Anyone had oral chemotherapy?

[Maddy70]

I am starting next week for breast cancer and my googling has just stated that I can't use a cold cap with it

I'm terrified of hair loss
Does anyone have any experience of the oral form and cold cap? Or any advice?

My husband is on Alectinib. He's not lost any hair.

Sorry I don't know much about chemo drugs at all but I wish you all the best.

I had oral chemo along with radiotherapy. They said I would lose all my hair but I only lost the tiniest bit round my hairline and the only reason I noticed it was because it grew in grey! IV chemo, I lost it all but growing in nicely now.

Thank you both. Did you use a cold cap or did they say you couldn't with the oral?

I had oral chemo for breast cancer with 8 cycles of Capecitabine. I lost my big toe nails but kept all my hair. I was profoundly exhausted while on it and got blistered feet and hands but nothing much else. I couldn’t do any of my hobbies which are outdoor things and spent a lot of time on the sofa.

My sister had oral chemo, and didn't use cold cap during that phase.
She didn't regain the body hair she'd lost during iv chemo, but also didn't lose more head hair.

She'd used cold cap through almost all the previous rounds.

I wasn’t given the option to cold cap but wouldn’t have taken it anyway - had enough going on to think about it. Just remembered I did lose all my hair from neck down - that was great!

I'm on ribociclib, a targeted therapy for secondary bc. No hair loss to be expected.

When I had my primary cancer, 14 years ago, I had IV chemo and lost all my hair. Cold cap was unbearable.

Is your chemo one that causes hair loss? Not all of them do.

Unfortunately you can't cold cap as with a daily tablet as you would have to wear it 24/7.

As per @Enigma52 loads of people give up on cold cap as it's not pleasant.

I am.so sorry you are going through this x

And that you are so scared about hair loss.

If it is expected to happen, Ive had good friends wear wigs. Can you ask about them? One bought one to look like her normal style and it looks fabulous. The other has two and they were nothing like her normal hair but suited her so well.

Definitely check what the side effects are. As @AnnaMagnani mentioned, not all chemotherapy causes hair loss.

Seriously, the CC was brutal; but some manage, how I don't know!

🤞

Hi I’ve been on Oral chemo Capecitabine for 10 months my hair thinned a bit. I use brown eyeshadow just on hairline which is enough to disguise it. I had intravenous chemo years ago and lost all my hair which grew back. I opted no cold cap. My main issue is extreme fatigue and sore peeling hands feet.

Not me my brother for a year, and he didn't lose his hair, he did with the radiotherapy as it was to his brain but it grew back in while he was on the oral chemo.

Thank you all foe your replies

Family member has been having it on and off for years
No hair loss but their feet are badly affected, nail loss/damage, paper thin skin, cracking, cant wear shoes for extended periods when having treatment.

Which oral chemo is it OP? All chemo is different, side effects are different for each drug but also the side effects you personally get will be different.

I've been on Capecitabine ( and Oxaliplatin which is not oral) since August and my hair and skin have never looked better!

So went to see the consultant today and o have completely got it wrong. It is chemo with an iv. I start friday.

Best of luck, hope it goes well.