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Lapband And Hair Loss



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so I was banded on Monday July 16th at 3:15 PM...surgery went well, recovery has been great! I only need pain meds every 6-8 hours and it's only because of the port site incision!

I just naturally feel so much better and happier than I already felt...this is the best decision I made thus far!

my concern however is with thinning hair...I absolutely love my hair and take very good care of it, although I have dreadlocs :). I haven't been able to put down 3 8oz cups of Protein for thelife of me! I have honestly tired!

I have been eating high protein yogurt and including milk in my daily hot Cereal Breakfast...My mom also made me a nice stew from lean beef meat so I can eat thebroth...do ou think my protein replacement will suffic?

i have heard that Hair loss is commin with all WLS surgery, but I have also heard that most banders don't have this issue being that our stomachs are left at full size....I guess I just want to know you guys expereicne with being banded and hair loss/thinnig.

much apreciated!!

Trina

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I am freaking out about the Hair loss too. My hair is super thin so I can't afford to lose much of it. My Dr. said hair loss is typically seen about 3 months post surgery, but everyone is different. He recommended I take Biotin to help with this. I got mine at the Vitamin Shoppe for $10 for a 2 month supply. Hope this helps and good luck with everything.

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I take Biotin 5000 mg (tick tack size). Though my doctor said no Vitamins for 2 weeks post op. My hair loss stopped not sure if it was the Biotin or that the body just recovers from surgery stress.

When you are recovered and on normal food; I recommend the following for Breakfast. Greek yogurt (with fruit) add 1/2 scoop whey isolate Protein powder, teaspoon benefiber, splendra to taste mix well; add several roasted chopped walnuts (adds fat but it's a good fat and some protein) and about 1/4 high Protein cereal (such as Kashi Go Lean. About 25-30 g protein for about 300 cals.

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As to Protein Shakes you might consider premade shakes they tend to taste better. Many on this site really like Premier Protein Shakes from Costco/Sams 160 cals gets you 30 g Protein. Muscle Milk LIGHT is also pretty good; less protein for the cals though. Make sure to get the Light those the regular has wayyyy to many calories.

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Its not just because of WLS, its the trama your body has gone through. Around 3 months after each of my c-sections, I had the same issues with Hair loss. Hopefully you can keep from having this issue.

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I have experienced major hair loss...it started about 3 months post op. If you search posts using "hair loss" you will find lots of good information. It has a lot to do with having rapid weight loss. I have had a few surgeries in my life and some say it is the anesthesia but not in my case. I take Biotin and use Nioxin (special shampoo). I am now 6 months post op and it has stopped for the most part and I can see new growth. I think some of it is attributed to lack of Protein but in my opinion, it's the rapid weight loss.

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I have good hair & was concerned about losing it. However, I made sure to get 70-100 gms of Protein a day & take Vitamins daily. I found I was losing less hair than before. I had surgery 9/7/11 & my hair is still good. I do think a lot of it may be genetic and how healthy one is, etc. good luck!

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Hair loss isn't specific to WLS surgery but all surgery. It's the body reacting to all the drugs they pump into you during it, specifically the anesthetic. Every time I have surgery my hair thins for a month or two after but then always goes back to normal eventually.

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I didn't have any Hair loss during my process. I did have the confedance to grow my natrual hair out. No longer dieing my hair it's healthier then ever. When you do eat make sure what you eat counts and it's healthy. Im sure if the amount you are able to eat was all junk food instead of good healthy food you may have problems like that.

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so I was banded on Monday July 16th at 3:15 PM...surgery went well' date=' recovery has been great! I only need pain meds every 6-8 hours and it's only because of the port site incision!

I just naturally feel so much better and happier than I already felt...this is the best decision I made thus far!

my concern however is with thinning hair...I absolutely love my hair and take very good care of it, although I have dreadlocs <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />. I haven't been able to put down 3 8oz cups of Protein for thelife of me! I have honestly tired!

I have been eating high Protein yogurt and including milk in my daily hot cereal breakfast...My mom also made me a nice stew from lean beef meat so I can eat thebroth...do ou think my protein replacement will suffic?

i have heard that Hair loss is commin with all WLS surgery, but I have also heard that most banders don't have this issue being that our stomachs are left at full size....I guess I just want to know you guys expereicne with being banded and hair loss/thinnig.

much apreciated!!

Trina[/quote']

Mine started thinning at about 3-4 months out. I was eating protein and it still happened. I slowed down now. I make sure I get my protein in and all my vitimans and Biotin. Much thin then it was. Sorry. Doesn't happen to everyone but still does happen to Banders too.

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I agree with people saying hairloss is due to rapid weight loss. I started loosing hair 3-4 months postop. I went to the dermatologist, much to my relief he told me I would not go bald. He said your body goes into kind of a shock with the weight loss. It stopped coming out about 2 months later. I was lucky to start with a pretty thick head of hair.

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I'm still loosing hair at 5 months out. I take my Vitamins daily, Biotin daily, and meet my Protein goal daily.

I have had several surgeries through the years, and have never experienced Hair loss before. Everyone seems to be different about this, as well as so many other band related topics.

I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do, making good choices with eating the right foods and supplements, and hoping I will stop loosing my hair soon.

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The hair loss is coming and you are batteling 2 things..... 1) lack of or decrease of Protein. 2) anethesia they use has hairloss as one of its side effects.

You will notice the Hair loss around the 3-5 month post-op. Mine was 3 months.

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Hair loss is normal but it does stop. I was banded march 2011 and started Losing hair three or four months out. It does stop. I took and am still taking 5000 Biotin and 850 folic acid. It definitely has to do with rapid weight loss. Good luck

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Sorry Was on beach with 5 kids before, so didn't finish my thoughts: it's called : telogen effluvium . Goggle it . Lots of answers. More common for weight loss surgery then other surgeries. Short story: hair grows in phases, surgery pushes lots of hair into dormant stage at once. So 3 or so months later all comes out at same time. Will grow back within 6 months or so. Make sure enough Protein and Iron in diet.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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