Hi. It looks like this discussion thread has been going a long time and i hope i will be able to join the community here. I was diagnosed with breast cancer just after xmas and have had a mastectomy last week. I have a secondary tumor in my hip and possibly in my head so will have to face chemo and radiotherapy although I dont know the details as yet. I would love to make friends on here who i can both support and find support from on this journey. I have 2 grown up children and they have surprised me recently as to how supportive they can be. It certainly is a case of role reversal in my house. Chassis x x

Hi Chassis

Welcome to the place no-one wants to be.Hope you are coping with the mastectomy and glad to see you have support at home.I had mastectomy 4 years ago and have recurrance in the lymph glands in my neck and chest .I have been on chemo for 2 years to contain it and like you have 2 grown up children and 3 grandchildren ,so plenty of reasons to fight on.Hope you have a good medical team looking after you.What part of the world do you live in?We are a well scattered lot on here.

Stay strong.

Rose xxx

I hear chip fat works too, although you may smell like a chippy! Just Kidding.....

I did a little bit of research and have come up with the following steps, one of which mentions olive oil...I think it must be American as it mentions letting someone else take care of the 'check' book....I am sure you ladies ain't gonna be letting go of the purse strings - there are some other good points though... Remember the golden rule though check in with your oncologist about taking any other meds or supplements even vitamins.

I hope they help as know how much it means to you all to have your hair...me as an ex Skinhead love a shaved head!

1. Take a multivitamin every day. Since vitamins are essential for healthy hair, it's important to make sure that you get a lot of them. Try to opt for a multivitamin that includes Vitamin A, D and C. Calcium and iron are also both very important nutrients to have.

2. Eat a well-balanced diet. Remember that taking a multivitamin doesn't mean that you shouldn't also get many vitamins in your regular diet. Fruits and vegetables are both great ways to get all of the vitamins the body needs. Once you have these vitamins, the hair will be more likely to grow. It's also important to eat foods that contain protein and iron, which are both essential for the body.

3. Try taking a prenatal vitamin. They are believed to work wonders for both hair and nail growth. Be sure to speak to a primary care physician before making the decision to take prenatal vitamins, however. Depending on other medications that you may be taking, it's possible that you may be prohibited from taking prenatal vitamins.

4. Find ways to reduce any stress that you may be experiencing. This may mean taking a yoga or swimming class. It may also mean allowing someone else to take care of the checkbook or children for the time being. Since stress can lead to hair loss in most people, keeping any stress in your life will prevent hair from growing faster after chemo.

6. Take an herb called horsetail. Most oncologists recommend it to their patients. Horsetail will prevent the hair from growing back brittle or dry. It will also promote quicker hair growth, making it ideal for anyone who has suffered from hair loss due to chemo. Be sure to check with your primary care physician before taking any herbs, especially if you are on other medications.

7. Massage olive oil into the scalp on a daily basis. It will make the scalp very soft. More importantly, it will help ensure that the blood in the scalp begins to flow. This may help promote quicker hair growth

Much Love to all,

T xxxxx

hey you

sent a post fair few days ago but not heard back. hope you are ok n your family are coping well. just wanted to know how you were all coping with it all, thats all. like the advise. did you see a post about hair growth? will look again n let you know what was recomended. but was a shampoo if it helps now. slightly tipsy, wouldnt like to give false advise! will look n let you know... love you all lots n lots. xxxx p.s how the bloody hell are you tony????

much love. leonie xxxxx

Hey Colly

Lots of great advice from our pal Tony there! I think just being as patient as you can is the way to go! Your hair will grow in it's own time- but I agree with the diet thing - that will help the strength and quality of your lovely new hair.

Mine has come back very grey and very curly. But y'know what - I reckon that's it's natural state (which I haven't seen for a while thanks to my lovely hairdresser!)

I posted a few photos on my blog recently after my first haircut in 12 months. You can have a look www.letyerhairdown.blogspot.com

It's in January's posts under 'chop and change.' I've included photos from skinheed stage to granny grey hair stage, then finally, short, chic and styled. It's great to have hair again, but looking at those photos as a skinheed, I think I quite suited that look!

