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Another Hair Loss Thread...



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So, mine has been pretty bad lately. I am 3.5 months out and down 50 lbs. It started at around 2 months but has been getting worse. I have shoulder length layered hair and it (was) pretty thick. I have even been eating a bit more than I should (about 1200 cals a day) for the past month. My hair comes out in clumps every day when I take a shower, and is constantly shedding if I brush or run my fingers through it. I've been taking Biotin since day 1. I'm just afraid it's not going to stop and I'm going to end up bald soon. We will never be able to eat the same way so I don't see how it will ever stop. Any advice? What can I do?

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For 95% of us, hair loss is inevitable. I, too, tried the Biotin, but for WLS patients, I don't think it makes a difference. We have undergone such a drastic change in our nutritional routine, this is just going to happen ... to some degree.

Before a bunch of people jump in and say, "Well, I never lost hair", then I say congratulations, you dodged the Hair loss bullet. You are in the minority.

My solution was to shave my head. Not bald, but on the lowest setting, #1. That way, when it grew back, it was there to stay and I didn't have to stare at the thinning sprouts on my head. I know many women do the same thing, and then they wear a fabulous wig. It might be fun for you to check out.

Your hair will grow back, mine did, and it will be just as thick and fabulous as before. This is just a minor bump along the road.

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same exact story as mine-- I didn't go bald and it stopped around 7 months. Mine started later-- maybe four months. I think hair cycles are around 4 months. Don't worry!! It will be ok!

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It will stop, it really will. I lost probably more than half of my nice long, thick, curly hair. It was so sad and I would almost cry every time I washed my hair. My hair was long and I went and got it cut a little above my shoulders. It did stop around 7 or 8 months. I have new hairs growing back all the time but it will take a long before it grows back to the shoulder length that my hair is now. So it will stop and it will grow back.

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I've been losing my hair since about 3 months out and I'm 9 months out as of tomorrow. I've tried everything from Biotin to biosil,,home remedies,,you name it and no luck. I think like pdxman said,,it's inevitable. I'm not happy about it but it is something I knew could possibly happen going in. I'm just surprised mine is still falling out and in generous amounts. I thought it would stop by now...not trying to scare you but it's just something that happens. I had nice thick long hair and it's still long but very thin and my sister (the hair stylist) said I have bald spots throughout my head. She said I could cut it but it would look thicker and not as noticable to just keep it long and wait it out. I hate to wash, brush or run my fingers through my hair now. It's definitely a downfall to the surgery.

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Glad I found this conversation. I am also losing hair by the handfuls. I was sleeved on 4/12/12. I also had long thick hair...now long ever thinning hair. It is nice to hear from some of you that have now had it stop. All my blood work is good, so I know I am getting enough nutrients. I think it must be the shock to my system. I am hoping that is all it is and it will stop soon. I have to take my suit jackets off at work and shake the hair off a few times a day. Yuck. It seems like my hair is EVERY WHERE!!!! LOL Thank you everyone. You made me feel much better just reading your contributions to this topic!

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Yep.... I'm in this club now too. I just entered my 4th month post surgery and holy cow I freak out everytime I wash my hair. I've started taking a hair, skin, & nails vitamine, recommended by my doctor. He said it won't stop it, but it can help stimulate the growth of new hair quicker.

I had hair down past the middle of my back, and cut it to just below my shoulders to try and help lighten up the weight of my hair, but man I really hope that this stops before I have bald spots. :(

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My hair comes out in clumps every day when I take a shower, and is constantly shedding if I brush or run my fingers through it.

This just in from Captain Obvious: Step 1... stop taking showers. Step 2, stop brushing your hair. :D

Ok, okay... since I'm bald, I'm probably not the most sympathetic ear... sorry. I'm just hoping the hair on my back does the same thing. :P

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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. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • 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.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        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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