I am starting 3 x FEC (100 strength) and 3 x TAX on Tuesday and keep wavering about whether to try the cold cap. Has anyone managed to keep their hair on this regime? I hate the thought of sitting there for hours with a frozen head and to find it is going to fall out anyway. My Onc said this is a tough regime. What do you ladies think?
Lyn x
Hi Lyn,
I haven’t been on exactly the same regimes but was on full course of taxotere some time back and went for the cold cap which was 100% succesful. Then on another occasion I had ECF and on that one my hair thinned but I kept covering all over. I found that for me it mattered and I wanted to keep my hair, so was pleased at the result.
Dawn
xx
Hi Lyn
I tried the cold cap but found it was too painful so I had to give up I didnt have a thick head of hair anyway so that didnt help.I was told by the onc nurse the thicker the hair the better thr result so it would have been no good to me really.
The up side to all of this is that my hair has now come back much thicker and healthy looking.
Whatever you decide I wish you good luck.
Jackie xx
Hi Gemjunkie,
I was on the same regime as you and used the cold cap throughout. I lost a small amount of hair but not that you could notice. Confusingly I was told that you had thick hair it was less likely to work!
It is unconfortable for the first 10 minutes but if you grin and bear it it does get easier.
I think you’ll know if it hasn’t worked after the first couple of cycles. Why don’t you give it a go and see how you get on?
The very best of luck for your first chemo.
Take care
Veggie
Hi Gemjunkie,
i am on the same treatment as you, just had 2nd tax! it is doable not pleasant but you will get there!
I tried the cold cap on the first treatment as I thought i might aswell give it a go, I didnt find it too bad although it is very cold and heavy! I too was told it works better if yr hair is finer. So I thought i was in with a good chance, unfortunately my hair started to fall out about day 19 after first fec so I didnt bother next time!
If you do go for it hope it works it does for some, good luck!
love debs x
Hi Gemjunkie
I’m with veggiebean on this one - I was told if you have thin or fine hair it works better. Day 19 of first FEC and the hair is holding on so far. The cold cap is not too bad - the nurses should give you heat pads to keep your body warm, and a neck cushion to support your neck on the chair. Take a blanket with you, and a DVD player with a film if they can’t lend you one. Remember, if you absolutely hate it you can take it off there and then and give up - it makes no difference to the drug treatment.
It’s the E in FEC which causes the problems, I don’t know about taxotere although I have been told it’s harder to take than FEC I don’t know if it affects your hair in the same way
Go for it - trying can’t hurt you.
good luck
Helen.
I wore one for my first treatment. 6xEC. I found it bearable but the headache I got on the night put me off using it again.( thought my head was going to burst)
When they put it on there was a gap under the cap as it wouldn’t come right down. Thats where my hair started to go first, giving me a fryer tuck look haha!!
So If you do go for it, make sure it is tight on the scalp. They wet your hair before they put it on and change it as it warms up during the treatment. So take a comb or hat for when its done. Your hair is wet and such a mess afterward.
Good luck darl. Hope you can manage it, and all the best with your treatment. xxx
I wore it for 3 cycles of FEC and although my hair thinned I didn’t need my wig. By the 1st cycle of Tax my hair was so thin that the session was unbelievably painful but I stuck it out. Then my hair fell out anyway. The way I saw it at the time I started chemo in the April but didn’t need my wig until the July so that was a plus. Once I’d dumped the cold cap it was kind of a relief not to fight it anymore and even though I found my hair falling out unbelievably traumatic actually once I bit the bullet and shaved off what was left I felt better, back in control and was fine about it.
Hope that helps
xxx
Thanks for your help Pep & eal - it all sounds too much time trouble and pain and you lose t anyway. If my hair stays then as I can’t colour it I will have massive thin grey roots - hardly seems worth it - Shaven head look and wig for me I think 
Lyn x
Hi Gemjunkie,
I’m with you on the cold cap. Not going to try as not worried about losing hair and hate having a cold head. Also, would have the grey root problem!! Have had to cancel my hair appt which was due tomorrow.
Think we are both starting tomorrow, so wanted to wish you all the best. Will keep you posted on how I feel. We are chemo buddies!!!
Al
xx
Hya
I had 3x FEC and 3x Docetaxel. I cold capped for 4 out of the 6 sessions. The first few was bareable, but as my hair got thinner it hurt more. At no 4, I felt sick before the chemo went in, then I decided enough was enough. Saying that I did not loose much more hair follwing cycles 5 and 6. I always maintained a covering, and ended up giving myself a blade 4.
Ultimately the choice is yours, but to give you some hope, I finished treatment in March and 3 months ago I stopped wearing my wig in public. So it didn’t take long to come back.
Mandy xx