Paclitaxel & Herceptin

Hi,

I am similar to you, breast op in Dec then node op confirmed clear in Jan but HER2 positive so I am on weekly paclitaxel - just completed week 8 of 12 today, and herceptin every 3 weeks for 1 year.

My hair loss started after week 2 but the worse thing was the itchy, painful scalp - apparently a sign hair loss is starting! So after week 3 I decided to shave it quite short and oh the relief!! I’ve since had a scalp rash which was an allergic reaction to paclitaxel but anti-histamine and moisturising my head with Aveeno cream have helped that - not a great look but manageable!

Since then I’ve had more hair loss but in patches and now very thin, rather than complete hair loss. 

If hair loss is a concern for you it might be worth waiting to see how it goes, but for me i was happy to wear soft hats and I have a wig on standby, and have a more comfortable head - and getting ready in the morning is now so quick!!

Sending strength and positive thoughts your way xx

Hi Thankyou for your reply, I’m not actually worried about hair loss, I just wondered if many lost it with it being a weekly treatment, oooh itchy scalp must of drove you nutty, pleased your on top of it now, yeah I’m only coming up to week 2 so I’ll see how it goes, hope your doing well & you go through it all with minimal issues . Positive thought sent right back at ya xxx 

Hi I’m similar to you with a grade 2 hormone positive, HER2+ cancer and have breast conserving surgery with no node involvement. Hair loss has been a major concern for me, which I know is shallow but I am a natural blonde and it’s always been a huge part of my identity. I am not high maintenance and am happy to wash and leave my hair but in pre COVID times it was always regularly trimmed.

I am on week 4 yesterday and have started to shed but only noticeable to me and my hair brush. I get a tingly scalp for a few days every week but it is not all over. I have taken to washing my hair once per week (it feels a bit grim) and keeping it tied back all the time in a silk hair band. I was it the day before chemo and let it air dry. I wash very gently with simple shampoo and do not rub my scalp. I brush gently twice per day with a Manta hair brush. I am hoping if It becomes noticeable I will be able to disguise with scarves and soft hats. I am also wearing sleep caps to protect my hair and also to stop it shedding over pillows. I look like a pirate at night! My body hair is all still there and am avoiding the eye lash curlers to keep my sparse eyebrows. I have a dodgy thyroid so my blonde eye brows are sparse anyway. I believe cold capping works and I wanted to give it a go but my chemo unit is in temporary accommodation and doesn’t have capacity to let us use it at present as adds time to our slots. Another downside of COVID and I feel sad that I didn’t get to try it but I have to tell myself my tumour has gone, my scar is neat and I am much luckier than many so it is a first world problem. My oncologist did say I might not loose all my hair and it may only thin so I think it does depend. I think he was trying to persuade me have the chemo though as I only need it to stop recurrence as my tumour has thankfully gone. 

Good luck! Each week is one closer to the end of treatment!

Hi 

I finished this regime about 4 years ago. For some reason losing my hair didn’t bother me , although a very beautiful friend of mine has allopaecia so maybe that was the reason ,  my hair was long and dyed brown before treatment , I ended having mine cut short before treatment to help preserve it , but ended up having it all shaved off after week 3, and wore a wig when I went out , nothing  in the house. Packlitaxel weekly has a cumulative effect so although it is gentler your body never really gets chance to recover and the affects build up. What really bothered me was my nails , they all became infected and my toenails fell off 6 months after treatment finished- along with other issues they bothered me more than my hair ! 
Like everything on this journey , everyone reacts differently to the treatments and what mentally bothers one person doesn’t bother another , so do whatever feels right for you in regard to your hair, it’s not vain it’s what will help you get through this.

Jo x

Good evening was just reading your post, hope you are doing well? My mum is on weekly paclitaxel,  she does 3 weeks on 1 week off, so she will be having 9 cycles, do you think this will have impact on hair loss? Thank you

HiJodie87

I was told that after 3 sessions of the weekly Paclitaxel my hair would start to come out - and it did , my oncologist said it was highly unlikely I would keep my hair , bizarrely I thought she would be wrong, but she was right . I had my treatments on a Thursday , and I remember clearly being in the shower on the Saturday morning following my  3rd session and my hair just coming out in handfuls , it was so distressing. If you don’t cold cap you are very , very lucky if you don’t lose your hair during chemo. I am not sure having a week off would make a difference , but maybe it will. 

Hope your mum is managing okay , I have attached a collage of me before during and after chemo , if she loses her hair it will grow back x 

Thank  you beautiful  lady,  you really  suit the new style and colour too :). 

I just wanted to show that whilst it can be very traumatic to lose your hair , your mum will come out the other side - it is hard as a daughter too, my mum had breast cancer (didn’t need chemo) and I just wanted to try and fix it, but you can’t , what you can do , is what you are doing , finding things out so your mum is prepared , and when she has to make decisions makes them with the best of information. It’s important for all of you to look after yourselves too , make sure you still do nice things and don’t feel guilty about doing it . 

Jo x

Thank you. My mum is very brave and often says what will be will be and whatever happens is needed to beat this. I admit the hair loss is emotional for me  but I know this is all to prevent now and I have to remember  that. Mum doesn't often  ask BCN the questions but sometimes asks me, therefore  I like to be Well informed  x