Hair????

2»

Comments

  • sissy310
    sissy310 Member Posts: 300
    #22
    pjjenkins said:

    hair loss and curls
    I don't exactly remember when it stopped falling out. My treatments ended in early March and by June, I was admiring the beginning of the curls- curls- nice wavy ones. I loved them! But, now, two years later, my hair is back to normal. That happened about a year or a bit more after I first got them.
    I do know that I never lost all my hair - just most of it. My chemo was 5-FU and mitomycin.

    Hair stories
    I was glad I came in here to read this. I should be starting treatment in a few weeks, I'm only in the beginning parts of scanning and tests and such but I want to know as much as I can to prepare myself. I was glad I read about everyone's experiences with their hair loss and/or thinning. My first instinct was to go and get my hair cut super short (which I've never done). Maybe now I will wait a bit. I too dye my hair (I'm 62) but I'm thinking with all these changes that will be going on with my body and hair and some other issues, I may let it go gray and do something different with it when this is all over. Know I appreciate everyone's input and words of personal experience and know that you are all in my prayers every day. I'm glad I found this group. Marilyne
  • sandra malone
    sandra malone Member Posts: 31
    #23
    sissy310 said:

    Hair stories
    I was glad I came in here to read this. I should be starting treatment in a few weeks, I'm only in the beginning parts of scanning and tests and such but I want to know as much as I can to prepare myself. I was glad I read about everyone's experiences with their hair loss and/or thinning. My first instinct was to go and get my hair cut super short (which I've never done). Maybe now I will wait a bit. I too dye my hair (I'm 62) but I'm thinking with all these changes that will be going on with my body and hair and some other issues, I may let it go gray and do something different with it when this is all over. Know I appreciate everyone's input and words of personal experience and know that you are all in my prayers every day. I'm glad I found this group. Marilyne

    hair changes
    I am 49 yrs old and in remmission from rectal cancer. I DID NOT lose any of my hair from my head. I did go completely bald in the genital area (due to the Radiation), A blessing really. so much easier to keep clean etc..it is growing back slowly. Even the hair on my legs became sparse, but, it had no problem returning in full force.HA-HA. Although I am further along in the process than you are, I am available to you 27/7 via telecommunications. My phone is 7709053773. I live in Atlanta. Please reply, keep me up to date, etc. There are no foolish or unimportant questions when it comes to cancer, so I may be able to help support you in those times.
  • pjjenkins
    pjjenkins Member Posts: 173
    #24
    sandra malone said:

    hair changes
    I am 49 yrs old and in remmission from rectal cancer. I DID NOT lose any of my hair from my head. I did go completely bald in the genital area (due to the Radiation), A blessing really. so much easier to keep clean etc..it is growing back slowly. Even the hair on my legs became sparse, but, it had no problem returning in full force.HA-HA. Although I am further along in the process than you are, I am available to you 27/7 via telecommunications. My phone is 7709053773. I live in Atlanta. Please reply, keep me up to date, etc. There are no foolish or unimportant questions when it comes to cancer, so I may be able to help support you in those times.

    Hair and site
    Hi, Sandra,
    I, too, no longer have much pubic hair and now, 2 1/4 years past end of treatment, there is no sign it is returning. Sparse leg hair came with menopause as far as I can tell - or rather it moved to my chin. :)

    What I want to ask you is about having "rectal cancer". Was it squamous cell carcinoma? That was my original diagnosis and the info I could find back then (Jan. 2008) was that only about 200 such cases had EVER been recorded. Suddenly, my case morphed into "anal cancer" and treated as such. My tumor spanned the dentate line and was mostly in the rectum. Is this like your story?

    Priscilla
  • sandra malone
    sandra malone Member Posts: 31
    #25
    pjjenkins said:

    Hair and site
    Hi, Sandra,
    I, too, no longer have much pubic hair and now, 2 1/4 years past end of treatment, there is no sign it is returning. Sparse leg hair came with menopause as far as I can tell - or rather it moved to my chin. :)

    What I want to ask you is about having "rectal cancer". Was it squamous cell carcinoma? That was my original diagnosis and the info I could find back then (Jan. 2008) was that only about 200 such cases had EVER been recorded. Suddenly, my case morphed into "anal cancer" and treated as such. My tumor spanned the dentate line and was mostly in the rectum. Is this like your story?

