I have been banded since Sept 22, 2008. I have only lost 20 pounds, lots of gas all the time. And now my hair is falling out. I am eating right and getting enough protein. I just saw a new fill doctor last week to get my 5th or 6th fill and he has had lots of patients that have not had a lot of success with the lap-band. He is suggesting the sleeve surgery, which I am not interested in getting. I am just so upset over not having any luck plus my hair is falling out. Help!!!!!!!!:tongue_smilie::mad::mad:

I have been banded since Sept 22, 2008. I have only lost 20 pounds, lots of gas all the time. And now my hair is falling out. I am eating right and getting enough Protein. I just saw a new fill doctor last week to get my 5th or 6th fill and he has had lots of patients that have not had a lot of success with the lap-band. He is suggesting the sleeve surgery, which I am not interested in getting. I am just so upset over not having any luck plus my hair is falling out. Help!!!!!!!!:tongue_smilie::mad::mad:

I wouldn't be so quick to rule out the sleeve. I switched from band to sleeve and I love it. It's like having a band that actually works without the complications, slow weight loss, and puking.

It's 100x easier (and safer) than banding.

I have been banded since Sept 22, 2008. I have only lost 20 pounds, lots of gas all the time. And now my hair is falling out. I am eating right and getting enough Protein. I just saw a new fill doctor last week to get my 5th or 6th fill and he has had lots of patients that have not had a lot of success with the lap-band. He is suggesting the sleeve surgery, which I am not interested in getting. I am just so upset over not having any luck plus my hair is falling out. Help!!!!!!!!:tongue_smilie::mad::mad:

We have the same surgery date and I have only lost about as much as you since the band, but I have lost about 70-75 lbs total (all my dieting before the band and all that pre & post op liquids only). You need to talk to your doctor and nutritionist about the hair loss. I am not convinced it is a protein thing, though. Other than in the healing phase after surgery, why would our bodies need more protein now than before? (I'm not talking about protein supposedly keeping you fuller longer, I am talking about metabolically needing it). There could be other reasons for lack of weight loss and hair loss - namely thyroid problems. Please ask to have your TSH and T4 measured and even if it's borderline, ask for low dosage sythroid (not generic). I'm only speculating on possible causes and solutions. But you need to see your doctor about this. Good luck.

We have the same surgery date and I have only lost about as much as you since the band, but I have lost about 70-75 lbs total (all my dieting before the band and all that pre & post op liquids only). You need to talk to your doctor and nutritionist about the hair loss. I am not convinced it is a protein thing, though. Other than in the healing phase after surgery, why would our bodies need more protein now than before? (I'm not talking about protein supposedly keeping you fuller longer, I am talking about metabolically needing it). There could be other reasons for lack of weight loss and hair loss - namely thyroid problems. Please ask to have your TSH and T4 measured and even if it's borderline, ask for low dosage sythroid (not generic). I'm only speculating on possible causes and solutions. But you need to see your doctor about this. Good luck.

We must concentrate on protein because we are eating so much less than we were before thus it is more difficult to get all the protein our body needs. Protein is the only nutrient the body is unable to store. It is depleted every 24 hours. Without it, we do lose our hair, our muscles start wasting away, etc. This is why we need to eat protein first.

Edited June 15, 200917 yr by jms462001
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You definitely should get in to see your doc. Hair loss is a definite sign of lack of protein and vitamins. Are you exercising? That could be a problem with the halt of weightloss. Are you following all the lapband rules, no eating or drinking at the same time, etc? If you are doing eveything right, then you need a doctors opinion on what is going on. Good luck to you!

We must concentrate on Protein because we are eating so much less than we were before thus it is more difficult to get all the protein our body needs. Protein is the only nutrient the body is unable to store. It is depleted every 24 hours. Without it, we do lose our hair, our muscles start wasting away, etc. This is why we need to eat protein first.

