mine still there at mo thanks Caroline, i’m day 11, so probably still to early to tell
what ever happens i’ll be glad i tried it
Gill x
HI everyone,
had my second session last Friday and did cold cap again - not as bad as first time. Probably because I knew what it was going to be like, and i took a couple of paracetemol beforehand which might have helped. I wash it as soon as I come back - I was told to. And also I have to warm up in the shower when I come back and I can’t bear not to wash the conditioner out - but after 4 days of hardly not brushing it and not washing it it looks terrible so I’ll be washing it tomorrow and hope it doesn’t all come out. So far I don’t seem to have lost much, but I did have lots of hair to begin with - very fine but lots of it.
I’m very jealous of someone doing the fifth session - it means it’s nearly over! I don’t have terrible ses really - just very tired and a bit nauseous for a few days. But it sucks really doesn’t it?
lots of love everyone
Alison
Impatients - if you’re using the Paxman cold cap the info sheet says not to wash it for 24 hours, as does their website. I spoke to them and they said to leave it for 48 hours if possible…
I’m on day 13, and don’t seem to have lost any hair yet (touch wood) a bit of hair coming out when i have washed it, but no more than would usually
Impatients - Boots do a spray leave in conditioner, when your hair dries you can’t tell, i’ve always used it for my daughters hair to get tangles out, using it for myself now.
i’ve also used dry shampoo (Baptise) after about 3 days of not washing
Gill x
Alison I agree with sandytoes, the advice I was given was to wash it the night before and then not for a few days afterwards. I also use a leave in conditioner so there’s no greasy residue a I use the ‘Aussie’ one which is nice.
I can’t believe I’m on my 5th chemo tomorrow! It hardly feels like any time at all since my diagnosis and only another 3 weeks til my (hopefully) last ever chemo session 
still surgery and rads to go but I’m nearly past the first hurdle.
Caroline x
Hi Caroline,
Did you say you were on FEC?
How is your hair going?
On my 3rd session they put me on a double cold cap machine and when the other lady had finished and got up and left they had accidently turned mine off!!! GGRRR was NOT happy! Hopefully it wasnt for that long as i quickly realised i wasnt shivering soo much.
Just something to watch out for !!
Hi teecass,
I had 2 FEC and then was changed to Taxatore because the chemo hadn’t really been working. My hair’s hung in there, like I say it’s been really thin on top but i’m getting away with it with the help of the thickening spray and I need to say that after a week of using the Redken stuff i’m noticing regrowth already and yesterday noticed some stubble on my eyebrows woohoo!
That’s terrible switching your machine off by mistake! The power went off in my onc unit on my 3rd session for about 5/10 mins and I went into a panic at that but the cap went back to temp quite quickly. How long was your cap off for, do you know?
Hi Ladies
I’ve had 3 X FEC so far and although I seem to lose quite a lot of hair each time I wash it, there’s still quite an even covering. Everyone says that it doesn’t look like I’ve lost any, but maybe they’re just being kind.
I have noticed that my grey roots are getting longer and longer. Although it’s not pretty at least it’s a sign that some growth is going on.
Thanks for the paracetamol tip, I’m definitely going to try that for the next go. My tip to anyone would be to find some unscented conditioner to use. It helped me to feel slightly less nauseous.
I’m finding the cold cap almost unbearable and immediately after each go I wonder if it’s worth the effort. By this stage (day 14) I think it is!
Good luck everyone.
Nicola X
Motivational boost from me again!! There were a couple of times I almost gave up as I felt it had thinned too much by chemo numbers 7 and 8 - but I persevered and am so happy with the results now. Another lady on the June chemo thread just posted a photo of her hair post cold cap - it looks great.
Nicola, Sandytoes,
Thanks so much you have made my day.
Nicola, please will you keep me up to date as to how to how you are going as i am day 9 after FEC 3 and still so apprehensive, just want someone to say yes you ll be ok right though to no 6!!
( I know that aint gonna happen as everyone is different!!)
But you have both given me so much hope.
Like you Nicola i lose loads after each wash which is why after being a manic every day washer, i now manage a wash once every 10 days! Never thought i would be such a minger!
I am very bald behind ears and nape of neck where the cap didnt reach and boy does that get cold!
Sandytoes, how do i find the pic of the lady on the June one?
Thanks again.xxx
i’m having my 2nd chemo tomorrow, and so far the head hair is hanging in there, teecass and nicola, i’ve always lost hair as i washed it, and don’t seem to be loosing anymore than before. LG seems to be a bit slow going, i really thought it would have all gone by now, so maybe i’m just kidding myself about head hair.
a tip for the grey roots, i had my hair cut day after 1st chemo and told hair dresser about the cold cap and grey roots concerns. She stocks a coloured leave in conditioner, it comes in a sachet, but has a little screw lid, and she reckons it could be about 3 applications. i’ve not tried it yet, but i think it may be needed soon!
