| | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) |  Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | You will probably be given Cisplatin and that will not cause you to loose you hair. Now that said, you do need to understand that you do not have a bad case of the flu. What you do have is a cancer that will kill you as in dead if it's not treated aggressively. So stop worrying about small stuff and get on board with killing this cancer before it kills you.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 476 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 476 | Hi Lisa. Like others here said, not all chemo makes you loose your hair. My husband had Cisplatin once a week for 7 weeks. His hair thinned a little but not enough that anyone else noticed. John's doctor said that the chemo enhances the radiation. The way John's doctors all explained it was that they wanted to blast him with everything they could to prevent it from coming back. Hang in there!
Wanda (47) caregiver to husband John (56) age at diag.(2009)
1-13-09 diagnosed Stage IV BOT SCC (HPV+)
2-12-09 PEG placed, 7-6-09 removed
Cisplatin 7 weeks, 7 weeks (35) IMRT
4-15-09 - treatment completed
8-09,12-09-CT Scans clear, 4-10,6-11-PET Scans clear
4-2013 - HBO (30 dives) tooth extraction
10-2019 - tooth extraction, HBO (10 dives)
11-2019 - Left lateral tongue SCC - Stage 2
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 875 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 875 | Thanks, Gabe. I just sent her a friend request.
julieann
Julieann Nov 2007 SCC on right tonsil following tonsillectomy. Was smoker, QUIT. (Stage IV T2 N2b) 7 weeks radiation one day/wk chemo (carboplatin and 5-FU). Allergic to Taxol; PEG in, lost 30 lbs. TX completed January 2008. PEG out mid- 2008. PET/CT 1/17/2011;2/3/12 NEGATIVE for cancer  | | | | | Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 493 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 493 | I lost most of my hair (I had Cisplatin as well) but has grown back very soft and curly. Until it grew back, I spent the winter wearing berets. I had all different colors to match different outfits. Losing your hair isn't the worse thing that can happen, evn though it seems to add insult to injury. If having the chemo has kept the cancer away, losing my hair was a small price to pay!
Female, nonsmoker, 70, diag. 5/09 after tongue biopsy: stage IV. Left hemi-gloss. and left selec. neck disec. 30 lymph nodes removed May 20. Over 7 weeks daily rads. with three chemo. PEG removed 12/4/09 Am eating mostly soft foods. Back to work 11/09 Retired 4/1/11. 7 clear scans! Port out 9/11. 2/13. It's back: base of tongue, very invasive
surgery involving lifestyle changes. 2/14: Now speaking w/Passey-Muir valve. Considering a swallow study. Grateful to be alive.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 3 Member | | Member
Joined: Mar 2010 Posts: 3 | Hi Lisa,
There isn't much more I can say that hasn't already been said. I am new to this site and on my third round of head and neck cancer. I am married and have a 22 year old daughter but I still feel extremely alone most of the time simply because no one can relate to what I am feeling or going through. Oh they feel bad and say they are sorry that I have to go through this, but that doesn't help.
What I want to tell you though, is that I am 44 years old. I had my daughter at age 21 and raised her alone. I met my husband just over 4 years ago on an onine dating site. We will be celebrating our 3rd anniversary this November. This is the first marriage for both of us and I truly believe we are soulmates! So what I am telling you is it can happen. Never lose hope and explore your options (once you are feeling better). And any man that you find after you've been through all of this will be very special because he will accept you, even love you, in spite of all the scars, loose skin, etc. We only get better with age!!
Surgery:10/09 removed tumor rt floor of mouth/mandible,4 molars,rt neck dissection removed lymph nodes; reconstruct:flap lft forearm,skin graft lft thigh. Chemo-cysplatin/radiation.
Surgery:04/10 lft neck dissection removed tumor,muscle,jugular vein,lymph nodes.Chemo(Carboplatin),Erbitux/radiation.
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