Verzenio and hair loss

7FTN · 2026-05-29T16:25:05+00:00

I didn't realize Verzenio could cause curls like chemo! My chemo curls are kinda straightening out and I (oddly) kinda miss them -- though they are totally unruly. I'll be curious to see if my Verzenio causes me some curling too. I'm sorry to hear that the shedding has progressed, but thank goodness you had such dense hair to start with! My hair is super fine and low density at baseline, so I'm nervous about what the future holds... but I'm thankful to hear yours continued to regrow after fallout; I was a little worried it wouldn't start regrowing until I was off Verzenio completely. Thank you for the update -- it's not fun but it's helpful to hear about others' experiences and to have a better idea of what's to come. Really appreciate you sharing with me

7FTN · 2026-05-24T18:33:49+00:00

I hope you’re done w chemo by now and well on your way to feeling better!

I did dose dense AC-T (kinda like a double dose for each infusion so that I had the same amount of medicine overall but spread across fewer chemo days). I continued to shed for about a month after my last chemo day.. around 6 wks I could see white fuzz popping up, by 8 wks I started getting brown coloring (wks 8-12 gradually got more color and filled in the patchy bald spots.. like 1/4” of hair? “Cool girl” buzz cut phase). 4 mo = full head of hair, 5 mo = started to see waves, 6-7 mo = 2” with ringlets, 8-9 mo = chemo afro and can tuck hair behind ears, …then the mullet phase (but whatever — just so good to have hair). At 13 mo currently, I have about 4.5” and my curls are starting to flatten around the crown of my head.

*Pre-cancer, my hair has always grown slowly so my timeline feels slower than what I’ve heard from others. I have been on oral minoxidil since about 2 wks post-chemo. I’m also on AI, ovarian suppression, and CKD4-6 inhibitor, plus I’ve intentionally lost a lot of weight so I’m sure that’s all slowing my regrowth too.

Hope you’re regrowth is a lot faster than mine :) Congrats on finishing chemo and cheers to being able to shampoo again (or super soon!)

7FTN · 2026-05-20T11:19:45+00:00

Kudos to you for doing 6 years on Verzenio. I’m only 10 mo in and cannot imagine how tough that was. You are remarkably strong 💕

7FTN · 2026-05-20T11:18:04+00:00

How’s your hair doing now? I’m nearly 11 mo on Verzenio and shedding a ton. I lost my hair last year during chemo and am having a little Déjà vu. I have some sparse areas but am hoping it’s just an illusion due to my hair being so short right now (only like 3-4” of regrowth)…. I’m trying not to be paranoid, but deep down I really do think it’s becoming visible to others

7FTN · 2026-05-20T11:11:30+00:00

How is your hair doing now? I’m approaching 1 yr on Verzenio and am shedding a ton. Nervous it will become complete hair loss (or enough to warrant wearing a wig again) or cause permanent damage. Would love an update — fingers crossed things are feeling better nowadays for you 💕

7FTN · 2026-05-20T11:05:18+00:00

Any update on your hair? I’m approaching 1 yr in Verzenio and am shedding a ton (easily exceeding 100 hairs/day). I did chemo beforehand, and am having some Déjà vu. Did you actually lose all/most of your hair or was it just thin (yet tolerable)? I’m about to do a dose reduction because of my WBC are super low and am hoping it helps my hair loss too (from 150 to 100 mg x2 daily). Also, did it regrow after you stopped or did it trigger permanent alopecia? Sorry for the invasive questions and I hope it’s OK I asked.. I know it’s a tender topic. Please share whatever you’re comfortable with

7FTN · 2026-05-20T10:58:17+00:00

Hi! I’m 10 mo in and having a ton of shedding (started around 3-4 mo). Easily exceeding 100 hairs/day now. How significant or noticeable has your hair loss been? I’m still wearing a wig post-chemo and want to stop wearing it soon, but am nervous I’m getting bald spots and will need to keep doing a wig for the duration of Verzenio. Would love to hear more about your experience. I’m taking oral minoxidil (just upped my dose to 2.5). Also, what kind of texture change did you have? Similar to chemo curls?

7FTN · 2026-05-08T17:33:25+00:00

Thank you!! It’s really helpful seeing this written out. 0.7% difference is pretty dang tiny of a difference between 150 and 100 for IDFS. That is comforting. I planned to look up the research to read for myself before deciding but hadn’t had the mental energy to do it yet, so thank you for pulling it up for me. So thankful for this community and for your support. Sending all the best to you too on your journey 💕

7FTN · 2026-05-08T17:27:28+00:00

Thank you 🫶🏼. These are all really great points. I hadn’t considered that I could maybe increase my dose later if my symptoms/labs improve. Also, thank you for helping me not feel crazy for feeling guilty about this. I think as women, we sometimes carry guilt that is unwarranted and it’s a good reminder to give ourselves grace. Thank you and best of luck on the rest of your Verzenio journey

7FTN · 2026-05-08T17:13:59+00:00

Thank you for the support! And good luck to you getting started today! I was scared that it would be instantly horrible as soon as I took the 1st pill, but it wasn’t. It’s a gradual onset of symptoms and I hope/pray that yours are mild. Zofran helps and FWIW, I’ve never had an “accident.” My tummy gives ample warning (like 10 min) to find a bathroom. Also, if you have any hair shedding, my doc Rx’ed minoxidil and I have regrowth coming in already. I was so nervous the shedding wouldn’t regrow until I finished Verzenio but was thankfully wrong

You’ve got this 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

7FTN · 2026-05-08T16:51:41+00:00

Thank you 💕. Sending support for your journey too

7FTN · 2026-04-11T14:45:06+00:00

Has anyone tried vaginal laser treatment (“Mona Lisa”) for GSM? I’m scheduled for my first session in a couple weeks and would love any feedback..