Gill x
Gill that’s a great tip - thanks! I seem to have a lot of grey bits coming through where my hair’s growing back so it would be good to disguise it until I can do a proper dye. Good luck for tomorrow, another one closer to the end of it
Teecass there’s nothing wrong with being a minger I was exactly the same. I used to tell myself that if it’s normal to lose 50-100 hairs a day but I’m not brushing/washing hair as normal then what’s coming out in the shower probably isn’t too bad.
Nijawhi it’s worth persevering with the cold cap, at the end of the day we have nothing to lose do we - well apart from our hair 
I nearly stopped and am so glad now with only one to go that I kept it going.
Caroline x
Gill that’s a great tip - thanks! I seem to have a lot of grey bits coming through where my hair’s growing back so it would be good to disguise it until I can do a proper dye. Good luck for tomorrow, another one closer to the end of it
Teecass there’s nothing wrong with being a minger I was exactly the same. I used to tell myself that if it’s normal to lose 50-100 hairs a day but I’m not brushing/washing hair as normal then what’s coming out in the shower probably isn’t too bad.
Nijawhi it’s worth persevering with the cold cap, at the end of the day we have nothing to lose do we - well apart from our hair I nearly stopped and am so glad now with only one to go that I kept it going.
Caroline x
Hi Ladies
Thanks Caroline, it’s very reassuring to know that it does work! Only one to go! That must feel good.
Gill, I’ve found that it gets rid of all the hair in some areas (LG) but none at all in others. My arms are still covered in dark hair. It was the only place I was looking forward to losing the hair! I’m going to ask my hairdresser about the coloured conditioner, great idea, thanks.
TeeCass, I’m a minger too. Can’t wait to jump in a hot shower and wash my hair normally again. I think we have to carry on being careful for quite a while after chemo finishes. Is it 2 months? Does anyone know?
Sanytoes, thank you. Huge admiration to you for getting through 8 sessions and still being able to motivate!
Nicola X
Is it really for 2 months after??
ARRGGGHHHHHHHH
Why, thank you Nicola! No, it’s important to hear good stories - otherwise all you hear is doom and gloom. I had ladies motivating me along and answering my cold cap questions and I stuck it out - and I’m sure you’ll be doing the same soon.
The official line is no dying for something like 6 months! I was a bit naughty after I finished chemo. A combination of impatience and having stuck the cold cap out but still wearing mini headscarves to cover the 3 inches of grey made me reach for the dye after 5/6 weeks… Since then I’ve been straightening and using normal shampoo. The hair I had left after chemo was drier than normal - but I haven’t had any repercussions of dying it yet - and the hair that I lost is coming back and padding out the thin bits - that happens quite quickly. Both Paxman and my BCN said that new hair that you lose will also grow back quickly if you persevere with the cold cap as you’ve protected the follicles more than if you didn’t use it…
Obviously this is my experience - would feel awful if you did the same and your hair promptly fell out!! :o
Are you being treated down in Brighton? I am.
x
i’ve just had a look at directions for this conditioner, sorry but its not actually a leave in, you do have to wash it out, after 10mins, the name of it is “Fudge” and its a colour conditioning treatment
chemo 2 down, hair still there and there was a lady on ward yesterday for her 1st chemo, she was going to try the cold cap, but she was very apprehensive and after putting her hand in it, decided not to use it as she didn’t think she’d be able to stand the cold. After me saying it wasn’t too bad she changed her mind and at the end of session she agreed to had been do-able, i was quite pleased that hearing it from me and not just the nurses that she felt confident to try it.
i have bought a nice new hat from Debenhans today, just in case, 30% off all hats at the mo. Bargain
Gill x
Oh gill that’s lovely, it’s nice being able to pass on good experiences wit people and give them a bit of confidence. And well done on #2 yey!
Nicola yes it does feel good, I’ve still surgery and rads to get but once chemo’s done I know all hair should be coming back and I can get back to how I used to look.
Nicola that’s real bad luck, the one place you want it to go, it stays!
Sandytoes I’ll be following your footsteps I think hehe. Although I thought it was only on to use a vegetable dye? Or was that just when you were getting chemo?
Xx
I used Herbatint. But have roots again now and have booked in on Monday to have a proper dye put in - this is 3 months post chemo.
Morning All
Sandytoes, yes I’m being treated in Brighton. Feels almost like a second home, I seem to be there so often.
I was due for FEC X 4 on Wednesday, took my paracetamol, but it turned out that my blood was no good, so going back on Tuesday to try again.
Lovely day here but the bright sun really shows up those grey roots!
Nicola X