Hello! I had surgery about 7 months ago and for the past month have been experiencing extreme hair loss. I'm terrified to brush it because of the clumps that come out! I get all my Protein in and take my Vitamins plus 5,000 mgs of Biotin a day. The only thing I'm not taking on a daily basis is my Calcium Citrate. I know how important they are I've just been slacking and now keep them at work so I have no excuses not to take them. Could being deficient on my calcium cause such extreme hair loss? I see postings by others with hair loss but not this far out from having surgery. Can I please get some input on this?

First, I am so sorry to hear that, I hope we can help you find a solution! How many grams of Protein does your doc rec per day? I find it really varies. Mine wants 80 to 100 for girls. Also, if you take your multi and Calcium too close together they can cancel each other out too so, that may be an issue? When was your last set of labs? I was REALLY Vitamin D deficient so, I need a 50K gel once a week for a YEAR! Our systems are so fragile the first year, its crazy how easy it can be to get bad fast but, I felt the difference almost right away when I began the treatment. I think most people would agree on here, you need a good blood panel ASAP.

One other thought...How much of your Protein is real food and how much is shakes? My sister had the sleeve and really almost LIVED on shakes and lost alot of hair from malnutrition. Once she began to eat real protein again, she began to regrow her hair. I know that can be an issue for many of us because eating is just so hard.

Protein needs to be spaced out throughout the day. If you take too much protein all at once, you body will not absorb it.

Here is a link to an article titled "What Kind of Deficiency Causes hair Loss?" http://www.livestrong.com/article/324565-what-kind-of-deficiency-causes-hair-loss/

A calcium deficiency is mentioned as one of the causes.

It might be possible that the hair loss is due to an Iron deficiency. Calcium and iron interfere with each other and it is important to separate taking the iron 2 hours apart from taking calcium. On top of calcium supplements, one is also getting some calcium from milk products. My bloodwork showed that I was iron deficient after surgery even though I was taking the recommended iron (in Flintstone multivitamins). As a result I was required to add an iron supplement to the regiment. I decided to move all my iron to the end of the day just before I went to bed to minimize the interference. Here is another article. http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/news/20060516/hair-loss-may-be-iron-deficiency

Armywife79 recommended blood work to explore the cause. I agree.

I'm getting most of my Protein from shakes. Eating is like a chore, so I opt to get more than half of the 60 grams of protein my doctor recommends from the shakes. I haven't had bloodwork done since February, I'm due for this next month. Thank you so much for your input. I will definitely try to cut the shakes out and try to actually get the protien from food.

One other thought...How much of your protein is real food and how much is shakes? My sister had the sleeve and really almost LIVED on shakes and lost alot of hair from malnutrition. Once she began to eat real protein again, she began to regrow her hair. I know that can be an issue for many of us because eating is just so hard.

Just as a start...Try the Atkins beef merlot. I know its a frozen meal BUT, my NUT gave it the OK. Its got 23 grams Protein and is really soft and flavorful and the meat is pretty dead on 4 oz with nice sauce to get it down well. only takes 4 min in the microwave! I have also made a mock shepards pie..just no veg, potatoes or corn starch. That leaves the ground beef (get a nice soft ground prime maybe at the butcher maybe?? nice!) and sour cream, worstcheshire, onion, garlic salt pepper! makes a great slippery sauce to help it get down! also, takes only 30 sec to reheat in micro and DOES NOT DRY OUT! My Nurse pract and NUT like Bariatric Eating.com also for more recipes to try. Don't give up on food, I know it hurts right now and working out that new pouch hurts like a B! but, if you don't work it out, it wont ever learn how to work right so you can live your best healthy full life. I did something similar when I was a band patient. The way your living is not only physically unhealthy but, very isolating. you should be able to eat real food and sit around a table with others (in moderation) and LIVE. That's why we all did this right? don't hide or be a slave to your pouch or anything! you'll get through this and get back to health and hair again I know it! Just get with your doc and get on real food! and def space out those Vitamins like James said!

I am seven minutes months post op as well. I just had all my labs done and other than a high reading on b12, everything is excellent. My hair started falling out at 8 weeks but compared to now, that was nothing! I went from a very thick head of hair to such thin hair I am afraid to brush it, wash it or use anything in it. I can run my hand through it and hundreds will fall out all at once.

My surgeon told me it likely won't stop until my body reaches its goal.

I have been taking Biotin and do see some short hairs but it is not growing in nearly as fast as it is coming out.

This is the only negative for me in the whole process. I do wish it would slow down. I am losing about 1 to 2 lbs weekly.

My hair starting falling out about month six so I can understand how you feel. I am currently 10 months post op. I dread washing and brushing mine as well. My hair is dry and thin compared to pre op.

I think it might just be the "luck of the draw". All my labs are perfect. I have been taking biotin 10,000 a day since a few weeks before surgery, I get an average of 100 grams of protein a day, drinks my fluids.

Hopefully it will stop soon for us all since we are pretty far post op.

I just started taking liquid silica last week. I read about it and it sounds promising. To early to tell. If it stops the loss I will be telling everyone!!