Just wanted to share with you my good news! I’ve been clinging onto my hair for the past 5 days hoping and hoping that I would be the one who wouldn’t lose it, but no. It’s FEC2 for me tomorrow and I couldn’t face feeling terrible and getting rid of the hair and I knew that it wouldn’t take much (a sneeze probably) for the whole lot to drop off, so I had a shower and 99.9% of it has fallen out.
Crikey do I feel better. Codi (my wig, why do they have names??) was on for about 5 mins until I opted to wear the scarf I bought (just in case I needed it, even though I was adament that I would be wearing the wig 24/7), I’m quite ok with the scarf look (see annabandanda.co.uk) and my kids think it’s ‘ok around the house and maybe you could wear it to pick us up from the bus stop’. Anyway I’m ranting, but just wanted to say for me that this was the worst thing and the first thing I thought of when I was diagnosed in October (??!! obviously didn’t know all the chemo side effects etc etc etc!!! ) and I don’t actually look too shocking when I look in the mirror.
Rachel, glad that you’ve not keeled over from the shock - hope you haven’t blocked up your plughole, though!! I started being able to pull mine out 2 weeks to the day after FEC1, found it quite amusing for a couple of days, but then a strand fell into my coffee first thing in the morning so I made OH get the clippers, and he took it right down to my scalp, just the tiniest bit of stubble left.
Had FEC2 on Friday, and the chemo nurse commented that I’d hung on to a lot of my hair still (??! was my first reaction) then midway through the chemo, my head started to prickle, and I discovered that stubble does indeed come out, too. Two days on and I have definite bald patches on either side of my head - but hey ho, I can’t see it unless I look in the mirror and rest of family seems to be coping.
Tried wig on, and OH commented that it looked natural, but made me look older, so it’s back in its bag… wearing jersey bandana and baseball cap out, which is fine, and hasn’t gained me any sideways glances… one bonus of cold hat wearing weather!
It will grow back… after all… though have been warned it may grow back curly initially… oh the joys of chemo!
Bless you Sophie for your quick reply. It’s good to know I’m not the only one. I too found a hair in the chocolate cake I’d made and got extremly cross and thought THAT’s IT so I didn’t cry at all when I got rid of it today. How are you feeling post FEC 2? I’m hoping I’ll feel better than FEC1, had really bad sickness and nauseau, meds being changed … dreading it
I am feeling MUCH better this time around. I was lucky the first time in that I really wasn’t sick, or particulary nauseous, but I did have the most awful foggy head for days, and revolting mouth - which just wiped me out.
Foggy head has not put in an appearance as yet… and vile mouth kicked in on the Monday last time, so we shall see. I was meant to pick up two different mouthwashes when I had FEC2, as onc. thought it might be thrush, or similar, but they weren’t given to me with all other meds and I forgot, so will phone hospital tomorrow and hopefully be able to nip over and pick them up.
Fingers crossed that you do as well - my onc. reckoned that I fell so flat days 4/5/6 because my body had got itself too accustomed to the steroids (finally, I was described as ‘lazy’ rather than ‘young and fit’!!! Well, my body was described as lazy, anyhow), so this time around, instead of taking dex 3 times a day for 3 days, I’m having 3,3,2,1 and spreading it over 4, to try to avoid the post-steroid slump.
I know that it’s the cheaper end anti-nausea drugs that are prescribed routinely - I’m sure you’ll be given something much more effective (and expensive!) this time round. Fingers crossed it’s Emend, as that sounds like the best one out there.
My hair lasted just 15 days from my first AC. Up until the day before I’d noticed a tiny bit of thinning but when I started washing it on Friday pretty much all of it came out at once. OH took the bits that were left down very short with clippers but it was just too painful to remove it all down to bare scalp. I am wearing hats at the moment mainly because I am like a shedding cat - leaving a trail of hair everywhere I go! Also my head is so tender at the moment that I cannot stand the pressure of a wig on it. I am hoping that this will ease once the last few bits have fallen out.