    Priscilla

    hair and other things....
    Hi. Yes I was originally dx with squamous cell carcinoma." Drs term" i beleieve all rectal is diagnosed that type DEPENDING on what stage you are in. Mine was stage 1, 1.5 inches in the anal/rectal canal. (there are4 inches) between the anal opening and the colon. (WEB MD).So I was fortunate. Ive been in remisssion for5 months. I continue to have bladder and stool leakage, must wear a pad daily. My menopause came before the cancer , but yes some of my hair went to my upper lip.Funnny huh? Did I answer your ?. If not ask again. Chemo brain along with meds makes me sometimes forgetful. Either way, I'd love to keep our line of communication open.
  • pjjenkins
    pjjenkins Member Posts: 173
    #26
    sandra malone said:

    hair and other things....
    Hi. Yes I was originally dx with squamous cell carcinoma." Drs term" i beleieve all rectal is diagnosed that type DEPENDING on what stage you are in. Mine was stage 1, 1.5 inches in the anal/rectal canal. (there are4 inches) between the anal opening and the colon. (WEB MD).So I was fortunate. Ive been in remisssion for5 months. I continue to have bladder and stool leakage, must wear a pad daily. My menopause came before the cancer , but yes some of my hair went to my upper lip.Funnny huh? Did I answer your ?. If not ask again. Chemo brain along with meds makes me sometimes forgetful. Either way, I'd love to keep our line of communication open.

    Original diagnosis
    They never gave me a "stage" in the beginning. And after the GI guy said it was rectal, the tumor board said it was anal.... I panicked at the time because I felt no one was clear with me about the final diagnosis and the damn doc set my appointment with him for AFTER they wanted to start the chemo. I wanted to feel certain they were going to give me the "right stuff". Thanks to ACS and one great oncology nurse, I got rescheduled with the doc to BEFORE the chemo and ACS called me back and told me what the difference in tx would be between "rectal" and "anal" squamous cell carcinoma. I guess I still really resent the lack of communication with me!! I do think I got the right treatment at this point and I am NED for two years now.... Bowel and vaginal issues continue - considerably better than I was 5 months post as you are, by the way. And now I am wondering about aching hips... a problem which developed for me about a year after treatment.

    Glad you joined... I no longer think I experience chemo brain.... just an aging brain!!! I am thinking I might start a thread on early diagnosis experience. Thoughts?
  • Chris3
    Chris3 Member Posts: 58
    #27
    sissy310 said:

    Hair stories
    I was glad I came in here to read this. I should be starting treatment in a few weeks, I'm only in the beginning parts of scanning and tests and such but I want to know as much as I can to prepare myself. I was glad I read about everyone's experiences with their hair loss and/or thinning. My first instinct was to go and get my hair cut super short (which I've never done). Maybe now I will wait a bit. I too dye my hair (I'm 62) but I'm thinking with all these changes that will be going on with my body and hair and some other issues, I may let it go gray and do something different with it when this is all over. Know I appreciate everyone's input and words of personal experience and know that you are all in my prayers every day. I'm glad I found this group. Marilyne

    Hair stories
    Hi Marilyne,
    I did not lose all my hair. It just got really thin on top. My hair was somewhat short before treatment, but I had it trimmed up a bit shorter just before starting treatment. I tried on wigs but didn't like the feel. So, I bought a Beau Beau hair scarf just in case, but I never wore it either. A good friend bought me a baseball cap with the logo of a favorite rock band, and I have worn that on several occasions. But, mostly I just went about with my thinning hair.

    My Chemo was in Week 1 & Week 5, and the hair thinning occurred in Weeks 5 & 8.

    Best wishes on your upcoming treatment.

    Chris

Discussion Boards