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MedHelp Member's Question

hair loss

by MLL2, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
Hi everyone. I have great news and a question. I started my peg/copeg treatment on February 29 on my last pcr test hep c is showing negative. YEA!!!! I want to mention that because of low blood numbers I have been on reduced dose of rib and he took me to half doses of pegasus and then when my neutraphils increased he raised me to 3/4 dose which I have been on for about 6 weeks now and my blood seems to be stable. I am also on a full dose of rib. I have done really well with the sides other than some bad days, slight depression and lovely mood swings and a backache all of the time. but here's my question. I think my hair is starting to fall out. Which really stinks as I am a hairstylist. I have started wearing it curly as not to put stress on it and I have noticed in the last 3 weeks I can just pull it out. This really freaks me out and has been my worst fear. I knowq some of you have experienced this, can you share your experience whith me? when did it start, how long did it last, how quickly after tx did it start to come back and is it as thick? I know this is trivial compared with what some of you guys are going through. Keep up the fight it's all worth it.

Michelle
Member Comments (16)

by hph5477, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Michelle
I noticed mine started to thin around wk 20 or so.  It was very curly when I was young but has always had plenty of body and waves.  It is now straight as a board and very, very fine.  Go figure.  I just did 40/48 and I haven't been noticing too much hair loss recently.  However, I seldom use the dryer anymore; just let it dry naturally.



I've heard when it comes back in that it will come back a little curly and then eventually go back to the way it was.  Just what I've heard.......I have no experience with this yet myself.



Good luck to you.

by Honey15637, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Michelle
Hi Michelle,,,,I started my treatment end of January and noticed middle of May, my hair started slowly falling out.  By June it was coming out in handfuls and I was getting worried. Things have slowed down and its not falling like it was but I have lost half my hair so far.  Hang in there as I don't think for most part,,,anyone loses all,,,just thins alot!  Great News on PCR...Keep up the battle!

by Amerabrit, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Michelle
My experience has been similar to Honey's as far as hair loss goes.  My hair is still thinning (week 24/48)but it does seem to be slowing down some.  I understand your concerns, hair is a very big deal, it's one of the most obvious, outward signs of tx.  I am fortunate in that I've always had lots of hair but I would say at this point I've lost about 1/4 of it?  Right now I've all but given up on my hair as it won't do a thing it's told, I blow dry straight and it curls, the texture is weird and when I part it on the left it somehow ends up parted in the middle???*!*  Actually, I am just happy a fair bit of it is still attached to my head.   I've cut it shorter twice since begining tx (started out below shoulders now just above shoulders).  In a couple of weeks I'm going pixie cut.  Still,  I'm optimistic all will return to normal when this tx is all over.  In the meantime, very best of luck to you..:)

by BNR, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Michelle
Congrats on your test!  About the hair loss, I've done Pegasys, PegIntron & Interferon Alpha and with all of them, my hair started shedding about the 4th month.  I have a golden retriever and we both shed about the same (if you have ever had a golden, you know what I'm talking about).  Anyway here's what I used:

Nioxin, Furterer's Forticea shampoo and Aveeno baby shampoo.  I would mostly use Nioxin, but switch off with the others. The first two are available at hair salons and beauty supply shops.  I didn't blow dry my hair and kept it shorter.  It never really all came out, just thinned, but it still is very upsetting. The PA was trying to joke with me and pointed to his scalp and said -see, my hair is thinning too -- and I told him (politely) to stuff it, it isn't the same thing.    Anyway, after treatment, it grew back each time. Couldn't tell a difference, but I take care of my hair better now because I appreciate it!



Good luck!

