Hi,
I am about to start my treatment in a few weeks paclitaxel and herceptin for her2 er/or pos.lucky not spread into Lymph nodes, I wanted cold cap but my hospital doesn’t do it! Harlow, Hertfordshire. Are there any private companies that provide the cold cap or is there any alternative options? I know it can be hit and miss but worth a chance.
Thank you
Dear Marti,
Thanks for getting in touch. My name is Helen and I’m one of the cancer information nurse specialists here at the Macmillan cancer support service. Welcome to our online community. I see you have joined out breast cancer forum and hope you find it supportive.
I’m sorry to hear that your hospital doesn’t offer the cold cap during chemotherapy treatment.
Hair loss caused by cancer treatment can be stressful and make you feel less confident about your appearance. This is because body image is an important part of who we are and our confidence when dealing with our day to day lives.
Paclitaxel can cause hair loss. Scalp cooling may stop you losing some or all of the hair on your head. How well the cold cap works depends on the drugs and doses used, and it does not work for everyone.
The NHS Constitution gives most people living in England the right to choose where to receive treatment. There are some exceptions that may limit your choice – for example, not all hospitals are able to treat every condition, and a hospital must meet NHS conditions on standards and costs.
You can talk to your oncologist about transferring your care to a hospital that does offer the cold cap during treatment, or whether the unit could hire one from a manufacturer.
You can have treatment privately, but it’s worth bearing in mind you would have to pay for your chemotherapy as well as use of the cold cap.
I hope this is helpful.
Please don’t hesitate to get back in contact by e mail, webchat or phone if you need further information or support.
The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.
Best wishes,
Helen
Our ref: HK/RH
