The hardest part so far....

[sandy08]

It was awful hearing from my surgeon, that dreaded word Ovarian Cancer, it was scary two weeks ago going for my first session of chemo but the hardest part so far was waking up this morning and my hair was coming out in handfuls.

[Wendy55]

Bless you thinking of you

Hugs

Wendy x x

[Hidden]

This, too, will pass!

We get past these milestones, and they melt into the past. In the process, everything is reassessed. Hair will grow back!

Nil desperandum!

Isadora.

[BusyLizzie]

Hi Sandy,

I hope you got yourself a nice wig. I got one better than my real hair from 'Will's Wigs' our local provider of such items for the NHS. Cotton Sun hats in Summer are great with nice medium size brims. It's a whole voyage of discovery when it starts growing back too. Just imagine that what's happening to your hair now is happening to the cancer cells and then it will remind you it is worth it!

Love Lizzie

X

[VickyEm]

I know that if you have had taxol (like I did) the hair loss is not a gradual process, it does all come out pretty much over the course of a week. Then you don't lose anymore till a couple of weeks after the next chemo session.

I can remember taking a bath and washing my hair in the bath. Suddenly the bath water was full of (my!) hair. When I stood up it was stuck all over me and I looked like a yeti. lol :). Except for my head of course, which now had big bald spots. I looked like a little old man with a comb over. I look back now and it is just another funny little story, but at the time it was devastating.

My best friend, who is a hair dresser, suggested I go for a skin-head cut with clippers. I was not keen as I thought it was giving in - I did have some hair left, after all. But she pointed out that I would not want anyone to see me like that, that it would be easier when wearing my wig, or scarves and that the hair would grow back more evenly. She managed to convince me and she was right. I also found that it was more comfortable and less messy when more hair came out at the next chemo session. Having long hair that was falling out was a bit painful to be honest.

So, take the plunge and you could be the next sigourney weaver, demi moore, winona ryder or natalie portman. All lovely ladies who can rock a skin head.

[wendydee]

I love the references to all those beautiful women, but it must be scary when this happens. There's an organisation called "Look Good...feel better" There are contacts in many hospitals all over the UK, not sure which hospital you are with. but there's a branch at The Norwich and Norfolk (The Big C Cancer Centre 01603 286112) if that's near you? They sometimes do outreach visits, we had a visit in our local hospital Gynae cancer support group. They do free treatments with make up and hair loss advice for women who are going through chemo (and other cancer patients too) Apparently, their treatments are fab! May be worth looking it up for when you're feeling a little stronger ....and you will feel stronger. ...hope it's soon

Love Wendy xx

[spanishanna]

Ah bless Sandy, I know the feeling. Mine happened the day my family were coming over for Xmas. I went into the shower and washed my hair and out it came. I tried my best to style what was left and met them at the door in floods of tears.

I couldn't shave it off, I had lost my hair so I would deal with it myself, so I just took a pair of scissors and cut it as short to the head as I could.

As long as you have a great wig, pencil the eyebrows in and I also applied eye liner, this helped disguise the lack of eye lashes. You will need a skiing type hat to wear on your head at night, your head will get very cold. But you will have fun with your head scarves, turbans, which I always wore in the house and had 2 wigs for going out. One tip, buy a skull cap, a small cotton cap to cover the bare head before you put on your wig. Also get some wig tape. It is very embarrassing to be out on a windy day and you walking in one direction and your wig disappearing in the other direction !!

The only thing I loved about not having a wig was all the money I saved on hairdressing bills, colouring, oh and being able to have a shower and no hair to dry.

We all end up laughing at this side of chemo, but at the initial time you are going through it, it isn't funny.

Keep strong.

Love Anna xx

[SandyL]

Dear Sandy,

My experience was similar to Lizzie's. As soon as I knew I was going to lose my hair, I went out an bought a fabulous wig, in ash blonde - it was straight and shiny - a dream come true (my hair is fine, wavy and curly - but not a nice kind of curly The first time I wore my wig I felt very self conscious - even though it was close to the same colour as my own.

On that day, my hubby and I went to the local grocery store (we live in a small town where everyone knows everyone) and the young girl at the check-out said, "I love your hair … did you just get it done?" I was chuffed to death. After that, I never had my wig off except when I went to bed at night and hung it on the hoover. No-one ever saw me bald - not that there's anything wrong with being and looking bald … this was just my way of handling it. And having the wig instead of my own high maintenance hair … saved tons of time.

I felt as though losing my hair was a necessary step I had to take to get well. It was just one of those things (like having chemo and surgery) that I had to do. Another thing I did every single day while going through chemo (I had 9 in all, 3 before surgery and 6 after) was get dressed up and putting on my makeup. When folks said I looked great, it put me in a good state of mind and gave me a lift. Hence throughout the whole 'adventure' I felt optimistic and happy most of the time.

In 14 days (March 28th) I'll be celebrating 13 years since I ended up at hospital for severe constipation, just one day after my 53rd Birthday (some Birthday present huh?) In the week that followed I developed massive pulmonary embolisms, was whipped to a large hospital by ambulance with my Dr and a special nurse for the 3 hour drive to Calgary, Alberta. It was there I was eventually diagnosed with Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer. Happily, luckily and by the grace of God, I'm still here and in remission after finishing first line treatment.

Just think Sandy, every step you take (including loosing your hair) is a step ahead. Do whatever you can do for yourself, including eating a healthy diet, exercising a little every day (get some fresh air too) and try to avoid stress. Love yourself.

Good luck … You'll do great, I just know it.

Sandy. L.

[BusyLizzie in reply to SandyL]

I love the thought of your wig hanging on the hoover at night. You made me LOL at the picture!

Love Lizzie

X

[Hidden]

Aw bless you Sandy! I hope as you progress that things will get better and you will feel stonger!! We all go through this and i know its horrible but it will pass sweetheart Love and (((healing hugs))) Lynn XXX

[Heffmeister]

I had this happen to me last weekend. It was two weeks after my first carbo/taxel chemo. It's was horrible when it was falling out (even through I had it cut into a short style) so I had my husband shave it all off. I cried for a few minutes then went upstairs to wash my scalp- it was sore and itchy- and then put lots of soothing moisturier on. Soon I felt heaps better and I have been wearing nice raw silk head scaves and cotton hats which are great. I haven't gone for a wig.

[SueLR]

Hi there

My husband and I have a thing that champagne shouldn't just be for celebrations, but there are times when emergency champange is needed, so when I started to lose my hair we had a bottle of champange and he shaved it for me. I still had tears, of course, but it wasn't as bad as I thought- it's amazing what we can cope with.

I had a gap between chemo 3 and 4 so my hair regrew and I have just lost it again. It got to about an inch long, after 3 months, and one of my friends didn't recognise me and walked past when it had regrown because she said she didn't think she knew anyone so trendy!

I found my eyebrows and eyelashes were the last thing that went, but the new ones were growing in as the last ones fell out. At one point I had 4 lashes left, but all in a clump which was neither use nor ornament- at least they could have spread out a bit.

I don't always know what to do with my wig when I get hot and take it off in the house, and am too lazy to take it upstairs everytime and put it on it's head, but my daughter has asked me not to put it on the fruit bowl because she finds it a bit disconcerting.

Warmest wishes

Sue

x

[GeorgeSuffolk]

It is a terrible time at the beginning, getting used to the fact that you have OC and the treament etc. and losing your hair is a dreadful thing to go through. I got my husband to shave my head, as it looked so awful with strands here and there, I had a real hair wig in the same style as my hair was before it fell out and a lot of people thought I hadn't lost my hair. I've never gone for the head scarves etc but some people do look good in them. Big Hugs xx

George x

[SuD73]

I shaved mine and asked people to sponsor me for charity, actually I have done this twice, the first time I raised £900 which went to my local hospital and the second time I raised £1400 which went to Marie Curie (I was living in different areas each time though).

Wishing you well during and after your treatment

Sue x