TAC
Hello...Im starting Chem on the 24th Jan 2011..
Everything so far has been going well..But ive been doing more reading about the TAC Chemo and i would like to hear from anyone wo has had this one..My Oncologist said that hair loss is definte, including eyebrows,lashes etc....Which im all fine and ready for...But he said that this normally starts to happen after the 2nd dose. So far what i have read, this starts to happen after the 1st dose.
Im having 6 doses over 18wks...I guess that was something that i was not ready to hear. I was all set for the 2nd dose...
Anyone to share thier experince please??
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Hi Smiley
My oncologist told me that my hair would fall out from day 16 after my first chemo and he was right but I still had lots of hair when I had my second chemo although thinner. I didn't lose my eyebrows completely just thinned out and my eyelashes stayed intact. Other body hair all fell out but never lost all my pubic hair or on my lower legs but it stopped growing. I had 6 doses over 18 weeks like you're having. Finished on Dec 9th and my hair is growing not as fast as I would like but it's sprouting. Having radiation now which is a lot easier on the body.
Good luck with the chemo just do what your body tells you.
Sarah x
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Hi Smiley
My oncologist told me that my hair would fall out from day 16 after my first chemo and he was right but I still had lots of hair when I had my second chemo although thinner. I didn't lose my eyebrows completely just thinned out and my eyelashes stayed intact. Other body hair all fell out but never lost all my pubic hair or on my lower legs but it stopped growing. I had 6 doses over 18 weeks like you're having. Finished on Dec 9th and my hair is growing not as fast as I would like but it's sprouting. Having radiation now which is a lot easier on the body.
Good luck with the chemo just do what your body tells you.
Sarah x
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hi there,
at least you have a date to start your treatment, and just remember dont listen to horror stories we are all different, and although some of us are sick with chemo, i have known women to continue working while going through it, the hair thing is not good for any of us, mins started 2 weeks after the first dose i thought thats okay, i can handle that, but i had a few tears when i shaved it, i sent down gradually, a 4 then a 3 then a 1, and let the rest fall out, i chose to wear hats and scarfs instead of wigs, and left long bits hanging down the back (the scarfs not the hair)lol, so i felt i had something there., make sure you complete you "My Journey" Journal and take it to every appointment, this wil jog your memory for questions, or any side effects you may have and forget before you go for the next session, please keep in touch with us and let us know how you are doing, we will be thinking of you, Regards Moira
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THANKYOU so much for ur well wishes, thoughts, experiences. im ready for the Chemo (well as much as i can be)
I just wanted to get more personal experiences, and im reading as much as i can (knowledge is power)
Thanku again
Smiley_30
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Hey Smiley
I had 6 x TAC over 18 weeks in 2008. My hair started to fall out on day 18. Prior to it falling out my head became really "tight" like I had pigtails that were too tight when I didnt even have my hair up, so prior to it falling out, I got my husband to shave it off short and it was such a relief and instantly felt better.
I lost all of my hair but kept my brows and lashes all the way through and only lost them about 7 weeks after my last chemo finished (go figure), but didnt lose them all but they were pretty thin but saying that they were the first to come back and came back as the same as before, maybe slightly shorter lashes??
Feel free to ask anything as I am having the same as you.
Tanya xx
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Hi Smiley
I too had TAC (1more to go) 6 treatments over 18weeks. My hair started falling out on the 3rd week in clumps so I shaved it cause it was making such a mess. My family were covered in it:) I only wear scarves and hats because of the sun but go bald most of the time cause it's cooler. People do stare a bit but I live in a rural comunity so most people know what's happening, and supprisingly enough those who don't know will sometimes ask. Then the stories come out where someone they know had breast cancer. You really are never alone. The only thing I will say is the dexamethasone affected me with depression first off so I told the specialist and they wound back the dosage and it worked all good. Keep a diary throughout your treatment so you can tell them whats going on cause you sometime forget by the time your next treatment rolls around. You think it goes on forever but then it's up to the last one and BANG it's done. Take care and rest if your tired and enjoy life when your not!
Holly
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Hi Smiley
I finished my chemo in July 2009. I had 2 different sorts. The first cycle (cant remember what it was called - but it was red), this was 4 x 3 weekly treatments. The second chemo, Paclitaxel) was 12 x 1 weekly.
I lost EVERY hair on my body. I wasnt too concerned about my head, as I quite liked being bald, fortunately I have a 'good shaped' head (so everyone told me), but I really missed by eyebrows and eyelashes. Hats and scarves were just not me, so I did the 'bald thing' for at least 6 months, before it started growing back. It is amazing how quickly you can get ready in the morning, when you have no hair. Jump in the shower, towel off your head, and then off you go, and the saving on hair products was great too.
Good luck with your treatments, and remember BALD IS BEAUTIFUL!
Di
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thankyou so much Di...
U made me smile. I really like that u went without having to cover up!
Thats how i feel...Im more than happy to go thru my whole treatment as open as possible with out having to cover up. I do hope that i have the same confidence that u have.
Regards
Smiley
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Thanks Smiley!
I'm sure you will do well! Just remember, you may 'fall down', but you will find the strength to pick yourself up and move on to the next phase of your journey.
Take care and good luck.
Di
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