I recently finished 12 weeks of generic epclusa, and I'm waiting for 12 week after therapy to see if I am cleared. At end of treatment I was not detected.
I experienced some hair loss before treatment because I was in acute phase (very rare that someone is diagnosed in acute phase like my case) I have had hcv for only 8 months before treatment. But after end of treatment my hair is falling a lot, thankful that I have a lot of hair and I see new one growing but it has been very extreme. It is now 2 months after EOt and it is still falling out. I read on this board that people experienced it but it is not a side effect. Why it is not a side effect? I don't have anything other that could cause this.
Nina Mae:
Hi bock,
I am currently in tx (Epclusa and Ribavirin) so I can't say much but I wouldn't be surprised if it is a side effect.
My hair has been thinning out for many years: mind you, I endured mass quantities of chemotherapy for breast cancer back in 2003 and it's been thinning out since.
That said, I'm not sure whether it's attributable to chemo alopecia or liver disease. I hope others chime in...it would be interesting to see what others experienced at EOT.
So happy to hear you're undetected! Great Job and congrats!
lporterrn:
Very likely the hair you lost during treatment was from before treatment, when you were already losing it. Generally hair loss occurs by an event that is 6 to 12 weeks prior to the loss, so if you were losing hair before treatment, that is about right. HOWEVER, if the loss is still going on, you might want to get checked by your doc to rule out other causes, such as thyroid problems (common after age 40). Generally, hair growth is noticeable about 6 to 12 weeks after the event that caused it ends. For instance, a high fever can cause hair loss, but it takes 6 to 12 weeks to notice it, then it goes on for about 12 weeks, and then it takes another 6 to 12 weeks for it to start growing again.
bock:
I didn’t know that. That is very helpful info. Thanks! What is strange that I lost some hair before treatment then during treatment just a little and now 8 weeks after I am still losing it. But I noticed new hair sticking out. I never had thyroid problems before and I had checked it out a couple of times but not recently. Maybe if it continues I will but this is the only side effect from epclusa that I had.
Nina Mae:
I wish we could just click 'like' to a post like yours, lporterrn.
Alopecia from chemo started w/i 2-3 weeks after first course; after chemo, it was about 2-3 weeks that it started coming back in as tiny stubbles.