New To The Group

ladyg

Welcome, you have
come to the right place. I am glad you found this site but sorry it was necessary. I can not speak to the hair loss because I was fortunate enough to not have to do chemo. But what I can tell you is that I was so scared I didn't know what I was going to do. Coming to this site was a great help. I got more info from all of the great sisters here than I did from my doctors.

Hugs from another 63 yr. old
Georgia

carriesoup

HI Judy
welcome!

i'm sort of a newbie myself

don't you just you hate people sometime? you tell them you have breast cancer and they point out the worst! lol.

i just had my 4th and last adrimaycin/cytoxin on friday!! (yeeeeaaaa!) then i have 12 weekly taxol treatments. it's true what they say, hairloss starts about 14 days after starting chemo. i had short hair already. (a lot longer than my profile pic) it was still pretty traumatic. as soon as it started coming out i had my boyfriend give me a buzz cut. took about 1 more week after that, i was getting bald spots. shaved it down completely. i personally felt a lot better when it was just gone. the anticipation was worse!

nice to meet you! sorry you have to be here. it's a great place though! any thing you want to know about, complain about or just chat-you can do it here always someone to listen.

*hugs*

carrie

carkris

carriesoup said:

HI Judy
welcome!

i'm sort of a newbie myself

don't you just you hate people sometime? you tell them you have breast cancer and they point out the worst! lol.

i just had my 4th and last adrimaycin/cytoxin on friday!! (yeeeeaaaa!) then i have 12 weekly taxol treatments. it's true what they say, hairloss starts about 14 days after starting chemo. i had short hair already. (a lot longer than my profile pic) it was still pretty traumatic. as soon as it started coming out i had my boyfriend give me a buzz cut. took about 1 more week after that, i was getting bald spots. shaved it down completely. i personally felt a lot better when it was just gone. the anticipation was worse!

nice to meet you! sorry you have to be here. it's a great place though! any thing you want to know about, complain about or just chat-you can do it here always someone to listen.

*hugs*

carrie

I buzzed my hair when it was
I buzzed my hair when it was apparent it was going to come out. Actually noticed it down south first.(thats where it grew back first too lol) I did not want to deal with it coming out in clumps. I did it when I was ready and it helped me have a sense of control. Also hate to be the bearer of bad news,, but be prepared to lose eyebrows, and lashes too, I lost mine with the taxol. They grow back pretty fast generally. losing nose hair can make your nose runny too. Not to be a downer just wanted you to know. But the hair grows back and you can look forward to going "naked" or "topless" once again.!

TP123

carriesoup said:

HI Judy
welcome!

i'm sort of a newbie myself

don't you just you hate people sometime? you tell them you have breast cancer and they point out the worst! lol.

i just had my 4th and last adrimaycin/cytoxin on friday!! (yeeeeaaaa!) then i have 12 weekly taxol treatments. it's true what they say, hairloss starts about 14 days after starting chemo. i had short hair already. (a lot longer than my profile pic) it was still pretty traumatic. as soon as it started coming out i had my boyfriend give me a buzz cut. took about 1 more week after that, i was getting bald spots. shaved it down completely. i personally felt a lot better when it was just gone. the anticipation was worse!

nice to meet you! sorry you have to be here. it's a great place though! any thing you want to know about, complain about or just chat-you can do it here always someone to listen.

*hugs*

carrie

Hi I'm new tonite to the group.
I went to Carriesoup's post & I am on the same regimen of treatment, I think. I am on #8 next Wed. of taxol. I will have surgery after completion of the 12 treatments and then radiation. How about you? Have you had surgery yet? I would like to know how people are feeling when getting radiation. I don't know what to expect as far as fatigue. Taxol wipes me out now, but A & C didn't nearly as much.

winsomebulldog

Welcome
Glad to meet you, Judy, though so sorry that you have to be here.

I got my hair cut short right before I started my chemo. Then, right around my second treatment I had hubby buzz the rest off as I couldn't stand the shedding any more. It was still about 1/8 inch long & coming out. I read a tip here about using a sticky tape lint roller to help remove it once it was that short & it did work well for me. I still have fuzz, but it's pretty sparse.

As for the being sick... You might not. I've had virtually NO nausea at all. I mean nothing worse than a vaguely queasy feeling a few times on the afternoon after I get my chemo, usually because I need to eat something. I have some pills for it & they do wonders.