I had a really long cry over it all but I didn’t cry as much over this as I did when I had my waist-length hair cut in advance of chemo. Strangely that was the harder thing to deal with. Mind you I haven’t been out yet either!
Mouseybrown - my onc was adamant that I have the flu jab in advance of starting chemo, she didn’t want me to have it once treatment had already started. Definitely give the help line a ring to see what they say on the matter.
Hello,
I’m new to this but so glad it’s here. Feels good to listen to othersand know I’m not alone. Noticed my head was sore yesterday and as I rubbed it found it coming away in my fingers. This morning hte bed was covered. This must be one of the worst days so far. I can’t stand seeing the strands on my shoulders. So every so often I go into the bathroom and run my fingers through it just so it doesn’t fall out. It has really thinned since this morning. I’ve got work on Monday and don’t fancy facing people; teach 16-17 yr olds. They all know what’s wrong but not sure how the’ll react about hair loss. I don’t want to make people feel awkward.
I had flu over Christmas so my chemo was delayed till I was well enough. Not sure if I’ve had side efects or just getting over the dregs of the flu. They’ve told me to have flu jab in future after treatment. I presume they mean next winter. Not seeing hairdresser about wig till next Friday due to Christmas and the bad weather. Oh the joys. xxx
So pleased I’m not the only one with sudden deforestation, though as posted elsewhere it was the nether regions that had me blind sided, had though about eyebrows/ lashes, leg and armpit hair, but trip for a wee and shed lots at once!!! Why had I not thought that pubes would go tool.
Felt so shocked and then stupid.
Mandy - it IS hard, and I really feel for you. I can understand that the thought of facing teens tomorrow is dreadful - but I hope from my (limited) experience you can draw some confidence -
My elder two kids are 15 and 16, and have been fine, as you’d expect. What I hadn’t anticipated was the huge support from all their friends - in many ways, the teens have handled it far, far better than the adults around me! I am horribly motheaten now - had my hair clippered down to bristle, but even that is now so patchy I reckon I’ve lost maybe a third completely. I don’t wear anything to cover my head at home, to the point where I don’t even think to if someone arrives… Well, my son arrived home yesterday evening with friends in tow - and it must have been an hour later that I realised that none of this lot had seen me bald! They were utterly natural, absolutely as chatty (or grunty) as usual - and it was just a complete non-issue.
My daughter’s friends all pinch my hat if I bump into them out in town, and swap it with whatever beanie/bobble/bakerboy they are sporting - I think since bc I’ve almost been ‘adopted’ by her crowd, which is very funny - they follow me around the shops so they can carry my bags back to the car… it must look like I’m this middle-aged woman being stalked by a crowd of hoodies…lol.
So, whilst the thought is horrid, I am sure that you will be overwhelmed by their sympathy and generosity. Of course, in a class full, you will always get one or two insensitive idiots - but I’d be surprised if any of the others in the class let them get away with it.
Do you have a headscarf you can wear to cover up tomorrow, and give you a little more confidence? A scarf will also contain any stray hairs that want to jump ship whilst you’re at work…
The very best of luck with it all - and huge hugs from me.
I’m virtually bald all over now, except for a few eyebrows and so far I’ve kept my eyelashes, it is the weirdest thing isn’t it? It’s bad enough looking at all the flipping scars without having this as the icing on the cake! On the upside is I guess the fact that I’ll be saving all that money from not having waxing for several months!
I have a couple of wigs but at home I wear beanies, buffs and scarves, as it’s less hassle. I do make sure that I don’t answer the door bald though - don’t want to scare the postie off!
I don’t do a day job so I’m lucky not to have to worry about what I look like in the workplace, I can imagine that must be hard for some of you. Most of my contact with people is online at the moment and I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that!
Having earned a living as a performer for most of my life I thought that I could deal with this because I’ve been used to putting on the stage me, and was convinced that this would help me through. I have been really surprised at how opposite the case has been. The whole thing - cancer, surgery, scars, hairloss, is so hard to deal with on such a basic level isn’t it?
