Hair loss

Hair loss
How's your weight? Weight loss and lack of nutrition can make your hair fall out. That's happened to me twice with dramatic weight loss and eating issues.

Have you had your thyroid checked yet? Thyroid being screwed up can do it too.

tnsilcncer said:

Weight
Well, my weight is stable, I'm not gaining like they want me to, but I'm not losing either. I still have some pretty severe radiation burns going in my throat, so I'm eating, but subbing with PEG if needed. I haven't had my thyroid checked, I've thought about it, but I'll be honest with you, my cancer was inches away from my thyroid. What if?????? UGH! Figured I'd post it on here first to see if anyone else had this kinda thing before I worry any.

You are always so awesome and quick to respond! Thank you so much!

Hugs and hope you have a fantastical day!

Karen

Hair Today
Well, of course, everything in a band from below my ears to the tops of my shoulders was burned off during the nine weeks of "tanning". It was all as smooth as a baby's bottom for weeks. But I am beginning to get a beard again (not your problem, I understand) and there are even a few stray hairs on the throat. The hair at the nape of my neck is coming back. My wife loves it because she says it is like baby's hair. For a couple of months we left the back long to cover the bald band but now that there is some hair we have gotten a normal men's haircut.

The good thing about cisplatin is that it doesn't cause general complete hair loss but we are convinced that it caused thinning all over my head. Yes, some of this could also be due to losing 35-40 pounds and just not getting the nutrition for a few weeks. Who can really and truly tell what causes what when you are getting everything thrown at you?

I have resolved not to think about the thyroid problem and figure that this is something for after I have hit the five-year cancer survivor mark. I am back to playing hockey so it can't be that bad (though I did lose last night...) Doug

tnsilcncer said:

Weight
Well, my weight is stable, I'm not gaining like they want me to, but I'm not losing either. I still have some pretty severe radiation burns going in my throat, so I'm eating, but subbing with PEG if needed. I haven't had my thyroid checked, I've thought about it, but I'll be honest with you, my cancer was inches away from my thyroid. What if?????? UGH! Figured I'd post it on here first to see if anyone else had this kinda thing before I worry any.

You are always so awesome and quick to respond! Thank you so much!

Hugs and hope you have a fantastical day!

Karen

Weight
Stable but too low? Still can do it.

Before cancer I had a sticture. Down lower than now. Between that and stress, I went from 142 to 120 in a 5 month span. My haIr was falling out in clumps. I wasn't getting proper nutrition in.

tnsilcncer said:

Weight
Sweetblood22...I lost 25 pounds through this, I'm sitting at 135 but I'm 5'8 and built like an Amazon so it doesn't look so healthy on me. I still can't eat sweet stuff unless it's natural sweet, like fruit, so I'm eating pretty haelthy but probably not still getting the nutrition that I need. I'm just going to wait a little longer and see if it tapers off, maybe go get a few inches cut off so it's not as heavy on the roots. All I can do is wait and pray. Will keep everyone updated. I'm not so worried about it as I am curious!

Hugs
Karen

Fight like a girl
That picture is AWESOME!

tnsilcncer said:

Picture
Try these websites:

http://www.choosehope.com/category/head-and-neck-cancer-burgundy-ivory

http://skreened.com/fightlikeagirlshirts/?direction=asc&field=order&query=&style=&start=20&count=20#paging

http://www.cafepress.com/hopeanddreams/7178507

http://www.cafepress.com/hopeanddreams/7178507

They have some pretty amazing stuff! It's funny: once you have cancer, you become proud to be a survivor! Kinda like being an American. I'm gonna get the t-shirt!!!

Thanks
I got a few things from those two sites. I have a Chinese Hairless Crested and he needs clothing since he has no hair, it protects him from the cold and from the sun, he gets sunburned if not protected. I ordered matching baseball sleeve style shirts for us that say, "head and neck cancer Sucks!". ;-)

D Lewis said:

This is the general pattern of hair loss I had
Hi, Karen,

My hair thinned about 50% during chemo and rads, and I lost all hair in the radiation zone, from the nape of my neck up to the tops of my ears in back. The hair that stayed put was dry, brittle, stiff, and looked horrible. I looked back at photos taken post treatment, and I realized that I had that awful hair for roughly three months after treatment ended. A little bit of new stuff started growing in right away, but for the most part, I had nasty chemo hair for the whole three months. Then, it all shed out, and new hair came in. So, this might just be the normal cycle of hair regrowth for you, too. It doesn't happen right away, and it doesn't happen all at the same time.

Deb

Hi Karen
I lost some hair at first mostly my beard and then little by little some of the hair on my head started to fall out. But the good thing is I did not lose all of it but it sure left me thin on the top and in some places the hair will not grow back at all.

All the best
Hondo

tnsilcncer said:

Deb and Hondo
Yep, that's exactly it. It's dry, brittle and with my shaved flock of sea gulls type do where my radiation line was, I'm thinking I'm gonna throw in the towel and just go with the 80's look again. Sigh.....it's falling out almost as bad as it was during radiation but I can't seem to find any actual bald spots. I guess I'll just have to take it a day at a time and see what happens. I don't feel bad, I'm starting to be able to eat more and more and my energy level is slowly returning to normal, so the hair part is just a minor bump.

Hugs to you!
Karen

Flock of sea gulls
Oh, my. That is exactly what my daughter told me my 'do' was... snerk. Go with it. It's all part of the healing process. I'm looking a lot better now.

Deb