I'm finished with one chemo cocktail (A/C) & about to start my second one (Taxotere). I'll also be having rads. Over all, it hasn't been the horrific process I was afraid it might be. Not so far, at least. :-)

Basically, we are all different so the chemo effects us all in different ways & to different degrees. My advice is to, first, go into it with the best attitude you can muster. My chemo nurse told me that if you expect to be sick (nausea & vomiting) you will. Personally, I use a lot of humor to deal with it all. But that's me. Find what works for you and go for it. Laugh if yup need to. Or look at it as a monster to be slain & yourself as a fierce warrior. Just don't let it win by breaking your spirit! You are a strong woman and you are most definitely NOT ALONE! You can & will win this fight!!!

The other thing I'll tell you is to report ANY & ALL problems to your Dr. quickly. (A lesson I just learned when I let a toothache go for a couple of days before I called. VERY BAD!)

Last but not least, read, read, read these boards! There are TONS of useful tips from what to eat if you get nauseous to places to find wigs, hats, & scarves, some of them for free. This site has taught me SO much! Just read as much as you can. Take notes if you need to. I did. Knowledge is power & in this fight we need all the power we can get!

I'll keep you in my prayers & see you around the boards!

Blessings,

Jenn

sal314

Yup...Cut My Hair
after my first round of chemo because they said it would come out right after 2nd round. I think the short cut lasted all of 2 or 3 days...then it was gone. But it did help me feel like I had control of something.

For me, losing my hair was harder than going through chemo. I actually didn't get all that sick. Just felt really crumby for about 3 days after chemo. It did get a little worse the further in treatment I went, which is common. But with all the anti-nausea and steroid drugs they give you, it wasn't that bad for me. I was a little younger that the average BC patient (35 yrs. old...and that was 9 years ago!:), so that may have helped me.

But by far, losing the hair was really hard emotionally. Mostly because up until then, you feel fine, look fine and it's hard to wrap your brain around the fact that you are supposedly so sick with the big "C". But after the hair falls out, you really look sick and feel crappy and it's just all kind of sureal.

That's all to say...you will get through it and can continue to have a life. Hang in there, keep a postitive attitude and remember to laugh!

Blessings,
Sally

carriesoup

TP123 said:

Hi I'm new tonite to the group.
I went to Carriesoup's post & I am on the same regimen of treatment, I think. I am on #8 next Wed. of taxol. I will have surgery after completion of the 12 treatments and then radiation. How about you? Have you had surgery yet? I would like to know how people are feeling when getting radiation. I don't know what to expect as far as fatigue. Taxol wipes me out now, but A & C didn't nearly as much.

TP123
hope taxol is better for me! ugh! you just never know.., A/C was crappy, hope it doesn't get crappier with taxol! oh well, what are can we do? right? just keep on going!

did you get any black finger nails/toenails? neuropathy?

i'm nervous about radiation as well. i hear it's not so bad. it's so hard to say though, once again everyone is different! i have 6 weeks of 5 daily (15mins) treatments...

*hugs*

carrie

kya911

carkris said:

I buzzed my hair when it was
I buzzed my hair when it was apparent it was going to come out. Actually noticed it down south first.(thats where it grew back first too lol) I did not want to deal with it coming out in clumps. I did it when I was ready and it helped me have a sense of control. Also hate to be the bearer of bad news,, but be prepared to lose eyebrows, and lashes too, I lost mine with the taxol. They grow back pretty fast generally. losing nose hair can make your nose runny too. Not to be a downer just wanted you to know. But the hair grows back and you can look forward to going "naked" or "topless" once again.!

Down south ROF :0)

Down south ROF :0)

kya911

TP123 said:

Hi I'm new tonite to the group.
I went to Carriesoup's post & I am on the same regimen of treatment, I think. I am on #8 next Wed. of taxol. I will have surgery after completion of the 12 treatments and then radiation. How about you? Have you had surgery yet? I would like to know how people are feeling when getting radiation. I don't know what to expect as far as fatigue. Taxol wipes me out now, but A & C didn't nearly as much.

