Hey all.

So there's a bunch of us in this group, all split up into our different banding days. I was thinking that it might be a good idea to have one master thread as we move through the month, in which all of us could post as we go, from the pioneers going on March 1st to the finalists on March 31st.

I'd love to talk about our anticipation and any worries as we approach our banding date, for people to talk about exactly what happened from the moment they walked into the hospital door until the second they walked out, about how recovery is going, about weight loss and plateaus, about non-scale victories and challenges.

I was thinking that if we all contribute to one thread, it'll form a more substantial channel for information and support. At the moment, I was thinking that we might be too spread out into individual date, and that a central thread would be a really good backbone for the group, in addition to the date-specific threads.

What do you think?

Fenton

The dark side of weight loss......

In case the pictures didn't make it abundantly clear, I'm having problems with hair loss. Ugh.

I've lost about 40% of my hair. I have a handful of it at the end of every shower. It's disgusting, and rather disturbing. When I "lift away" some of my hair, as seen in the pictures, I have some almost-bald Patches underneath.

There are some places on my head where there isn't a visible effect, but a lot of places where there is.

Anyway, at the moment I'm wearing hair extensions, but if it gets much worse (like if it gets to 60% lost) then I've decided I'll shave it off, and wear a wig for a year or so. Britney Spears-style. :tongue2: just kidding, I won't go nuts and have a nervous breakdown THEN shave it off.

It's NOT a Protein thing. I've talked to my surgeon as well as a trichologist (hair and scalp specialist). It's basically your immune system concluding that you're in a famine due to the drastic difference in food intake, and therefore shutting off non-essential processes like hair growth in order to conserve energy. My fingernails are also growing much more slowly. It's a PORTION SIZE discrepancy, nothing to do with what you're actually eating.

Anyway, the doctors both said it is NOTHING to do with not eating enough protein, and my surgeon and nutritionist reassured me that I am eating enough protein. Basically, I just have to wait it out, and it will grow back.

So enough of my follicular sob story, my main point in posting this is to ask have any other Shamrocks started to lose their hair? They say it generally only happens three months or so after surgery, so we are starting to see it now. I first noticed I was shedding a little more than usual about 3 weeks after surgery, but I never had fistfuls of hair until the last two weeks.

Is anyone in the same boat? Or am I just going to be in the baldy boat all on my own?

Ha ha ha if I didn't laugh, I would cry.

Edited June 11, 200818 yr by anniedub
clarification

I just assumed you were wearing the black lycra so you'd look more like your hero Lara Croft, as portrayed by noted humanitarian Angelina Jolie!

Annie Croft: Fridge Raider

Ha ha ha that's all that comes to mind now when I look at those photos. Thanks for ruining it, Fenton! :tongue2:

Scrappy, that is fantastic weight loss! Congratulations!

Annie, Wow, I haven't noticed any hair loss so I was hoping it wouldn't happen. I've heard so many times that it will though. Can you try using Rogaine? I lost a lot of hair after having a c-section so I know how it feels. Keep us updated on the situation!

Annie, Wow, I haven't noticed any hair loss so I was hoping it wouldn't happen. I've heard so many times that it will though. Can you try using Rogaine? I lost a lot of hair after having a c-section so I know how it feels. Keep us updated on the situation!

I was thinking about Rogaine, but the problem would be that my hair would then be at SO many different lengths as it was growing back, it would look all feral anyway - with normal bits and short tufts every so often. So I think it's easier just to shave it and start from scratch again, if need be.

While shaving off my hair would be embarrassing and very sad for me, if the loss gets much worse then it just seems like the smartest option. I've always been proud of my hair, it's one thing about me that (normally) looks good, no matter what weight I am.

A co-worker of mine recently started losing large clumps of hair. Her doctor discovered that she had elevated testosterone levels that was causing it. If it continues I would get an in depth workup done just to make sure it isn't something that's not related to your surgery.

A co-worker of mine recently started losing large clumps of hair. Her doctor discovered that she had elevated testosterone levels that was causing it. If it continues I would get an in depth workup done just to make sure it isn't something that's not related to your surgery.

I get all those workups done pretty regularly, as I have severe Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Nothing's been unusual with my testosterone lately (well, nothing unusual for ME. Would be unusual for someone without PCOS). Might make an appointment and get it checked again though, thanks for the heads up.

ha ha HEADS up. That was unintentional, I swear.

Welcome back!

Does your doctor tell you to eat 12-3/4 cup of food for each meal. That is what my doctor wants me to eat and I really have a hard time eating that little. Most meals I probably eat about 1 1/2 cups.

I have to say Yes and no. I eat more than 1/2-3/4c at dinner. Im about like you 1 1/2c or 2c. For Breakfast and lunch its 1c. Breakfast is easy cause my band is tight in the am. Lunch is easy at work, cause Im busy and not thinking about food. Not at work and I could eat more but "try" to eat less. Dinner I definitely have a hard time keeping the volume down.

Yep Im losing hair too. I noticed it the two other time I really lost weight. I guess my body just revolts a bit in the weight loss process. I did start taking folic acid pills this time. I had a friend who was taking them when she wanted to get pregnant and her hair and nails grew fast and thick, and her Dr said it was the folic acid. Hell I'll give anything a try. The other day my husband asked if I gave the dog a bath because there was so much hair in the drain.

I do know from the other times that it indeed grows back. In my case with more gray but I don't think that was from the weight loss. Just me getting old.

Now Im off to look at this picture thread.

