Hi Kazzer, I was on FEC-T, rather than TAC (though the t and the c may be the same, I don’t know) and it was pretty successful for me. I finished chemo in November last year and still have hair - in fact I am off to the hairdresser this aftenoon to get a trim because it has grown a lot since I finished chemo… Though to be fair so has ALL my hair, not just my head hair
I’d say it’s definitely worth having a go - you can always see how your hair is doing after the 1st session and take it from there.
I used the cold cap for my chemo treatment in 2009, the breast cancer nurse told me using the cold cap was a waste of time. The sister on the ward talked to me about it and was encouraging, I decided to give it a go after all if it did not work and it doesn’t for some people I would loose nothing. A friend gave me a tip to avoid the ice cream head ach at the beigining of the session make sure you have a warm drink hold some of the liquid in your mouth and push your tongue up between your top ;lip and teeth and this stops - it worked, I also did not loose amuch of my hair it got thinner but I was the one who noticed the most, it was amazing and I would do it again. The down side of it was I did not manage to get a relationship of any sort with my breast care nurse probably because I rejected her advice and I can’t stand the smell of Dove shampoo too many connections. I would say go for it. Good luck and I hope the rest of your treatment goes well
Hi there am having 3 tax and 3 fec. I am currently using the cold cap. I have had my 3 tax and after my 3rd its started to come out. I am going on to fec now… Very scared it is al going to fall out!! It feels a lot thinner but no bald patches yet, has only one had these to drugs? And used cc thanks
Lana 14 - I had 6xFEC and cold capped and although I had thinning I kept a good covering of hair and never had to resort to the wig. Now 10.5 weeks post chemo and it’s growing really fast. If you get bald patches appear ask the chemo nurse to put some gauze on your head to protect your skin from the cap, or alternatively a surgeons paper hat. Don’t give up using the cap. Your hair will get thinner but even if you get the odd bald patch appear it can be covered by a creative comb over and because the cold cap has protected your hair follicles your new hair will start growing faster.
We all start shedding at different times. I started shedding at FECx2 and it continued shedding until 7 weeks post chemo, but I still have enough hair that if you hadn’t met me before chemo you’d never know the difference. My advice is keep on using the cap - you won’t be disappointed.
Hi,
i have had FEC and Taxotere, I used the cold cap both times and amazingly kept my hair all the way through. Even my Onc said she’d never known anyone before keep it on Taxotere so it’s always worth a try. It’s a bit uncomfortable, like an ‘ice cream’ headache, and for a couple of days afterwards my neck was achey, but in my mind it was very worth it, although the kids were disappointed as I’d told them that if my hair fell out I’d let them decorate my head with face paint…
lots of love x
Hi all, Bev here. I’m new to this, had WLE & SNB 1st July, been told need chemo, most worried about losing my almost waist length hair. This thread has really helped me, I now feel it may not be too bad after all, even though I feel the cold terribly will give it a go, anything to help with hair loss is a bonus in my mind. Will get my hair cut shorter first (but not too short)
Would like to thank all the lovely ladies on here for the tips and info.
Hope you are ll on the road to recovery now.
Hi All, I have just had my 2nd Fec using the paxman cod cap, my hair stared shedding in the 3 rd week after my first chemo. My hair has thinned and it is upsetting with fist fulls of hair coming oout when brushed but I will persevere. The nurses dont seem to give much encouragement though and all have different ideas on how long to keep in on post chemo. First time was 40 mins after, this time was 2 hours. Has anyone any ideas on the right timings? Am wondering if this is why my hair is shedding so much because it wasn’t on for long enough the first time?
Hi. I am new to the forum, so not sure if I’m typing in the right place!!
