Is there anyone out there who experienced significant hair loss, who can tell me how long the shedding lasted, how long it took for the new growth to begin, and how long it took for their hair to return to normal? Pleeeeeeaaase? Thanks in advance!

Biotin vitamins and caffeine shampoo and conditioner. The difference has been amazing. I got the biotin tablets on amazon. Hair is now filly restored, very shiny and looks great.

Thank you. I've been taking Biotin but I've never heard of caffeine hair products. I'll give it a try.

@josephsmom

Hi,

Can you give me an idea of your nutrition during the 1st-month post-op?

How did you do on getting in your all the required protein and water? What vitamins and other supplements did you take during 1st-month post-op?

Thanks!!

I took protein drinks, could never quite reach the required water level. Once 8 got past the first couple of months I followed the keto diet which is very high protein and it was really good and easy. Now eat what ever I want but very small amounts.

@Rexcom: I started bariatric multivitamins immediately after surgery. My protein goal up until week 10 was 75 mg/day, and I was diligent at meeting that goal daily. At week 10 my protein goal was decreased to 60, and that's where I think things went wrong for me. I started losing hair right around that time, but didn't put 2 and 2 together because I was meeting the prescribed goal. I had my second post-op visit about 2 weeks ago, and the nurse practitioner said I should have stayed at 75 mg. This got me pretty upset because I had been following the instructions in my patient handbook to the letter, and the handbook clearly said to decrease to 60 mg at week 10. Maybe my hair would have been ok if I had stayed at the higher level all along, and maybe my weight loss would have been more consistent (I alternate between long stalls and big drops instead of steady progress). I feel like I wasted 2 months. I increased back to 75 mg and started taking biotin at that point, but no improvement yet. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

It’s early days and your body has to adapt, keep doing what your doing it should all level out. Be patient, all will work out. I had long stalls and became obsessed with the whole process and felt it hadn’t worked. If you have long hair, get it cut short as this will help. I didn’t notice st first that my hair had stopped falling out, then my hairdresser told me she could see my hair growing back in. It took 2 months, but it’s good now, healthy, thick and shiny. Do you take any other vitamins? I take multi vitamins every day and have b12 injections every 12 weeks. In a year when your nice and slim and look back, you will realise that it’s just part of your journey and you got there.

Thank you, @jeaniered.

@josephsmom:

I've heard that our hair grows in 3-6 month cycles, so if someone is currently losing hair, it's likely that their nutrition several months back may be a contributing factor. For VSG patients, they often struggle with protein, hydration, and overall nutrition in the beginning 4-5 weeks until they begin solid food. So, during that first month or so, the body slows the growth of hair and nails to conserve nutrition for more vital body functions. In effect, your hair has a "bad" cycle. That's why it's temporary.

If your nutrition is good now, I'd suggest using a product like Rogaine for women and caffeine shampoo to stimulate the new growth. Also, don't stress about it! ? Stress is not only bad for hair regrowth....but it's bad for everything else too! In a few months, you'll see your hair, health, and figure vastly improved!

I was consistently pulling out hair and finding it in the shower drain from about month 4 to month 9. We're talking chunks But my hair rallied like a champ and at 11 months it's not shedding hardly at all and feels thicker again.

It's unlikely that any amount of supplements or dietary measures would prevent Tellogen Effluvium. It's caused by a sort of shock to the body (surgery can cause alone, plus you've had a big nutritional shift).

I started losing hair at about 3 months out. It got so bad last month that you could see my scalp through the thinning hair and I had to cut most of my length off (think, medium bob). At a little over 6 months out, I'm noticing that the hairloss has significantly slowed and I have some new growth around my hairline. It's not thick or full by any means, but the worst seems to be over.

Everyone is a little different, but there's hope. It will stop.

Thank you,@redhead_che and @S@ssen@ch. It's good to hear from people who have been through it. Fingers crossed.

Edited October 24, 20187 yr by josephsmom

My hair started falling out at month 3. I was shocked at how much I lost, the volume of my hair is maybe only 50% of what it was, and it wasn't thick to begin with.

However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I am just over 5 months and it hasn't stopped altogether but it has slowed down dramatically, enough so that I know I can get through this and that I won't go bald anyway!

Just have to wait for it to grow back in now

Edited October 24, 20187 yr by Neversaynever

Thank you, @Neversaynever. Our surgery dates are very close together. I hope my hair loss slows down soon, too!

I started losing tons of hair three months out and continued losing for another three months. I didn't realize this happened. I was petrified as my hair was one thing I was ok with about myself. But it stopped and I didn't go bald and it got thicker again. When I start eating very little even now almost seven years out I notice a lot of it falling out and I know I need to watch my nutrition again.

It will stop, you won't go bald, it's normal. Hang in there.

On ‎10‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 9:31 PM, Jeaniered said:

I took Protein Drinks, could never quite reach the required Water level. Once 8 got past the first couple of months I followed the keto diet which is very high Protein and it was really good and easy. Now eat what ever I want but very small amounts.

This is just what I do - as well as taking vitamin/mineral supplements and Biotin. I'm four months out and haven't lost any hair (yet!) It's pretty much what I was eating before surgery, but now I'm just eating side plates of food and no booze.

Thanks for posting the keto pyramid, Jeaniered!