Reflux and shampoo for Cold Cap Chemo

Sorry for the slow response Lissie, I appreciate you taking the time. Third session yesterday was horrible, I think due to patch  scalp. Am waiting to see what happens in the next two  weeks and will make a call then. 

Hi @Belgrave14
Keep persisting with the cold capping and just be as gentle as possible with your hair.
I had my chemo on Tuesdays and usually up all night from the steriods and then on a high tlll Thursday, then l felt pretty terrible by Friday through till Tuesday but you will get through it. Hopefully you have good family support around you.
The online journey tool is really good to help you with questions you might have and remember family and friends can call the BCNA phone line as well if they need someone to talk to.
Keep your chin up.
Thinking of you.
Lissie.

Sorry, I haven’t been around much to read/reply, I was pretty low after my second chemo. Kmakm, the Belgrave is a throwback to my Irish roots though I like the sound of a Puffing Billy area! Thanks for the response Lissie, I started losing handfuls of hair at the weekend which was something else making me feel bad but my oncologist said on Tuesday that without the cold cap it would probably all be gone by now so I will keep going and hope for the best. The good news from him is that clinically I seem to be doing well with the Chemo and my immune system is good - I am heading to Melbourne from Sydney at the weekend and was a bit worried about flight germs so that has made me feel better. Good thoughts to all xx 

Hi @Belgrave14
Sorry for the late response. 
I had AC and it was once every three weeks with four treatments of scalp cooling. 
I probably started to shed hair in the first three weeks but only small amounts but found l shed more once combing wet hair, so l tried leaving washing to once a week.
I have now finished chemo and l think I've kept maybe 95 per cent of my hair but l was very very lucky.
I've lost all hair on my body and most of my eyebrows and eyelashes but I'm told that l should have hair start growing back in the next 4-6 weeks.
Hope this helps you and if you want to know anything else please contact me again or you can write your own post to get a specific answer.
Goodluck and healthly healing to you.
Lissie x

Hi Lissie. I had the cold cap. A no sulphate shampoo is recommended  I already use a no sulphate shampoo anyway which is the Vira Five CPR  They have a range in the CPR to suit. Personally I love the one for coloured hair. I suffered with reflux for many years and when I finally found a specialist who diagnosed this  which is now a floating hiatus hernia it turns out that the breast surgeon I chose happens to work out of the same rooms. I take Pariet daily and there are times when even Pariet can't help any more than it does so I always have Quickeeze in all my bags  next to the bed, and in the cupboard. Not the hard ones that turn to yukky gritty paste in the mouth but the chewy ones  They have a mint or a wild Berry flavour  Works instantly for me. Also with the cold cap it's an unknown as to how much hair you'll shed. I had long hair and it shed quite a bit  the crown and temples more than the rest . 2 months after chemo finished I got my husband to clipper my hair off leaving it about an inch all over. It's been a year and it is so curly. Wishing you a good recovery 

I had TC on a three weekly cycle, with the cold cap for the first two cycles. My hair started falling out on Day 13. Are you having AC @Belgrave14?

With a name like that, are you in the Puffing Billy area?! Beautiful part of the world! K xox

I had my second round of Chemo yesterday using the cold cap. The doctor said hair loss is likely to start happening after the third round (I’m doing dose dense chemo so every two weeks), just wondering is that consistent with other people’s experience? I don’t seem to be losing anything at the moment.

Awesome @Lissie.  So glad it worked well for you.

xoxoxo

Hi everyone, 

Had my last Cold Cap/Scalp Cooling Chemo and now onto radiation in the next couple of weeks.
Woo hooo !!!

Please if you have the chance to do this with chemo give this a go.
I've been so fortunate to keep at least 95 per cent of my hair.

Unfortunately it doesn't always work for everyone but it is worth giving it a go. 
You can go through the public system and the Epworth have been a wonderful support to me.

I found lots of useful tips to keeping my hair.
Wash only once a week, use wide tooth comb and only comb if necessary, l used Nioxin no2 shampoo and conditioner online at Ebay both $40 it helps with breakage or DeLorenzo Tricho Sensitive for growth, also both $40 on Ebay.
I found that combing my hair when wet l was losing a lot more. So, l washed it only once a week and usually the day after my chemo treatment. l worked out what day chemo fell - usually the same day each time.
Pulled my hair back each day with soft scrunchie and used cotton scarves from Op Shop or Kmart -cheap..
Used dry hair shampoo lightly toward the end of the week.
You will still shed hair every day but gee it was worth it for me.

I had four treatments and l never had headaches until my last one and just rode out the 6hrs with nausea but nurse gave me injection for that.
So you do need a full day from 9am until 4pm usually and they also usually give you free parking tickets, which is a bonus.
You also need to know you have a sedative with this, so you need someone to drive you home.

Moo Goo also great for the dry skin and probiotics for the gut helped too.
Symptoms aren't great by the fourth day but l just slept and didn't do much for about 4-6 days. 
I also found not much sleep on the night of chemo as of the steroids and the next couple of nights but that was maybe just me.
Anyway I thought this might be helpful to anyone thinking of giving the Cold/Scalp Cooling a go.

Goodluck, best wishes and love to you all.
Lissie.

So glad it's worked for you @Lissie! K xox