Wow, I haven't been gone that long, but some of you have been very, very busy on this thread! :biggrin2:

I just came back from yet another fill. I feel like I lost all of May to PBs and then travel, so I'm eager to get this show on the road. My self-pay year of free fills/patient care only has 9 months left to it, and I want to be well on my way (or better yet, at goal) before this is over. Like some others here, I suffer from the dreaded Ticker Envy. :cool2: Other than this last week when I ate some things I shouldn't have, I've been spot on and still don't see great numbers. Fortunately, my doctor says come back as frequently as you can get appointments until you feel restriction.

A while back, my doc said no more Protein shakes because he wants me eating hard Proteins (keep you fuller longer). What they clarified for me today is that Protein Shakes can definitely be used between meals to curb appetite and count toward the "water" intake requirement. After I get back to solid food this weekend, I'm going to start doing that. Hope that plus this new fill helps me...

Everyone is doing very well here. Keep up the great work! :w00t:

A special shout out to my arm twin, Enjoylife/Diva: Don't get discouraged and eat the wrong stuff -- keep coming back here for support and post. We went through that whole impossible liquid phase for weeks.... surely we can do this!!

Annie - I've been shedding hair, too. It happened to me when I did Atkins, too, which is a high Protein diet (or, rather, for ME it was a high protein diet). I think the hair grew back, but I'm not sure. You're wicked young, yours'll definitely grow back. I doubt that rogaine would help, but I guess everything's worth a try.

I wouldn't sweat your testosterone - hair loss happens in something like 20% of people who lose weight rapidly. I think it's a straight metabolic thing.

Although I believe I read somewhere that male sex hormones are converted to female hormones in fat; perhaps with less fat, the balance gets disturbed.

Whatever the cause, it's a common, and basically temporary finding. Don't worry about it.

I went for my 2nd fill today and I am now at 3.5cc in a 10cc band. I am praying to feel restriction because up till now I have had none. I am able to eat anything. Hope this fill does give me at least a little restriction.

The dark side of weight loss......

In case the pictures didn't make it abundantly clear, I'm having problems with hair loss. Ugh.

I've lost about 40% of my hair. I have a handful of it at the end of every shower. It's disgusting, and rather disturbing. When I "lift away" some of my hair, as seen in the pictures, I have some almost-bald Patches underneath.

There are some places on my head where there isn't a visible effect, but a lot of places where there is.

Anyway, at the moment I'm wearing hair extensions, but if it gets much worse (like if it gets to 60% lost) then I've decided I'll shave it off, and wear a wig for a year or so. Britney Spears-style. just kidding, I won't go nuts and have a nervous breakdown THEN shave it off.

It's NOT a Protein thing. I've talked to my surgeon as well as a trichologist (hair and scalp specialist). It's basically your immune system concluding that you're in a famine due to the drastic difference in food intake, and therefore shutting off non-essential processes like hair growth in order to conserve energy. My fingernails are also growing much more slowly. It's a PORTION SIZE discrepancy, nothing to do with what you're actually eating.

Anyway, the doctors both said it is NOTHING to do with not eating enough protein, and my surgeon and nutritionist reassured me that I am eating enough protein. Basically, I just have to wait it out, and it will grow back.

So enough of my follicular sob story, my main point in posting this is to ask have any other Shamrocks started to lose their hair? They say it generally only happens three months or so after surgery, so we are starting to see it now. I first noticed I was shedding a little more than usual about 3 weeks after surgery, but I never had fistfuls of hair until the last two weeks.

Is anyone in the same boat? Or am I just going to be in the baldy boat all on my own?

Ha ha ha if I didn't laugh, I would cry.

I am having hair loss too. This isn't my first time either... a few years ago I lost about 70 pounds on WW and lost a huge amount of hair. I went to the doctor and had blood tests, and more blood tests. Hormones and thyroid were all ok. So I thought maybe it was from not enough protein, but now I know I am eating enough protein.

My hair stylist suggested using Nioxin products and it helped before. I know Walmart salon sells their products, as do most beauty shops. It is formulated to "feed" your scalp what it needs for the hair follicle to grow healthy hair.

Tess

I have had two fills now, was banded on March 19th 08. I have a 10cc ap band, and have 6 cc's in. The first time was 4 cc's and 2 ccs on May 28th. I fell tight for a day or two then nothing. It worries me that I can only have 4 more cc's in my band! I am 5'5 weight was 252 on surgery day and I am 240 now. So woohoo, 12 pounds in what 10 weeks now? I feel like it is going slow....I have went down from a 18 jeans to a 14 but they are snug...hoping this will speed up, have to wait till end of month for another fill, and I see on here where people have had like 10 fills and they get like .05 cc's at a time. Geez, I have a ton compared to that already and don't feel tight yet. Anyone with this problem, will it get better? I guess I want to NOT be able to eat anything for awhile. I WANT TOO TIGHT for awhile.....

WriteGirl, I've kinda been feeling worried about the same thing... What if I don't get restriction soon given how many cc's I already have?

My doc assured me that a 10cc band has more than 10cc capacity (but he doesn't think this is a problem we need to worry about). On the other hand, the 1.2cc added today is making a big difference. It took me over an hour to drink a Protein shake! The last time that happened was right after surgery...

1st, great weight loss Scrappy, you have really been working that band!

2nd, some hair loss but not enough to really worry about. My hair dresser did notice that some of my hair was coming out but my hair is really thick so she said not to worry about it. She also said it would grow back in. I know that does not help...what are you suppose to do until the hair returns?? Keep up the positive attitude.