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Hair loss from Opdivo?
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Hair loss from Opdivo?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Hair loss from Opdivo?

  • Post
    • May 25, 2018 at 1:16 am
    AMcReader
    Participant

      I’m had my second dose of Opdivo  a few weeks ago and am wondering if anyone else has experienced hair loss from Opdivo. If so, can you tell me when it started and how long it went on.

      I also had SRS to an area in my brain, however, that was 7 weeks ago and most of the hair in that area has already fallen out. It seems like I’m losing hair from other areas on my head but between the Opdivo, SRS and the fact that I just had a baby in February (meaning I’m at the post-pregnancy hair loss time)…it’s hard to figure out the cause.

      Thanks in advance for any insight!

      Amanda

    Viewing 3 reply threads
    • Replies
        • May 25, 2018 at 2:16 am
        jennunicorn
        Participant

          One great thing about immunotherapy is it doesn't cause hair loss like chemo does. On rare occasions folks have gotten alopecia which is an immune response and their hair thinned or fell out, but that is fairly uncommon. SRS and post baby hormones would certainly play a bigger role in hair loss. 

            • May 25, 2018 at 1:39 pm
            AMcReader
            Participant

              Thanks, Jenn! It’s really hard to tell at this point but I guess I’m lucky to be starting this whole thing with a lot of hair! 🙂

            • May 25, 2018 at 8:02 am
            AshleyS
            Participant

              I was on Opdivo from March 2015-March 2017 and I did have alopecia. My hair fell out in quarter-sized sections. When it first grew in it was bright white and now, a year later, it’s red (my natural color) again. My hairstylist just laughs at me because she hasn’t seen anything like it!

              Ashley

                • May 25, 2018 at 1:38 pm
                AMcReader
                Participant

                  This is good to know and kind of what I expect is happening to me. Obviously, happy to take any side effects if it means I’ve got a fighting chance against this nightmare of a disease! Now, just waiting on that vitiligo to set in! 🙂

                  • June 2, 2018 at 1:10 am
                  KAF
                  Participant

                    I lost my hair (extremely thinned out) after my 2nd ipi/nivo treatment.  It started growing in a month later but it came in total white.  That was in September 2016. My hair has remained totally white since then (with my fair skin, light blue eyes and white hair I've got a snow queen look happening).  I haven't heard of anyone getting their hair color back.  So far, no sign of anything but white…

                  • May 28, 2018 at 3:45 pm
                  Tracy6671
                  Participant

                    I'm on my 4th treatment with Opdivo and I am losing my hair, I have a lot of hair to begin with so people tell me its not yet noticeable.  I hate washing my hair now because I lose so much, however I will take anything that happens to beat this disease.

                      • August 23, 2018 at 3:32 am
                      San Junipero
                      Participant

                        Hi, I'm a liver cancer patient on a clinical trial of Opdivo (guessing I got the real deal because of some other symptoms that have been reported). I googled it to see if hair loss was also a symptom, because I've had fine but thick hair my whole life, and after my 2nd infusion, I noticed a lot more fallout during showers. 

                        I found this: 

                        https://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/opdivo.aspx

                        Any skin change, irritation, itching or rash
                        Very bad muscle or weakness
                        Very bad joint pain
                        Swelling in the arms or legs
                        Signs of trouble with your thyroid or pituitary gland (change in mood or the way you act, change in weight, constipation, dizziness, deeper voice, feeling cold, fainting, hair loss, feeling very tired, headache or loss of sex drive)

                        Make sure your providers are watching your thyroid and pituitary function like a hawk. I have had some vicious itching with no rash and the very slight hair loss. Looks alarming in my hand but I can't tell the difference for sure on my head yet unless I pull it into a ponytail, which is smaller.

                        Best of luck to you!

                      • October 17, 2018 at 1:40 pm
                      Raco
                      Participant

                        I to have hair loss. Started about the same time as my treatments, small dime size bald spots on back of head only. which started getting bigger and bigger, at the same time, my eye brows, mustache atarting thinning. my head finally got to the point of all the small spots starting to connect and most of my hair on the back of head fell out. everywhere else it thinned a whole lot. SO, yesterday, 10/16/2018 I got my hair removed, BUZZZ CUT.  Now you can really see the areas that had littlt ot no hair but over all I am pleased. Does not look like I have Mange anymore, just a bald head.

                        Its really crazy how these Meds work on  our bodies. I have alot of other symptions but they are coming and going except for Muscle bone Ache and being tired ALL the time.

                        Opdivo since April 5th 2018 just had my 14th treatment our of 26.

                        Best of luck to you.

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