better and I feel very confident now. So I do hope yours does the same Let me know and You Take Care Love Linda xxxx
Thanks for the reply, i keep getting my kids to check for me, i have some "bum fluff " as the chemo nurse calls it, around the sides of my head, though i can’t see it myself and about 100 hairs that never fell out with Epi, these don’t seem to be growing though and the rest of my head still feels like a babies bum! i am 4 weeks past Epi now and am starting to worry, i hope it starts growing soon. Did you get the "sand paper " effect that everbody talks about and if so when? I hope you don’t mind me asking.
Hi
I lost all my hair with EC, but kept my eyebrows and eyelashes. When I changed to Docetaxol my hair started to grow back. I got up one morning, looked in the mirror and I looked weird, but couldnt think why! Of course I realised a few hours after, my eyelashes and eyebrows had disappeared! As soon as I finished Chemo they started to grow back.
My hair kind of started to grow back in patches, some thicker than other, then all evened out. My hair came back very fluffy, my friends called me the fluffy duck! It was like baby hair, very funny.
Oh no! I thought as I’d retained my eyebrows and lashes after 3 FEC they were here for good. Brows thinned a bit but in a really good way, like they’ve been plucked expertly. Will they both go do you all think?
I have just had FEC number 5. The brows are only just still there and I have individually named my remaining eyelashes!!! However I am taking comfort from other posters that they come back quickly and thicker than ever.
just a quickie re: eyelashes. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m now on CMF cycle No2 and mine have all but dissappeared. Anyway, had a top tip given to me the other day I thought I’d share with you. Much as I am loathe to do it I was advised to avoid mascara for a while. Apparently its really heavy and can cause already fragile lashes to break more easily. Trying my best now not to layer on my usual thick mascara. Have opted for lining the upper and lower lashes instead so I don’t look quite so naked! (Sorry if this all sounds really obvious by the way!).
Thanks to all who have posted saying that their lashes have now grown back better than ever. You have given me hope and I can’t wait now!!!
Reading this link is making me worried - as suppose my eyelashes and eyebrows will disappear too … has anyone tried false eyelashes and if so, any good, or is it better to accept fate and try not to worry!!!
Thanks for the tip Kelly, I have been layering on the mascara so I’ll avoid doing that. I have seen some women at the hospital with very few lashes and eyeliner on the upper lid, which I am pretty good at applying so will try that instead.
Hi Dawn, I think it’s really hard to say what’s going to disappear. It’s so individual I think. I have also seen women with no hair on their head at all but pretty thick eyebrows and lashes but obviously I don’t know what stages they are all at with treatment.
We just have to accept fate as you say and try not to worry too much as there isn’t anything we can do but be inventive!
False eyelashes are OK, I’ve used them in the past but they’re quite hassly.
I got some ‘special’ false lashes from an American website called www.headcovers.com. Its nearly impossible to put the sort of false lashes you might get from superdug onto eyelids if you have no lashes at all to stick them on to. The lashes from headcovers are specially designed for ladies such as ourselves, and you can get a special adhesive to apply them and a special product to remove them. Its all fairly inexpensive.
That said, I haven’t actually bothered to use them yet!! They look awesome though (well, in their box!) and I’ve no doubt I’ll be slapping them on when I next go out somewhere nice.
I’ve no doubt you’ll get loads of other tips and advice,