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Hey Everyone,

I am sure this has been talked about a lot. Hair loss. When I started losing mine, I know I wanted to know anything that would help me STOP losing my hair. I already had fine thin hair. I started to lose it about 2 or 3 months after my surgery--I saw hair in the drain in the shower. Well, as some people told me-don't worry about it--it will come back. Guess what they were right about 5 months after the surgery my hair did start coming back.

I did use the Shampoo and Cream rinse made my Nioxin. You can find it in a lot of hair salons or on the Internet. I am not saying that it stopped my hair from coming out, but a week after using it my hair did stop falling out. I also took Biotin which I still use both products. You can find Biotin at costco or in almost any Health food Store. Now I happen to have my new Hair growth that has come back in curly--very interesting since I have NEVER had curly hair in my life. Is it thicker???--I am not sure or it just feels thicker because it is curly now and has texture. I have it cut pretty short because I am trying to get some kind of hair style out of the mess I was left with. It has been 8 months since my surgery and I would say at about 6 months I noticed it starting to come back, but it will grow back. I also purchased a cute wig that I wear when I go out and do things. That was my choice. Not everyone wants to do that. But, I had some pretty big bald spots on my head and I just felt better with the wig.

Have a great day,

Suzanne:thumbup:

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Thank you for posting your experience. I noticed more hair on the shower floor and in the brush at the 2 month post-op point. Like you, my hair is fine and thin to begin with so I'm glad to hear it stops and reverses at the 6 month marker.

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Thank you for posting your experience. I noticed more hair on the shower floor and in the brush at the 2 month post-op point. Like you, my hair is fine and thin to begin with so I'm glad to hear it stops and reverses at the 6 month marker.

Hi Elisbeth,

The time frame for everyone isn't the same, that just happened to be when I noticed that mine had stopped coming out. Some people say their's Hair loss lasted a little longer. I feel that by taking the Biotin and using the Nioxin Shampoo that it might have helped me some. I have a friend who started using the Nioxin right after the surgery, and it has been 8 weeks since her sleeve surgery and she hasn't lost any hair so far. So everyone really is different. I just wanted people be to be aware that sometimes people do have the hair loss, and that is WILL grow back. I am not sure if I think the curly hair is so wonderful:biggrin2: I don't have a clue what to do with the new curly hair I have coming in now. I just hope that in time it will have less curl in it. Oh the things we go through with or hair!

Suzanne :biggrin0:

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Mine started coming out at 1.5 weeks! It started slowing down at 7 months (around, can't really remember exactly). In between, I tried *everything*. But right about the time I'd given up and stopped taking all the Vitamins and supplements, it started slowing down. :001_tt2:

I didn't buy the special Shampoo because I finally figured out it was caused by hormones being released from the weight loss and I was tired of spending so much money with no results.

I'm at 9 months now and I still lose about 10 hairs a day in the shower. This is compared to the 100 a day that I used to lose though. So I'm happy.

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I'm one year post op. My hair started falling out at about 4 months. It slowed down and started to come back at about 9 months. However, it started falling out again about 2 months ago. I've tried everything. I've been using the Nioxin hair products ever since it started comming. Out, I also take supplements. I'm not sure if my inconsitant Protein intake is the culprit for my Hair loss. I've always had baby fine hair, but I used to have lots of it. Now, it's baby fine and thin. I have wondered if there was anything that would help more, and if I will ever have hair like I used to.

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I wonder that same thing. My hair has not been the same since band surgery and I started the Nioxin Shampoo conditioner and scalp treatment before sleeve surgery. I am two months out today, and my hair is falling out like crazy. Pretty soon I will have to buy a wig.

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I tried the wig thing and just couldn't stand it. Too itchy, and I never felt like it looked natural on me. My husband keeps hounding me about..."I thought your hair would be normal by now..did they lie to you?....you should sue someone for lying to you!.......on and on, and on." As if my hair is the most important thing in the world. He hates my hair and that I'm keeping it short b/c it looks thinner as it grows out. Even if it all falls out, and I pray it doesn't, it was worth it. Being healthy is better than having a head full of hair.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm listening. :001_tongue:

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I tried the wig thing and just couldn't stand it. Too itchy, and I never felt like it looked natural on me. My husband keeps hounding me about..."I thought your hair would be normal by now..did they lie to you?....you should sue someone for lying to you!.......on and on, and on." As if my hair is the most important thing in the world. He hates my hair and that I'm keeping it short b/c it looks thinner as it grows out. Even if it all falls out, and I pray it doesn't, it was worth it. Being healthy is better than having a head full of hair.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm listening. :001_tongue:

Earplugs perhaps? Tell him if he keeps complaining, you're just going to shave it all off until it quits falling out...tell him "thanks for the support honey" .... sorry - feeling a bit sarcastic ATM.

