I’m new. Had mastectomy, lymph nodes removed and 2 lots of chemotherapy using the cold cap. My hair is coming out and I’ve been so strong with everything but this
Hi Nitchienicand a warm welcome to the Online Community but so sorry to hear about your diagnoses and the challenges you are dealing with.
Over my 23+ years on my cancer journey I lost my hair a number of times but I always visualised that if it was having this temporary effect on my hair, what was it doing to my cancer.
The cancer journey can be such a stressful and challenging time but you have done the right thing in reaching out to a place where you can ask questions and getting support from others who are on the ‘exact’ same cancer journey.
The Community is actually divided into support groups (discussion rooms) so can I recommend you join and post in our supportive Breast cancer support group. This group is a safe place to talk to others with a similar diagnosis, treatment experience, to ask questions and get support.
If you'd like to connect in with a group click on the (Bold) Group Text Link I have created above. Once the group page opens click on the black banner that says [click to join] at the bottom, or the [Join] button under "Group tools."
You can then introduce yourself by putting up a ‘new post’ by clicking in the box near the top right with + New or + (Depending on the device you are using) and you are ready to go. You could copy and paste the text from this post into your new post.
The Macmillan Support Line is open from 8am-8pm (timings may differ across services) 7 days a week on 0808 808 00 00 where you can talk with someone about specific cancer and practical information, get emotional support, benefits/financial guidance or just connect with a listening ear.
Do get back to me if you need further help.
Hi- welcome to the community. I also had chemo and used the cold cap. I think I lost around 50% of my hair- no bald patches but thinned all over. It's hard to estimate really. I lost some each cycle but most 14 days after the first chemo. I also lost some at the end of chemo. My eye brows and eye lashes went about 2 weeks after my last chemo but were back within a couple of weeks. It is hard to lose hair and for me one of the worst bits. However- due to the cold cap- I believe- it actually started growing back between chemos. It was thinnest in the month after my final chemo but quickly started to come back. I do believe that the cold cap helped protect the hair follicles. I am now 6 months post chemo and my hair is coming back thicker than before. I put a colour on it last week for the first time and feel a bit more human for doing so. I still have some fine straggly bits at the back and plan to have a trim in the next month to even things up. I did have a wig on standby- I wore it a couple of times. I had scarves too but never wore them. I managed by combing in different ways, using dry shampoo and you can also get hair fibres to hide any thin patches. I would say it was probably about 4-6 weeks when it was bad and it did get to me but looking back it was a short time. I don't know if you do Facebook but there is a facebook group- Paxman on there- I found the ladies on there very supportive. I hope this helps..........
