Ashley Amari

Oh Ashley, I am SO very sorry!! It must be quite rare for that to happen, my heart hurts for you. I'm glad your surgeon was so proactive about ensuring this wasn't being caused by Vitamin deficiencies. Hair is one of those things that for many of us is part of our identity and to lose it all so dramatically on top of the stress of bariatric surgery is a huge load. I hope you are being very gentle with yourself. This isn't your fault. I've heard of this happening on occasion with autoimmune patients... Have you thought about seeing a therapist to help support you as you go through this? I've found them incredibly helpful when my body has done rare, weird things that caused a lot of mourning and grief.
I'm glad you updated us, this is a safe place for you to come vent and mourn. I wish I had wise words to offer you in solace, but some things are really beyond our language. Just know I am sitting here alongside you with a generous measure of empathy. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to support you. I just want to give you the biggest hug!

Update***** It’s been an extremely difficult process. I’m emotionally defeated😭. My hair has continued to fall out not shed but completely fall out to the point I look sickly. I have seen derm. Had a biopsy done. Basically all my hair entered the shedding phase at once. On top of that I have some hormonal issues that has resulted in female/male pattern Hair loss as well. Only thing left to do is take the clippers and even then there’s not much left. My surgeon actually looked me in my eyes last week and said he was so sorry I was going through all this. It’s not a lack or Protein, Biotin, or any nutrient deficiencies. I’ve literally done everything right according to my surgeon. I am literally in tears every time I look in the mirror. Just wanted to voice my frustrations in a safe place.

Update***** It’s been an extremely difficult process. I’m emotionally defeated😭. My hair has continued to fall out not shed but completely fall out to the point I look sickly. I have seen derm. Had a biopsy done. Basically all my hair entered the shedding phase at once. On top of that I have some hormonal issues that has resulted in female/male pattern Hair loss as well. Only thing left to do is take the clippers and even then there’s not much left. My surgeon actually looked me in my eyes last week and said he was so sorry I was going through all this. It’s not a lack or Protein, Biotin, or any nutrient deficiencies. I’ve literally done everything right according to my surgeon. I am literally in tears every time I look in the mirror. Just wanted to voice my frustrations in a safe place.

All of my hair has fallen out. Like all. I went to the doctor for my 3 month follow up and he checked labs early bc of how much had fallen out. They all were normal. I did add Biotin but I basically have bald spots. I ordered a wig bc there’s nothing I can do. 😭 I’m 4 months out. This all came out at once and it hasn’t stopped.

Hi Viviana,
I think for some of us, the Hair loss is inevitable. I started loosing at 3 month mark. I’ve always hit my Protein goals. I lost so much hair that my surgeon checked labs early. Everything was basically normal. I think it is a phase. Many people say it lasts a few months and hair will grow back beautifully. That is my hope because I literally have bald spots. I was really upset at first as well but it doesn’t seem to be much we can do to change it for some of us. I just keep up with my protein and collagen. Hoping the shedding stops soon. ((HUGGG)

Hi Viviana,
I think for some of us, the Hair loss is inevitable. I started loosing at 3 month mark. I’ve always hit my Protein goals. I lost so much hair that my surgeon checked labs early. Everything was basically normal. I think it is a phase. Many people say it lasts a few months and hair will grow back beautifully. That is my hope because I literally have bald spots. I was really upset at first as well but it doesn’t seem to be much we can do to change it for some of us. I just keep up with my protein and collagen. Hoping the shedding stops soon. ((HUGGG)

Barifusion chewables 3 a day, for the first three months. Now I just do a women’s one a day

All of my hair has fallen out. Like all. I went to the doctor for my 3 month follow up and he checked labs early bc of how much had fallen out. They all were normal. I did add Biotin but I basically have bald spots. I ordered a wig bc there’s nothing I can do. 😭 I’m 4 months out. This all came out at once and it hasn’t stopped.

That's a lot of Hair loss. Just goes to show how differently our bodies react to major surgery. {{hugs}}

I did have some Hair loss in the first year after surgery and I had to cut my hair twice because of it. Now, more than a year after gastric sleeve, my hair looks normal again although maybe not quite as thick as before. Even my mom, who is generally pretty critical, said today that my hair looks good.
So, if you're only a few months from surgery, this will get better.

All of my hair has fallen out. Like all. I went to the doctor for my 3 month follow up and he checked labs early bc of how much had fallen out. They all were normal. I did add Biotin but I basically have bald spots. I ordered a wig bc there’s nothing I can do. 😭 I’m 4 months out. This all came out at once and it hasn’t stopped.

If you're done having children, ask for an endometrial ablation. I had absolutely horrible periods (way before WLS), and after my procedure, I haven't had one since. Even after the WLS and the estrogen surge. If you're not done having kids, seek a second opinion from a GYN.