TP123
I have had the lumpectomy & will be getting a port installed on Friday.
With in a week or so I should be able to set sail lol Chemo
I am a stage 1T 1.6 ccm .
Welcome to the group as you can tell I am new here also.
These ladies are great.

weazer

sal314 said:

Yup...Cut My Hair
after my first round of chemo because they said it would come out right after 2nd round. I think the short cut lasted all of 2 or 3 days...then it was gone. But it did help me feel like I had control of something.

For me, losing my hair was harder than going through chemo. I actually didn't get all that sick. Just felt really crumby for about 3 days after chemo. It did get a little worse the further in treatment I went, which is common. But with all the anti-nausea and steroid drugs they give you, it wasn't that bad for me. I was a little younger that the average BC patient (35 yrs. old...and that was 9 years ago!:), so that may have helped me.

But by far, losing the hair was really hard emotionally. Mostly because up until then, you feel fine, look fine and it's hard to wrap your brain around the fact that you are supposedly so sick with the big "C". But after the hair falls out, you really look sick and feel crappy and it's just all kind of sureal.

That's all to say...you will get through it and can continue to have a life. Hang in there, keep a postitive attitude and remember to laugh!

Blessings,
Sally

Hi there
For me, I had 11 inches cut off at the beginning of chemo, then my scalp started to hurt and I even clogged my tub with my hair falling out so I asked my husband to shave it off.
Then I invested in lots of scarfs and warm hats, it was last winter when my hair was starting to come back, peach fuz : )
Good Luck Sister...Karie

kya911

winsomebulldog said:

Welcome
Glad to meet you, Judy, though so sorry that you have to be here.

I got my hair cut short right before I started my chemo. Then, right around my second treatment I had hubby buzz the rest off as I couldn't stand the shedding any more. It was still about 1/8 inch long & coming out. I read a tip here about using a sticky tape lint roller to help remove it once it was that short & it did work well for me. I still have fuzz, but it's pretty sparse.

As for the being sick... You might not. I've had virtually NO nausea at all. I mean nothing worse than a vaguely queasy feeling a few times on the afternoon after I get my chemo, usually because I need to eat something. I have some pills for it & they do wonders.

I'm finished with one chemo cocktail (A/C) & about to start my second one (Taxotere). I'll also be having rads. Over all, it hasn't been the horrific process I was afraid it might be. Not so far, at least. :-)

Basically, we are all different so the chemo effects us all in different ways & to different degrees. My advice is to, first, go into it with the best attitude you can muster. My chemo nurse told me that if you expect to be sick (nausea & vomiting) you will. Personally, I use a lot of humor to deal with it all. But that's me. Find what works for you and go for it. Laugh if yup need to. Or look at it as a monster to be slain & yourself as a fierce warrior. Just don't let it win by breaking your spirit! You are a strong woman and you are most definitely NOT ALONE! You can & will win this fight!!!

The other thing I'll tell you is to report ANY & ALL problems to your Dr. quickly. (A lesson I just learned when I let a toothache go for a couple of days before I called. VERY BAD!)

Last but not least, read, read, read these boards! There are TONS of useful tips from what to eat if you get nauseous to places to find wigs, hats, & scarves, some of them for free. This site has taught me SO much! Just read as much as you can. Take notes if you need to. I did. Knowledge is power & in this fight we need all the power we can get!

I'll keep you in my prayers & see you around the boards!

Blessings,

Jenn

Jen
Thank you so much for your awesome reply.
I will do my best to keep a good attitude.

kya911

sal314 said:

Yup...Cut My Hair
after my first round of chemo because they said it would come out right after 2nd round. I think the short cut lasted all of 2 or 3 days...then it was gone. But it did help me feel like I had control of something.

For me, losing my hair was harder than going through chemo. I actually didn't get all that sick. Just felt really crumby for about 3 days after chemo. It did get a little worse the further in treatment I went, which is common. But with all the anti-nausea and steroid drugs they give you, it wasn't that bad for me. I was a little younger that the average BC patient (35 yrs. old...and that was 9 years ago!:), so that may have helped me.

But by far, losing the hair was really hard emotionally. Mostly because up until then, you feel fine, look fine and it's hard to wrap your brain around the fact that you are supposedly so sick with the big "C". But after the hair falls out, you really look sick and feel crappy and it's just all kind of sureal.

That's all to say...you will get through it and can continue to have a life. Hang in there, keep a postitive attitude and remember to laugh!

