Curious And Impatient

Hello to all:

I have just completed treatments for breast cancer... DX June 19, 2007, removal of lump July 30, 2007 began chemo Aug. 30, 2007 and ended Dec 13, 2007, had radiation 5 weeks ended February 27, 2008.and also hormonal therapy since Dec. 2007..  I am now cancer free Thank God!!!  I would appreciate any answers as I am beginning to worry as my hair is not growing as quickly as I would like it to, still bald spot on the back of my head, also having problems with numbness at tips of all fingers and thumb as well as toes and having major problems with my nails, discoloration and even lost 2 toe nails... I know some of these side effects could happen but what I find weird is that everything began after my chemo, hair did not begin to grow until end February, numbness in fingers and toes in January, and nails in February also... any response would be greatly appreciated. 

Regards    Mal

 

On 5/15/2008 Mally0404 wrote:

Hello to all:

I have just completed treatments for breast cancer... DX June 19, 2007, removal of lump July 30, 2007 began chemo Aug. 30, 2007 and ended Dec 13, 2007, had radiation 5 weeks ended February 27, 2008.and also hormonal therapy since Dec. 2007..  I am now cancer free Thank God!!!  I would appreciate any answers as I am beginning to worry as my hair is not growing as quickly as I would like it to, still bald spot on the back of my head, also having problems with numbness at tips of all fingers and thumb as well as toes and having major problems with my nails, discoloration and even lost 2 toe nails... I know some of these side effects could happen but what I find weird is that everything began after my chemo, hair did not begin to grow until end February, numbness in fingers and toes in January, and nails in February also... any response would be greatly appreciated. 

Regards    Mal

Hi Mal,

I completed all my chemo and radiation 2 years ago, I still have numbness in my fingertips and toes.  I have talked to a neurologist since and he told me that if I had not regained any feeling at this point there is a strong chance it will never come back.  I have gotten used to it and can now go bare foot again.  I lost all my finger nails and they have grown back nicely.  I didn't believe that they would becuase they looked so ugly and jagged.  Your finger nails will grow back.  I still have problems with my toe nails though.  I just keep them painted because they are ugly.  As for my hair, I was lucky enough to not grow back my underarm hair, I am still waiting for my eye brows (they are not growing back) and my hair is very thin now but it is back.  I think everyone has different experiences with this and that there is no hard and fast answer.  Just be glad to be alive everyday and that you can function.  So many of our sisters have it worse off than us and I remind myself of that everyday when I start to complain about my eyebrows or thin hair. 

The reason some of your side effects happened after chemo is because even though you have finished your treatments, the chemo is still in your system working and it takes a while for it to dissipate, just be patient and know that the drugs are still working to kill the cancer.  Talk to your oncologist about your concerns and I sure he/she will have an answer.  Best of luck to you and just keep a great sense of humor, it makes going through this darn disease easier.

Teresa

 

I completed chemo in September '06, and noticed hair growing back in late November, which was quite a bit earlier than they had told me.  I quite wearing my wig around Christmas of that year - granted, my hair was "boy" short, but I was just so darn tired of the wig!  My underarm hair is nowhere near as "thick" as it once was, but that's not a bad thing.  I wish it hadn't grown back in a few other places - like my upper lip and chin!  I didn't miss waxing my lip while I was doing chemo!  See - there's good in everything!  Everyone responds differently to chemo, and not every chemo cocktail is the same, so your regrowth of things will be different than everybody elses.  Enjoy what you have and be patient for the rest to grow out - it will, it just takes time.  God bless.