Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
 

Hi Friends~
I don't mean to a look a gift horse in the mouth, but
can someone explain why my hair's growing back while I'm still on Halaven?
The 1st dose of the 1st Cycle knocked my hair right out of my head, leaving behind the greys. But I welcomed them, because if they could withstand the chemo, then I'm glad to have them.
My scans after the first 3 cycles were good, showing good response, not quite NED, but MED.
I've now completed another 3 cycles/9weeks on Halaven and am due for scans on 1/5, so I'm neurotically and looking for any indication that the Halaven is still doing it's job.
Anectodally & based on some of the difficult GI symptoms I was experiencing due to the mets in my colon, I would say that the Halaven is still working, at least holding things stable.
But the return of my hair is confusing me!
I know some folks experience hair growth on taxanes after completing adria/cytoxan, but I never did that combo. I did do 49wks of Taxol/Herceptin during the first year of my diagnosis & treatment, was bald as a bowling ball and remained so until I was NED and didn't grow hair back until I went to solo Herceptin.
I guess I just don't understand the mechnism of action & how can it be that the same chemo that caused hairloss and disease regression initially can still be effectively beating the disease back AND allow hair growth?
Comment, thoughts?

Keep the Faith~
Jessica

Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
 

Halaven works kinda like a taxane in a way but differently. My hair did start to grow back while I was on Taxol - peach fuzz but none the less, it was coming in. I would not be concerned with this.

Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
 

Hi. I had the same experience as Becky. My hair (such as it was) started to come in more on Taxol. Even on AC (earlier in treatment) I never lost ALL of the hair on my head but did lose most of it.

Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
 

hey jessica,
I agree, take the hair and leave the cancer behind.
enjoy the holidays!

Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
 

Jessica,

Some chemo's I think are less toxic than others and have differing effects, my hair too grew back on Taxol and I would'nt be worried about it either:)

Re: Why's my hair growing back on Halaven?
 

Hi Jessica,

I understand your doubts. We always tends to associate side effects with effectiveness of the therapy. We can't help it. Though we are told over and over that there is no such a relationship. Besides there are chemo that don't make the hair fall down. My mother was on Navalbine for around 10 month, after 2 months she had lost some of her hair, but not much, ten they grew back and stayed. Eventually she experienced a progression, but only 10 months into the therapy.

I hope this was helpful.

With you the best.

Kykeon