2nd Time Hair Loss

[shondagaylord]

Hi again... I would like to know your feelings of loosing your hair for the 2nd time. I feel sad, but again it is just hair. You know it is like cooking. It takes along time to prepare and then in a few it is gone...

Ya know I feel real insecure this time around with my husband. Anyone else experience these feelings?

I am starting Taxol in 2 weeks. This will be my 2nd time on it. I was on it weekly for a year as my original chemo with herceptain. The hercepatin has never stopped. I didn't originally fail on herceptain but I had a good year behind me so we took a chemo holiday for a year.

Is there anyone out there that has not lost their hair w/ Taxol?

Thank You Guys!!!

[jml]

Hi Shonda~
I'm so sorry you have to go through this again. I have a similar experience - Taxol for 1st year, then NED for a year, then back on Taxol for a recurrence to liver.
I was just as sad/scared/mad about losing my hair the 2nd time as the 1st.
I remember thinking that since I already knew what I looked like bald, the familiarity was sort of comforting, not so shocking as the 1st time. Plus I already knew which wig styles suited me best, how to draw my eyebrows in without looking like Joan Crawford & how to glue eyelashes directly onto a naked eyelid.
You're right, it is "just hair" - but it's still very, very hard. Dealing with this diagnosis & this disease is so challenging in so many ways & being bald is like adding insult to injury.
I've been challenged with many recurrences over these past 7 years since my initial diagnosis & have just started Tykerb/Xeloda in hopes to beat back the monster, yet again, AND preserve my hair. Taxol/herceptin had been effective for me in the past, but I didn't want to go back on Taxol. Since I've progressed on Navelbine/Herceptin and on Gemzar/Herceptin, I'm running out of 'hair-preserving'options.
I'm hoping & praying that this combo will knock the monster out cold for a long, long time.
Hang in there.
Keep the Faith~

Jessica

ps-I do have a friend that didn't lose her hair while on Taxol BUT she was pregnant while on chemo-which is dreadful & terrifying in its own right!

[Lien]

Dear Shonda,

I am so sorry you have to go through this yet again. Ofcourse you are sad and upset. You did it before and it was no fun, but at least it was a new experience. Then you got your hair back and started to feal better. Now you have to go through everything again. You know what's ahead and you are perhaps afraid that your husband may feel the same way as you do. Am I right? But he is his own person, and he may look at it differently. My husband couldn't even look at my scar at first. He slept on the couch for weeks. But he got over it with time and he is so glad that I'm still here.

I am on hormonal tx. and my libido has totally vanished. This is very hard on my husband, but every time I suggest stopping therapy because it's affecting our marriage, he tells me to stay on it. Then he can accept what is for a while, until his hormones act up again. I make an effort, but it's not like it used to be.

What I'm trying to say, is that it can be very important to discuss your feelings with your husband. I'm pretty sure that losing your hair is tough on him too, but that he is glad you are still here. Talking about those feelings can really help the relationship become closer. If you find it hard to talk about these things, you may want to consider counselling.

You are young, you have 5 young children, nobody expects you to carry this burden all alone.

Hugs

Jacqueline

[dchips1]

I got a cool beaded head cover (shorter version of like what a belly dancer would wear) form www.chemochicks.com or you could have someone crochet and then just add beads as bangs etc. I was 38 and worked as a school nurse and the kids loved my "HAIR" I live in AZ and it was way to hot to wear wigs.
and I not really a hat person either.


Good Luck to You

Darita