Hair loss and Fec D

Suzi_S61

Hi, I am going to get my hair cut short on Saturday after my Breast care Nurse and my GP suggested it. My partner seems to think I am being too presumptuous. I personally think it's less of a shock when my hair starts falling out and less messy.
He said maybe your hair won't fall out. I think it's probably wishful thinking on his part. I also think he is of the mindset why spend money on a haircut if it's all going to fall out in a couple of weeks. I thought stop being a tightarse lol. I also said let me do what I want with my hair, I'm the one having to deal with it. Bit snappy I know. He took it well. He did say you don't have to be so grumpy. I said you are a man so you wouldn't understand how losing your hair affects a woman. 
I am pretty okay atm about it.
I'm off to the Hospital tomorrow to get my port put in. That freaked me out more than anything so far. 
Everything will be set for next Wednesday and my first cycle of chemo. 

Afraser

I had so little reaction to my first dose of chemo that my partner was sure my hair would somehow survive. It didn't. But he actually liked my number 3 clippers do, at least for the time it lasted! Much less messy short. Best wishes

Suzi_S61

@Afraser thanks. I have had an intense day today. I called Jetstar for the 5th time to try and get a letter to claim a refund through our travel insurance only to be given the run around again. I lost the plot. I called the complaints line and boy did I feel sorry for the guy on the other end dealing with a 56 year old blubbering manic angry female with a BC diagnosis. He did try to jump through hoops for me. But I have to wait up to 15 days again for a resolution. Then to have my dearly beloved questioning my reasoning it was a bit too much. I did feel a whole lot better letting out that emotion. Anyway looking forward to Saturday as I love a chat with my hairdresser /therapist haha. Hoping I don't have too many side effects first go with chemo. 

kmakm

Gawd, the hair thing! It's such a minefield eh?!

Statistically speaking, a tiny minority keep their hair. I concur with your GP and breast care nurse. It is much easier when your hair starts to fall out if it's short. I went to the local hipster barber to get it all buzzed off when it became clear the cold cap wasn't working well enough to persist. There was no pity face, they gave me a huge gin & tonic, and comped me the whole thing. So kind & generous.

There's been so much about BC that's been upsetting but I wasn't bothered by my hair going. It was an interesting life experience to have no hair, and I love my ultra short pixie cut so much that I'm keeping it.

You'll have about two weeks after your first chemo before the hair starts to come out, so no hurry yet.

Get your legs, underarms & bikini line waxed about 10 days after your first chemo. You won't shave for months and months! K xox

Sister

Yeah - tell hubby he'll love the Brazilian (though you may not be feeling like doing that dance much during chemo).  I tried the cold caps and although it was a huge pain in the proverbial, it was great while it lasted.  Unfortunately, after the second treatment, I had a landing strip across my head from ear to ear that I couldn't hide and that was really upsetting.  It was such a relief to get it clipped off but I had to convince my husband to do it because he really has a thing about long hair (mine wasn't even that long).  It never completely fell out but probably would have been better to - if I hadn't been worried about cutting myself, I would have shaved it.  It started growing back properly a few weeks after chemo.  I gave myself a No. 1 about 3 or 4 weeks after to get rid of the white chemo fluff.  I finished chemo at the end of July (I think) and I now have full coverage and starting to get a bit of length in places.  I'm a few months off a haircut, though!

Suzi_S61

@Sister hi unfortunately they don't have a cold cap at the Hospital I am attending. Regional Hospitals!!! we are probably lucky to have a hospital at all I suppose. It's still an hour drive for us. Glad your hair is growing back btw power to you xx. 
I don't care too much about my hair as I have been trying to get rid of the red out of my hair for a while. This is a bit of a drastic way to go about it lol. My partner loves long hair too although mine is a voncave bob. He is still trying to get me to hang on to it as long as possible. Maybe it's too real for him if he sees me with no hair. Well hang on bud cos the odds are its falling out sorry. He is very supportive mind you!!.Good luck with your recovery!!!. 

Karenhappyquilter

Like everyone I was sad about loosing my hair but my children complimented me on my buzz cut which made me feel a bit better. Later on I found being bald very easy, it was good to not have to worry about hair.  I wore little stretchy hats or went bald.  In the end my husband got down about me having no hair but suprisingly I was ok about it.  When you are going through chemo it’s hard and tiring, not having to do hair was a bonus.  Good luck. 

Suzi_S61

@Karenhappyquilter thank you. Chop chop. 😄 I said to my partner today it really doesn't matter if I have no hair. You can be with a different woman every week. A blonde a brunette and a redhead when I wear different wigs haha. Strangely he sounded very interested in that lol. Well he may even get the long hair he has always wanted me to have for a treat lol. I also bought a couple of head scarfs. I would rather live another 5 10 20 plus years than worry about a bit of hair and he agreed. He even offered to shave his off too but I said no you keep it, might as well treasure what you have. 

Samm

@Suzi_S61 your post is exactly when I am going through at the moment. I have my 2nd chemo treatment this Friday but my hair started falling out on Sunday - 2 weeks after my first treatment.
Lucky for me, my neighbour is my hairdresser and she & my Mum came to the rescue by giving me a funky short hairdo. I am going to wait 2 weeks again before the buzz cut as I have a lot of hair on my head & want to see if the cold cap does make a difference. But whilst I know it’s only hair, it is an emotional journey and since I am thinking about going back to work soon, i’llwant To know what hairdo to rock!
thanks for your humour, stay strong & live vicariously!