Hello everyone, thanks for your stories and info. I’m learning a lot from you all and feel comforted by the community feel here. I have just started 4 xTC and have round 2 next week. I ended up back in hospital on Easter Sunday with febrile neutropenia.. the Neulasta injections helped so much that my neutrophils jumped from .0002 to 15 - so now I’m neutrophillic ! Has anyone experienced this ? Also, my hair has started thinning and coming out in small sections.. it’s the most distressing part of chemo for me, as prior to Easter I’d not had any real side effects. I’m thinking of having my hair shaved off as my scalp is really sensitive, but wondered whether doing this reduces the scalp sensitivity ? Appreciate your thoughts x

Hi Therese. The scalp sensitivity only happens at the beginning, before the hair starts falling round Day 14 of the first cycle of TC. It lessens quite quickly, whether you shave your head or not.Mine was intensely sore, irritated and itchy. I tried the cold cap but after the second cycle of TC it became clear it wasn't going to work so I went to a hipster barber and had it buzzed off with clippers. By that stage only a couple of small patches were still sensitive.Hope this helps, it can be distressing, but everything for the pulse eh. Hang in there. K

Echo what @kmakm says - it was a relief when it was gone. My hair lasted 14 days - but it felt awful for most of that time - like somebody else's hair, which is not great when it was still firmly attached. You can alternatively cut ir really short - I didn't fancy shaving so No 3 clippers - simply meant that it when it fell I didn't have great lengths of hair all over the shop, which can't be very pleasant for anyone. I wore a sleep cap to assist the tingly soreness (which clears quite quickly once the hair is gone) and emptied it out over the bathroom sink in the mornings! Quite efficient. Best wishes.

Thanks kmakm - that does help me decide to go with the shave - so tomorrow it will all go x

A sleep cap has a bit more fabric in it than the caps and turbans. It means you can pull it down over your ears for some extra warmth. I sometimes pull it over my eyes to shut out the light! I got mine from Head Complements as well. It was the first hat I bought as my oncologist advised it to keep the bed tidy when the hair started to fall. Like @AFraser says, very efficient.

I had neutrophiliia after my one and only Neulasa. Obviously I did not need that injection as they went through the roof to 77!!! I ended up in ED. Not a happy camper.Wow, has anyone noticed that spell checker wants to change neutrophillia to necrophilia......eewwww.

Neutropenia and hair questions after chemo #1

Sunshine0206
Member
8 years ago
Sorry - will clarify. I stopped the Neulista. It wasn’t just bone pain sadly. I had a vasovagal and the associated awfulness that goes with that. Ended up in ED.

Pain and Sx subsided about 3 hours after the injection.

I am grateful that I never became neutropenic.
ThereseE
Member
8 years ago
Endone fixed the bone pain for me... Sunshine0206 did you stop chemo or Neulasta after second dose ?
Sunshine0206
Member
8 years ago
I was another who reacted to the Neulista. My neuts boomed to 35. I had horrific bone pain. It was my second dose that had this reaction. I refused subsequent doses.

x
kmakm
Member
8 years ago
A sleep cap has a bit more fabric in it than the caps and turbans. It means you can pull it down over your ears for some extra warmth. I sometimes pull it over my eyes to shut out the light! I got mine from Head Complements as well. It was the first hat I bought as my oncologist advised it to keep the bed tidy when the hair started to fall. Like @AFraser says, very efficient.
Afraser
Member
8 years ago
It sounds much the same - I got mine at Head Comlements at Ringwood, their website is www.headcomplements.com.au/services.html#Caps
ThereseE
Member
8 years ago
Thanks Afraser, I’m wearing a cotton turban to sleep in... is that the same as a sleep cap ? I haven’t heard of that previously... can you post link ? Much appreciated x
Afraser
Member
8 years ago
Echo what @kmakm says - it was a relief when it was gone. My hair lasted 14 days - but it felt awful for most of that time - like somebody else's hair, which is not great when it was still firmly attached. You can alternatively cut ir really short - I didn't fancy shaving so No 3 clippers - simply meant that it when it fell I didn't have great lengths of hair all over the shop, which can't be very pleasant for anyone. I wore a sleep cap to assist the tingly soreness (which clears quite quickly once the hair is gone) and emptied it out over the bathroom sink in the mornings! Quite efficient. Best wishes.
kmakm
Member
8 years ago
I think the scalp does what it wants to, regardless of whether the hair is long or short!

My top of my head was like the parting of the Red Sea, with bare patches at various spots underneath. Hair was everywhere, all over the house, in the food, everywhere. In the end that was more distressing, especially the clumps that came out just about everytime I touched my head. And my hair felt manky, lifeless and brittle. It was a relief when it was gone.

Now I've just finished TC and am waiting curiously to see how soon and what comes back!
ThereseE
Member
8 years ago
Thanks kmakm - that does help me decide to go with the shave - so tomorrow it will all go x
kezmusc
Member
8 years ago
I had neutrophiliia after my one and only Neulasa. Obviously I did not need that injection as they went through the roof to 77!!! I ended up in ED. Not a happy camper.
Wow, has anyone noticed that spell checker wants to change neutrophillia to necrophilia......eewwww.