hair's still

swordranch said:

Whatever

Hi, I am new on here and am about to have my last chemotherapy treatment in a 12 treatment regime.  Rectal but like a 1/2 inch from what used to be the exit.  So I imagine pretty close to what you guys are dealing with. 5FU, Oxy, Leucovorin?  About a month after my pre-surgery chemo/radiation I lost all the hair "down under".  Just woke up one morning and it was gone...don't know where it went...not in the bed, not in the jammies, not in the shower...no clue.  You could say it just vanished into thin hair (yuck yuck yuck!) But WHATEVER, didn't really matter.  Since then surgery (the dreaded APR) and 7 months post surgery chemo.  I had thin hair, but quite a lot of it and it has thinned a bunch to were you can see a lot of the scalp.  But I can still disquise it a bit.  Hoping that it does not continue to thin after chemo is done but from the posts on here it looks like that is more than likely.  The "down under" has actually filled back in quite a bit even during while on the last series of treatment.   We shall see...I have the grandkids prepared for a hairless Grammy and the other day my 5 yr old granddaughter ws excited to hear that I might not lose it all.  She thinks maybe I will have a mohawk!  Looking for others with a radical APR and I mean RADICAL!  Permanent colostomy etc..

I'm sorry your diagnosis, surgery and treatment all brought you here, but I hope you are doing well.  I'm trying to be clear on your situation, so please correct me if I'm wrong.  You had chemo/radiation prior to surgery, then APR with permanent colostomy, and are now undergoing post-surgery chemo with the chemo drugs you mentioned?  That is a lot to endure.  However, I love your attitude and sense of humor about it all.  I guess if we couldn't laugh about some of this stuff, we'd be crying 24/7.  I hope you don't lose much more hair, but it's possible that it will continue to come out for awhile after your last chemo session.  However, my personal experience was that it started growing back pretty quickly, which I hope will be the case for you.  I hope you'll keep us posted on how you're doing and I wish you all the best!   

Thanks so much ladies for your kind words.  I am actually amazed that a person can go through all of this and still feel like yourself.  But I do!  And I am confident that I will be in the 10/20 percent survival that they have given me.  We are calving here on the ranch now and I am getting out early every morning now to check the cows and calves and am happy to say that it has helped 1000%.  Will get results in two weeks, confident that this last chemo regime has KICKED ****!

Laura

swordranch said:

Whatever

Hi, I am new on here and am about to have my last chemotherapy treatment in a 12 treatment regime.  Rectal but like a 1/2 inch from what used to be the exit.  So I imagine pretty close to what you guys are dealing with. 5FU, Oxy, Leucovorin?  About a month after my pre-surgery chemo/radiation I lost all the hair "down under".  Just woke up one morning and it was gone...don't know where it went...not in the bed, not in the jammies, not in the shower...no clue.  You could say it just vanished into thin hair (yuck yuck yuck!) But WHATEVER, didn't really matter.  Since then surgery (the dreaded APR) and 7 months post surgery chemo.  I had thin hair, but quite a lot of it and it has thinned a bunch to were you can see a lot of the scalp.  But I can still disquise it a bit.  Hoping that it does not continue to thin after chemo is done but from the posts on here it looks like that is more than likely.  The "down under" has actually filled back in quite a bit even during while on the last series of treatment.   We shall see...I have the grandkids prepared for a hairless Grammy and the other day my 5 yr old granddaughter ws excited to hear that I might not lose it all.  She thinks maybe I will have a mohawk!  Looking for others with a radical APR and I mean RADICAL!  Permanent colostomy etc..

Hi, I have had a virus on my computer and just got it cleaned so am late in responding to some posts. Two years ago I was diagnosed with Stage3b anal cancer. Because of size, placement, and overall poor health at time of diagnoses I was given what was to be a temporary loop colostomy to help me through treatment of chemo/rad. After a couple weeks of radiation, internal swelling caused my colon to prolapse almost 5in. What a mess keeping that bag on with the additional weight from the colon! Soon I was hospitalized and then nursing home for a couple months. I was put on TPN (a nutrional supplement via IV), but was also compliant with my trusted doc as to diet, exercise, rest, etc. I also had a lot of praying going on! The colon repaired itself when the radiation was done. When I came home I joined a couple support groups, one specificly for people with ostomies. It was huge support in helping find the right appliance for my body type, tweak my diet, fashion ideas etc., along with an emotional adjustment. Soon my "temporary" colostomy was looking like a permanent addition to my life. Apparently the radiation did excess damage, and having even a little control of my bowels seems unlikely. I keep the reversal option open, but have accepted the fact that most of my doctors (even saw a specialist) don't at this time. Then...last spring I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy, presenting yet the need for some more creative clothing ideas! I don't consider myself to be vain, but grew up as a ballet dancer for more than 20yrs and I think body image is just ingrained in me. It has taken time, support from others in the same boat, and the knowledge that we all have crosses to bear, some are visible some are not, but I think I can confidently say I am 95% ok with the ostomy thing. I am fortunate though, I have virtually no current problems with it in regards to function, and am even able to leave the bag off for 5-6 hrs a day. I don't believe that most people could tell that I have it, then again most wouldn't be looking or even know what it was if they saw it. In the beginning I kind of felt the need to educate everyone on what I ws dealing with daily, then eventually decided that we all poop one way or another everyday. I don't ask or need to know about others (except for people on sites as this) bowel issues, and most don't need to know mine. Some days are still better than others, as with anyone. I wish you all the best, it is often true that some things just take time......patience. Keep in touch please.