Does the chemotherapy drug Paclitaxel causes everyone's hair to fall out?!
Question: I know that not everyone experience the same side effects while taking chemo because everyone's body is different. But I just wanted to know does this cause hair loss in just some people or maybe all?
Answers: I know that not everyone experience the same side effects while taking chemo because everyone's body is different. But I just wanted to know does this cause hair loss in just some people or maybe all?
Its not a given that hair loss will result but as shown below thinning certainly will. Of course not everyone gets the same side effects ...
Side Effects
Common side-effects include nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, change in taste, thinned or brittle hair, pain in the joints of the arms or legs lasting 2-3 days, changes in the color of the nails, tingling in the hands or toes. More serious side effects such as unusual bruising or bleeding, pain/redness/swelling at the injection site, change in normal bowel habits for more than 2 days, fever, chills, cough, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, shortness of breath, severe exhaustion, skin rash, facial flushing and chest pain can also occur. A number of these side effects are associated with the excipient used, Cremophor EL, a polyoxyethylated castor oil. Allergies to drugs such as cyclosporine, teniposide and drugs containing polyoxyethylated castor oil may indicate increased risk of adverse reactions to paclitaxel. Dexamethasone is given prior to beginning paclitaxel treatment to mitigate some of the side effects
let's say 99 out of 100 will probably lose their hair and stop worrying about side effects and focus on how well it treats the cancer.
Taxol ( Paclitaxel) causes everyones hair to fall out.
Most get loss (alopecia) with paclitaxel (Taxol). Every 3 week administration schedule is worse, probably 90+ if not 100%). Weekly administration schedule is frequently used, and make give slightly lower numbers. Some do get away with thinning only, without complete loss; though I should say that Taxol is "famous" for instant alopecia, that is, going to bed one night OK and waking up the next morning with most of your hair on your pillow.
Hopefully this is just for a short season in your life; you will get through it.
God bless, and best wishes.