I am 43, have had left breast mastectomy, no radiotherapy required but am having my 4th chemo out of 6 rounds on Wednesday (2nd Oct). I have used to cold cap from the beginning. I had very long hair before treatment started but had it cut to a shoulder length bob style prior to first chemo. I’m very glad I did. My hair started shedding about 17 days after first chemo. I was quite shocked by how much came out! I persevered with the cold cap though and I do still have hair - albeit quite thin in places now. It’s not thin enough to warrant wearing my wig but where the cap did not fit tightly (in front my ears and underneath at the back) I have lost a lot. The shedding has slowed down now and I am learning to treat my hair slightly differently (I.e. I only wash twice a week - more falls out after washing - and I only comb with a wide toothed comb when I have to). My last chemo is scheduled for mid November. I don’t know whether what remains of my hair will last that long or not, but I am grateful that I have had hair this long into treatment. I have ordered some caboki (a powder fibre treatment, primarily for men to cover bald patches and thinning hair) to see whether that will hide the areas that are getting a bit thin. If anyone is interested, I will let you know how that goes!!
For anyone considering or just starting use of the cold cap, I’d say don’t give up, give it a chance. It is very cold and I’d say that it hurts probably for the first 10 minutes or so, but then my head just goes numb! I am on FEC 90, so more hair loss is predicted than if I were on, say FEC 75. The time you keep it on depends on the strength of treatment. It has helped me to feel a bit more ‘normal’ throughout this horrible time. I’m just happy to be on the downhill part now, the end of chemo is in sight! Best wishes to all. x
Hi, I’ve just been told that I need chemo FECT-T and are desperate to try and keep my hair, this horrible cancer has taken enough already!. My hospital (Wolverhampton) offers a form of cold cap which is a one size cap which is kept in the freezer. I think there’s gel inside which keep the cap cool. I spoke to the nurse on the chemo ward about the cold cap but she wasn’t very forth coming and didn’t seem that enthusiastic about me using it. I’ve read so many good things about the cold cap and definitely want to give it a go, I’m happy to pay for a different make if I need to. I’m interested in what type of cold cap people used to keep their hair whilst on FEC-T please. I’ve heard that the Penguin cold cap and Paxman system are meant to be very good. Did anyone use the standard gel cold cap and did it work for you considering that there may be places where the cap doesn’t fit snug to your head? May thanks in advance for any information. I’m due to start chemo on the 29th Nov so time is of the essence. Regards Tracy XXX
I’m starting my chemo on 6th December & i’m going to try the cold cap. I have very thick hair & asked the nurse if I should get it layered a little to ensure the cold reaches my head fully. She said that she advises i kept it as it was so if it thinned, it wouldn’t be as noticable - she also said it would help keep my head warmer. Surely this conflicts with the principle of getting the cold to the scalp?
Hi just to say I’ve had 3 rounds FEC and still have hair although it has thinned quite a bit but no one can tell apart from me. I am experiencing tingling in my head which worries me . I loose hair daily . I wash once a week and quite a bit comes out so trying to do this only when really necessary and comb once a day with wide toothed comb as gently as possible . Make sure hair is soaked and simple conditioner smoothed on then wide tooth comb through. Make sure cap is good tight fit front back sides and top the caps can be used in different sizes so I have both small but some may have med with small outer ect. I don’t wash three days before and try and leave three days or so after before washing . It should be on your head for half hour from freezing point and two hours after the red chemo drug has gone in . I wish you good luck with cold capping I also had my hair cut to shoulder length before starting and layered . I am going to hairdressers again this week to get it trimmed again as it had grown so want to make sure it’s not to heavy for FEC 4 on 5th Dec . Good luck xxxTracy
Hi Gilly I’m having 6 FEC and the 4th is due in 5th Dec. yes I have worked hard at keeping my hair as I just want to look as normal as possible for as long as I can. I also wash my hair when I do lol in cold water to keep hair folicals closed good luck to everyone cold capping xxxx Tracy
