Is anyone else who's lost hair having problems with

kayebadoe
kayebadoe Member Posts: 81
hitting your head???? Is hair like cat whiskers, if we don't have it we can't gauge how close are heads are to pointy or hard objects????? I'm not kidding I hit my head 2 or 3 times a day at least.

Comments

  • bluerose
    bluerose Member Posts: 1,104
    Most interesting side effect yet
    Well I think you have topped the list of interesting possible side effects from treatments. I haven't heard this one before but it makes some degree of sense I guess but there are no sensors at the end of hair - hair is dead tissue - if you feel anything when you touch your hair it's because of the pressure you are putting on the place where the follicle is growing in your skin which is alive, and into the underlying tissues - that's what would cause the sensation - not from the hair end itself. With cat whiskers there are sensors that tell the cat what it can and can't get through (space I mean) or if an object is in the way but with that I'm not sure if it's sensors in the whisker or again the sensation at the base. I would guess cat's whiskers are far more sensitive though since they are vital for gauging wind currents - even small ones so the cat knows if there is a solid object ahead or not, not only to feel it's way past or through things. I doubt human hair is that sensitive.

    Interesting posting though.

    Take care. Bluerose
  • merrywinner
    merrywinner Member Posts: 626 Member
    No sorry
    Like Blue Rose I have not heard of this before but poses an interesting question. Maybe you are one who is prone to head bumps and just notice it more now without the cushion of hair. I refer to this as the ingrown toenail theory....no one seems to step on my toe ever unless I have an ingrown toenail that is really sore, then everyone steps on it or I stub it etc....Just a thought and heads up! Mary
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member

    No sorry
    Like Blue Rose I have not heard of this before but poses an interesting question. Maybe you are one who is prone to head bumps and just notice it more now without the cushion of hair. I refer to this as the ingrown toenail theory....no one seems to step on my toe ever unless I have an ingrown toenail that is really sore, then everyone steps on it or I stub it etc....Just a thought and heads up! Mary

    Balance
    I think it's a balance issue, the weight you are used to carrying around shifted LOL.
    Sorry, but I don't remember hitting my head, but I DID trip over a lot when the neuropathy started in my feet.

    Take care, and hope the treatment is going well for you!

    Beth

    Try padded hats!
  • Tracie1981
    Tracie1981 Member Posts: 125
    dixiegirl said:

    Balance
    I think it's a balance issue, the weight you are used to carrying around shifted LOL.
    Sorry, but I don't remember hitting my head, but I DID trip over a lot when the neuropathy started in my feet.

    Take care, and hope the treatment is going well for you!

    Beth

    Try padded hats!

    I hit my head...
    ALL THE TIME! My sister told me that I needed my hair to act as whiskers lol. Without them my head has no sense of direction :)
  • kayebadoe
    kayebadoe Member Posts: 81

    I hit my head...
    ALL THE TIME! My sister told me that I needed my hair to act as whiskers lol. Without them my head has no sense of direction :)

    Thank heavens I thought I
    Thank heavens I thought I was the only one.
  • bluerose
    bluerose Member Posts: 1,104
    kayebadoe said:

    Thank heavens I thought I
    Thank heavens I thought I was the only one.

    Just a thought
    I had NHL 22 years ago and alot of treatment - bone marrow transplant and total body radiation and I have had trouble at times with depth perception. Now I don't know if it's an issue with eyesight issues from treatments or some cognitive issue, haven't really had it enough to cause me real problems yet but thought I would mention it to you.

    Maybe have a word with your doctor and see if he/she can refer you to an optometrist for depth perception and maybe to another specialist who can assess possible cognitive impairment or neurology issues, also due to treatments.

    Hope this doesn't become a major issue for you. Take care, Bluerose
  • KC13167
    KC13167 Member Posts: 215
    Hitting Head
    LMAO! Yes!!!! So glad I'm not alone on this one either!
  • JoanieP
    JoanieP Member Posts: 573
    kayebadoe said:

    Thank heavens I thought I
    Thank heavens I thought I was the only one.

    Beautiful
    You look beautiful w/o hair. God bless you. When my hair grew back I decided to keep it real short. You might also.
  • Suisyo
    Suisyo Member Posts: 1
    Yes
    I mean I am a clutz in general but I never seemed to hit my head as much as when I first shaved my head. Thankfully now I think I've gotten used to it and haven't done it in awhile, but man I was knocking my head getting in and out of cars, leaning over, even getting into bed haha. I wish you luck with it and hopefully it will diminish over time. ^-^
  • tcvine
    tcvine Member Posts: 174
    bluerose said:

    Most interesting side effect yet
    Well I think you have topped the list of interesting possible side effects from treatments. I haven't heard this one before but it makes some degree of sense I guess but there are no sensors at the end of hair - hair is dead tissue - if you feel anything when you touch your hair it's because of the pressure you are putting on the place where the follicle is growing in your skin which is alive, and into the underlying tissues - that's what would cause the sensation - not from the hair end itself. With cat whiskers there are sensors that tell the cat what it can and can't get through (space I mean) or if an object is in the way but with that I'm not sure if it's sensors in the whisker or again the sensation at the base. I would guess cat's whiskers are far more sensitive though since they are vital for gauging wind currents - even small ones so the cat knows if there is a solid object ahead or not, not only to feel it's way past or through things. I doubt human hair is that sensitive.

