Hi, I finished my last tax on Monday 22nd December, just wondered when my eyebrows and eyelashes will come back? No sign of growth at the moment. I have a bit of hair growth but I still look like a chicken.
Also - when do the chemo symptoms start to work out of my body? I feel pretty rubbish again and I’m hoping now that i’ve finished i’ll start to feel better
Thanks
M
Good questions Maysia - and when do eyes (and nose) stop running too? I finished my tax just before you - Wednesday 17th December. I’m not expecting wonders until at least the normal three weeks are up, but suspect recovery will actually take a lot longer. My legs are still weak and achy, and I’ve got those wonderfully attractive swollen ankles back just now too, but new eyelashes and eyebrows would go a long way towards making me feel better!
Guess we just have to hang in there and try to be patient.
Good luck,
Julie
x
Maysia?? I meant Marysia of course - its my awful blurry eyes through having no eyelashes!!!
(and bad typing too I guess)
Julie
I finished tax july 2006, I didn’t loose lashes or brows in full but they really did thin on tax, was still plucking very regular on FEC. It took a good couple of months for eye lashes, my right ones are longer than left and I do buy good lengthing/thickening mascara. Eye brows are still very thin, again left is thinner than right, I tend to thicken with an eyebrow pencil. every else is growing like mad, even hair dresser is commenting on length of my roots last 2 visits.
I am very careful with my brows, after this length of time I dont think they will go back to what they were.
Debbie
I finished tax in July 2008. I had completely lost my eyebrows and eyelashes. As I had previously had fine eyelashes I didn`t give much hope!!!
Within two months eyelashes had grown back and so much thicker and I have to now have my eyebrows done professionally as they are so thick.
I have a full head of hair but wish it was longer, guess we all have to be patient!
Good luck,
Take care,
Jan x
I finished 6 rounds of taxotere in October and although hair is growing nicely back I still have no eyelashes. I didn’t lose eyebrows completely they just thinnned, but they don’t seem to be coming back either.
As for the effects disappearing, most of mine have gone except for the fluid retention, but I’m having treatment for this by way of manual drainage to the legs. They are better though.
Everyone now and then I get hit by “chemo” tummy, but its getting less and less.
I don’t yet feel back to normal, I generally just feel weak and feable - but then I’ve always been a bit like that anyway LOL
Good luck all
Geewizz did you find you are out of puff while on this taxotere, i dont feel better as time goes on i feel worse of cause the full like cold symtoms and breathless and even hyperventerlating i just wondering if i worry to much its difficult not to. Marysiaxx
Although my hair came back fairly quickly on taxotere, it took my eyelashes and eyebrows a good year before they were visible, and even now, 2 years on, they are not thick, but then I am very fair, so it’s not surprising. My hair grew back much thicker and curlier, and I guess I was hoping my eyelashes would too!! Haven’t even got enough to apply mascara to, and I don’t think I could be bothered to apply ‘falsies’. Got enough with false breast!
I finished my TAX at the end of August and started to see the return of the eyelashes and brows towards the end of October. I was told this was a long wait, but I think everyone is different. I have all my eyelashes, altho they are not too long, but i can get mascara on now! eyebrows are very light, so not that noticable, and not yet fully formed. Head hair coming along very slowly, but at least it is there now! Did have to shave my legs yesterday and under my arms!!!
good luck to you all and hope all returns soon
deb x
Hi Marysia,
I don’t get out of puff particularly, although sometimes my breathing does sound a bit rattly. I agree about the everlasting cold type symptoms, and really can’t wait for my eyes to stop running so that I can see clearly (and so that people in the street don’t think I’m crying!). My legs however do get really tired and achy - I can manage along the level ok (although it feels like walking through the sea, having to push against the weight of the water all the time), but as soon as I try to go up even a slight incline or steps, it feels so difficult, and I often have to stop for a rest, and bending down is painful too. I’m 49 by the way, and was a reasonably fit, tennis playing and swimming and running after three children person before all this!
