Side effects - Taxotere + Cyclophosphamide

I started with 3 cycles of Cyclophosphamide and Epirubicin every three weeks and started to lose my hair on day 17 of the first cycle. I then had 4 cycles of Docetaxel (Taxotere). My hair started growing back about 8 weeks after finishing chemo. I believe permanent hair loss is a possibility but I don't think it's very common. I imagine nobody can predict whether it will be permanent or not. I hope it will for you and that your treatment goes well. At the end of the day, it's to cure you of cancer so I hope and pray that is the outcome for you. Amy x

Hi Flippingcanceroff, I had 4 x EC and 4x Docetaxel (Taxotere). I lost most of my hair with EC but it has been growing back on Docetaxel. I scalp cooled all the way through. Whilst it makes the treatment time a bit longer it helps to prevent some hair loss but also is supposed to help with the regrowth. EC is harsh for hair loss more than Docetaxel I believe. 
With scalp cooling if you don’t try it with your first chemo it’s not something that can be added at a later date. 

Wishing you all the best with your journey 

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x

Please search information for yourself on Taxane/ Docetaxel chemotherapy. The is a study done by Clatterbridge/Christie hospitals on Taxane chemotherapy and hair loss. If you are post menopausal the research showed 37.8%. I am a PCIA sufferer. I was told a 3% chance of permanent hair loss. I wish I had read the study before my treatment and not after because I would have made very different choices.

This is the exact article I found and why I am concerned. Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. I'm very sorry to learn of your PCIA. I truly hope there is a way to resolve it. I cannot imagine how distressing it must be 

I am struggling to find scalp cooling systems in my current location and trying desperately to source it before I start chemo

Thank you for sharing Amy123. I really am hoping I am not one of those that face the fate of permanent hair loss. I would struggle to move on with life. I am discussing alternate drugs with my oncologist now after reading the stories of women like mcfc that faced this horrible fate

I wished that I had done my own research before I agreed to Docetaxel , I trusted my oncologist completely. It’s your body so don’t be afraid to question. The study that shows much higher incidence of PCIA was done in my hospital, not some back of beyond hospital in America. I find it so hard to understand why it was ignored. The reason for research is to educate, inform and improve outcomes for patients. The evidence is clear. Oncologist throughout the world are online are talking about hair loss associated with Taxane chemotherapy. Nothing in the UK, I have no idea why. I fully intend to find out the reason for that. 

Thanks very much. Losing my hair permanently is worse than losing my breasts. It robs you of your femininity, self esteem and some days your will to live. People flippantly say that I should be grateful to be alive. I am grateful, I had a wonderful breast surgeon and nurses but there could have been a different outcome for me had oncology prescribed different chemotherapy. A post menopausal woman like me had a 37.8% chance of PCIA not the 3% that I was told. I certainly would have had a different conversation had I know. I would have asked for the Taxol Paclixatel because it doesn’t have the same outcomes for hair loss Please do the research, the evidence is there if you look. Best of luck to you, thanks so much for the reply.

Demand one, you are entitled, it is used by the NHS  I had scalp cooling on my first chemo but my hair started to fall out and I was told by my nurses that I was unlucky and it hasn’t worked. I have since read the research which says regardless of hair loss you must use it at ever chemotherapy session because even though your hair is falling out it still protects your follicles and can help to make sure that hair regrows. I read two books by a lady called Shirley Ledlie, and loooked at the Paxman cooling research. I bitterly regret that I didn’t read them before my treatment. I wish you well xxxxx

The problem is everyone is very different. There is no guarantee that we will or won’t loose our hair and they can’t tell in advance who will or won’t. I did loose a lot of mine with EC as it’s a much harsher chemo drug. As soon as I started Docetaxel it started to grow back which is what I have heard about Paclitaxel too. 

I did scalp cooling too which I think has helped with the regrowth I was determined to do it every session. As I started to loose more hair I was given a surgical cap to help too. 

It took me a long time to find a wig I liked but there are so many choices out there. Yes I would be gutted if my hair didn’t grow back but there are so many different things one can wear on the scalp to help that I’m sure you would find something. I did read about replacement hair systems too which seem to be very good option.

Ive just found some hair serum which has had good reports from people on chemo so I’ve bought that to try along with eyebrow serum too. I already have the eyelash serum which seems to be helping and I have noticed a little growth on those.

Hope all goes well and your hair starts to grow back soon. 
Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x