I know this is an old thread but when I typed in ‘cold cap will it work?’ I was brought to this page so thought I would share my story for anybody else that is looking. I was offered the cold cap during my 6 session of FecT. I found the following information helpful: Firstly I had my past my shoulder length hair cut very short. I only washed my hair when it really needed it, once a week with ‘simple’ shampoo. I didnt really know what I was looking for in the ph balance of shampoo’s and so simple was the only one with 0% fragrance free on it so I chose that one! I didnt use cold water to wash my hair but I did have it much cooler than I would usually use. The first time I put the cold cap on I found it really uncomfortable, it made me feel sick and I couldnt talk and had to really zone out, I never thought I would be able to cope. I did not wet my hair before the cold cap, and it is really important that it is of a very tight fit. I had to wear it for half an hour before my chemo started and for half an hour after my last bag of chemo. It was changed every 30 minutes and don’t be afraid to shout out if the nurses don’t come to change it, they are so busy you may need to remind them! My hair started to fall out after my second chemo. I found it would shred about the 5th to 7th day after every chemo session. Don’t be too alarmed!! It’s a bit scary when you wake up and your pillow is covered (oh I used silk pillows as my hair didnt seem to fall out as much with them). I only combed my hair if it really needed it, having short hair meant I could get away with not having to ‘style’ it!! I used a very wide toothed hair brush and only used my hair drier on the lowest cool setting. I must admit sessions 4 and 5 were a real struggle, and I really thought of giving up BUT I knew it was helping my young children cope so i persevered and I’m so glad I did! People who did not know I was having treatment had no idea that I was. I even could have got away with not telling the children I was receiving chemo as they would not have realised the difference. The bald patches were about the size of a fifty pence on the side and back of my head where I laid and were only really visible when it was windy. If you are offered the cold cap I would give it a go!! IT WORKED FOR ME.
This is my first post so sorry if I am asking something that has been explained elsewhere.
I had my first chemo and had the cold cap and there was a little hair falling out in the first two and a half weeks.
The last few days and after washing my hair with Baby shampoo and simple conditioner yesterday, masses of hair fell out in the shower and when I brushed my hair yesterday and today. I just have to touch my hair and lots comes away, it is not sore but my head has been tingling.
Problem was at the first cold cap treatment the two tubes were disconnected when I went to the loo and only one was reconnected.I noticed after about an hour after Fec had been administered that mey head was not rwally cold. The hospital were worried the machine might be faultyand are really sorry.
I had second fec today and cold cap was cold!! Everyone was checking it was working.
So I am wondering if the result of the first chemo is that I will lose all my hair or if the second cold cap might do the trick with the hair I have left.
I do have thick hair which is in a bob, it is coloured and so the grey/white or whatever roots are very visable now.
Having spent about 12 hours with the cold cap, I would love to keep some hair but have no idea if I will.
No one at the hospital had any idea.
If anyone has any thoughts would be great if you could reply
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Hi Kenmore28, I successfully used cold cap but on my 3rd chemo the cap wasn’t as well fitted & I did lose hair from the top of my head. However, for my next 3 chemos it was colder & I didn’t lose more hair. I could tell that I had lost hair but no one else could. I would recommend having your hair cut short though so the hair you do shed isn’t so obvious. You will lose strands, I lost 20/40 per day but you will be amazed how much hair we actually have !! I finished chemo in April & now I’ve cut my hair even shorter & I’ve bleached it too now,
Keep up with the cold cap, it will be worth it for you.
Love Sam xxxxx
Kenmore do you have any bald patches ? I would persevere with it, I had medium caps and did lose hair from the very top of my head but 4 months on from finishing chemo it us about an inch & half long. Give it another go as I think it grows back faster
Sam xxx
Hey ladies
Ooh hair loss is tricky huh! I have given up with the cold cap, my hair was just falling out all over the place after two sessions and I just felt so ill after chemo and the cap didn’t seem like it was working (because hair falling out) so gave up. Not a decision I took lightly because without sounding vain I really wanted to keep my hair (getting married in 6 months!!!) I just couldn’t cope with the sick feeling and hideous headaches too. I’ve had a third chemo now and it was more bearable without the cap. I have all the hair around my hairline however quite a big bald patch on the top of my head.
I’m not posting this to be negative or put anyone off, just to say its different for everyone and that I know it does work for lots of people so persevere if you can. Everyone on here is really kind and it’s reassuring to know we are not going crazy mad on this roller coaster!
xx
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