Chemo side effects

Options
Hokster
Hokster Member Posts: 53
edited January 2017 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

My doctor advised that I would be undergoing "Light chemotherapy" and as such, would not lose my hair or experience any significant side effects. I am to meet my MO on a Monday, but have yet to find anything online that speaks to some form of chemo being milder than others and/or assurances that hair loss can be prevented.

Does anyone have any info on this?

Thanks all!

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2017

    Hi Hokster --

    Do you have an idea yet about which chemo drugs you'll be taking? If so, you should be able to look them up on our main Breastcancer.org site's Drug List for some info about side effects you can expect, with links to tips to help manage those side effects.

    Also, many of our members find that scalp cooling systems have worked for them to help prevent or lessen hair loss. You can read more on the Cold Caps thread, and on the main site's page on Cold Caps.

    We hope this helps! Please keep us posted on your treatment journey.

    --The Mods

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hokster
    Hokster Member Posts: 53
    edited January 2017

    I don't know which drugs I'll be taking yet, which is the reason for my question. Is there indeed - as my doctor alluded to - a drug or dosage where hair loss is unlikely to occur?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited January 2017

    Hokster - I've never heard of any such thing as 'chemo lite'. Depending on your individual health & your genetics and cancer stats, the doc will prescribe what will work best for those combinations. If you skip taxotere &/or adriamycin &/or some others - you might not loose your hair - but also you might not kill the cancer.

    It will be interesting to see what your doc is talking about. Please do let us know.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hokster
    Hokster Member Posts: 53
    edited January 2017

    Mystery solved! The chemo regimen that my surgeon referred to as "light" is CMF. My MO however stated that this is typically given to elderly patients and as such, has opted to put me I'm AC + Taxol. I haven't found any information online that points to CMF being milder but wanted to circle back since I had put the question out there.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories