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Venus14's avatar
Venus14
Member
13 years ago

Ms

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has had any success in keeping most of their hair with a "cold cap"? I am going to be having 3 rounds of FEC and 3 rounds of docetaxel through a portacath so it may be useless anyway. Also if anyone has had this chemo regime I would be interested in any advice or tips that you found helpful.

Tks Karen

12 Replies

  • My onc nurses said the cold cap was very painful to wear and not in their experience particularly successful. The cold gloves and the mouthful of ice was hard enough.

    I had 6 rounds, and my nails survived but they are now INCREDIBLY brittle. There is a line about 1/4 inch down on the nailbed which is darker and they seem to be just breaking off to that. I am glad the ice stopped them from falling off altogether !

    I got used to the no hair quite quickly and it is growing back now - much more slowly than it falls out let me tell you !! I didn't lose eyebrows and lashes but everwhere else. I too felt glad that the drugs were doing the job they are meant to.

    magicmum

    magicmum

  • My onc nurses said the cold cap was very painful to wear and not in their experience particularly successful. The cold gloves and the mouthful of ice was hard enough.

    I had 6 rounds, and my nails survived but they are now INCREDIBLY brittle. There is a line about 1/4 inch down on the nailbed which is darker and they seem to be just breaking off to that. I am glad the ice stopped them from falling off altogether !

    I got used to the no hair quite quickly and it is growing back now - much more slowly than it falls out let me tell you !! I didn't lose eyebrows and lashes but everwhere else. I too felt glad that the drugs were doing the job they are meant to.

    magicmum

    magicmum

  • No-one medical ever mentioned the Cold Cap, which I found interesting.  But my sister-in-law is a nurse and she Iknew some-one who had used one, and that was my first info I got.  I am 2 days from FEC no 3 and did lose my hair by the handfuls, then felt off enough on the 2nd day of no2. I just said "Shave it off!"  I see they give you cold gloves for Taxotere - for your nails, so I am wondering why they dont bother with your head!  A cold head for 3 hours wouldnt be fun.  As an ex hairdresser and a lover of my hair, I found it a bit confronting right til last minute.  But as others had gone through it before me, I eventually just accepted it would happen and didnt follow up with the cold cap!  So I will be keen to read what others say!! XX Bel