hair loss

[Sophie]

Aromatase inhibitors (Aromasin,Femara) lower the amount of estrogen in post-menopausal women who have hormone receptor positive breast cancer. These drugs don't work on dividing hair cells.

[Carol]

I am almost bald on the top of my head due to 10 months of Femara. Tamoxifen had some of the same effect but nothing like this. I quitting!

[Lesley]

Carol wrote:

I am almost bald on the top of my head due to 10 months of Femara. Tamoxifen had some of the same effect but nothing like this. I quitting!

Sorry to hear of the hair loss Carol. I have been taking Femara for about 4 years now. My hair seems to be getting thinner over the last year but no bald patches. I am going to stay on Femara for as long as I can.
Have you been to this web site? breastcancer.org .
The info is up to date and the discussion board is excellent. It is well worth a look.
All the best Carol.

[Cindy]

I've only been on Femara this past month. I'm very vain about my hair...hope I do not get this side effect. It doesn't happen with every one does it?

[Marlene Rossman]

Cindy wrote:

I've only been on Femara this past month. I'm very vain about my hair...hope I do not get this side effect. It doesn't happen with every one does it?

How is the hair? I am so scared about losing my hair. I was on Tamoxifen for 5 years and now just began Femara a week ago. I have always had thin hair and am concerned that the Femara may make it worse.

[Beth]

Carol wrote:

I am almost bald on the top of my head due to 10 months of Femara. Tamoxifen had some of the same effect but nothing like this. I quitting!

Same here. I am almost completely bald on top. Seems to have happened overnight when I switched from Tamoxifen to Aromasin. If I stop now...will the hair come back??? HELP!

[Leslie Seay]

I was on Aromasin and swtiched to Tamoxifen 7 months ago. My hair is really thinning and it has been since I made the change in medication. I am frustrated! I was so happy to have my hair back after all the chemo, I feel like I'm losing it again!

[Silvia]

My Mom has been taking Aromasin since July 2006. This April, her spine was radiated and had to take kortikosteroids. Since a week she started loosing her hair. Could it be that the hair loosing side effect of Aromasin has started now, after 12 months therapy?

[RMaryangela51]

Has anyone stopped femara and had hair regrowth? I've been on femara for 3 months after 5 yrs. tamoxifen. After the second month, my hair started falling out. It's similar to being on chemo; first the scalp hurts then the next day lots of hair comes out. I'm check with onco to see if I can take it every other day. Don't know if that will alleviate some of the other side effects too.

[Barbara]

I am going to start takng Femara next week. I've just completed surgery and require no Chemo. I thought Tamaxifen caused hair LOSS and Femara just hair THINNING. Now I'm reading your comments that say just the opposite. Naturally, I really don't want to lose my hair, so has anyone used a product that remidies hair loss and is not a quack? I'm anxious to start anything that will stop the hair loss process! Thanks!

[Lisa]

I was diagnosed with BC Sept. 2001. Had lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. I just finished 5 yrs. of Tamoxifen. Doctor wanted me to take something else, since there is nothing to offer pre-menopausal women, I decided to have my ovaries out. My surg. was sept. 2007 and I started Femara one week later. Just began my second month of this expensive little drug and my hair is starting to fall out, I'm occas. weepy, I can't sleep, I have 35 to 40 hot flashes a day, a constant nagging headache and mild nausea. I'm only 42 and I feel like I'm falling apart. If this is how I'm reacting to it after one month, what is it going to be like after 5 years? I think my hair starting to fall out is what is getting me down the most. I had a difficult time with this during chemo. Does anybody have any magic cure for hair loss?

[sara]

JANET PEDERSEN PHD wrote:

AROMASIN, TAMOXIFEN AND FEMARA CAN ALL CAUSE A CERTAIN
DEGREE OF HAIR LOSS DUE TO THEIR EFFECT ON THE RAPIDLY DIVIDING HAIR CALLS.. THIS LOSS CAN BE STOPPED WITH E.V.P.3
CHEMAID/ FOR INFORMATION GO TO www.evp3.com e-mail [e-mail]

how do i know evp3 is safe with femara?

thks

sara

[Dori]

After Tamoxifen for 3 years and Aromasin for 3 1/2 years, I have experienced a lot of hair loss. I have just been taken off Aromain. Is ther any chance I will have any regrowth of hair?
Thanks.
Dori

[MaryAnn]

No one has answered the question about hair regrowth re Femara.

I too, have just recently (3 months)suffered significan hair loss- male pattern after being on Femara for aprrox a year.
I was on Arimedex 4 years-no hair loss

[valerie]

I stopped taking aromasin 7-8 months ago because of hair loss. I switched from tamoxifen to aromasin for the same reason. So far, no improvement. It just keeps on falling out, as if I never stopped taking the drug.
I wonder how long the effects of aromasin last, since it permanently binds to aromatase, unlike any other aromatase inhibitor. How does it take for this effect to wear off?
As for the question at hand...I don't think it comes back.

[Lake]

I saw no hair change until 12+ months on Femara. Wham, right about that point everything accelerated; I aged about 10-15 years over the space of weeks. My face changed, my hands changed, my legs changed, and my hair! Whoa! I had been getting along fine with Letrozole until then. I'm sick a lot also. Major bummer!

[daune]

I have been having problems with my hair taking perms and color which i didn't have pre femara. Anyone else having this? If so, have you found anything that helps. I am not loosing hair. I have always had fine hair. I just have never had such dryness in my hair. I even have gone to washing it every 5 days. still am frustrated as no doctor can explain this problem

[Pat]

my hair is falling out, I can not take it. I quitting taking aromasin or anything else.

[JOAN GODDARD]

Pat wrote:

my hair is falling out, I can not take it. I quitting taking aromasin or anything else.

Please girls don't stop taking the Femara. I have been taking it for 6 years now and from what you have said now understand why my hair has thinned a lot. I had breast cancer then 7 years later it matastisied to my lymph nodes. I had already had max radiation so Femara (then unlicenced in UK) was a good option for me. I have remained very healthy and my doctors are amazed that so far I seem to be winning. This is thanks to Femara I am certain. I can live with thinning hair, or use hair pieces etc. but this drug has so far given me another 6 years of life and I am optimistic of many more if they will allow me to continue on the drug. So please keep going and God bless

[Pat - Lewes DE]

I have been on Femara for 3 years and my hair has been thinning noticeably over the last year. I contacted Novartis and they emailed me telling me that thinning hair is NOT one of the side effects of Femara. The thinning hair has changed the way I look which is older than I am. When Femara is stopped, does the hair grow back?