However, I keep thinking that if it’s doing all this to me, what must it be doing to the cancer? And every day of these side effects done is one less to go. Here’s to the end of them!
Julie
x
Yes you are right Marysia, I don’t have much puff either.
Julie is so right, taxotere is such a strong and violent chemo its going to take our bodies a while to recover so we must pat ourselves on the back for managing it so well.
Here’s hoping all our hair, eyelashes and eyebrows quickly grows - I hope mine will grow back thick and curly (and not thin and straight like it was before).
My last Tax was September 08 and I can report that the my eyelashes have now grown back thicker which is handy, not quite as long as they were but hoping for a bit more growth started growing back the start of December. Hair on head quite thick now as well, but an odd colour but hey at least it is some hair it’s pretty cold outside at the moment!
Gilly xx
Hi guys, I had my 4th and last Tax on 18th dec. Hair has been making a comeback for a couple of weeks, but still very sparce. I’m much the same as geewhizz, getting impatient for hair, eyebrows and eyelashes to grow back and for eyes to stop running!
Glad to read others are experiencing same effects as me, although my mind is alive, my body is suffering! Started fluid retention in lower legs, cant walk dog as long as i used to - visiting docs tomorra to see if they’ll give me anything for water retention.
I’ve also put weight on… not good for the self esteem!!!
Heres to a better 2009 with lush hair growth!!
Jo x
Hi Josie and anyone on Tax, are you still felling very tired i can bearly do anything, is this me or should i be feeling better i had my last tax on the 22nd Dec is this normal.? due to go to the radiolagist to be tattoed for my Rads is anyone doing the same , not sure what to expect?
Marysiax
Hi Josie, I hope you got a result from your Docs and sorted your water retention.Marysiax
Hi Ghewizz, are you still having Chemo or have you finished? what stage are you at .Marysiax
Hi Marysia,
I’ve finished chemo now - had 4 epirubicin/cyclophosphamide then 4 taxotere, last one on Dec 17th. I was diagnosed in June 08, and put straight onto chemo as I have lobular cancer, two tumours (2.5 and 6cm). I’m off to see my breast surgeon on Thursday, and my mastectomy/lymph node clearance is scheduled for 14 Jan. I’ll start Tamoxifen 2 weeks after that, and Radiotherapy mid February, so going to be a busy few weeks!
I am still very much in the throes of tax side effects, although the awful mouth stage has passed now. My legs are very weak, and I’m like Jo with water retention. Mentioned that to my doctor today, but he feels best to just carry on elevating my legs and give it time to recover. I do kind of agree, as I’m not keen on taking any other drugs at the moment.
On a positive note, my hair is growing quite quickly now (very fuzzy and whitish grey, so not particularly attractive, but at least it is showing willing!)
Good luck to all,
Julie
x
Finished taxotere in August 2008 and eyebrows and eyelashes have only grown back in the past 3 weeks or so. Thought they were never going to reappear. My head hair is growing incredibly quickly and is much thicker and curlier than previously. Unfortunately other hair is growing equally quickly - amazing how fast one forgets a past lifetime of leg shaving, bikini waxes etc during chemo!
Hi Marysia, Seeing doc this evening, will keep you updated!
Dont put yourself under too much pressure to feel ok - i’m nearly 3 weeks post dose now and just about starting to feel human again (apart from water retention) so ride it out and you’ll be fine. I found that my side effects got later with each dose.
Julie - your journey sounds similar to mine, i was diagnosed with DIC 4cm tumor in july 08, had chemo at Christies (4x FEC, 4x Tax) and am having Wide local excision at Chester on 26th jan (Tumor non palpable now) with radiotherapy 6 wks after surgery.
Have baby fluff appearing under my arms! How exciting!! Agree with Baldybain - forgot what its like to shave & wax and am sure will be cursing when the time comes again!
Ho Jo - small world - my chemo was all at Christies too! I’ll be having the mx in Manchester at the Spire hospital, but then back to Christies for radiotherapy and hopefully reconstruction August (ish).
Good luck for 26th
Julie
x