Does life go back to normal?
Hi! thanks to BCN for putting me onto this discussion page. I was diagnosed with ER, PR & HER2+ breast cancer June 2024 at the age of 53yrs. Had surgery to remove two (R) breast aggressive tumours, three months of chemo and 4 weeks of radiation. I’m now on Anastrozole. I feel I got off lightly and just thought I’d get back to my normal life. That wasn’t so easy. I’m gradually returning to full-time work, exercise and trying to return to my once active single social life. I’m having acupuncture to help with immunity and general wellbeing. I had beautiful long blonde hair. Spent lots of money on my hair and nails. My question is… what do all you amazing women do to get back into fitness, to avoid the tiredness, and to help with your hair and nails? Are there any good vitamin supplements? Am I able to use collagen? Thank you for your advice xx
Post TNBC: cope and hope
Hello all, It has been a good solid 12 months since I posted on this forum. Have jumped on a few occasions but didnʻt quite feel that I was ready to contribute anything meaningful. An enormous warm hug to all the women with a TNBC diagnosis; I also am part of this camp. Diagnosed Aug 2020, had AC/Paclitaxel until Jan 2021 and the rest of that year was a medical health nightmare with a bilateral mastectomy (last minute alarm bell decision), radiotherapy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and I tested positive to a rarer gene mutation. I have had rehab to give my body and mind the support it needed, rounds of extra physio and I raised my hand for any other wellness activity, on offer. I acknowledged that my walking ability had changed and let that change guide me, I also took up qigong daily in whatever recrafted way, I could. I was just going with the flow of my body and its energy in that moment. I ate healthy with or without appetite (that was a challenge), made fresh veg/fruit juices, drank litres of bottled water as my taste buds couldnʻt tolerate tap water amongst other things, rested and tried versions of sleep, journaled to keep my emotions in balance and my sanity, spoke to plants (that in itself sounds like I a batty escapee lol), reflected in the ʻreview mirrorʻ, couldnʻt stand the ʻpresent mirrorʻ and tried to find a good story, one of hope, change, acceptance, newness and inner strength in the ʻside mirrorsʻ that kept me going in smallish forward movements. I worked through it all on the days that my body/mind gave me the green light indicator. Between the red and amber, yes, I shed a waterfall of tears for the loss...of self as I knew me, of hair, skin - texture colour, free mobility, independence, friendships (I discarding many of these), family pain, body image, confidence and the list goes on in length. There were other lesser losses and symptoms that the body, mind, soul and spirit struggled with - inch by inch, moment by moment, thought by thought...hope was showing up. What we encounter once we have been handed membership of BC (and I was waving my fingers, stomping loudly and making noise - heck no! I donʻt want your bloody membership - well that fell on deaf ears) is traumatic. There is grief and loss, and it is scary ...we have no protective gear and significant pieces of our being were hurt (external and internal) and weeping - for self and others we love. The weeping tears help our wounds to heal, scars to form and fresh growth to reveal itself - what emerges in this chaos is a field of smiles - for life in every breath, every moment. I feel that the most precious take away learning is how much more awareness we have of self, others, our surroundings, life. Cope by giving self permission to be selfish, to gift self with gentleness and kindness, gratitude to your body, mind and spirit. Respect it with wellness (I walk a fair bit, and without fail do my daily integration of qigong and tai chi - truly marvelous. Iʻd love to do more swimming) sprinkle it with the ʻhope effectʻ - feed it dreams, ideas, smiles, creativity, celebration or whatever words resonate with you. My place of hope has been to gain enough courage and strength to gradually start to return to overseas travel in this new body, new me - and I am smiling as I write - I am going to Japan for a short trip to test me out :-) Fear of some degree, will walk alongside us, like a shadow - this was our membership subscription. There are many hurdles that present in day to day life - some feel like old friends now, others strikingly new. Grief and loss will hold a permanent spot and as the fresh growth expands around us - it will feel less dominant. I share this lovingly and with a sea of positive energy that ʻhope and wellnessʻ shine upon us all. Love and hugs xxHairy face
I am happy to have my eye lashes and eyebrows back. Happy to see hair on my head slowly growing back. Don't even mind it's salt and pepper in colour. But my face is looking like a hairy yetti. Could not be coping with that so I had a facial with an alkaline wash that melted it all away. Dmk products used. The facial cracks and I couldn't talk but was happy to be hair free. Thought about getting a facial defuzzer from chemist but I don't want to be shaving to promote more hair growth. How is everyone else managing this. Am on letrolze in case it's only this drug my hairy face applies to.
Hair regrowth post chemo
Hi, I’m currently just a little over two years post chemo. I had DCIS. As I was premenopausal, and given my type of cancer, I was prescribed tamoxifen and zoladex. My hair was always one of my best features. I know it’s such a small thing to be concerned with given what I’ve been through (and I’m just grateful to be alive and healthy), but my hair is now so thin and sparse on the top of my head. I keep hearing people say their hair is growing back so thick but mine hasn’t been (although that may be because they possibly had a different type of bc than I did with different treatments). My eyelashes, eyebrows and hair are all a lot thinner and sparse post chemo also. I have noticed as my hair naturally falls out and new hair grows the hair itself seems to be getting thicker than it was pre-chemo but my hair is still very sparse. I’m told it’s because of my hormone blockers and the lack of oestrogen in my body. I'm just wondering, is/has anyone else experienced this and how long did it take for your hair to get to it’s new normal? I’m just hoping my hair on the top of my head will fill in a bit so you can’t see my scalp as much. Thanks!
On a lighter note...Feeling finally like ME...a New Me....comfortable with my hair..
Losing my hair through Chemotherapy was one of the hardest/emotional things to come to terms with, once I shaved it off, I adapted like a duck to water. Yes there were days that were so difficult, juggling wigs, headpieces and eventually having no eyelashes was the absolute rockbottom. BUT...I threw together a collage of me from beginning just before starting Chemo to now. My hair growth til now, the last pic is 1yr of growth. Only NOW am I starting to feel like me but a different ME!! I know this is absolutely different for everyone and I too worried that mine would never come back! Hope and faith in all things. Hugs Everyone! xo Hugs Everyone! xo