Pamela

by layla, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
I have been on tx for 71 weeks and periodically my hair falls out. It forst started at about 20 weeks. Soemtimes more comes out than others but it never more than thins out. I don't believe most people even notice except maybe my immediate family. For instance my husband noticed before I did as it was all over our pillows. I wear it very short now which helps. I personally have yet to see anyone report losing all there hair or actually needing a wig becasue it is so bad.  LL

by britgirl, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
Last week I met by chance the nurse I used to have while I was doing tx two years ago. The first thing she said was "oh, your hair never grew back!". Made my day!! Other people say they don't notice any difference but i think they are either lying or extremely unobservant.

by ringeding, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
hey michelle, congrats on your PCR...great news always, as for hair...well it is different for everyone and possibly has to do with the level of health and such prior to treatment....i had a dramatic loss of hair, but most do not....only some thinning so don't worry too much, and no it is NOT a frivilous question...as women, it is a tough thing to loss or worry about...but we all do, so you are not alone....i would recommend you do NOT use a blow dryer while on tx if you can avoid it....brush very gently, wash no more than 3 times a week if you can , and do not get highlights, lowlights, colouring etc done while on treatment, ( i did...big mistake for me)just treat your hair with far more care than normal and you should be okay....also, some have had great sucess with products called 'nioxin' for hair care



all the best

by jg2001, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Befud
Hey!  Hopefully you will be able to pick all the hair that you're leaving around with your new "shark" if you haven't burned it out yet!  



Hope all is well with you!



Good Morning HONEY!!

by sher_, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Jamie
Hi GIRL! Haven't seen you in awhile and was kinda worried! Happy to see you and hope you are well!

by derail, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Befuddled
Vicki are you collecting the hair to knit a wig or what?steamcleaning is an effective way to preclean it now your shark has recovered.



Michelle the hair will grow back. It did for me and I had little enough to start with. One odd thing tho' the back hairs and arm hairs increased in length as well as my eyebrows. I plan on letting my eyebrows grow to achieve the ultimate combover or maybe just backcomb the neckhairs.  DARYL

by jg2001, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Befud
You ruined your new toy already?!  Go ahead and run your infomercial jargon because I may need to get me one of those things!  Geez!  But, you found your bracelet!  That's a relief!  Good for you!



Sher - good morning!  Glad to hear that your husband will be starting soon.  Been a long wait and the stress level must be overwhelming at times.  Hang in there!



by louisep, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Michelle
Hi Michelle,

I finished tx in May.  My hair seemed to thin rapidly 1/2 way through tx & continued to do so up until 2 weeks of finishing.  It was more noticable to me than anyone else

All the way through tx, I only washed my hair once a week.  The day before I washed, I soaked my hair with almond oil (warmed in the sink in hot water) & left it in over night.  It seemed to help.

Best wishes

Louise

by Ella Mackenzie, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Michelle
HI Michelle

I have had the same experience as others. It started falling out by the handfuls at week 18 or so and now at week 23 it has slowed down a bit. I usuallly get highlights and color but haven't since I started treatment.



I don't wash my hair that often..maybe twice a week and rarely brush it. Sounds awful but my style works so that it looks good a bit messy. My cat has my hair all over him all the time. Nice payback. It freaked me out when it started happening but don't worry, it will grow back and shouldn't all fall out...just get a bit thin and of course won't look its best for a while. I keep reminding myself that it is worth it....you cleared the virus!

take care

by hope2Bok, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
To: Michelle
Michelle, I finished my 48 weeks of treatments on Dec. 19th. I was on Pegintron w/Riboviren. My hair thinned quite a bit but once I started using the Nioxin it slowed down. I continued to get my hair colored, but my hairdresser used a milder solution and I stopped getting it hilited. It started growing back immediately and it is still going. I also used to wash it every other day because I had to go to work. It now feels better than it has in years. I don't know why, but it is silky and smooth. Also, it's not as gray as it was. Go figure!

Anne

by MLL2, Jul 16, 2004 12:00AM
You guys are awesome. Thank you all so much. It's comforting that no one has lost all of it. I have been letting my hair grow I think in anticipation of losing some. I thought I was out of the woods and it wasn't going to happen to me. I am constantly picking hair off of me. Oh well. Thanks again

Michelle

by clarkjr, Jul 27, 2004 12:00AM
I was about five months into pegasys with my hair coming out in what I felt was fairly large quantities. I tried a shampoo with selenium sufide and it seemed to work fairly well in decreasing my hair loss. About a month or so later I developed a rash on my face that didn't get too bad until my last month of treatment. The demitologist didn't have a clue. Guess what helped my rash. That same shampoo with selenium sulfide.
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