Ya, I know it's gonna get gross if I don't do it, but . . . I don't want to wash my hair anymore. I lost a huge clump of hair in the shower yesterday and now I'm afraid to wash it, comb it, touch it, or look too closely at it!

Seriously, I lost enough hair in the shower that it clogged the drain, and then, while I was rinsing out the conditioner, I felt something slide down my leg. I looked down and a huge clump of hair was on my ankle.

I felt nauseated and dizzy - almost like I was going to faint. I totally freaked out.

I've only lost 40-something pounds. I have another 90-something to go. At this rate I will be bald in a month.

I get a lot of protein every day, sometimes as much as 150 grams. Never less than 65 grams per day.

What am I going to do? I can't be fat AND bald.

I can't believe I'm crying over hair loss. I'm so depressed. I really want to lose the excess weight, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it.

I lost hair too. Go get yourself some hair and skin vitamins. They are sold in health food stores and on the net. Sometimes it is the lack of biotin that can cause it. My doc says it is inevitable to lose hair. When I was ready to go get a wig it stopped. I saw new hair coming in and I just adjusted my style to accomadate. Shorter one length hair helped alot.

It is the change to your system in diet and metabolism. Hang in my friend, it will stop. Congrats on the progress you have made. I am still hanging around 30 lbs gone. I didn't get my first fill till May 5th and have been trying to do it right. Slow and steady is best. Had a rough nite last. I ate some cantalope as I was cleaning it before I went to bed. Then took my night pills. I had not chewed well enough and had trouble big time. Was 3:30 in the morning till it passed. Terrible!! Slept in a little today and on liquid diet. Feeling good now. I do have something to celebrate. We went on a cruise to Alaska for two weeks and I didn't gain a pound. Exactly the same yesterday when I weighed as the day we left. I love this band because the difference is that the lbs I lose pretty much stay gone. If I avoid the foods full of calories like ice cream candy etc, I don't gain and can eat almost anything I want to as long as I eat it slow enough. I think that is the key issue for me. Slow enough!! I eat like there is theives coming to steal my food. Had lesson to leatn over and over. Getting there though!! Good luck with your hair. I am a hairdresser

and have seen many people lose their hair for weight loss. Never saw anyone lose it all. Get creative with a style if you need to. Find a good hairdresser and they can help.

DArlene

Is hair loss common? I was told that gastric bypass could cause you to lose hair, it is the same for the band? Can you avoid by eating, drinking, taking something? Just curious! Thanks for your help!

Patti

I had the same exact problem about 2 months ago. Hair all over I even went and burned my vacuum(lol). So much hair everywhere. I went to my doctors and he told me it happens and try to eat more protein. But guess what that didn't help I have doing 80 to 90 grams of protein. Went to the hair supply store spend $60 on something that didn't help. And for the past 2 weeks all a sudden it stopped. Like the little hair fairy didn't want my hair anymore. Now I see my hair back growing and it's a wonderful thing. I don't know this band takes your whole body and does whatever want's to it.

I hope it will stop for you too. I was always the fat girl with the pretty face and long black hair. Now it's in a punny tail and it's not going to change until it grows back. And Its been doing pretty good. So be patience it's a stage.

I remember when I lost half of my hair in months 4 and 5. Looks like you are right on schedule, darlin'. Luckily mine was so thick it looks better now.

I thought it was only the GB'ers too, until I started losing 3 inch hairballs daily.

Your hair will fall out until it stops, not showering will only make your showers more traumatic. The shampooing and conditioning only make the already severed hairs slippery enough to slide out.

We have different theories... I am leaning toward system-shock, but there are anaesthesia, nutrition change, protein, biotin, and weight-loss theories too.

Do what you have to to feel a little better, it WILL stop. (((DonnaB)))

Brenda

This too shall pass. It does concern me however, to hear how high your protein intake is. The kidneys can only process so much before they begin to have problems.

I've been losing hair myself and researched hair loss in women on the internet. Don't worry - It'll come back. Read up on the growth process you'll understand more about how it works.

I hear you though - it's stressful. I told my husband about my concerns and he pointed to his bald spot - he has no hair on top! Gee thanks hon!

I don't think you'll stop anything from falling out just by not showering -if its gonna come out, its gonna come out no matter what. *How's that for making you feel better* I just know I felt better after I read up on it....Its not permanant!

(((((DonnaB))))) I know how tramatic this is, and I'm so very sorry it is causing you such distress!

This happens to me after every surgery I've ever had, plus after giving birth. I know that all my words of reasurance probably won't do much, but really, it does get better.

Don't stop washing your hair. That won't have affect on your loss rate, but I do know how traumatic it is to have clumps like that.

After my banding I had to sweep my carpets because the vaccume was getting clogged and it would wrap around the beater bar and cause a different set of problems.

My hubby was forever taking the shower drain apart due to hair clogs after I was banded... I had very thick hair to start with thank goodness! It was actually refreshing to have thinner hair for awhile but I have to say that seeing the clumps fall out did give me moments of anxiety! It did come back... but darn it... there was even more gray than before! Hang in there... it will stop falling out and it will come back!

Thanks everyone. It's reassuring just to hear everyone elses stories.