Blessings,
Sally

Thank you Sally.
I will do
Thank you Sally.
I will do my best.

Boppy_of_6

kya911 said:

Thank you Sally.
I will do
Thank you Sally.
I will do my best.

Welcome
Welcome to the site Judy, sorry you need to be here but it is a great place to be when you need it. There are so many great people here with tons of useful info. My experience is diagnosed with IDC in Jan. 10 had lumpectomy in March 3 nodes taken all clear, started chemo in Apr. finished in July and did 30 rads finished them early Sept. I did get my hair cut short before it started coming out. I was on Taxotere and Cytoxin, hair started falling out 13 days after 1st treatment, got my head shaved then. I think I wanted to be in control of that too. I did well through chemo tired but no nausea. Back and forth between being constipated and diahrea. But it is doable. I am sure others have said this but drink lots of water! Best of luck through all of this! Take care God Bless
(((Hugs))) Janice

kya911

Boppy_of_6 said:

Welcome
Welcome to the site Judy, sorry you need to be here but it is a great place to be when you need it. There are so many great people here with tons of useful info. My experience is diagnosed with IDC in Jan. 10 had lumpectomy in March 3 nodes taken all clear, started chemo in Apr. finished in July and did 30 rads finished them early Sept. I did get my hair cut short before it started coming out. I was on Taxotere and Cytoxin, hair started falling out 13 days after 1st treatment, got my head shaved then. I think I wanted to be in control of that too. I did well through chemo tired but no nausea. Back and forth between being constipated and diahrea. But it is doable. I am sure others have said this but drink lots of water! Best of luck through all of this! Take care God Bless
(((Hugs))) Janice

Janice
Thank you very much for your kind reply.

kya911

weazer said:

Hi there
For me, I had 11 inches cut off at the beginning of chemo, then my scalp started to hurt and I even clogged my tub with my hair falling out so I asked my husband to shave it off.
Then I invested in lots of scarfs and warm hats, it was last winter when my hair was starting to come back, peach fuz : )
Good Luck Sister...Karie

Karie
Thank you so much.
I am starting to look at scarfs & hats.

Rague

I'm older than you are!
When I was DX'd I cut my long hair into a 'gypsy shag', then Son took the clippers to it when it was falling out in big clumps. With the first batch of Chemo (A/C) head hair left and part of eye lashes and brows but not all. Other body hair thinned some but didn't all leave. When I started Taxol - everything that hadn't already left did then. IF I ever have to have chemo again, I will go to a salon (provided it's grown back long enough) and donate it to the agency that makes wigs for kids. What worried me the most wa how was i going to keep my head warm - winter is nasty here and we were heading into winter. Even though hair is back it's still quite short and I'm finding that as it's getting colder now - i find my head is cold outside so have to wear something to keep it warm.

There is no way to know how you will react to your Chemo til you're involved. We're each so unique. For me, A/C wasn't bad - I was tired for 2 days starting 2 days after infusion and then it went away for the rest of the 2 weeks til next infusion. I also had no problems with the Neulasta other than I would go to sleep 2 hrs (almost to the minute) after injection for 2 hrs. Taxol (weekly) on the other hand I was completely and utterly exhausted for 5 days a week and tired the other 2 - could not sleep without sleeping meds. It was BAD but there are others who have done both A/C and Taxol that found they reacted worse to the A/C than the Taxol. We're all so different! I had no nausea with either of them.


Remember - we are all different and all do not have the same type of BC.

Good luck on your journey.

Susan

Double Whammy

Rague said:

I'm older than you are!
When I was DX'd I cut my long hair into a 'gypsy shag', then Son took the clippers to it when it was falling out in big clumps. With the first batch of Chemo (A/C) head hair left and part of eye lashes and brows but not all. Other body hair thinned some but didn't all leave. When I started Taxol - everything that hadn't already left did then. IF I ever have to have chemo again, I will go to a salon (provided it's grown back long enough) and donate it to the agency that makes wigs for kids. What worried me the most wa how was i going to keep my head warm - winter is nasty here and we were heading into winter. Even though hair is back it's still quite short and I'm finding that as it's getting colder now - i find my head is cold outside so have to wear something to keep it warm.

