Cold cap

Thank you very very much for your time and information.I know there are worse side affects but I still want to try and retain my hair xx

Hi @Lillianne,

Welcome.

If the cap is available it's absolutely worth trying.  I had a different chemo regime to you, but all these stinky drugs make your hair fall out.  4 x 3 weekly AC and then 12 weekly Taxol.

 There are varying results but if you're lucky enough to have the opportunity to try it.  Go for it.

I have fine, pretty average straight hair and did not follow the hair care rules very well.

The fit.
Number one session is the make or break.  Do your homework on the paxman website and make sure you are happy with the way it's fitted.  It should be tight and snug against your scalp. I used to push the cap down int the middle about every 10mins as the centre part seems to be the first to go if it's not fitted well. Make sure the machine has been turned on long enough before you start.  I nearly got caught with this one once, luckily I just happened to glance down and see the big "not ready" display on it. 

Brain Freeze
I won't lie, the first time I very nearly ripped it off after about 30 secs it literally almost made me throw up. I remembered reading the brochure that said it doesn't last long so persevered and for me it didn't.  Less than 5 or 6 mins minutes then I was fine. Or I was numb, not sure. LOl.  Each session after that was less and less intense until I was quite ok within a minute or so.

Time
Some of this depends on how organised and or busy your nurses are.  The pre cooling can be done with the pre meds.  You have to wait anyway for these to kick in.  The after cooling with AC was 90 mins but we started that straight after the chemo drug infusion so by the time the last bag of fluids ran through I was only there for an extra hour and less with the taxol. Your day's buggered anyway so the extra time didn't bother me.  Plus you get nice cosy blankets to sit under and read your book or whatever. 

My hair did thin I would say by about 30 percent.  I didn't really notice how much it had until it started to grow back as the thinning was even and looked normal.  Nobody could tell but me.

Just send me a pm if you want any other info, products etc.  Happy to help if I can. The first photo is me, Christmas day. 14 days after chemo number one.  The second photo is my last day of radiation.  So, 10 weeks after chemo.  Wow looking somewhat tired and nice burn cream on the chest....eeewwww

All the best.
xoxoxo

Hi Lillianne. I had TC (short for your chemo) as well and tried the cold cap. Like you I was told that I would get good results as my hair was thick and dark. At my first infusion the nurse told me she thought I'd getca good result. At my second infusion the nurse told me the cold cap didn't help much with TC... As far as I can tell it's absolutely pot luck.

I was given Ativan and paracetemol half an hour before the cold cap was put on. It was agony for the first 12 minutes, painful for the next 18 and then completely tolerable for the rest of the time. The heated 'bear hugger' blanket helped as well.

My hair started to fall out on Day 13 of the first cycle. And it continued, in huge quantities. There was hair everywhere! I gave up in the third week of my second cycle. I had an enormously wide landing strip on top and bare patches at random elsewhere. The quality of the remaining hair was poor too, it had a lank, brittle dead feeling. I hated it and the whole monk like look so buzzed it off. It was a great relief!

I think the fit is the thing. Make sure the cap is squashed really firmly onto the top of your head. Most of the edges of my hair, where the cap had fit really tight, stayed. So squash it down regularly while you're sitting there.

It is a big time commitment. With the cold cap I was at the hospital for six and a half hours, wthout it I was there for three.

Good luck! Let us know how you get on. K

I haven't had Docataxel but I believe that it's extremely hard on the hair follicles.  I had AC and did the cold cap for the first two treatments. I gave up when I developed a bald stripe across my head that I couldn't hide.  I then lost most, but not all of my hair over the next 2 treatments.  If it's offered, I would advise to give it a go.  Find out if there's an extra cost associated with it and if there would be any difficulty in stopping if you change your mind.  It does make the treatment much longer and the intense cold can be painful although you should be offered Panadol. I was also given one of those electric doonas. You have to make sure that it fits snugly to your whole scalp throughout the process.  

@Lillianne that’s what I had - just finished a week and a half ago.  I have very fine hair so u probably will do better than me.  Take a panadol before u go if u r going to try it and warm clothes. 

Docetaxel and cyclophosphamide
i have been told that as my hair is coarse and thick I have a better chance of not losing it all

Hi @Lillianne if u search cold cap in the top search bar u should find lots of recent threads about this. I used it and lost about 50% of my hair it it left enough for a sad little ponytail to hang out the back of a baseball cap and it protects the rest of the hair follicles so it will grow back quicker. Some people like @kezmusc have had amazing results and she has posted a pic in a few of these threads. With trying if it is available and if u can handle the intense cold for about the first 20 minutes. What kind of chemo are u having?