Second Time w Chemo--Want to try Cold Caps so I am looking for used ones--Need resources help

Have you discussed this with your onc?

I did T/C --6 rounds 4.5 years ago. When I spoke to my onc about the cold caps, he advised against it. He said that he wanted the chemo to go all the way through my scalp so as not to get mets. He told me the tradeoff was losing my hair, but that it almost always grows back. My hair did grow back--curly for the first 18 months. It is not as thick as it used to be, but I'm also 62 now and I figure some of that comes with growing older (which, hopefully I will continue to do).

Good luck with finding the caps used and I hope it works for you.

Hugs,

JoAnn

 

 

Cold caps

hi, I am a survivor, almost 3&1/2 years and I am also a hairdresser. I never tried it but I certainly looked into it. Most people said it was very uncomfortable and didn't work. Their hair thinned out to the point that a problem was obvious. My problem with the drug taxotere was it ruined my tear ducts! I was told that it would make my eyebrows and eyelashes fall out and that my eyes might tear but that would go away after treatment. I had already lost my hair because my first four treatments  were a cocktail of Adriomycin cytoxsin. My last twelve treatments were the taxotere. I did lose my eyelashes and eyebrows and my eyes started to water a couple of treatments in.... That just got worse but by the time I actually visited an eye doctor I was about 3 months out of all treatment. I had other problems that were a priority over my constantly tearing eyes. Well the drug scar tissued my tear ducts shut, gave me severe dry eye and my body doesn't make good tears ( no natural oils) so after three local eye doctors failed attempts to fix it in the office I was sent an hour away to a specialist who has at least a dozen patients with the same problem. The first time he treated me he said one of two things were going to happen.  he was either going to be able to put stents in and I woul be fixed for good or he would have to put jones tubes in for tear ducts and they could possibly need maintenance every few years..... Well I have had 6 sets I less than 31/2 years! My body just migrates them I get about 6 months before my eye starts tearing. It also limeats my driving. I can't drive for more than 1&1/2 hours on a highway and they dry out so bad I can't keep my eyes open! Night driving is out and if I work over 5 hours they dry out badly and the only thing I have to go home and "marinate my eyes with moisturizing drops" 

my eye specialist told me that if I had visited any eye dr when they were tearing during treatment the eye dr could have irrigated my tears ducts or put stents in and I would be fine! He also told me that he has been to conferences where this has been talked about and he has read articles on it.  So learn from me, if your eyes water and they seem to get worse go get them checked!!!! It is horrible to deal with it is a constant reminder of what I went through. It hasn't allowed me to put it behind me. I am considering legal action against the drug company. Getting back to your hair purchase a bottle of Moroccan oil and #2 or 3 biotin shampoo and conditioner. Rub the Moroccan oil on your scal twice a day it helps a lot with scalp sensitivity and shampoo and condition your scalp just as if it were ther. Star this regimen before you lose your hair. I had been using all of these products for quite some time prior to treatment and did not experience scalp sensitivity at all. A friend of mine started using it after I shaved her head. Her scalp was very sensitive and she said the Moroccan oil helped tremendously!!!!! The Nixon products  will be a great deep cleanser for your scalp. In fact my friends hair didn't come back with that crazy chemo curl! I thought I was on to something! A year later I was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma but I did get the crazy chemo curl..... Thank god for all the wonderful hair styling products that are out there now!!! My hair eventually calmed down to a little better than normal! Good luck! Stay strong and stay positive!!! And laugh a lot!...Pam