Great that you're swimming by the way, and much easier with short hair!

Shents xxx

Hey you,

You don't sound tipsy at all...lol

Seriously though, I am sorry I missed your previous note...I have just looked back and found it.... Frankly it is all a bit strange as we are carrying on as best we can normally but have moments when I just get so bloody angry with everything. I absolutely HATE chemo and the biological stuff as on a mixture of Irinotecan and Avastin and have a scan in about 3-4 weeks time to see how it is getting on...I am hoping they will find nothing but not getting my hopes up too high...

Apart from that rare glimpse into my brain, I am doing okay, still working as best I can and loving my new motorbike although I am doing more polishing than riding as riding a big bike (or any bike for that matter) with a chemo head is not good .

I leave miranda locked in the shed for the two weeks post chemo then have a 3 days window the third week where I get her out to ride her then the cycle starts again...

p.s. Miranda is my motorbike in case you were wondering!

Much Love and thanks for asking.

T xxx

Hi Tony.

Firstly naming your bike is perfectly natural! I have guitar called Bernard After Alvin, My drum kit is "The Office" Named well before the TV Show, and my percussion rig is The Office Junior!! I still haven't got round to the final part of my bike test. Work has been slow so it's on the back burner. What is hotting up is my Breast Cancer Campaign "Project 350" Having been awarded a place on the Vodafone World of Difference scheme means that March and April I can just steam on with it. Raising awareness about breast cancer in men and women, raising funds and at least calling to the fore partners of breast cancer fighters. Lots to do. Big press stuff this week. It is being rolled out in Kent first so anyone reading this from Kent wishing to join in please just let me know and I will forward them details.

Love and best wishes to you all.

Phil. x

hi all

just wondering where everyone is?? n how you are? keep checking daily n nobody been on. do hope all is well n i mean all of you. please get in touch. know i need to write more too. got pain management app in 2weeks. cant wait to manage it n not put up with it. joined facebook n am addicted! had a 4 hour chat with patrica on sat nt! was great. keeping in touch with lou through it. great catching up with old old friends too.

rose hope you are still improving? think of you often.

lots of love leonie xxxx

hi before i forget...

that shampoo i talked about is called matrix biolage forte theraphie cera repair pro n can buy from amazon. the lady that posted about it said it was brilliant stuff. gonna get some myself. by the way, had my first hair cut on saturday! will post pic cos the one here is bloody awful! so photogenic...

xxxxx

n rose good luck for scan this week. please let me know. xxx

Hi leonie, I've not been on for a few days, we were away in fuerteventura, just back tonight, was lovely to get away and to go walks in the sunshine. I just wanted to ask if any of you girlies who have went into menopause because of chemo or just because it's time lol have tried the lady care menopause magnet? It costs £20 from boots and basically you put it down front of your pants lol and it helps with the flushes, it seems to be working for me, google it and let me know if anyone tries or has tried it. Lots of love col x

Hi Col,

hahahahaha!  I haven't tried the magnets but my sister-in-law has and although she said that they seemed to help her with the hot flushes especially at night but you need to be careful.  She told me tales of being at work and they had some filing cabinets that were used as a sort of partition between two areas, she was talking to someone on the other side and 'clunk' stuck to it.  Also metal shopping baskets and reaching into the boot of the car can also cause a problem.  She had me in stitches when she was telling me about it.

Patricia x

Hi Col,

hahahahaha!  I haven't tried the magnets but my sister-in-law has and although she said that they seemed to help her with the hot flushes especially at night but you need to be careful.  She told me tales of being at work and they had some filing cabinets that were used as a sort of partition between two areas, she was talking to someone on the other side and 'clunk' stuck to it.  Also metal shopping baskets and reaching into the boot of the car can also cause a problem.  She had me in stitches when she was telling me about it.

Patricia x

Hi Patricia, yeah I've read stories about things like that happening to people, luckily not to me well not yet lol, John came in to room other day with it on and said look col I'm a fa**y magnet lol it was so funny, gotta laugh, it does seem to be working, so fingers crossed, I'll catch up with you on face book xxx