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I have heard lots about Biotin, but has anybody tried...



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I have taken it every day (2 tablets) since about 1 month post surgery. The last time I had my hair cut, my beautician said she could see a new growth of hair over all my head, all the same length. She attributed it to the Biotin. Yes, my hair has thinned (I am at 6 1/2 months), but it is bearable.

coq10 is good for your heart (I take it)- I don't think it does anything for your hair.

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I had read positive comments about Biotin, and have also read other posts that people have stated it does nothing and is a waste of money.

So.. for me...(and remember we all are different).. I started taking Biotin daily, bought it at Wal-Mart, hard to swallow pill that I dont remember the dose... I really did not notice a thing, my hair was falling out by the handfuls. A fellow WLS buddy told me about her Vitamins and supplements she takes and she mentioned she does 5000 mcg of Biotin twice a day.... whatever dose I had from Wal-Mart was like 1/32 of the amount!

I found: Natures Bounty Biotin 5000 mcg in a small little white gel cap easy to swallow pill! Found it on the internet, many Vitamin shops on the net... I ordered two bottles, started taking it, twice a day, once after lunch and once after dinner..... I NOTICED A DIFFERENCE!!! Yes! It took about 3-4 weeks for it to be in my system daily like that but wow, it is so nice now not actually losing handfuls and handfuls of hair... I felt like a dog shedding its winter coat! So in July I got a bit busy...vacation, etc... was not as faithful taking my vitimans off and on, missing 3-4 days in a row, then being good for a couple of days, etc.. hair back falling out in gobs! I am back being very faithful to my vitimins, calcuim & biotin supplements.. and I have since found a local store (Meijers) carries this same brand, occasionally they have it buy one get one free! Please know I do still lose hair, and it is a bit more than I would lose prior to surgery, but no way is it gobs of handfuls of hair like I was losing back in April and May... there is a side note on this. Biotin does help promote hair growth.. .. emphasis on "hair growth"... not just the hair you want to grow...all your hair grows!!! LOL!!!;)

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I have also heard silica is good -- I've ordered some to give it a try. I already take Biotin 5000 mcg per day, as well as a local treatment called Priorin that's meant to help with Hair loss too. Between all of these, I'm hoping something works LOL. Whether any of them are helping or not, the hair loss has slowed down a bit in the past month or so -- but that might also be down to having less still left to lose. :blink:

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I take Biotin 7500 mg a day. I bought it from Puritan's Pride when they were having a buy 1 get 2 free sale. It's a small tablet. I've been taking it since right after my surgery, and I haven't noticed anything with my hair. I have noticed that my nails are growing very fast and are very strong. I've always had good nails, but they seem to be even better lately.

Linda

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I have not had surgery yet, but I have been taking Biotin, coq10, flax seed oil and Krill oil for years. My hair is almost waist length, strong and shiny. I started taking it because I was clogging up the shower drain with hair. I don't clog the drain anymore...

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My Hair loss did not start until month #3 which was the same month I hit loosing 60 lbs. Not sure if that is any concidence? Going to ask the doc next week and see what he says. Forgot to put.....just has my 3 month labs and they look beautiful....no prob there???? Thought with the hair loss (handfulls!!!!) might be off but no????

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Well I'm trying the silica, Biotin and nioxin Shampoo. It can't hurt....Hopefully it cuts back on the shedding a little. I know it can't be eliminated totally...darn it!

I had to smile. I just bought all 3 of the same things, silica, Biotin and Nioxim shampoo! Like you I figure it can't HURT and even if it only helps a little then I'm ok with that. At least I feel like I'm trying. I'm not sleeved yet (hopefully in early October) but I think I'm going to start all 3 things this weekend. :)

Good Luck! :)

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The hair loss will stop and (slowly) reverse on its own. All that these supplements will do is drain your bank account (and possibly make you sick if you're not lucky).

Just like people who take zinc swear that it makes their colds go away (when in fact, colds go away on their own), people who take Biotin or silica (aka: sand; see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica) will "swear" that it makes their hair grow back -- when in fact that's just the body's natural regrowth process happening.

I know it's hard to be patient, but unless there is significant *scientific* research showing that it stimulates Hair growth, you're better off just waiting and taking care of your general health.

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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.

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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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