Hi looking for some advice as I started chemo (paclitaxel) and immunotherapy for triple negative breast cancer with spindle cell cancer with bone metastasis. I only had one treatment of both and the immunotherapy did it's job after 1st session and i have been hospitalised for 10 days trying to get my immune system sorted but my question is I have started losing hair (1 & only chemo) 10 days after on pillow, brush etc... so wondering has anyone else experienced this and will all my hair fall out? I cannot have chemo for another couple of months until they sort out my transinimitis just don't know what will happen with my hair with just 1 session of paclitaxel? TIA
Hi dramaqueen
I had paclitaxel as part of my chemo for endometrial cancer in 2022. I did actually do scalp cooling so did keep some hair.
After the first chemo hair loss started around 14 days post chemo. Before the shedding started my scalp felt tender/uncomfortable and then a couple of days later it started to come out. I lost body hair from around the same time. Eyebrows and eye lashes followed later. I was told that paclitaxel normally causes total hair loss whereas the other chemo I received (carboplatin) only causes thinning.
Because I did scalp cooling I did not loose all the hair on my head, but without it, I would likely have lost it alongside the body hair.
It can be tough to deal with hair loss on top of everything else so do give the Support Line a call if talking things through would help.
I wish you well with your treatment.
Jane
