hair loss - oh my!

Lululeo 3 hours ago

3 replies
40 subscribers
31 views

I'm now three weeks done with treatment, and the chemo has actually been rougher than I expected. In the past two days, though, I've felt the best I've felt since the week one infusions. Then this morning in the shower massive clumps of my hair came out while showering -- something I wasn't really expecting. I know hair loss is common with chemo, but I guess I thought it was less common with the Nigro protocol chemo drugs. Anyway, I'm not ashamed to admit it was quite a shock and I had myself a good 10 minute cry.

I'm feeling better now, and am trying to focus on getting through as best I can. I've bought some barber shears and plan to give myself a good trim and just hope that jaunty headscarves and baseball caps carry the day (haha).

I am curious if some of you experienced the hair loss. I'm taking mitomycin and fluor-5 by infusion at weeks 1 and 5. I know a lot of you take the capecitabine pills instead - does that make a difference in any way? At any rate, it is what it is. I guess I'm just looking for support as I adjust to all of this. TY in advance, and have a lovely day!

Bungle1 3 hours ago

Hi Lululeo I'm sorry this has happened to you. I had the same chemo as you and while I think I shed more hair than normal while brushing etc it was nothing that anyone else would have noticed. I don't think the chemo makes any difference I specifically asked about hair loss and was told no highly unlikely I think you have just been very unlucky.

Easy for me to say I know but head up and go rock your new look. Sending hugs. Xx

Lululeo 55 minutes ago in reply to Bungle1

Bungle1 , thanks for sharing your experience. I was also told hair loss not likely beyond a little thinning. I guess my body has to be an exception! Curious - I'm in the US and wondered if you were too? It seems like our chemo regimen is more common in the US than the UK, where they seem to do the pills.

So far I'd say I've been especially sensitive to the chemo. Last week I hit a wall with very low energy, dizziness, nausea and accompanying bloodwork showing extreme immunosuppression. Fortunately one Neupogen injection turned things around and I'm doing much better. If losing hair is the price to pay for zapping the evil squamous cancer cells to oblivion, then so be it. Bring it on!

Bungle1 23 minutes ago in reply to Lululeo

Hi Lululeo I'm in the UK. The majority of people on this forum seem to have the chemo tablets. When I was going through it i did come across one lady on here from uk who had had the same chemo as me weeks 1 and 5 via a picc. I tolerated the chemo pretty well I think, I felt nauseous week 1 but I think this was from the mitomycin, other than that food tasted weird. I should say I didn't have a full dose as I had low dpd, I had a 50 % dose week 1 and then as I tolerated that well and all my bloods came back really good they gave me 75% dose week 5. You are over half way hang in there. Sending hugs. Xx

More from this forum

hair loss - oh my!