I wonder if anyone else has had this happen. I have received 6 treatments for stage 2B breast cancer and the chemo was taxotere. It’s been four years and my hair still has not returned. They said it would fall out but then grow back in. Yet it’s bald on top and in front and thick in back, sort of like male pattern baldness.
My oncologist said this side effect is happening to more and more women all over the world. I have heard that one of every 16 woman has alopecia induced by taxotere during chemotherapy. Have any of you had that happen?
It is very depressing to live without hair and they never told me there was any possibility it would not return. Yes, I am happy to be alive but if I had the choice I would pick a chemo that doesnt’ have this potential side effect. I know that taxol is just as effective-it just is administered every week instead of every 3 weeks. I used to have long, thick brown hair and now I have thin grey/black wispy hair that is remenicient of Benjamin Franklin. Does anyone know others who have had this consequence from taxotere? If I had been warned I would never have agreed on the chemotherapy protocol. Susan
Hi susan,
I think you would get more answers to your questions it you put it under a different heading! perhaps 'Hairloss after TAX’There are a couple of hair threads on here, so perhaps you could join them.
I am having my first TAX tomorrow, so unable to answer your question, have you been to a hairdresser qualified with hairloss? they might be able to give you some answers, l was told to get it cut as soon as it comes back as the first growth needs to be strengthened.
Good Luck
Sandra xxx
I am having my lady cycle of 3 tax asi type ! My hair still has a fair fuzzy covering. I remember an old thread which discussed lnger term hair loss on tax and that It is on the se forms. Maybe do an advanced search to recover these threads. . Good luck
Hi Susan there was a lady on here called pineapple who had permanent hair loss due to taxotere,if you go to (after treatment has finished) scroll down the page and put ugly monster in the search engine her thread will come up.Hope this helps
Hi all
I finished TAC chemo in June 2008 and my hair is still very sparse especially on the top and back of my head, just like male pattern baldness and still baby fine. I went to a Trichologist and she gave me some menthol stuff to put on and special shampoo, it didn’t make any difference. My hairdresser, let me do a trial of some new stuff Keune were maketing which had worked for some of her staff’s parents, it made no difference. I was assured by my Oncologist that my hair would grow back, I wish it had. But still, if I had been given the choice of what I was told was ‘gold standard’ treatment along with the possibility of my hair not recovering and some other treatment not so good but with fewer side effects, I would still have chosen TAC. I am just glad to still be here, baldy head and all!
Nonny