@Absolutely_Not glad you are home and ok but that sounds like a nightmare for you xx
Hope everyone else is ok? @titch1 well done on the injections.
I had a bit of a sad day yesterday. It was hair wash day and it was falling out in big amounts throughout the day. I am cold capping and expected shedding but didnt expect it to be like that. It seems to have calmed down a bit today. I thought of you @Absolutely_Not it is so upsetting isn’t it. I’ve spent the night wig shopping just in case but struggling with the choices. It’s made me more upset for treatment number 2 tomorrow now
@bella80 hello, popping in here from May. I’m so sorry to hear your hair is shedding. I wanted to write and say I cold capped and also had moments of sadness with my shedding hair. I found it really confronting when my hair started falling out everywhere.
I am due to have my last chemo next week, and persisted with the cold cap, I still have enough hair that I can wear a hat and nobody knows any different, but I’ve lost a lot on top, though it seems to have remained around the sides! (I can do a combover and hide most of the bald spots!)
Some tips that I found useful for my shedding hair - I purchased a silk sleeping cap, which I wore in bed and around the house and that really helped contain a lot of the hair, so it didn’t feel like I was leaving it everywhere around the house and made it seem less intense.
I would comb it gently with a wide tooth comb every few days and get out the excess. Sometimes I felt like I wouldn’t possibly have any hair left by the end, as it seemed so much was coming out, but it’s amazing how much hair we actually have it seems! Some cycles I would lose quite a lot, and some cycles not much would come out.
The Paxman website has tips for haircare for different hair types as well.
@rhombusrhombus thank you so much for replying to me, that is comforting to know that you still retained a lot. I am so grateful i have the opportunity to cold cap and feel awful for moaning about it as i know some people don’t get the opportunity to even try it. I’ll have a look at that website and will invest in a hat.
I think I must have hoovered 4 or 5 times yesterday as we have tiled flooring downstairs and my 12 year old kept commenting on all the hair . We went to the local shop in the afternoon and I just went to tuck my hair behind my ear and when I pulled my hand back there was a clump in my hand.
Thank you again for commenting and for the advice. I wish you all the best for your last chemo next week x
Oh everyone seems to have such different experiences with it, some people try it and hate it and stop, and unfortunately others it doesn’t work for - it depends what sort of chemo you are on too. I was on TCHP, and then got changed to Paclitaxel, so it was the taxel that I was cold capping for mostly. What sort of chemo are you having? The Paxman website also has a tool where you can see the predicted outcomes for different chemo regimes: https://coldcap.com/scalp-cooling-outcomes-calculator/
I do hope it works for you. I wasn’t sure I would do it until the end as at points the shedding felt more stressful than the idea of just shaving it all off, but every week I would go - I’ll just do it this week and see how I go, and now somehow I’m at the end with my hair still clinging on.
It’s the docetaxel part of my chemo I’m cold capping for. Thank you for your advice I’ll definately have a look on that website. Good luck for your final treatment
Oh no @bryna did they say what was low? Hope they recover soon for you. How was it having the PICC? I think they will do this for me soon. They can only use 1 arm because of node clearance and it was really difficult getting blood from me this week x
@surreydeb Thank you. How are your pains today? I hope they’ve eased off for you!
@bryna Thank you! Glad to hear the PICC line is in but sorry to hear your couldn’t get your treatment today! Did they say what it was with the bloods? Are you back next week?
@titch1 Oh no, hope you get a good snooze tonight. Oh love a Starbucks treat, gone off coffee since my first cycle though! Hope you had a nice time with your mum.
Awww @bella80, I’m so sorry to hear that you’re shedding! I really hope that now more comes out now that it’s slowed down. It really is upsetting, I’m sending a massive hug to you I used a silk sleeping cap same as @rhombusrhombus as it didn’t want my hair all over my pillow. Hope tomorrow goes ok for you and it’s not too upsetting and that the cold capping works its magic for you going forward
The PICC was absolutely fine, the team were great, I was really nervous about it. So they use ultrasound to find/check the vein, measure you up, then numb the area-it stings a bit as they inject,but only for a few seconds, then pop the line in, you don’t really feel anything, and then secure and dress it. My arm’s a little tender, but not painful. Only thing you’re told not to do, is letting it get it wet, or repeated overhead movements xx
@Absolutely_Not im glad it’s in, the thought of it is far worse than the process!
