Tykerb and my hair is thinning/falling out

Vicki revised · 03-26-2012, 07:05 PM

My onc moved me to the full dose-5 pills per day-on Fri. For the last month I was taking 3/day. I've noticed the hair under my arms has quit growing and leg hair is become very sparse as well (yea!!) which usually is dark and grows rapidly.

This is the same pattern when I was on chemo. I reread the pkg insert today and it warns that it coukd cause thinning of hair. My hair on my head has been growing super fast and thick since Aug when finished chemo and I don't want to lose it again.

Has anyone else had this side effect? I was on Herceptin alone before adding Tykerb but this just started.

woxycarrie · 03-27-2012, 06:26 AM

The only side effect I really had from Tykerb was diarrhea. I was on it for 6 months and was just told to quit. I'm curious if there are withdraw symptoms because I haven't felt the greatest since I stopped (last Friday).

Are you still taking Herceptin along with Tykerb?

Ceesun · 03-27-2012, 04:44 PM

I have had breakage of hair with tykerb...but not a lot of hair loss. I am on 5 pills daily since 2008. Ceesun

Vicki revised · 03-27-2012, 07:55 PM

Yes, I'm still on Herceptin with Tykerb. Amazingly enough, this is my 5th week (1st 4 I took 3 pills daily) and i haven't had any diarrhea yet. The only thing I can maybe attribute it to is the probiotics I started at the same time at the suggestion of another patient. But never considered hair loss.