I *know* my hair will grow back but looking in the mirror at the moment that seems like a lifetime away and wigs are not the same as the real thing, no matter how good they are, because *you* know that it’s not your hair. I hope that makes sense???
Am 12 days post FEC 2 and still got my hair (cut it very short prior to FEC1, not shaved yet though), although there are bald patches hiding, so OK if the wind doesn’t blow.
Completely agree with Sophie; my small experience with my own teenagers was that they appreciated the assumption that they will be understanding and they are also interested. My daughter’s friends really support her by asking her questions and they like being open and asking me too. If I see them in the street they will always come over and see if I am OK and like to understand and feel knowledgable.
After all many of them will, unfortunately, come across bc at some stage in their lives, so I hope I am helping them to avoid some of the inappropriate treatment of people with bc in their future lives as noted on other threads.
That said, my respect completely goes out to anyone who can stand in front of a class-load of them! And I haven’t lost the hair yet, so doubt if I’m feeling so comfortable when I do.
Just had to share… after being kept awake last night by every remaining bristle stabbing me whenever I moved, OH shaved the lot off this afternoon… so am now Yul Bryner re-created (but sadly, less weirdly atractive). Will never watch King and I in same spirit again.
Feel strangely vulnerable with no hair whatsoever - though in all honesty, previous stubble was decidedly patchy, and am wearing bandana in the house as cannot quite look at myself in mirror…lol. Not upset by it, just alarmed by quite how ugly I am with no hair and ever expanding girth…
Even tried wig on again. Then took it off fast and put it back in bag. Look ten years older with wig, would rather be younger and ugly!!!
I’m torn between wigs and scarves at the moment. I have two really good wigs but really I’m only wearing them if I have to go out. I wore a scarf as a turban to have AC2 on Thursday and all the nurses wanted to know how I tied it, so had to promise to give some demos next time! lol I only put it on cause my head hurt so much and it was the first thing to hand!
I’m in two minds about how I’m dealing with the Yul Brynner look, part of me thinks sod it, it will grow back, but then I catch sight of myself and think oh sh*t that cannot possibly be me! I was hoping for something more of a Persis Khambatta look - tinyurl.com/5u8b4pd
sadly it didn’t work out that way!
Thinking of all my hair loss friends - the only way is up from here!
Nymeria - I kind of thought Grace Jones… but as a) I’m lily white and freckled and b) not near so slim… it was always a bit of a hopeless cause!!! I can’t sing either, come to think of it… (pull up to the bumper baby)
Hi all. I look like the cartoon character on the confused.com advert. Getting to grips with my wig (I WILL wear it, it cost me £200) and it’s ok but my scarves are more comfy. I feel more conscious of my hair loss in my wig than when wearing my scarf. My experience of my teenage daughters are that they are very honest and will tell you what looks good and what doesn’t!
To quote my 15 year old ‘oh for goodness sake, it’s only your hair, it will grow back in a few months, stop whingeing … there is a girl at school who has alopecia and wears a wig all the time and doesn’t know if her hair will grow back at all … What’s for tea?’
I was thinking about the hair thing…teens are much more accepting than younger kids who havent started experimenting with hair…and I think the fact that teens ‘do’ stuff with hair makes it all the more acceptable to them…and they are actually quite nice kids under the grunting exterior!!
My big dilemma is my daughter is getting married in May…with short hair as she was on fec last year…however I am worrying about being a bald mother of the bride…help!
LiF - surely mother of the bride is the one day you’ll be EXPECTED to wear a big hat!!! With a bit of luck, it’ll be glorious sunshine, so a massive widebrimmed affair will be just perfect! Sorry, sheepy buff just won’t cut it…
(and face it, you look ACE with v.v. short hair…lol)
LOL…me in a hat!!! yikes I would look like ermintrude out of magic roundabout!!!..thinking of possibly having a design shaved into what might be v v short hair!!! xx
