Hello ladies, I finally have something happening after 6 weeks of tests and waiting. No surgery, straight to Docetaxel, Pertuzumab and Herceptin. I feel strangely calm, but then I have no symptoms or pain. Weird. Anyway, can anyone give me their experience of using the cold cap? Thanks xxx Sheila
Hi Sheila
Glad you have some treatment plan going on. I have liver Mets and wouldn’t know they were there if they hadn’t been diagnosed! With regard to the cold cap. I use it as I am in taxol which makes you loose your hair quite quickly. I have taxol three weeks on, one week off and have to use the cold cap each time I have the taxol. I wont lie it isn’t easy. There seems to be a lot of people who just can’t stand it. I’ve lost no hair with it so it’s been worth it for me. It’s is EXTREMELY cold! It gets to -5.5 deg and when you take it off you have ice on your head! It’s not for everyone. You can have painkillers if you want. I don’t have any but I think I might have a high pain threshold! Good luck whatever you decide. I’d say it’s worth a go! Jo xx
Hi Sheila,
I used the cold cap for 6 months, finishing in Feb this year, whilst on weekly Taxol. I think the fear of the unknown (as with everything cancer related) is the worst thing. Once you’ve got the cap on, it’s extremely doable.
I was given some top tips from Paxman (the manufacturers of the cold cap machine) - the most valuable of which was to wear an Alice band across your forehead. There are pain receptors in your temples which can be quite uncomfortable with the cold cap on, but the Alice band makes it SO much more comfortable - I can’t stress enough the difference it made!
After session 2, once I had my Alice band and the fear of the unknown was over, I didn’t bat an eyelid and got through 18 sessions with it. I managed to keep all my hair which psychologically has made a huge difference to me. I lost my hair first time round with FEC-T and wasn’t ready to part with it so quickly this time.
Good luck with your treatment, whatever you decide to do with the cold cap.
Kate xx
I would definitely give it a go Elily - I wish I’d had the confidence to use it first time round when I had FEC-T, but I was too scared. Little did I know how doable it actually was and how much of a boost it was to keep my newly grown hair. Good luck!
Kate xx
Oh and to add to what Someset said, it does need to fit well and be tight to your head in order to get the best out of it. In fact, the most uncomfortable thing I found was the tightness of the chin strap! Was always so pleased to get that off afterwards! xx