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I'm one year post op. My hair started falling out at about 4 months. It slowed down and started to come back at about 9 months. However, it started falling out again about 2 months ago.

That doesn't sound like a normal progression. You might want to have some blood work done to see if you are having hormonal issues or some sort of unrealized nutritional deficiency.

I mean it couldn't hurt!

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Your too funny. LOL. The Sinead O'Connor look would probably land me in divorce court.;oD

But, the ear plugs are sounding good to me!

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I've been reading all sorts of different reasons for the hair loss. I am expecting to have my surgery in November 2010. I'm a bit nervous because I have a full head of thick, beautiful, long hair right now. This scares the hell out of me. :confused: It's funny because the surgery doesn't scare me a bit. I have researched everything and read everything so that I am very comfortable. But this Hair loss has got my heart racing.:mad0:

For the inside of me....

I have been reading and learning that it is hormones or the anesthesia or nutritional deficiency. If it's hormones I'm thinking of using a Natural hormone supplement made from plants for the first year to balance my hormones. I also plan to take my Vitamins which have an 85% absorption rate so that should help with any nutritional deficiency. (Absorption rate is important) Eating sushi and anything high Protein. Also, Biotin nettle root extract, silica and nioxin supplements. As for the anesthesia the only thing I can think of to help with that is to flush it out. Am I right in thinking this? Using Fiber, lots of Water, getting a colon cleansing, and eating beets.

Look I've gotta fight this hair loss ...

For the outside of me I'm thinking that I can fight it with;

Nioxin Shampoo and conditioner

Hair Plus shampoo and conditioner

ooKisa shampoo and conditioner

Infusium 23 leave in condirtioner

A low maintenance hairstyle like corn rows or a wig.

Any other tips on how you were able to slow down or eliminate the hair loss?

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Mine started falling out at 4 mos. I haven't taken anything for it. I do have one spot that I think is a bald spot. It is still falling out a month later. I do see new hairs coming in, but I'm going to my hairdresser this week plus I did have blood work taken.

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I tried the wig thing and just couldn't stand it. Too itchy, and I never felt like it looked natural on me. My husband keeps hounding me about..."I thought your hair would be normal by now..did they lie to you?....you should sue someone for lying to you!.......on and on, and on." As if my hair is the most important thing in the world. He hates my hair and that I'm keeping it short b/c it looks thinner as it grows out. Even if it all falls out, and I pray it doesn't, it was worth it. Being healthy is better than having a head full of hair.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm listening. :)

I'm sure your husband has one or 2 physical flaws that make him feel self-conscious; every time he mentions your hair, just casually ask him when he's going to address that unibrow, nose hair, love handles, grey pubes- whatever! Stare at his gut (or whatever) for a moment with one eyebrow lifted, silently shake your head before going back to your book... Be consistant- he'll get the message! :thumbup1:

Another suggestion is just laying down the law. Tell him that you don't want to hear ONE MORE WORD about your hair- that you consider his hounding comments to be unsupportive, disloyal, and destructive. Tell him that for EACH and EVERY single future comment from this point on, you will go to the hair salon and have one inch cut off. Make sure that you follow through immediately. Go and DO IT. It should only take one trim for him to get the message that you are serious, and that you've had it with his unsupportive immature bullsh*t.

He's supposed to be in your corner- not making you feel worse about something you already feel bad about and cannot control.

Good luck!

Edited by pcindy

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Ok I knew there was Hair loss, but I didnt realize it was extensive enough to need a wig! I'll be honest, that scares the $% out of me! I mean I think its a fair trade, a few months of bad hair days for a life time of good health but I'm still worried.

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I went to my support group meeting this week and 2 surgeons from the hospital were taking questions. I asked specifically about hair loss and they both said that it is not hormones or anesthesia. It is lack of Protein. Since hair grows slowly Hair loss can be traced back to the diet pre-surgery. They said that all the research points to poor Protein intake. They suggested getting your daily protein and eating healthy.:thumbup:

I also spoke with my hairstylist and she agrees.:001_tt2: Although some hair loss can be traced to illnesses it all comes down to nutrition. If you are exposing your hair to extremes in temperature or coloring or perming then it can be weakened especially if you are not consuming your protein.

By the way the surgeons were Dr. Macik and Dr. Daly at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.

So here's what I'm going to do...I will take my supplements now including the Nioxin Vitamins, Biotin Vitamins and make sure I practice good hair care rituals for the next 12 months. I figured if I eat the daily recommended amount of protein, take the vitamins and protein supplements, use Nioxin Shampoo and conditioners I ought to be able to prevent the hair loss thing. I'll let you know how it goes. Right now my hair has never been healthier and I won't lose it without a fight.:angry:

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      Soooo I am coming to a realization
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      1. LeighaTR

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      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. 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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        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💪
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