    Interesting posting though.

    Take care. Bluerose

    Most Interesting Side Effect Yet
    Hi Y'All,
    I have just joined this group today, newly diagnosed diffuse, large B-cell; but am going this week for the results of initial testing at M.D. Anderson.
    HOWEVER, I went bald when I was 22 years old (now near 60) and I can absolutely affirm that hair DOES play a protective role. Since I lost my hair in a period of 6 months, the change was dramatic. There is no doubt that one, very useful, function of head hair is to warn the wearer of imminent collision. All non-bald people would be very surprised to note how many times they actually avoid hitting their heads because, in the last split-second, they feel the move of their hair. This I know to be true, from someone who has had many years of bald experience.

    God Bless,
    tcvine

    Life is short, drink the good wine first.
  • tcvine
    tcvine Member Posts: 174
    What about arm hair?
    I was wondering - since I am newly diagnosed and have not begun treatment - how much body hair do you actually lose? I know the head hair goes, but what about the eyebrows, beard, arms? What about arm pit and leg hair, and anywhere in between? Do you lose ALL body hair, or just certain areas?

    I guess I'll find out, but I am just curious.
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    tcvine said:

    What about arm hair?
    I was wondering - since I am newly diagnosed and have not begun treatment - how much body hair do you actually lose? I know the head hair goes, but what about the eyebrows, beard, arms? What about arm pit and leg hair, and anywhere in between? Do you lose ALL body hair, or just certain areas?

    I guess I'll find out, but I am just curious.

    All
    Head, nose, armpit, legs, arms, eyelashes, and everywhere else too. The nose hair was the worst of all........my nose ran constantly for 5 months! Makes doing everything hard.

    As a woman, I loved not having to shave my legs but once every 7-8 weeks....it was wonderful!
  • COBRA666
    COBRA666 Member Posts: 2,401 Member
    dixiegirl said:

    All
    Head, nose, armpit, legs, arms, eyelashes, and everywhere else too. The nose hair was the worst of all........my nose ran constantly for 5 months! Makes doing everything hard.

    As a woman, I loved not having to shave my legs but once every 7-8 weeks....it was wonderful!

    ALL?????
    I heard sometimes it grows back different too. How long does it take before it actually starts to grow back after treatment stops? I know it grows back at some point in time, but just wondering how long it takes. I assume it starts out as baby type hair, but do not really know. I am sure somebody knows.
  • yesyes2
    yesyes2 Member Posts: 591
    COBRA666 said:

    ALL?????
    I heard sometimes it grows back different too. How long does it take before it actually starts to grow back after treatment stops? I know it grows back at some point in time, but just wondering how long it takes. I assume it starts out as baby type hair, but do not really know. I am sure somebody knows.

    YUP......ALL!!!!
    Actually I loved not having any hair. And yes, not having to shave my legs was wonderful, I really miss that. Didn't need to shave for over 4 months at least. Also agree that the nose hair is the worst, be forwarned to buy stock in kleenex, I think I went through a box a day. I never noticed body hair falling out it just pretty much stopped growing and than one day it was all gone. But I was totally aware of eyebrows and eyelashes going as they kept falling in to my eyes. Actually, I think I hate hair and was so much more comfortable with out it.......yes I know I'm weird but I look so much better with out hair that I'm keeping my hair super super short. Like 1/2 to 1 inch. Hubby is ok with that, think he likes it as I'm not complaining about the color or cut, LOL.
  • yesyes2
    yesyes2 Member Posts: 591
    yesyes2 said:

    YUP......ALL!!!!
    Actually I loved not having any hair. And yes, not having to shave my legs was wonderful, I really miss that. Didn't need to shave for over 4 months at least. Also agree that the nose hair is the worst, be forwarned to buy stock in kleenex, I think I went through a box a day. I never noticed body hair falling out it just pretty much stopped growing and than one day it was all gone. But I was totally aware of eyebrows and eyelashes going as they kept falling in to my eyes. Actually, I think I hate hair and was so much more comfortable with out it.......yes I know I'm weird but I look so much better with out hair that I'm keeping my hair super super short. Like 1/2 to 1 inch. Hubby is ok with that, think he likes it as I'm not complaining about the color or cut, LOL.