I am so frustrated by this. I spoke with my surgeon and OB and no real answer as to the reason behind this. I’ve bled 22 of the last 30 days. All I can do is cry at this point. Either I’m bloated and camping or bleeding😩😩😩 OB did. suggest I take estradiol for 14 days to try and help stop it. So far it has not helped. This just makes the process more stressful for sure. that combines with the fact that I am loosing so slow. All I want to do is curl up in a ball😭

Thank you. I have made an appointment to speak with the dietician. I’ve also tracked everything I eat so I can print it out and have it on hand. My surgeon wasn’t upset but he was obviously not pleased that I had only lost 7 lbs at my two week follow up. It’s all very new and confusing to me to say the least. Currently I am just making sure I hit my Protein, but I am very conscious about carbs out of habit. I’m thinking maybe I need to increase those a bit. Again thank you

Thank you @Jeanne. I will. Today I’m better emotionally. I was just completely overwhelmed yesterday that the scale didn’t move again. It’s been a few weeks with no change. I’m trying to focus on NSV as someone told me yesterday. It’s been hard but I’m determined to stay positive and see it through.

Thank you. I have made an appointment to speak with the dietician. I’ve also tracked everything I eat so I can print it out and have it on hand. My surgeon wasn’t upset but he was obviously not pleased that I had only lost 7 lbs at my two week follow up. It’s all very new and confusing to me to say the least. Currently I am just making sure I hit my Protein, but I am very conscious about carbs out of habit. I’m thinking maybe I need to increase those a bit. Again thank you

I was doing keto to loose weight prior to surgery. Since surgery I have been following the diet as ordered. I haven’t deviated once. Even with the pre-op diet I only lost 7 pounds. Mine wasn’t liquid and I could have one salad a day with fat free dressing. I was just discouraged today bc the scales isn’t moving and I have my 6 week follow up coming up. At my 2 week, the doctor seems surprised that I had only lost 7 pounds. Everyone has been so encouraging. It was what I needed today. I will continue doing what I am suppose to do and find other things to focus on besides the scale. TY

I was doing keto to loose weight prior to surgery. Since surgery I have been following the diet as ordered. I haven’t deviated once. Even with the pre-op diet I only lost 7 pounds. Mine wasn’t liquid and I could have one salad a day with fat free dressing. I was just discouraged today bc the scales isn’t moving and I have my 6 week follow up coming up. At my 2 week, the doctor seems surprised that I had only lost 7 pounds. Everyone has been so encouraging. It was what I needed today. I will continue doing what I am suppose to do and find other things to focus on besides the scale. TY

I was doing keto to loose weight prior to surgery. Since surgery I have been following the diet as ordered. I haven’t deviated once. Even with the pre-op diet I only lost 7 pounds. Mine wasn’t liquid and I could have one salad a day with fat free dressing. I was just discouraged today bc the scales isn’t moving and I have my 6 week follow up coming up. At my 2 week, the doctor seems surprised that I had only lost 7 pounds. Everyone has been so encouraging. It was what I needed today. I will continue doing what I am suppose to do and find other things to focus on besides the scale. TY

This was exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you so much. I think the first follow up appointment set the tone and it just hasn’t been a positive one. So as it nears times for my 6 week follow up I’m almost terrified of his reaction. I will continue with the plan. Again, thank you!!

Thank you for the encouraging words. It’s hard not to compare. I’m 5’5. SW 262. Current 246. I know 16 pounds is good. I just feel like the my surgeon thought it should be more at my first follow up visit. And with my 6 weeks coming up I am anxious. I thought the scale would have moved more. I will try to stay positive. Thank you again!!!

your surgeon should know better. Although I can relate - one of my early follow up appts was with a resident who pointed out I was behind where I needed to be. But he was just a stupid resident - he should have known better. I wish I could have seen his face once I'd lost over 200 lbs - 100% of my excess weight.

I lost the same amount (16 lbs) the first month and ended up losing 235 lbs (I've gained back a few since then). Most of us seem to lose somewhere in the 15-25 lb range the first month post-op, so you're in the right range. If you're getting your expectations from "My 600 lb Life", remember that those people start at over 600 lbs - that's way above where the average WLS patient starts from, and starting BMI is one of the factors that determines what your rate of weight loss is (other factors are age, gender, how much of your body weight is muscle, whether or not you lost a lot of weight prior to surgery, metabolism rate, other genetic factors, etc). The only two factors that play into the rate of weight loss that you have much control over are how closely you're sticking to your clinic's food plan, and how active you are. If you're doing well with those, you'll lose the weight, whether fast or slow.
the other thing you may be dealing with is the "three-week stall" that most of us experience. It's not always the third week post-op - sometimes it's the second or fourth or fifth week post-op, but it's most commonly during the third week, hence the name. It's basically the first major stall after WLS. Most of us go through this. It generally lasts 1-3 weeks. I had mine during weeks 2 and 3 (so two weeks). I lost virtually nothing during this time, but once week 4 started, I dropped like 6-8 lbs within just a couple of days.
so anyway, long way of saying, there's no reason to feel defeated. Sounds like everything is pretty normal...

Sounds like you might just be a little bit of a slower loser, and that's ok. As long as you're losing, and following your plan, and exercising, and changing your eating habits you're doing everything right. If you were at a lower bmi and weight than others on here, you will also lose slower. But again, as my surgeon says, "as long as you continue in a downward trajectory, you're doing great". Stalls happen, everyone's journey looks different, and you're still early in yours. Your body is only like 4 weeks post op. It's still healing. Give yourself some grace, and time, and you'll see the results you want.