Taxotere, permanent hair loss and different hair types

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Quasi
Quasi Member Posts: 44
edited June 2014 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

My oncologist is putting me on 3 cycles of taxotere following 3 FEC cycles. After researching Taxotere I am sure there is a good chance of permanent hair loss, I looked at published journal articles and they repeatedly refer to "caucasian females". Does that mean that this side effect is restricted to cacasian women rather than other races? I hope I am not offending anybody, it just seems like a worthy question even though nobody in the drug industry seems that interested in researching it. I am totally scared, I am going to ask my oncologist to switch me to something else but she is so dismissive and strong headed, I am 90% sure she will refuse any adjustments to her "effective plan". I feel doomed.

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  • AmyQ
    AmyQ Member Posts: 2,182
    edited January 2014

    I had taxotere 5 cycles and did not lose my hair because I used Penguin Cold Caps.  What hair I did lose is coming back so know that mine isn't permanent.  I don't know the statistics but I think permanent hair loss is low. I can't tell you what to do, but I can suggest you look into Cold Caps to save your hair and read the other forums regarding hair loss versus keeping your hair.  Good luck - 

    Amy

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  • dfwmom70
    dfwmom70 Member Posts: 14
    edited February 2014

    I had Taxotere...every 3 weeks totalling 6 treatments.  Started in July; ending in October.  My hair is growing back and I finally felt like taking head coverings off at home this week.  I was worried too. It still looks like baby hair though.

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  • Annie54
    Annie54 Member Posts: 247
    edited February 2014

    I also had 6 treatments of Taxotere - finishing up in August. My hair started growing back in October and now I have 1 and 1/2 inch of very thick dark hair. No thinness anywhere. My understanding is that the permanent hair loss affects a VERY small percentage of people treated with Taxotere. Chance are you will be fine with a full head of hair down the road.

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  • Rakovina
    Rakovina Member Posts: 132
    edited February 2014

    My hair grew back just like it was before chemo, and came back pretty quickly too.  To be honest I have never heard that there was a chance of permanent hair loss.

    You are going into the unknown and that is scary, and very normal.  Have you had the FEC yet?  I found taxotere a lot easier than FEC.  Speak to your GP for more information if you don't think your Onc is helpful.  Goodluck.

    Tanya 


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  • taxoteremademebald
    taxoteremademebald Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2014

    I had the last of 6 rounds of taxotere this past July and have what appears to be permanent baldness on the top of my head.  It is a small risk but an excruciatingly devastating complication and right now there does not appear to be any way to predict who it will happen to. 

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