Question on taxotere and cytoxan and permanent hair loss

ibs · February 2016

How many people take taxotere and cytoxan and have had permanent hair loss? I am starting 4 cycles of IV of 60 min of taxotere and 1/2 hour of cytoxan next week. I just read that there are issues with permanant hair loss with Taxotere that worsens when combined with Cytoxan. Has anyone heard about this or experienced it?

Lauriesh · February 2016

I have permanent hair loss from taxotere. I never had cytoxon with it. I have seen the chance of permanent hair loss from taxotere Alone to be around 6-8 % chance.

sheila888 · February 2016

ibs....I finished 4 cycles of TC on February1 of this year.

It's too soon to say......

Good Luck

Sheila

ibs · February 2016

Thanks for the responses Sheila and Laurie. Sorry to hear your issue Laurie. I spoke with an oncology nurse at ACS and my oncologist (both practicing for many years) and they both said they never encountered a patient with permanent hair loss and the nurse mentioned only 1 patient had some thining of the hair. My uncle had a lot of chemo over many cycles before he passed last year (he had a different cancer) and he had his hair until just before he passed.

208sandy · February 2016

None of my doctors or nurses had ever heard of permanent hair loss from Taxotere - interesting - they have been practicing for years too and I am the first case they've seen (REALLY??!!!- there is lots on this subject by googling - think there is a group that calls itself "taxotears" - I had my tx 8 years ago and have in the last six months just been able to have bangs - still very thin and non-existent on top - I wear a wig, scarf or hat when I am out in public and have for 8 years - if I were you I'd ask if taxol is a better solution.

ibs · February 2016

Will do thanks!

Warrior_Woman · February 2016

I used cold caps so I followed the hair loss issue carefully as I was going through 4 cycles of CT. I never read that it was worse when cytoxan is combined with taxotere but I did read the 8% permanent hair loss stat. a number of times. With that said, I have only seen it reported on here a couple times and normally women report hair regrowth starting before the end of chemo or shortly afterwards. I don't know if it made a difference but I use biotin and liquid silica.

Lauriesh - I'm so sorry that happened to you. I hope you're finding ways to manage comfortably.

ohilly · February 2016

I had a combo of Taxotere and Cytoxan in 2008 (Stage 1 bc). I have my hair, but I used to have thick, beautiful hair - it grew back thin on top. I also take Femara, which can also contribute to hair loss and thinning. For a long time, I had a lot of anger about this. I felt it would have been easier for me to accept if the doctors had forewarned me, but I also always got 'it grows back' from them. Yes, it does grow back (at least in most cases) but not like before. It took me a long time to accept my 'new' hair, but now I can say that I truly have. Don't waste your time on a bunch of medical or cosmetic treatments for thinning hair that don't work - i went to a salon and they did a lot to cover it up. People even tell me I look better than before.

If I had to do it over again, I would not let my fear of hair loss determine my treatment. But I just wish I had been prepared.

Hope this helps,

Ohilly

Loral · March 2016

FYI-There's a lawyer here in MI advertising for clients, he wants to sue if you have permanent hair loss from Taxotere..His name is Mike Morse.

bonnie-from-pittsburgh01 · May 2016

I received taxotere in 2006 and have permanent whole body hair loss. I had my eyebrows tattooed on but my bald head is a devastating loss to deal with every day. I would never take taxotere again. There are safer more effective drugs out there.

Question on taxotere and cytoxan and permanent hair loss

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