It’s my neutrophils, I’m on weekly chemo, so it should have been single pac this week and back to Carbo/pac for cycle 2 next week, so they’re just skipping this dose and starting cycle 2 next week.
Have they given you anything for the neutrophils? I’ve seen on other groups dark chocolate and cacao can help boost neutrophils. I have been taking these and also those awful injections. I hope yours pick up soon though so you can continue treatment.
Thank you about the PICC I just wanted to be prepared incase they suggest it xx
Thank you @Absolutely_Not I hope your treatment goes ok tomorrow too. I’ve bought one of those caps now so going to use that. It has slowed down today but I just darent touch it. Going to make sure the cap is on tight tomorrow. I only felt the cold on my forehead and sides of my head last time. I do have really thick hair but i thought it’d have to reach my scalp for it to work?? xx
@titch1 hope you get a good night sleep tonight and enjoyed your treat xx
@bella80 no they haven’t given me anything, or suggested anything, I’m due to have my PICC dressed again tomorrow (24hr care, then it will be weekly) so I will ask if there’s anything I can do. But thank you for the chocolate recommendation, any excuse to indulge
If they offer a PICC go for it, my team said they put it in opposite side to the affected breast, which for me is my dominant arm, but I’ve been using it as normal, it feels a little achy but that’s all xx
Thanks @bryna they can only use 1 arm for me as I had node clearance which is making it trickier as I think my poor veins have given up in the arm they can use.
Yes I think people on here suggested berries, kiwi, leafy greens and high cocoa content dark chocolate as well as cacoa powder in smoothies, drinks, etc.
@bryna ingot myself a cover off amazon to save struggling with the thin plastic one the nhs provide loads easier. My PICC has settled down now two half weeks in no leakage ect. If you go to PICC pals you can register for three free covers just measure your arm so not to tight xxx
bella80 poor you! I haven’t had surgery yet, so they had a choice. Maybe it would be worth phoning and asking, that way they could have you all set up ready for your next treatment xx
titch1 thank you, I will have a look. I’m glad your Picc is finally behaving itself! I hope you’ve managed some sleep and are feeling better xx
@bryna How are you feeling about feeling about skipping a week? Looking forward to the break or…?
@bella80 Thank you, I’m not in until this afternoon this time, it’s been first thing the last couple of times. I’m so glad it’s slowed down. I think any hair loss for the cold cappers is worse than for those of us who know to expect it and it was still hard for us so I’m sending love and hair saving vibes your way Obviously no experience but from what I’ve read on here, people describe the cold capping as unbearable a lot so I would have thought you would feel it on your whole head and also read, like you said, the tightness is really important. Also wide tooth comb rather than brushing and only washing once a week but not scrubbing it (I’d struggle with that). That’s what I’ve seen on here about it. I wonder if yours just wasn’t tight enough last time. Maybe see what the nurses say today about it. Let us know how you get on
@Absolutely_Not tbh I’m a bit worried that I’m already skipping doses, especially being grade 3 TNBC, but I’m due an ultrasound after cycle 2, so hopefully that’ll reassure me that it’s working!
Thank you. I’m in at 10:40 this morning, hoping that’s long enough. I was in at 9 last time and out at nearly 4pm but did have the allergic reaction. Hopefully that won’t happen this time but still a long day. I really am struggling with the hair washing once a week but just bought some hair bands which are quite thick and hide most of my hair so people can’t see. Sending hugs to you today for your treatment x
I used a silk sleeping cap same as 
but from what I’ve read on here, people describe the cold capping as unbearable a lot so I would have thought you would feel it on your whole head and also read, like you said, the tightness is really important. Also wide tooth comb rather than brushing and only washing once a week but not scrubbing it (I’d struggle with that). That’s what I’ve seen on here about it. I wonder if yours just wasn’t tight enough last time. Maybe see what the nurses say today about it. Let us know how you get on 