Ok I am thrilled with the lapband so far I have lost 43 pounds, but just lately my hair is coming out in big chunks when I comb after a shower or even when when shampooing. I know this is probably a vitamin I am missing, but which one?? Please help.:Banane56:

Hi truckin,

Yep, having the same problem here.. I had surgery last October, and the past 2-3 months I've noticed severe shedding. More so recently... I went to get my haircut this week, and she styled it with a "wet" look and you could see clear thru to my scalp! It almost makes me want to cry.

There are so many things it could be, this runs in my family (grandma, mom), job stress, but I'm sure it has a lot to do with not getting enough calories/protein/water/vitamins.

I did a search and found several threads where the same issue has been discussed. I'm not sure if there's anything we can do to stop it, seems I'm in the shedding stage and it might all fall out before it starts with the growth stage.

I started taking a Vitamin E tablet each day, plan to pick up a bottle of Biotin vitamin (CVS sells their brand in tablets of 100 or so), also the stylist at Fantastic Sams recommended I use a reconstructive treatment conditioner every other day - so I bought a 6 oz tube and tried it today (she gave me a plastic cap and said to apply the conditioner, put on the cap and wear for 20-30 minutes before washing out). Seems softer, not sure if it will do anything. I was so close to purchasing some Rogaine at walgreens the other day, but I'm cheap.

I'm sorry to say I don't have THE answer, but I wanted to let you know that you are not alone! I need to have a heart-to-heart with myself, make better food choices and take better care of myself.

I CAN do it! I'm going to start with a notebook and begin journaling my food/water intake (everything). My goal this week is to workout during lunch and meet my Water intake. small steps.

Keep in touch,

Karla

I think its tied to the protein and vitamins. I didn't notice mine falling out but I can tell its thinner. I have been too tight to get my vitamins in so I am hoping once I get to the US and purchase chewables it will right itself.

Celeste, I noticed on one of the threads you've been able to buy online and getting items shipped over.. will it be a while before you come back and can get your chewables here? I have to say it sounds like you're doing a great job with variety.

And, you got a small suv? So, you're staying how much longer? Do you need help getting anything shipped over to you?

Karla

I now realise I did go through this very mildly, as its slowed down so remarkably in the last month or two. I wasnt losing chunks but the amount of hair in the bathroom was driving me spare, so hard to clean it up. I sort of thought I was being overly sensitive as I"ve always been a shedder but now I know I was losing more than normal.

I think its a generalised nutrition thing and perhaps hormonal, I really dont believe there's a magic pill to fix it. But I really think losing weight slow and steady is the way to go, you pay for fast weight loss in many ways.

Karla, thanks for noticing. I ordered some chewables from drugstore.com this week but I will be going to the US Aug 23 and will get some there. Orders take about a month to get here.

I will be here until spring 2008 or so. This will be my only US trip (I think).

Thanks for offering but with netgrocer, hickory farms, amazon groceries, organic food coop, etc I am doing fine. I also have friends that send me treats. Today, I tasted Keebler chocolate chip softcookies for the first time. OMG - they were good. I don't eat stuff like that normally so I know it was just a craving for home.

BTW, I have a new 2007 Road King custom waiting for me at home. I ordered it before I got this job. I will ride it for 2 weeks and then sell it. I am feeling pampered today. Celeste

I am too. I ordered some vitamins from Bariatric Advantage that are made specifically for band patients. They are called VitaBand. I also bought some Nioxin shampoo and conditioner on the reccommendation of my hairdresser. I hope it all helps.

Hair loss can be heredity and/or due to a vitamin/mineral deficiency. You can have a normal hemaglobin and hematocrit and still have iron deficiency anemia. Ask your MD to do an iron panel on you (iron, ferritin, total iron binding capacity, iron saturation). Also, a lack of B vitamins and not enough protein intake can lead to hair loss. A simple blood test will give you some answers and the appropriate treatment.

Hi,

I will be banded on August 3, 2006 but I ordered this and I am taking it so that maybe I can offset some of the problems. By the way it taste great and makes into a drink.

http://www.alvitum.com/index.htm#11

I began to lose mine about 4 months post-op. Eventually I consulted my band surgeon (he said it was lack of protein), my PCP (who checked my thyroid), and a Dermatologist (who said it's the weight loss and that it isn't unusual to lose up to half your hair!) He also said sometimes it all comes back (could take up to a year), and sometimes it doesn't.

Hair loss is temporary, though a bit bothersome. I don't think there's anything you can do about it except wait it out. My hair came back better than ever after all the hair-loss episodes. (It happened not only after banding surgery, but after both of my children were born and also after my endoscopy, for some reason.)

The way it was explained to me is that your hair grows in cycles. Not all folicles are "on" all the time. They grow hair, then shut down, another batch of folicles turn on, and they grow hair, and round and round the cycle goes.

If this cycle is disrupted, such as surgery or other body trauma like giving birth, many people notice an increase in hair loss. Any yes, this does seem to be temporary, unless you have male-pattern baldness in your family.

My hair loss is from my Cushing's. When I'm in a High, and producing too much cortisol and probably too much testosterone, I lose hair by the handfuls.

When I asked the surgeon and nutritionist about hair loss, they both looked at me like they'd never heard of that before. LOL

I hope mine doesn't fall out. I don't have all that much to begin with!

My hair dresser also says Nioxin shampoo will help with hair loss. He says not to bother with the Nioxin conditioner though.

I'm in the 'hair-loss-window' of 4 - 8 months and am losing lots of hair. Weird, huh? lol. It's pretty scary to lose this much hair and I feel fortunate that I had a lot to start with. I'm worried that my perceived "advantage" of having so much hair will turn out to not be enough. The bathroom floor, sink, shower, my pillow, hairbrush, hands-while-I'm-styling-my-hair! all seem to support this worry.

Like we don't already have enough going on with damaged self-esteem issues! Let's all go bald too. I know I'll feel really good about myself then. *sigh*

I was having a hard time with this as well. I could not swallow even chewable vitamins comfortably. Try the liquid vitamins at the drugstore. Tastes GROSS, but I have seen an improvement.

O NO! I am hoping that this hair loss will not occur, but...I would like to be proactive. I already take vitamins. I think everyone should be preventative, yes? I should get the liquid vitamins before surgery so I can take them right away...? Does that sound like a good plan? What kind of vitamins? I take Centrum.