I learned from someone who had surgery before me that Biotin helps with hair loss. I am currently on the post-op liquid phase (second week) and I am taking 2 chewable Jamison multi vitamins, a B12 strip every other day, and a French caramel calcium chew 3X a day.

So my question is, when can I start taking this vitamin, and also is it hard to digest?

While those may help, my dr promised me that if I got 100 grams of protein everyday I would not lose hair. I’m in month 3 and haven’t lost any yet (knock on wood). I take the recommended supplements but nothing else.

I'm 3 months post-op and I just bought the Biotin gummies at Walgreens and am starting them now.

I’ve been taking biotin for years for my nails. I started taking L-lysine as soon as I was cleared for pills. I asked about it beforehand and they wouldn’t make me any guarantees. They said hair loss is a risk with any anesthesia . So I’m doing everything I can now but I know I’m not out of the woods.

I started 10,000 mcg of Biotin at 2 weeks post op, when I started my other vitamins. I am 6 weeks post op, so it is still a bit early to tell about hair loss or not. My hair and skin have been sooooo dry since surgery. I look like an old, withered apple and my hair feels like straw. I am using a lot of lotion and got some shampoo for dry hair - something I've never had to do before.

I've been doing biotin for 6 months ( post sleeve 17 mo, bypass 2 weeks) honestly it's done nothing. I did the monat shampoo for a year as well- and my hair still fell out at a ridiculous rate. I've since stopped using it. It did grow out pretty fast. Although I'm debating on cutting it all off.

I’ve heard you have to really start taking biotin during the pre-op stage. Otherwise it only helps with regrowth, not the hair that’s falling out.

I started taking it a couple weeks after surgery. It is easy to swallow and easy to tolerate. My hair started falling out big time at about 3.5 to 4 months. I am almost 5 months out and actually just got my hair cut a couple inches(to just above my shoulders) hoping to combat the hair loss. It was getting so tangled and every time I tried to comb out the tangles my comb was filled with hair

Does anyone know how long this is supposed to last? I know I read it before but forgot.

P.S. So I don't think it helped at all.

I started taking it preop trying to make my hair as healthy as possible before fall out would happen. It didn't help too much. My hair still fell out. I also hear that its possible to take too much biotin and that can cause hair loss. So just make sure that there isnt already a good amount in your multivitamin before you supplement.

What brand of biotin and how much did folks take? Getting ready to have my RNY July 1st!

I take the Spring Valley(i think that's correct, so many of my over- the- counter ones at Wal-Mart). Oh shoot ,,,let me go look. I'm texting instead,of Sleeping tonight. Nope I WAS WRONG, it's Natures Bounty with the Pink label, I take 2 cgelcapc at a time, the Spring Valley was the one, the pills gave me indigestion. I had an RNY to cure GERD, do not need indigestion! How long have I taken them? Started about 10 weeks after surgery, has it worked? Well I am a redhead, we have the fewest per square inch hair follicles, I barely have thinned. Weird where I did- my bangs lost their thickness, I b justvdont sweat it, just combed them back into the chair behind. So what if I have more of a pixie than a Dutch bob, I've still got hair! And these days it comes in handy!

Nature's Bounty. 10,000 mcg. Started post op 2 weeks when I started my other vitamins, I am 4 months out now and have had a bit of hair loss, but not bad. Nails are as hard as rock, though! The biotin won't necessarily prevent the hair follicle from giving up the ghost when you go into the starvation phase of immediate post op, That is just the body's way of reaction to severe caloric reduction, The hair loss is from the NEW hair starting to grow and push the dead stuff out. So I am hoping the biotin will result in some real nice hair that is starting to push the old stuff out of the way. At least that is how I am trying to frame it - Out with the old, In with the new!

Thanks for the info, did you start the nature’s bounty just after surgery, or days later?

I was told that biotin will do nothing to stop hair loss it's only to make the hair you have thicker. The only thing that can help you from losing your hair is getting all your protein in and taking your vitamins. Even that isn't a guarantee.

I started biotin and L-Lysine about 3 months before surgery and I am still taking it. It is too early for me to know what will happen hair loss wise, but I was willing to give it a go.

My regime was based on @GreenTealael 's post on hair loss with some interesting studies. If you search telogen effluvium you will probably find it. (Or maybe she will post it here- I wish she got paid per click for that post! Pretty sure she could take a nice vacation....)