Hair going, going--it better not be gone!

[janet/FL]

As anyone had this hair problem?
I was on Taxotere and Herceptin two years ago. Ended Herceptin a year ago July. Didn't have AC so never lost my hair completely. Slowly my hair feel out. Then it sloooowly grew back in and at first I looked like a standard French poodle! Tight curls that grew out to more tight curls. Then finally, it unloosened up. And softened up. I had lots of hair and didn't have to do anything to it but wash it and scrunch it up. I could wear it with or with out blow drying. In fact, my air was getting so easy to take care of, and alway looked good. I thought that at least I had gotten something good from having cancer. My hair had been thin and limp before falling out, then it grew in so thick and easy to style --boy, was that really welcome.
So, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY HAIR??? WHO STOLE IT!!!
I the past few days it has been coming out faster than it did on chemo. I am back down to less hair than when I started, probably less, and I didn't have a lot then. I am not going to go around bald. I definitely looked terrible bald. (I didn't shave my head, had the male pattern baldness and then real patchy hair that I thought was OK under a hat.)
So, has anyone else had this? I sure hope it stops falling out now.
And to think I thought maybe chemo wasn't so bad now that I had such nice thick hair. :-(

[Grace]

Janet,

Some times your hair can fall out because of stress. My husband had that problem once; it came out in spots. It finally grew back, very fine and white, and then to his natural color, dark brown. You can also get shots in the section it's falling out to help stimulate growth. You might want to see a dermatologist to see just what it is. Hopefully, it's not permenant.

Also, if you have a thyroid problem your hair might thin. That also can be resolved.

[janet/FL]

I sure have been under a lot of stress the past several months. That is one of the reasons I so liked my easy care hair. At least I didn't have to worry about it looking good.
My hair does seem to be falling out evenly all over.
Thanks Grace for your suggestions. I will check with my docs when I get home in a couple of weeks to see if it can be halted or reversed!
And for heaven's sake, if I am going to lose anything from stress, why couldn't it be WEIGHT !!

[Karen W]

Are you on an Aromatase Inhibitor? A lack of estrogen can cause your hair to thin or fall out.

Karen

[janet/FL]

Hi Karen
I had a complete hysterectomy including overies removed 5 years ago. That certainly could account for the thinning of my hair prior to BC. And now, maybe, my hair is just going back to what it was pre chemo. If it stops thinning at point I guess I can't complain. But I sure loved the thick, manageable hair I had for about the past 5 months! And it is interesting that all of those little hair folicules have existed but just not produced all of these years. I sure never had that thick of hair that I can ever remember.

[janet11]

I have always had very fine hair -- not real thick, but it was ok. I went on TCH and my hair thinned so much it wasn't apparently immediately that there WAS some hair there.

Now 8 months after chemo, I never got thick and curly. Instead, my hair is coming back painfully slowly. It's now about 1.5"-2" long, but so very thin that there are large scalp areas showing through. Saw my onc yesterday and she's sending me to a dermatologist to see if anything can be done. She said that by now, I should have more hair than this.

I never liked my hair (too fine and thin), but all I want now is what I had before chemo. Too fine and thin will be just fine again if I can at least have some type of hairstyle and look like a girl again. (Girl! Humph. I'm 58 (*laugh*).

Janet

[janet/FL]

Janet
So sorry to hear about your hair growing out so uneven. Mine took forever to grow, also. Tiny wiry curls. It wasn't until I was off Herceptin for several months that it really started to grow. And months before I could do anything to straighten the curls.
I hope your hair is just being a slow starter. Do let us know what the dermatologist says. Perhaps one of the major cancer centers has some ideas? This hair thing sure is no fun. I had a girl friend who has tons of hair and she keep talking about it and her hair appointments, yada, yada, --she goes every two weeks for a trim-- while mine was gone. Finally, I told her I really didn't want to talk hair.