    John, Yes my hair has always come in baby soft. Feels wonderful, people pet my head, LOL.
    Everyone is different, I take a longer time to grow hair, but it starts within a few weeks of chemo. And itches as it grows in the beginning. Most common regrooth color is grey, and curly. If you keep it super short, and I do mean really short, you don't have to deal with the curls.
    Good luck, Leslie
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    yesyes2 said:

    YUP......ALL!!!!
    Actually I loved not having any hair. And yes, not having to shave my legs was wonderful, I really miss that. Didn't need to shave for over 4 months at least. Also agree that the nose hair is the worst, be forwarned to buy stock in kleenex, I think I went through a box a day. I never noticed body hair falling out it just pretty much stopped growing and than one day it was all gone. But I was totally aware of eyebrows and eyelashes going as they kept falling in to my eyes. Actually, I think I hate hair and was so much more comfortable with out it.......yes I know I'm weird but I look so much better with out hair that I'm keeping my hair super super short. Like 1/2 to 1 inch. Hubby is ok with that, think he likes it as I'm not complaining about the color or cut, LOL.

    We are two peas in a pod!
    I agree, some of the body hair just got very thin and then realized it's ALL tender. I too loved being bald and I also won't let my hair get more than an inch long at any time. I like it best about 1/2 or 3/4" inch long. I never thought I could do very short hair, but now won't do anything else LOL.

    And I loved not shaving, although the one little pesky hair on my chin??????? Stayed the whole friggin time.

    Mine started growing back right away actually, at least within a month and I actually shaved it again before letting it come back....kinda freaked me out for a bit that my grays were coming in stronger and coarser and curly and the rest was much darker. For a while I did have different textures on each side of my head for a short time. It came back in MUCH darker than what I had.

    Hair is soooo highly overrated and I am very grateful for the lesson. I think my hairdresser told me hair grows about 1/4" a month, but it's been so long since I was bald I can't remember if 1/4" or 1/8".
  • COBRA666
    COBRA666 Member Posts: 2,401 Member
    yesyes2 said:

    John, Yes my hair has always come in baby soft. Feels wonderful, people pet my head, LOL.
    Everyone is different, I take a longer time to grow hair, but it starts within a few weeks of chemo. And itches as it grows in the beginning. Most common regrooth color is grey, and curly. If you keep it super short, and I do mean really short, you don't have to deal with the curls.
    Good luck, Leslie

    Now I keep seeing myself with a gray afro. hahaha
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    yesyes2 said:

    John, Yes my hair has always come in baby soft. Feels wonderful, people pet my head, LOL.
    Everyone is different, I take a longer time to grow hair, but it starts within a few weeks of chemo. And itches as it grows in the beginning. Most common regrooth color is grey, and curly. If you keep it super short, and I do mean really short, you don't have to deal with the curls.
    Good luck, Leslie

    Head petting
    I did pet my own head too LOL. It's such a different sensation that I'd sit and watch tv and rub my head without realizing it, and yes it was SUPER SOFT peach fuzz for a little while.

    My aunt would come by to get me to take me to chemo and walk in rubbing my head! I even did it to a friend of mine who went through it too............I couldn't help myself! LOL
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    COBRA666 said:

    Now I keep seeing myself with a gray afro. hahaha

    Gray Afro
    Never know John, it could come back dark brown my friend! It commonly comes in different colors.
  • COBRA666
    COBRA666 Member Posts: 2,401 Member
    dixiegirl said:

    We are two peas in a pod!
    I agree, some of the body hair just got very thin and then realized it's ALL tender. I too loved being bald and I also won't let my hair get more than an inch long at any time. I like it best about 1/2 or 3/4" inch long. I never thought I could do very short hair, but now won't do anything else LOL.

    And I loved not shaving, although the one little pesky hair on my chin??????? Stayed the whole friggin time.

    Mine started growing back right away actually, at least within a month and I actually shaved it again before letting it come back....kinda freaked me out for a bit that my grays were coming in stronger and coarser and curly and the rest was much darker. For a while I did have different textures on each side of my head for a short time. It came back in MUCH darker than what I had.

    Hair is soooo highly overrated and I am very grateful for the lesson. I think my hairdresser told me hair grows about 1/4" a month, but it's been so long since I was bald I can't remember if 1/4" or 1/8".

    HAIR LOSS
    I never had any gray hair even though I am 61 years old. When I first found I had lymphoma I did not know anything about it and it scared the heck out of me,not that I am super comfortable with it now. Anyway, it worried me so much my sideburns turned really gray in about a month. I have heard that it is an old wives tales that stress will turn your hair gray. It is not a wives tales and I know.I have noticed they are getting thin as well as the rest of my hair on the top in the last month. Eyebrows and lashes are still holding up.