Is hair loss a sure thing?

[momof2jewels]

I'm on triple therapy, Peg/Riba/Victrelis.  I'm heading into week 11 of 24.  Is it pretty certain that I will lose my hair during treatment?  

[Kitn2]

Only some, not all.  I have lost a lot of hair, but it is not noticible at all.

[orphanedhawk]

Not everyone loses their hair. Not everyone has the same side effects.
However, just because it hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't.

[hrsepwrguy]

As it is with all side effects some people get them and some people don't, really hard to predict, I have lost approx 30% of my hair but I am in wk 43 of 48. Also the minimum treatment duration for victrelis is 28 wks not 24 wks.

Have a great day

[pooh55811]

No, hair loss is not certain.

I did not lose mine. I know I did have more single hairs fall out than I normally would, a few a day. But they were one here and one there. I think my hair is a little thinner than before (it was thin to begin with) but no one can tell I lost any hair.

I am in week 38 (almost week 39) so I have been on the meds for awhile.
I have 10 more weeks to go.

Hopefully you will not lose your hair either.

[can-do-man]

I had alot of thinning, just don't look at Bill1954 profile... Yikes, :)

Hang in there!

[Dawn703]

Didn't start loosing mine until recently (start of week 17 today), and it is not too bad and not noticable to others.

[indy531]

I completed tx 4/6/12 and did 28 wks-was UND. I lost 80% of an amazing silky head of hair, but still had enough for a pixie cut-no wig-yippee!. My hair fell out over a period of 12 weeks including 7 wk post tx .Derm at Duke said it was 'diffused hair loss-always medication induced and ya just have to tough it out'. Peg also burned out my thyroid so I'm sure hypothyroidism was also a problem(stable Synthroid dose now). Hang in there. Keep scalp clean and massage it torelax and move blood around. Be kind to yourself-it gets better, including the Hep C.

[momof2jewels]

Sorry 'bout that.  My mistake.  It's 28 weeks.

[Revalation]

Have not had much loss this time around and I'm thankful, but
who knows what will happen before this ride is over.

Last time around my hair thinned, but grew back thicker and longer.

Not everyone looses much hair.

Reva

[LadyFoxx]

I just asked my doctor the same question about hair yesterday she told me everyone is different I thought I would be in the clear but she said it could even happen at 5 months depends on individual.  I have decided what ever happens will happen I dont want it falling out of course but noway I am stopping now! At least not today!  Hang in there!

[2mlbb]

Starting week 12 in the morning.minimal hair loss. Really miss the blow dryer! We'll see what happens at the end of 12 more weeks. Best wishes to all.

[LookingForward12]

According to my stylist, I have lost way over half my hair. It started around week 9 of triple tx with incivek. I look like fuzzy wuzzy.... The hair loss reality hit again yesterday when I went outside in the garden for a bit. I kept wondering why the top and back of my head felt so hot....oh, that's right....just about bald back there!

Although I cried buckets the first two weeks because it literally came out by the handful, I will be waiting patiently for regrowth to begin once I finish treatment.

[Bovary73]

I'm also on Victrelis (week 24 of 28) and I started loosing hair week 12 or something. I had medium long hair but had to cut it short at about week 20 because it started feeling really thin. After I cut it short I don't notice the hairloss as much and it feels a littlebit healthier/thicker. I haven't heard of anyone not loosing hair, so you should be prepared for it. Maybe you are lucky and don't loose so much. For my case I've lost quite much.

Good luck! Keep in mind that you're fighting the virus. Time for hair growing after tx :)

[streamline569]

My hair actually looked pretty good during treatment. It was falling out but if you have a lot to begin with it's not that noticeable . I found around the 6th month I started having problems. One month after stopping the 7th for me was the worse. I had hair it was just so dry and because of the hair loss I couldn't do anythng with it. I just got a good haircut and it started looking better every month month that passed. Everyone is different. Good luck.

[Dee1956]

Hey there Mom, everyone is different, I wish I had been ha ha, I lost a lot of hair and I had fine hair to begin with.  The good news is that once I finished tx it started to grow back and now 4 months later it is growing back like a weed.  It is about 3 inches long and I did not lose it all. I lost about 75 to 80%.  It does get better I swear.  I did cry and moan quite a bit, ask OH and Deb.  I was really bad, then I learned how to deal with it (yesterday)
It will be ok, it just doesn't feel like it when you are in the middle.  I think the most important thing you are doing right now is saving your life.  From what I was told the medication kills fast growing cells, it can not tell the difference between good and bad.  That is why we have skin, mouth, hair problems because it kills those cells as well.  My scalp is so oily now I have to wash it every day.  It had gotten so dry that I never had to wash it.
I would like to know about those llama lashes and why I could not keep them but that is the way it goes
Best of luck to you, Dee, aka Chatty Cathy

[TexSunflwr]

I'm on week 22(of 48) triple therapy, Incivek/peg/riba.

My hair is a little thinner, enough for me to notice, but not anyone else. This is my second treatment with the interferon, and I had a similar experience last time, just thinning. Personally, it hasn't been that bad and is a small price to pay for permanently clearing the virus. Everyone has a different experience, though.

[belle19]

i started losing my hair in week 12.  i stopped losing it around week 32.  i ended tx 3 weeks ago and i have 3" hairs coming in.  i lost 1/2 my hair but it's coming back.  good luck to you.  belle

[brianmo]

I also did Victrelis, 28 weeks.  I cut my hair short short half was through when I started noticing it in my sink, on pillow, on plate, in coffee.  It really just broke off. I ended tx April 4, UND, but hair is still breaking off but only slightly. My hair dresser noticed I am getting new growth now.  I really miss my hair but don't miss having Hep C.  

[LadyFoxx]

Its ok Hep is gone and the Hair will come back good for you!  A year from now you see all new hair!  Maybe sooner!

[Revalation]

When my hair came back, the first time I treated, it came back longer and thicker. This time around if I've lost any hair it has been only been a little.

I'm on week 11 and I hope it will continue thru my entire treatment. Don't expect to be bald. But, if you had to be bald to get rid of Hep C then bald should be a challenge worth dealing with for good health.

Reva

[Greta2012]

I am in week 17 and am really thinning, hoping to make it through the end without losing much more. It just keeps coming out in clumps, can't wait for this to be over!

[brianmo]

Thanks, kind words.  :))

[jane613]

I met a woman who had chemo for breast cancer and she said there is something called cold cap therapy. She kept all of her beautiful black hair. I do  not know if this will work for you, but it is worth a try to look it up on the net and of course ask you doctor

[Ironpony]

My hair is thinning like crazy and coming out in handfuls...but unless I point out my part is a little bit wider no one notices;p usually some sunglass on my heas cover that up though:) i apply extra makeup to feel pretty and to take the attention off my hair. I do loose braids so I don't eat my hair when it falls in food...The braid secures the hair. I don't wash my hair every day either, i usually take a shower on day one and do a loose braid. on day two I use a plastic shower cap when I shower and then I undue the braid and my hair looks all wavy:)

I have recently started blowdrying and straightening my hair again. I am on week 17... and I feel confident I will get away with this withought actual balding...I hope!

Luckily now a days girls are really into wearing fake hair lol...even ehen they're not balding! They have a lot of cute hair pieces, clip ons and headbands.

I hope you have very minimal hair loss!!

;)Laura