There is no way to know how you will react to your Chemo til you're involved. We're each so unique. For me, A/C wasn't bad - I was tired for 2 days starting 2 days after infusion and then it went away for the rest of the 2 weeks til next infusion. I also had no problems with the Neulasta other than I would go to sleep 2 hrs (almost to the minute) after injection for 2 hrs. Taxol (weekly) on the other hand I was completely and utterly exhausted for 5 days a week and tired the other 2 - could not sleep without sleeping meds. It was BAD but there are others who have done both A/C and Taxol that found they reacted worse to the A/C than the Taxol. We're all so different! I had no nausea with either of them.


Remember - we are all different and all do not have the same type of BC.

Good luck on your journey.

Susan

From another 63-year-old
Welcome. This is a great group, but it's a shame to have to meet everyone because of breast cancer. We all do have other lives afterall.

We're all different. I just finished chemo (Taxotere and Cytoxin) almost 5 weeks ago (it will be 5 weeks Thursday). What the others have said is pretty consistent with my experience. Here's what the oncology nurse told me about my cocktail:

On a scale of 1-10 Taxotere and Cytoxin is a 4. I'd say it is at least a 5, but definitely doable. i also have nothing to compare it to (thank God!)

If you had nausea with your pregnancies, you may experience nausea on the chemo. I had no nausea with pregnancies, but the last cycle I had some breakthrough nausea. I took the meds they gave me and that fixed that.

I did have about every side effect imaginable, but they were tolerable and the biggest problem with them was that I worried too much about them and made myself crazy. That's my personality - I don't know how I could have made it any different for me.

What I want to know now is when will my hair come back? It's been almost 5 weeks since my last infusion and most of my remaining eyelashes and eyebrows just came out last week. It's cold now and I'm sick of being bald. I see no evidence of any sprouts anywhere yet.

Suzanne

KayNYC

Welcome
Hi Judy,
Happy to meet you and sorry that we had to meet in this way. There are so many nice and very helpful pink sisters here to support you through your journey. Sending you positive thoughts, big hugs and a shoulder whenever you need one.
I did not have chemo but I have completed radiation after lumpectomy (3/17/10) and I am on Arimidex for the the next 4 years and 8 mos (who's counting?).
Keep us posted and welcome.
Hugs, K

kya911

Rague said:

I'm older than you are!
When I was DX'd I cut my long hair into a 'gypsy shag', then Son took the clippers to it when it was falling out in big clumps. With the first batch of Chemo (A/C) head hair left and part of eye lashes and brows but not all. Other body hair thinned some but didn't all leave. When I started Taxol - everything that hadn't already left did then. IF I ever have to have chemo again, I will go to a salon (provided it's grown back long enough) and donate it to the agency that makes wigs for kids. What worried me the most wa how was i going to keep my head warm - winter is nasty here and we were heading into winter. Even though hair is back it's still quite short and I'm finding that as it's getting colder now - i find my head is cold outside so have to wear something to keep it warm.

There is no way to know how you will react to your Chemo til you're involved. We're each so unique. For me, A/C wasn't bad - I was tired for 2 days starting 2 days after infusion and then it went away for the rest of the 2 weeks til next infusion. I also had no problems with the Neulasta other than I would go to sleep 2 hrs (almost to the minute) after injection for 2 hrs. Taxol (weekly) on the other hand I was completely and utterly exhausted for 5 days a week and tired the other 2 - could not sleep without sleeping meds. It was BAD but there are others who have done both A/C and Taxol that found they reacted worse to the A/C than the Taxol. We're all so different! I had no nausea with either of them.


Remember - we are all different and all do not have the same type of BC.

Good luck on your journey.

Susan

Rague
Thank you for sharing. We both have some thing in common other than the cancer journey.
My horse is a Paso Fino x Morgan & gaited.

kya911

KayNYC said:

Welcome
Hi Judy,
Happy to meet you and sorry that we had to meet in this way. There are so many nice and very helpful pink sisters here to support you through your journey. Sending you positive thoughts, big hugs and a shoulder whenever you need one.
I did not have chemo but I have completed radiation after lumpectomy (3/17/10) and I am on Arimidex for the the next 4 years and 8 mos (who's counting?).
Keep us posted and welcome.
Hugs, K

Thank You
Nice to meet you also & thank you for your support.