Does FCR cause hair loss?

[Nour80Leen2011]

Drear group

Does FCR cause hairs doss? And is FCR pain full ?

Thank you

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

Nour80, here is a link to a former discussion of FCR and hair loss.

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

[GMa27]

I had 3 rounds of FCR. My hair thinned a little. It comes out in the shower (drain) or in your comb. I didn't brush it cuz it was too harsh.

FCR was IV for me and I had a port. It was not painful. I didn't have reaction to Neulasta shots. I lost my appetite day or so after last chemo day. They gave me IV Benadryl and it relaxed me. I slept most of the time. I also had the Rituxin split over two days to be more gentle. 5+ hours in one day is ok too. I was fatigued a few days a month. Tested after 3 rounds and stopped.

My nodes disappeared the first day and my WBC went from 225k to 60 the first day. It was very successful. I am 13q mutated. 2 years remission this week. 💕

[Chrissanna in reply to GMa27]

Hello GMa27,

I have finished this week 4 rounds and my hem doc is willing to test me to see if I can stop. Can you please tell me what tests have you done in order to decide stopping or not the FCR? Thanks in advance.

Cristian

[GMa27 in reply to Chrissanna]

That is great to be tested now. My hematologist waited 4 weeks from my last day of chemo- said we needed that time for the last dose to work. Had BMB, think CT scan and blood work. Can't remember if I had a scan. If I needed to continue chemo- it was ok to start again even tho it was 6 weeks after last round to get final results. Marrow was clear and blood work very good so I stopped. 5 months after last chemo I got my port out. Hope you get to stop!

🙏💕

[81ue]

I had the F (fludarabine) only briefly and then stopped due to it wasn't working, then was put on ibrutinib. My hair thinned (wads of hair that I collected when shampooing). It grew back. One thing I didn't know was that my hair follicles would hurt. Just parting my hair different sent a zap of severe pain at my scalp. That also went away when I stopped fludarabine. I never had the C.

Two years after attempting F I was put on R (rituximab) and only the first infusion had side effects of nausea, uncontrolled shaking from feeling cold and throwing up. I also had pain to touch (allodynia) and weird soreness in breast/chest area that gradually went away after a couple months. All infusions after the first R were and are easy with no symptoms now. I'm on venetoclax also now.

Good luck with your treatments

[Rose-white]

I had FCR I had no hair lose in fact my hair seemed to thicken up. I completed 4 rounds In tablet form. my nodes did magically disappear after first round of retuxin. Sickness was my issue. I only completed 4 rounds because it worked too well completely wiping out the good with the bad. I had a year of remission. I am now taking ibutinib.

[very]

My husband,completed 6 rounds of FCR and he had no hair loss.

jenny uk

[wiganfan]

Hi,

I did not have any appreciable hair loss with 6 rounds of FCR but as a 66 year old male my hair is thinning anyway !

I did not suffer any pain , I felt nauseous at the end of the first week of each cycle.

Remember to drink loads of water, I also tried to take a walk each day.

I realise it is different for each of us but try not to worry I am sure it is like visiting the dentist- the thought of it is worse than the reality.

Good Luck

Ian

[bennevisplace in reply to wiganfan]

Ditto on all counts, I would add fatigue after week 1 and neutropenia in later cycles. Nausea didn't put me off eating apart from a few specific foods.

Maximum pain was having the sticker removed after each IV Ritux - nurse always seemed to pick a vein on the hairiest part of the wrist!

[Fran57]

Hello.

It is different for everyone but my husband had no hair loss during his FCR and there was no pain at all. He did have nausea for a few days each month.

I hope this helps a little.

Fran 😉

[Pokerguy]

I just completed round 4 of 6 treatments, no hair loss here. Have experienced a bit of nausea and some bone aches, but nothing insurmountable.........my WBC dropped from 128k to 5k, now have my stamina back.....pleased thus far.

[JigFettler Volunteer]

Allegedly!

2018 FCR 6 rounds. No issues with hair.

My appetite went up with the nausea, and eating helped the nausea. I did get chemobrain tho, thats resolving.

Jig

[Nour80Leen2011 in reply to JigFettler]

Thanks for your feedback

What did you mean chemo brain and what did you do about it

Thank you

[JigFettler Volunteer in reply to Nour80Leen2011]

cancer.org/treatment/treatm...

You can Google - there a numerous accounts.

I did nothing about it. I am familiar with multitasking all my life, and mid FCR I found I struggled to fry an egg, make toast and brew a cup of coffee for my breakfast. It was subtle I guess, I could still drive safely for example. Conversations exhausted me, even with friends, forgetfulness too. I lost creativity too. I knew what was happening. Since ending chemo its all gradually improved. I took it as one of those FCR related issues, and since my response to FCR was going good, I was not complaining!

It was only when I came across Chemobrain - that I recognised what was happening. It does not happen to everyone. Like hair loss, taste loss and other side effects.

Oh - I did get food fads! Ice cream and yoghurt. Avacado and bacon. I am the worlds least fussy eater normally. Again after FCR - these craving vanished. The weight I gained took longer to disappear.

FCR is a time for you. Its a moderately intense chemotherapy. For many life goes on normally. You need to take care of infection risk. Rest when nauseous. Roll with the flow. Read, box sets - learn a new skill - use the time creatively.

Jig