Tips on how to make own Cold Cap

bluedesert

Hi all - my mom just had her first chemo session on TH (Taxol / Herceptin) . Unfortunately, we are oversees and cold capping is not known here. The hospital we are at completely screwed up and told us they had the cold cap only to get surprised that they didn't have the correct equipment. (they offered us a hypothermia mat! machine only goes down to 4C) So my mom had to go through her first session with me holding bags of ice over her head for a couple hours - a complete fail I can tell you.

So now I need to figure out a way to put together home made cooling caps. Any thoughts please? Also does anyone know what temperature it has to be at? I am assuming I will have to assemble together a bunch of gel packs in the shape of a cap. Is it ok if they are at a home freezer temperature? Thanks in advance!

exbrnxgrl

I see that you've had no replies and I'm sorry to say that I have no personal experience with cold caps. I have never heard of anyone making their own cold caps, though I can't say it's never happened. I have heard that they must be used from the first chemo treatment to be effective and that a home freezer is not cold enough. If the treatment facility does not provide them (such as the Dignicap brand used by some facilities) they are kept cold by being placed in dry ice. All the best to your mother and perhaps some who are more knowledgeable will comment. Have you checked any of the cold cap threads ?

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/6/topics/735873?page=694#post_5315167