A Very Vain Question

Compared to what people usually ask on this site, this is a shallow question but one I'm hoping someone knows about anyway.

I have IIIC colon cancer and have completed my first round of FULFOX. One of the side meds I've been taking for several years is topical minoxidil (Rogaine) because my hair is naturally thinning. My oncodoc thinks I shouldn't take it during treatment because it's not known whether it interferes with any of the drugs in this regimen. I found some research from Great Britain where it was found that minoxidil actually helps prevent hair loss when taking 5-FU but nothing on whether or not the efficacy of the chemo is affected.

I know I have to put up with a lot of side effects and I can deal with that. But losing my hair didn't have to be one of them and if I stop the minoxidil I definitely will. Does anyone know anything about this combination?

Don't know anything about that combo of meds, but I can tell you that after total hair and partial nail loss my Onc nurse refered me to GNC for a $16 dollar bottle of Womens healthty nails and hair, its just a gelatin based supplement and my hair and nails came in fast and beautiful..might want to give a try....

Remember to live, laugh and Dance you've earned every minute....

On 1/27/2008 Sharon S. wrote:

Compared to what people usually ask on this site, this is a shallow question but one I'm hoping someone knows about anyway.

I have IIIC colon cancer and have completed my first round of FULFOX. One of the side meds I've been taking for several years is topical minoxidil (Rogaine) because my hair is naturally thinning. My oncodoc thinks I shouldn't take it during treatment because it's not known whether it interferes with any of the drugs in this regimen. I found some research from Great Britain where it was found that minoxidil actually helps prevent hair loss when taking 5-FU but nothing on whether or not the efficacy of the chemo is affected.

I know I have to put up with a lot of side effects and I can deal with that. But losing my hair didn't have to be one of them and if I stop the minoxidil I definitely will. Does anyone know anything about this combination?

Hi Sharon, I smiled when I read your post. My husband has stage 4 adenocarcinoma of the colon, has a colostomy, has peripheral neuropathy, lost some of his taste. He never complained. I always smile everytime he says: "I am so grateful to God I did not lose my hair. I would have been devastated had I lost my hair."

I do not know or read of anyone who uses topical minoxidil while on FOLFOX.  I know of someone though who already had thinning hair even before chemo, during treatment she lost all her hair, but it grew back, although lighter in hue, it has more volume and body compared to her old hair.

PS: Thanks, lookin4whoo, for sharing your experience with GNC's Women's Healthy Hair and Nail. I will go buy one- not for my husband, but for me. :-). My nails are cracked and chipped.

Hi Sharon,

I am not on the same drugs as you are currently... but did have the combination eaarlier in my battle. My hair thinned out to about half of normal....I did have a lot of breakage and did lose some, but never all of it. I don't know about the topical treatment you are using, but my oncologist won't even let me take a multivitamin. He says there are too many things that will intefere with the chemo drugs.

I did(and still do) use a special shampoo and leave-in treatment my daughter got for me...she is the manager of a beautician's supply store. It is called, NIOXIN.... seems to work, my beautician can't believe I never lost all my hair...and what is now filling in is very curly and dark....I had natural body and waves, medium brown hair, before chemo. Your cosmetologist/beautician can get it for you, it is worth trying.

Margaret

My wife has finished up 4 treatments of FOLFOX and I heard about the NIOXIN right after the first round.  she has been on the shampoo, conditioner and serum for the past 6 - 7 weeks and she swears it has helped ALOT.  She has very thick hair and the dr. said she would maybe lose a third of her hair but NO ONE has noticed any hair loss with my wife.  If I stare at it, i can see some thinning around her part but nothing that is noticeable.  Also, she still has some hair come out in the brush every day, but never clumps of hair.

NIOXIN is kind of expensive for shampoo, but its worth it.

On 1/27/2008 xyzabc wrote:

 

On 1/27/2008 Sharon S. wrote:

Compared to what people usually ask on this site, this is a shallow question but one I'm hoping someone knows about anyway.

I have IIIC colon cancer and have completed my first round of FULFOX. One of the side meds I've been taking for several years is topical minoxidil (Rogaine) because my hair is naturally thinning. My oncodoc thinks I shouldn't take it during treatment because it's not known whether it interferes with any of the drugs in this regimen. I found some research from Great Britain where it was found that minoxidil actually helps prevent hair loss when taking 5-FU but nothing on whether or not the efficacy of the chemo is affected.

I know I have to put up with a lot of side effects and I can deal with that. But losing my hair didn't have to be one of them and if I stop the minoxidil I definitely will. Does anyone know anything about this combination?

Hi Sharon, I smiled when I read your post. My husband has stage 4 adenocarcinoma of the colon, has a colostomy, has peripheral neuropathy, lost some of his taste. He never complained. I always smile everytime he says: "I am so grateful to God I did not lose my hair. I would have been devastated had I lost my hair."

I do not know or read of anyone who uses topical minoxidil while on FOLFOX.  I know of someone though who already had thinning hair even before chemo, during treatment she lost all her hair, but it grew back, although lighter in hue, it has more volume and body compared to her old hair.

PS: Thanks, lookin4whoo, for sharing your experience with GNC's Women's Healthy Hair and Nail. I will go buy one- not for my husband, but for me. :-). My nails are cracked and chipped.