Hi there all, looking for some info. I have ovarian cancer, had 3rd cycle of chemo, Taxol and Carboplatin, on ICON 7 with avastin, and am recently experiencing short nosebleeds. Am trying not to blow my nose ( do you know how difficult that is?) and am aware that its to do with low platelets. does anyone out there know what I can do to help increase their production? I am living in fear of being deferred for my next cycle, as I want to do everything I can to get this over asap. I am veggie, and am eating the most healthy I can, (fresh fruit every day, organic food, lots of soya and tofu etc)
Help!
FormerMember
I'm not on the same chemo as you, but suffered from frequent mysterious nosebleeds, clogged nose syndrome (will spare you the detail as I suspect you know it) and constant runny nose and eyes for MONTHS until somebody wise on here pointed out that, although we all know that chemo zaps the head hair, nobody really informs you about the loss of nose hair! Who would have thought these ignorable little tufts perform such a vital function in the human ecosystem?...
Basically, nose hairs filter all sorts of natural unpleasantness and when you lose them, your sinuses are vulnerable to a range of onslaughts from bad weather to low-level infection. I am no medic, but truly hope what you are experiencing is just the same as me - your poor nose is no longer protected from the usually negligible perils of everyday life. Ditto eyebrows and eyelashes; I am sick and tired of rubbing my eyes in pain because yet another eyelash has become stuck in there. Do you know the film "Brief Encounter" where Celia Johnson meets the man of her dreams because of a trapped eyelash? Tragically, I never knew that kind of joy, just the misery of constant eye rubbing...
Have to say, after 6 months of this, that if anyone could offer me the chance of total head hair regeneration overnight as opposed to total nose hair restitution, I'd truly go for the nose hair!
I'd mention it to your GP and oncologist just to make sure, but honestly think it's just another joyful side effect of the chemo. I admit I was frightened and baffled by it, but am prepared to live with it for another couple of months - anyone post-chemo out there who has experienced nose hair regrowth??
Wishing you all the best with your treatment (would say "chin up" but that's only going to make it worse in this weather!)