I didn't plan on actually not showering - lol - I'm just never going to look forward to a nice, long, hot, shower again. I'll be dreading every second and worrying about how much I'm going to lose during this shampoo, and if I'll start to see bald spots on my head. Right now I can definitely feel the difference when I style my hair and the part in my hair seems to be wider than it's ever been. After the nightmare clump/loss I've decided it's time to let my hair air dry and figure out how to tame the natural curl into something I can be seen in public with. Blow drying and straightening are now things of the past.

I know I should just stop freaking out and let happen what's going to happen but every time I think about it I start to meltdown. Take a deep breath. In. Out. In. Out.

The good news is that I have not (yet) consoled myself with my best friend - food.

Leatha - I went back through my FitDay logs and my daily Protein actually averages out to about 85g per day. So far no problems, but when I see my doc in about a month for my annual exam I'll ask her to take particular note of my urinalysis results to see if I need to adjust.

Ricanlady - so you had massive hair loss for about 2 months and now it's stopped? Are you doing or taking something that might be having this effect? Particular Vitamin or shampoo? What treatment did you try? Nioxin? I'm thinking of giving it a try. It can't hurt.

Thank you hairagain, Morsaille, LittleBird, vinesqueen, and nightingale2u - your support, encouragement, advise, anecdotes, and prayers are all sincerely appreciated.

You think stress may be adding to the hair loss? I'm going to (finally) go to college starting on August 28th and I had to take a bunch of placement tests two weeks ago which really stressed me out. I have a severe math phobia for which I might actually be declared disabled - how weird is that? I could be able to graduate from college without having to pass a math course because of my 'disability.' Of course I'll have to go through another battery of tests to have this exemption. More stress - but at least it doesn't have to happen for awhile, and belive me, I'll put it off for as long as possible. Heck, I put off college for 27 years because of math - what's 2 or 3 years of math test avoidance?

Thanks again for all of your words of wisdom. I guess I have to ride it out - I don't really have a choice do I?

Edited to add: the irony of ironies - I'm going on Monday to have laser hair removal on my chin and neck! This just sucks.

... I've decided it's time to let my hair air dry and figure out how to tame the natural curl into something I can be seen in public with. Blow drying and straightening are now things of the past.

You think stress may be adding to the hair loss?

Yay! I think hair left natural looks so much better then when we just let it curl or straighten it as it wants. Just me. Ok, the trick with curly hair is LEAVE IT ALONE! get a good defrizer it's a must!

And oh yes, stress definately add to the hair loss!

And I'm so proud of you for going back to college! I'm so sad that I'm not going back this fall. I don't know if I'll be able to go back this spring, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Donna I started losing my hair like you at a 35 lb loss and it wasn't that fast either.

I'm 9 months out and its finally growing back. I lost about 50% if not more of my hair...just strings were hanging in the back and you could see my scalp. Since the little hairs are coming back my scalp looks better. Shoot I shed worse than my dog !!! Talk about drain clogging..oy! My DH would say.... "are you going to go bald?"

It will come back, just don't waste your money on any products b/c there isn't any scientific proof it works (so my doc says).

Thanks NJChick. I feel LOADS better now.

This is crazy..

Sorry.. I am worried.

I am 18 months out and I have began to lose hair this month and lots of it... I have never lost hair before.

I honestly did not think it was band related.. I get plenty of protein.

I havent lost any big amounts of weight..

It cant be true that if you lose 30 pounds you can lose your hair..

and it cant be true that there is no explanation for why this happens..

I assumed this whole hair loss thing was understood..

I honestly never looked into it and just assumed that anyone loosing their hair had some severe deficencies or low proteins..

In my case its NOT stress.. or all my hair woulda been gone long ago and many times over..

If like vines has experienced hair loss in a number of stressfull situatiions like surgery.. FINE, obviously thats why she looses her hair..

but if A person has never lost hair, IS not THAT AGE of oldness.... and the hair loss is obviously significant..... PLEASE TELL ME THERE IS MORE THAN just guesses to go on as to why!!

My hair is bleached.. I been bleaching it for a decade... I did not recently bleach it (few months ago).... MY hair has never fallen out EVER before..

BUT I did assume that I had to exspect it would SOME DAY..

NOW I am not so sure... so many bandsters experience it..

I gotta have answers!! lol

p.s.

it grows back.. isnt good enough for me either!

GRRRRRRRRRR

we are nothing without our hair. :cry

One of the reasons you might be "shedding" so much is the lack of fatty acids (good fat) in your diet. You should try taking a combination of Omega 3's (fish oils) and Omega 6's (Evening primrose oil, flax oil). THis will help your shedding problem, and also has some GREAT "side effects".....they can help speed your metabolism, leading to enhanced weight loss, they will help with dry skin, stabolize your moods, help with pre menstrual pain and mood swings...... All thing I have heard some people are experiencing more frequently with the lap band..... You can these oils in gel capsules, or in bottles in health food stores. I even give flax oil to my two Boxers every night. I am SHOCKED by how much hair they lose if I run out and don't give it to them for a few days....I have white floors, so I really notice!!

I hope this helps!!!

Take care of youself and stay away from your best friend (FOOD!!) :scared: