Hair loss from Folfox?

I started to lose a lot of my hair After treatment 4 of Folfox.   I still have some hair but it is very thin and does not look healthy.   I used to have long thick hair....I wound up cutting it much shorter because every time I brushed it it just seemed to pull even more hair out.   Be careful when getting your wig...my insurance was supposed to pay for 1 wig but they denied my claim because the wig shop was not in network ... I asked them well what wig shop is and there were none in my area ... I live in a large metropolitan area.  So I wound up having to pay the $370 bill myself....wigs can be very expensive....some of the ones i tried on we're over $2000!  I also ordered a second wig from Paula Young wigs...from the jaclyn smith line...very affordable and actually it is the one that I wear most often.   I think I paid about $50 for that wig.

Alex

I understand it is rare to lose your hair on Folfox - so you might be one of those lucky people.  I did lose all my hair - all over my body except for my eyebrows.  It all came back - although not quickly enough for me.  I chose to wear hats, not wigs.  That worked well for me too.  I'm sorry - I don't remember when I lost it - probably midway through.    Good luck!

I've just passed my second sessoin and my hair is already thinning. When I looked in the mirror yesterday, I could see my scalp through my hair, which I've never been able to do before. 

I can't stand things on my head, so a wig is out, but I do have a few hats which I hate but will wear becasue its bitter cold outside. 

Also the hair on my legs (no, I don't bother shaving in the winter) is bald in patches, and my pubic hair, most of which was shaved for surgery, is not growing back.

I don't expect to lose all my hair, but if I do, I'm going to get a Henna tattoo during the summer. Something fun for people to look at. 

Good luck with your treatments. 

Coloncancerblows said:

I got a wig that looks like

I got a wig that looks like my normal hair and it was only $70.  If insurance doesn't pay, I'm not out any money.  I had it on and sent a picture to my husband and he couldn't even tell!

first, I love your user name! gets right to the point, doesn't it?

My hair thinned out a lot so I wore a wig to work (hated the damn thing; it itched) but about 3/4 through treatment, it stopped falling out.  don't know why but now it's thickened out again and is curly!  I like the new texture and can't wait to grow it out.  I even have Shirley Temple spiral curls - well, very small ones. It's definitely a plus.

re; your chemo experience, did you have your mediport installed? I got my port installed and started chemo like the very next day. Ugh. It totally wiped me out and I spent about six weeks on a memory foam, watching Netflix and NCIS. It was rough, but after awhile my body got used to it and i became stronger.  Once I could get up and move around I started walking - one of the drugs makes you sun sensitive, and I had treatment during the summer, so I remember going to a supermarket and walking up and down the aisles just for exercise!!  I couldn't go out side because I'd turn into a radish in about 30 seconds. 

I will recommend chugging lots of water. I must have drank two liters a day. oy!  but i think it helped. I also tried to avoid processed food, or food with lots of additives and junk to minimize the burden on my poor liver.  Don't know if it helped but my liver tests came back all right. And protein - to build red blood cells (especially for women) eat 60 grams of protein a day. I was losing so much weight that I went to a nutritionist.  There isn't any food that I know of that will help you increase your white blood cells and platelets - those get whacked by chemo as well.  My platelets were constantly on the low side (bruised a lot) but only once did my white count drop below acceptable levels.  

I'm done with the first wave of chemo  and have neuropathy now; not pain just tingling. during treatment my hands would sometimes feel weird, so I ordered some carpal tunnel braces and slept with the on, or I wrapped my wrists in ace bandages. that really helped.  Definitely get gloves to take things from the fridge. I got used to eating warm yogurt (took about an hour to cool the little tubs to a temperature I could tolerate.) Cereal was an adjustment - warm milk turns ordinary breakfast cereal to mush.  

good luck with your treatment. This board is a great source of information and support. you're not alone!

cheers

Karin 

I had hair thinning but it seems like losing hair as it falls out.  Don't buy the wig yet.  I thinned at the top and was hoping it would grow back dark and thick like my cousin who had breast cancer but instead it filled in but was white  with a very baby fine texture.  Some on Folfox did not lose their hair at all so best advice is to wait and see.

NB

lilacbrroller said:

hair

first, I love your user name! gets right to the point, doesn't it?

My hair thinned out a lot so I wore a wig to work (hated the damn thing; it itched) but about 3/4 through treatment, it stopped falling out.  don't know why but now it's thickened out again and is curly!  I like the new texture and can't wait to grow it out.  I even have Shirley Temple spiral curls - well, very small ones. It's definitely a plus.

re; your chemo experience, did you have your mediport installed? I got my port installed and started chemo like the very next day. Ugh. It totally wiped me out and I spent about six weeks on a memory foam, watching Netflix and NCIS. It was rough, but after awhile my body got used to it and i became stronger.  Once I could get up and move around I started walking - one of the drugs makes you sun sensitive, and I had treatment during the summer, so I remember going to a supermarket and walking up and down the aisles just for exercise!!  I couldn't go out side because I'd turn into a radish in about 30 seconds. 

I will recommend chugging lots of water. I must have drank two liters a day. oy!  but i think it helped. I also tried to avoid processed food, or food with lots of additives and junk to minimize the burden on my poor liver.  Don't know if it helped but my liver tests came back all right. And protein - to build red blood cells (especially for women) eat 60 grams of protein a day. I was losing so much weight that I went to a nutritionist.  There isn't any food that I know of that will help you increase your white blood cells and platelets - those get whacked by chemo as well.  My platelets were constantly on the low side (bruised a lot) but only once did my white count drop below acceptable levels.  

I'm done with the first wave of chemo  and have neuropathy now; not pain just tingling. during treatment my hands would sometimes feel weird, so I ordered some carpal tunnel braces and slept with the on, or I wrapped my wrists in ace bandages. that really helped.  Definitely get gloves to take things from the fridge. I got used to eating warm yogurt (took about an hour to cool the little tubs to a temperature I could tolerate.) Cereal was an adjustment - warm milk turns ordinary breakfast cereal to mush.  

good luck with your treatment. This board is a great source of information and support. you're not alone!

cheers

Karin 

for the food advice. I need to get  grip on my eating habits and eat a little bit more on the healthy side.

As a bird watcher, I also love your picture/avatar.