Tamoxifen and hair
I had finally needed to shave daily post chemo and it suddenly ended. Asked my Onc yesterday-he said thinning hair was one side effect.
Any of you sisters notice shaving less frequently ???? I guess that would be shaving your legs not your face.
Bill S.
Comments
-
hairJeanne D said:So you lose your hair on
So you lose your hair on tamoxifen too? The hair on your head? I haven't read about that side effect yet. If I don't have to shave my legs..that would be ok, but, I don't want to lose or have my hair thinning on my head from tamoxifen.
I am starting to resemble cousin Itt whilst on Tamoxifen. Hy hair is extremely thick and very fast growing and I have to cut my nails weekly. Not everyone gets the horrible side effects of any treatments. Hope this helps J xxxxxx0 -
Jtasha_111 said:hair
I am starting to resemble cousin Itt whilst on Tamoxifen. Hy hair is extremely thick and very fast growing and I have to cut my nails weekly. Not everyone gets the horrible side effects of any treatments. Hope this helps J xxxxxx
You can always put a smile on my face! I hope you realize you bring a lot of sunshine to the people here. So take a bow and say thank you. LOL
p.s. is that you in your picture? you look very young and actually devilish..lol ( that was a compliment, so, don't insult me back please..lol )0 -
Not surprising
I lost hair on all body parts where it normally grows, then it started growing back in between chemo threatments (I was off about 2 months to have mastectomy), then it all left again with the second round of drugs. I expect your experience is normal and temporary.
Take care, seof0 -
thinning hair
Bill, I am the non official 'expert' on thinning hair! My hair (formerly thick and fast-growing) has thinned drastically on Femara. Because of this, I have done extensive research on the internet about the side effects of Tamoxifen and the aromatase inhibitors, and they ALL have the potential to thin one's hair.
At least I'm not alone.
Ohilly0 -
Oh, the hair...
Hello, Bill S.!
Even without the breast cancer, without the chemo treatments, without the meds like Tamoxifen...
Plain ol' menopause can cause thinning and/or slow-growing hair. As my own Mom began to complain about many years ago.
Ooops, menopause... Doesn't apply to you, sorry! :-)
OK, try it this way... The natural aging process can cause thinning and/or slow-growing hair.
I guess what I'm trying to say, in sum, it's bound to happen anyway... at some point in time...
Honestly, please know that I am not making light of your question nor your concern. My weak attempt at humor. Sorry, I'm not good at being funny. Shouldn't even try.
Kind regards, Susan0 -
Hair on FACE not headChristmas Girl said:Oh, the hair...
Hello, Bill S.!
Even without the breast cancer, without the chemo treatments, without the meds like Tamoxifen...
Plain ol' menopause can cause thinning and/or slow-growing hair. As my own Mom began to complain about many years ago.
Ooops, menopause... Doesn't apply to you, sorry! :-)
OK, try it this way... The natural aging process can cause thinning and/or slow-growing hair.
I guess what I'm trying to say, in sum, it's bound to happen anyway... at some point in time...
Honestly, please know that I am not making light of your question nor your concern. My weak attempt at humor. Sorry, I'm not good at being funny. Shouldn't even try.
Kind regards, Susan
I was already loosing hair on my head due to old age (57) male pattern balding. After I lost ALL hair EVERYWHERE from chemo it was back to growing fairly normal and suddenly I notice that the only hair I shave regulary isn't growing back very fast. I shaved 5 days ago and I would kiss me and not complain about stubble. I'm going to have to post a newer picture tomorrow.
In the mean time I think that menopause is a good possibility- have to blame it on something other than Tamoxifin.
Bill S.0 -
Tam and hair
Hi Bill,
I'm new here but I'm on tamoxifen also. My onc. told me that it can cause thinning of the hair and can sometimes slow down growth. I'm sorry you're having that problem. I no longer have to shave my legs and armpits as often and it grows in a funky pattern on my legs, which started happening after my chemo. Which is fine with me. Since mine has been happening since chemo was completed, I always blamed it on the chemo.
Gentle Hugs,
Donna0 -
Ha ha!Bill.S said:Hair on FACE not head
I was already loosing hair on my head due to old age (57) male pattern balding. After I lost ALL hair EVERYWHERE from chemo it was back to growing fairly normal and suddenly I notice that the only hair I shave regulary isn't growing back very fast. I shaved 5 days ago and I would kiss me and not complain about stubble. I'm going to have to post a newer picture tomorrow.
In the mean time I think that menopause is a good possibility- have to blame it on something other than Tamoxifin.
Bill S.
Well, Bill S. ... Thanks for letting me know my lame attempt at humor wasn't completely lost on you (I think?)!!!
Actually, your slower-growing facial hair IS most probably because of that darned Tamoxifen. :-) I took it, too, for 2 years. Could've been a placebo, for all I knew. Then, got switched to Arimidex, 3+ years now and counting. Completely different story!
By the way, I'm pretty new around here - not even a week yet. Seriously, I send to you my sincere kudos for being one of the few guys amongst all the women. (Though sorry for the reason.)
Kind regards, Susan
P.S.: Having to shave less often, not such a bad deal?0 -
I am on tamoxifen over 2
I am on tamoxifen over 2 years now. I always had extremely thick hair all my life and now that you mention it, I have been thinking lately that it isn't quite as thick. For many years the stylist thinned it out with special scissors.....I am 45 so I figured it was that I am getting older, but now I am thinking that maybe it is the tamoxifen. The hair on my legs always grew super fast(I'd have a 5 oclock shadow on both legs each day) but since regrowing after chemo it takes a couple days for stubble to appear----and I started taking tamoxifen right after chemo ended. Huh....interesting.0 -
PictureJeanne D said:J
You can always put a smile on my face! I hope you realize you bring a lot of sunshine to the people here. So take a bow and say thank you. LOL
p.s. is that you in your picture? you look very young and actually devilish..lol ( that was a compliment, so, don't insult me back please..lol )
I updated my picture to a BC pic when I had more hair. Still waiting for it to grow in.
And YES Jeanne, I am devilish so thanks for the compliment.
Bill S.0 -
shaving less oftenChristmas Girl said:Ha ha!
Well, Bill S. ... Thanks for letting me know my lame attempt at humor wasn't completely lost on you (I think?)!!!
Actually, your slower-growing facial hair IS most probably because of that darned Tamoxifen. :-) I took it, too, for 2 years. Could've been a placebo, for all I knew. Then, got switched to Arimidex, 3+ years now and counting. Completely different story!
By the way, I'm pretty new around here - not even a week yet. Seriously, I send to you my sincere kudos for being one of the few guys amongst all the women. (Though sorry for the reason.)
Kind regards, Susan
P.S.: Having to shave less often, not such a bad deal?
Slower facial hair growth also means slower growth on my head. I'm considering shaving my head and keeping the beard if it doesn't start growing.
Think Telly Savalis with a beard.
Hair growth was a sign that the chemo's side effects were wearing off, now it is tamoxifen I have to be concerned about. Will it cause the dreaded change of life? hot flashes? night sweats?. loss of libedo? and on and on......................................
Bill S.
PS: my razor blades will last forever0 -
FunnyBill.S said:shaving less often
Slower facial hair growth also means slower growth on my head. I'm considering shaving my head and keeping the beard if it doesn't start growing.
Think Telly Savalis with a beard.
Hair growth was a sign that the chemo's side effects were wearing off, now it is tamoxifen I have to be concerned about. Will it cause the dreaded change of life? hot flashes? night sweats?. loss of libedo? and on and on......................................
Bill S.
PS: my razor blades will last forever
Bill, you are a funny guy. I am new here and I am enjoying your wit!
Janet0 -
Thinning hair or constipation?Eil4186 said:I am on tamoxifen over 2
I am on tamoxifen over 2 years now. I always had extremely thick hair all my life and now that you mention it, I have been thinking lately that it isn't quite as thick. For many years the stylist thinned it out with special scissors.....I am 45 so I figured it was that I am getting older, but now I am thinking that maybe it is the tamoxifen. The hair on my legs always grew super fast(I'd have a 5 oclock shadow on both legs each day) but since regrowing after chemo it takes a couple days for stubble to appear----and I started taking tamoxifen right after chemo ended. Huh....interesting.
I havn't had a problem with thinning hair,but I have with constipation. I'm almost a year and a half into tamoxifen,but my onc is going to put me on something else when he's sure that I'm menopausel.
I wouldn't be real quick to want to go back to chemo,but I was a rare one who didn't like my pre-chemo hair anyways and so after some tears,wasn't too bothered by losing it. I just hated having to hide it for a while and the pity stares sometimes. I would have gone bald if the weather had been nicer-it was winter. I personally enjoyed not having to work with my hair everyday and having to shave!
But constipation is a whole nother thing. I'm pretty sure that that's another se of tamoxifen. When my thoughts go off sometimes,I get worried that maybe something else is causing it.You know how sometimes we can get a symptom and then automatically wonder if it's back or something else is wrong with us?!
My hair grew back thicker and curly. The only thing I didn't care for was all of the grey and sometimes it's so curly that it's really tangly when it's wet!0 -
For what it's worth - constipationoutdoorgirl said:Thinning hair or constipation?
I havn't had a problem with thinning hair,but I have with constipation. I'm almost a year and a half into tamoxifen,but my onc is going to put me on something else when he's sure that I'm menopausel.
I wouldn't be real quick to want to go back to chemo,but I was a rare one who didn't like my pre-chemo hair anyways and so after some tears,wasn't too bothered by losing it. I just hated having to hide it for a while and the pity stares sometimes. I would have gone bald if the weather had been nicer-it was winter. I personally enjoyed not having to work with my hair everyday and having to shave!
But constipation is a whole nother thing. I'm pretty sure that that's another se of tamoxifen. When my thoughts go off sometimes,I get worried that maybe something else is causing it.You know how sometimes we can get a symptom and then automatically wonder if it's back or something else is wrong with us?!
My hair grew back thicker and curly. The only thing I didn't care for was all of the grey and sometimes it's so curly that it's really tangly when it's wet!
My surgeon (a general surgeon) is very much a supporter of a high fiber diet. He recomends sugar free Metamucil daily for the rest of your life along with high fiber cereals.
Do a Google search on "hydrophilic mucilloid" and you will learn a lot about how the metamucil works. [store brands are less expensive].
Basically I don't get too excited about the cereals and just use one rounded tablespoon in 12 oz water once a day.
Also helps with diareha. Sort of eavens things out.
Bill S.0 -
Thanks BillBill.S said:For what it's worth - constipation
My surgeon (a general surgeon) is very much a supporter of a high fiber diet. He recomends sugar free Metamucil daily for the rest of your life along with high fiber cereals.
Do a Google search on "hydrophilic mucilloid" and you will learn a lot about how the metamucil works. [store brands are less expensive].
Basically I don't get too excited about the cereals and just use one rounded tablespoon in 12 oz water once a day.
Also helps with diareha. Sort of eavens things out.
Bill S.
I bought Benefiber. Just need to use it more often then I do It's kind of like taking vitamins for me!I'm not a big fiber cereal eater either,an occasional bowl of miniwheats sometimes.0
Discussion Boards
- All Discussion Boards
- 6 CSN Information
- 6 Welcome to CSN
- 121.8K Cancer specific
- 2.8K Anal Cancer
- 446 Bladder Cancer
- 309 Bone Cancers
- 1.6K Brain Cancer
- 28.5K Breast Cancer
- 397 Childhood Cancers
- 27.9K Colorectal Cancer
- 4.6K Esophageal Cancer
- 1.2K Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine)
- 13K Head and Neck Cancer
- 6.4K Kidney Cancer
- 671 Leukemia
- 792 Liver Cancer
- 4.1K Lung Cancer
- 5.1K Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin)
- 237 Multiple Myeloma
- 7.1K Ovarian Cancer
- 61 Pancreatic Cancer
- 487 Peritoneal Cancer
- 5.5K Prostate Cancer
- 1.2K Rare and Other Cancers
- 539 Sarcoma
- 730 Skin Cancer
- 653 Stomach Cancer
- 191 Testicular Cancer
- 1.5K Thyroid Cancer
- 5.8K Uterine/Endometrial Cancer
- 6.3K Lifestyle Discussion Boards