Am a bit nervous about writing this as there is every possibility that it will be old news and over by the time you read it but I just HAVE to know whether there is any chance that my current condition may continue …
I am due for a total of 4 x FEC/EPI’s and then 4 x Taxatores
Am currently on Cycle 2/ Day 14 of FEC/ EPI.
So far no hair loss until Cycle 1 day 16 when I started to moult - all over my head no patches. This moulting is still continuing but I look like I still have hair. If it continues at this rate I will be all but bald by the end of June … but what I need to know is whether there is any chance i will continue to moult or will it all still fall out?
Did anyone else manage to hang onto their hair? … and for how long ??? Did anyone keep it all the way through ???
The doctor was shocked that I still had it when i went for cycle 2 so I think he will fall off his chair if it is still here next week for cycle 3!
If anyone else still had hair at this stage I would be very very pleased to know what happened next … many thanks
I did 6 x FEC amd moulted badly! Head started to hurt so I got a crew cut, even though my hair thinned I never went bald bald! BUT after cycle 4 my hair started to grow back. I had my Last Fec first week in December and by the end of January I did not need my bandana! My hair is growing thick, fast and curly.
I a Cr*p note I have got to start Taxotere in two weeks!
But please dont dispair if no one has replied! I now some ladies who have kept a reasonable amount of hair but they had success with the cold cap, unfortunately this was not and option for me!
But as for you kepping you hair Wow I hope it stays that way for you. Go Girl!!
I’m sorry you’ve had so few replies. i lost all my hair apart from a few strands by cycle 2 on FEC and then had taxotere 4 months later when my hair had started to regrow and it all fell out again on the first cycle.
I know it is possible to keep your hair but it is very rare so you are very lucky.
Hope the rest of your treatment goes well.
Kate
Hiya,
I had weekly EPI and continuous 5FU for 16 weeks and I started losing hair after two weeks, it fell out in clumps, as I work with food I too went for a crew cut. I have finished chemo before Xmas and its growing back nicely.
You’re so lucky to hanging on to it so far!
Take care
Allie
I had 3 x FEC and 3 x Tax and started to loose my hair just before 2nd cycle and had it chopped off the day before, as was coming out in clumps. Very hard decision, but knew it would be worse having clumps of hair on my pillow.
Finished chemo on 21 Nov and hair growing back now, but seems slowly and not very thick. Although everyone is different.
I didn’t lose all my hair but ended up with a Friar Tuck style! My fringe and the back and sides came out only when the rest was all growing back. But my hair is a completely different colour now unfortunately.
Hi Fizbix
as you know from the other thread - am like you
malting from day 16 / 1 for 2 weeks then it stopped after loosing almost 2/3rds and have got my hair short and in a style (not a great one) that covers the thinness - no partings i mean, its flat tho and i like it fluffed out - zoe wanamaker style really - but it flattens with a hat or just through the day …
my daughter thinks i may start loosing it again day 16 this second cycle - will see but my scalp is tingling a bit again and am on day 12 whiah is when it happened last time around
i have my wig ready, some scarves - a nice cotton one from a shop on ebay ready for the summer, a buff etc definitly use a wooly hat - those popular ones at c’mas as my head gets cold, i even wore a thin wooly one from m&s y’day in the house and that kept me much warmer
Hi FizBix
I have had 3 FEC and while I have lost a lot of hair after the first one I don’t have any noticeable patches, so do not have to cover it. I started losing hair around day 16 after 1st treatment so cut it short - I typed short hair styles into google and got a picture of the actress Michelle Williams (hadn’t heard of her before) which looked okay so got it cut like hers. I did recede a bit around the hairline but this is growing back very quickly. The chemo nurses said I probably won’t lose anymore on taxotere, I am hoping this is true. They said I must have very resistant hair, it has always been thick and my Dad is still not receding or thinning at 60 odd! I would recommend cutting it short if you haven’t already, like a lot of ladies on her I quite like having short hair, it is so practical and even if I have a bad hair day at least I haven’t spent longer than 10 seconds on it. Good luck to you anyway.
Sharon
I started losing hair big style on day 14 of first cycle so my husband cut it all off, then weather has turned really cold and wig drives me mad!! Any answers girls to how to stop itching and movement of wig? I bought a buff which is very comfy but just chose colours not pattern when I got it home it has a pattern of CND (ban the bomb) and cannibis plants ! What a tallking point I am a grandma of 60!! well I did quite fancy being a hippy in the 60s.
I started to lose mine on day16 so got a friend round to shave it off as it was very sore, It did continue to grow but white and very sparse. I thought it was better to shave it rather than it make such a mess falling out.
thanks very much mel,kate,allie,dawn,josie,anne,jan ,sharon and june (aplogies if I missed nyone)
I already had it cut to what I considered to be short so if i get past cycle 4 of EPI with hair intact then I think I’ll go for a very short cut in preparation for the Tax.
I did laugh about the bandana!!!
I have to admit I feel incredibly lucky to still have my hair - especially as I am in the closet and only a few very close friends know anything about the bc. I feel like when and if it does fall out then I will be exposed in many ways and have a lot of explaining to do,
Interesting that you are the same Sharon as you have thick hair like Jan. Mine is the type of hair I’ve never wanted (until now!!!). Very fine, no weight, very very slow growing - I had thought that might be why I’d kept it but it’s nothing like Sharon’s and Jan’s. Am secretly hoping it might go curly - that would be a huge bonus.
Am also going to keep it short in future - like you all say it’s so easy! A worrying number of people have told me I look years younger since it’s been chopped.
Thanks again for all your replies - really very helpful - will keep you losted from time to time re: progress (or not!).