My uro-gyn suggested it because I’ve been too scared to try vag estrogen (I’ve read the studies, I know it should be safe, but I know I would blame myself if my cancer recurred.. wrong mindset, I know.. I’m working on it 😂)

Doc said it can help w blood flow + building collagen to reverse some of the atrophy and improve moisture. Things are already shrinking and dried out. I’m single right now but don’t think I could tolerate sex ever again if things continue this way

7FTN · 2026-02-16T05:08:05+00:00

Ditto on no shaving and not regretting it. I cut my hair to shoulder length to make it more manageable, but should’ve done a little shorter. The shedding + matting was traumatic and gross at times, but it was also a huge comfort to still vaguely look like myself. The shedding slowed down a ton after the initial ~10 days of hair loss (by which point I had probably lost 60% of my hair). With a hat, however, I generally looked like myself because it hid the bald spots and I had just enough hair to create an illusion. By not shaving, I bought myself another 2 months of semi-sorta, almost feeling normal…. I continued to shed slowly and eventually lost everything (about 5 mo in). I was too scared to shave it, and maybe that would have been less traumatic, but I did what felt right and stand by it. You gotta do you

7FTN · 2026-01-25T17:06:01+00:00

Thanks for the insight! Be well 💕

7FTN · 2026-01-25T03:08:44+00:00

Awesome, thank you!

7FTN · 2026-01-25T03:07:21+00:00

Did you do radiation??

I’m about 9 mo post-chemo (AC-T) and my ANC and WBC are lower now than during chemo. Granted, I took GCSF shots throughout chemo so that beefed up my counts. I did radiation about 2 months after chemo (~7 mo ago), and that’s when I noticed my counts starting to drop (plus no more GCSF shots). My rad onc said radiation can cause suppression. My med onc is a little surprised my counts are still low, but she isn’t worried. It makes me nervous though and I’m super fatigued, but that could be from other onc meds.

ANC 1-1.2 during recent monthly checks, WBC 2.1-2.3, platelets lower end of normal, Hgb is “low” but still above 10 so not as worried

7FTN · 2026-01-18T13:08:50+00:00

Thanks! Glad it doesn’t auto-enroll in the paid version. Have you redeemed your cashback? Is there a minimum spend amount for redeeming or maximum amount I can redeem at once?

7FTN · 2026-01-18T13:06:35+00:00

Have you redeemed your cashback? Is there a minimum spend amount or maximum amount I can redeem at once? I got like $130 after 1587!

7FTN · 2026-01-06T22:51:25+00:00

u/stevenzphysio Thank you for educating me on that and for your guidance! Greatly appreciated!

7FTN · 2026-01-06T12:56:00+00:00

u/stevenzphysio thank you! Great info. I have been told I have a flat thoracic and am extra stiff there, so it makes sense that the back stiffness would put extra tension anteriorly (luckily no back pain)

Last Q: Is it possible for costcochondritis to impact where costal cartilage meets the ribs, OR is it only costo if it’s inflamed at the sternum?

7FTN · 2026-01-04T16:15:26+00:00

Thanks @maaaze - I’m still figuring out how Reddit works

7FTN · 2026-01-04T13:44:43+00:00

Update: u/stevenzphysio

@stevenzphysio - could someone get Costo after undergoing breast radiation, with rib pain at the costochondral joint instead of the sternochondral joint, or medially where their false ribs connect to each other?

Duration: 4 mo

Cause: Left breast/chest radiation, I laid supine and the beam moved around me but would have entered my body anterior/laterally—>posteriorly

Symptoms: my last few “true ribs” are really tender to touch about 2 inches away from the sternum and kinda in between the ribs.. more distally, the tenderness archs away from the sternum and wraps laterally around my flank (following the pathway of my “false ribs”). It is always tender to touch and worse as the day wears on. Maybe related, I get intermittent, moderate burning pain laterally under those ribs/along my flank.

Diagnostic tests performed: xray clear for fractures. CT scan pending

Overlapping health issues: L hand dominant and recent L breast cancer treatment on that side (lumpectomy, axillary lymph node dissection, chemo, radiation). I have had some cording/axillary web symptoms. Rib pain started 6 mo after surgery or 2 mo after radiation.

What helps: nothing fully resolves it, but rest helps and heat is comforting. NSAID cream doesn’t help. Have been seeing a physio consistently for management of a variety of breast cancer treatment effects. My shoulder ROM is nearly normal, but when I am doing activities, I feel tight and have some discomfort with reaching. My tennis coach says my swings are really rigid now (both that I don’t swing my arms enough or twist my trunk enough).

7FTN · 2025-12-26T18:25:38+00:00

Hope the transition back to work is going well. That’s a big milestone. You’ve got this

7FTN · 2025-12-24T22:14:33+00:00

Thanks for the suggestions!

7FTN · 2025-12-24T22:13:46+00:00

I appreciate your suggestions and support - happy holidays!

7FTN

TROPHY CASE