Lapbanding doesn't cause malabsorption like the gastric bypass does, therefore, our requirements for daily protein don't change. In fact, the less we weigh, the less protein we need since protein needs are based on weight and caloric intake. Now, eating the protein first is a different matter to make sure we are able to get our daily protein with our smaller pouch and eating less. But don't confuse eating the protein first so that we get the right amount with actually needing more protein now than before banding. We don't. Plus gigim said she was getting enough protein and her weight loss hasn't been rapid, so I suspect something else for her problems.

Edited June 15, 200917 yr by Cleo's Mom

Lapbanding doesn't cause malabsorption like the gastric bypass does, therefore, our requirements for daily Protein don't change. In fact, the less we weigh, the less protein we need since protein needs are based on weight and caloric intake. Now, eating the protein first is a different matter to make sure we are able to get our daily protein with our smaller pouch and eating less. But don't confuse eating the protein first so that we get the right amount with actually needing more protein now than before banding. We don't.

I don't agree that we need less protein the less we weigh. That is old thinking. Today most doctors base protein requirements on lean body mass. Our fat stores don't really need protein. Now, protein makers will tell you that you need astronomical amounts of protein but they are trying to sell the stuff. ;o)

However, I do agree with you that we do not need more protein merely due to WLS. That's for bypass and DS due to malabsorption.

Have you had a lipid profile lately? Many people don't realize we need good 'fats.' Yes, loss of 'good lipids' can cause hair loss. I'd get some blood work done, really look at my diet and tweek a little hear and there before considering another surgery.

There are more malnutrition worries w/the sleeve than w/the band. So, really look at your nutrition now. I know someone who has a sleeve and she swallows vitamins/supplements all day long.

Lapbanding doesn't cause malabsorption like the gastric bypass does, therefore, our requirements for daily protein don't change. In fact, the less we weigh, the less protein we need since protein needs are based on weight and caloric intake. Now, eating the protein first is a different matter to make sure we are able to get our daily protein with our smaller pouch and eating less. But don't confuse eating the protein first so that we get the right amount with actually needing more protein now than before banding. We don't. Plus gigim said she was getting enough protein and her weight loss hasn't been rapid, so I suspect something else for her problems.

I didn't think her problem was lack of protein as she did say she was getting enough. I was responding to your comment which seemed to suggest that the need for more protein is not true. I don't think we are told that we need more than pre-banding. I think most people get more than 60 grams a day in their diets without the lapband. Just a couple big-macs would probably do!!! We consume so few calories that we must focus on it because our bodies cannot store it and if we do not, we will have a problem with deficiency.

There are more malnutrition worries w/the sleeve than w/the band.

No, there are not more nutritional problems with the sleeve vs. band. They are both restrictive procedures, not malabsorptive. You have a small stomach, so do I. You have no intestinal rerouting, neither do I.

Actually, banded folks have far more food intolerances than sleeved people. When I was banded I couldn't eat broccoli, bread, or fibrous foods. Today I can eat anything I want since we don't get stuck and such. We absorb nutrition just like you do.

Thanks All, for the advice. I will start to exercise this week and Talk with my doctor about the hair loss. I don't think I will go with the sleeve just yet. I only have 40 more pounds to lose. Thanks again, I will not give up:thumbup: I think the exercise is the key. Gigi

Don't know how helpful this will be, but my banding date was july 22, 2008 (only 2 months before) and it was VERY slow going for me until a few months ago. After several fills the weight finally started to fall off. Right now I have 7.25cc in there and my band holds 11cc. You should've had 6month bloodwork for any deficiencies, but your hair shouldn't be falling out...that's usually a bypass side effect. Unless there's something else going on in your body that's causing the hair loss, I wouldn't give up on the band just yet. Hang in there.

Don't know how helpful this will be, but my banding date was july 22, 2008 (only 2 months before) and it was VERY slow going for me until a few months ago. After several fills the weight finally started to fall off. Right now I have 7.25cc in there and my band holds 11cc. You should've had 6month bloodwork for any deficiencies, but your hair shouldn't be falling out...that's usually a bypass side effect. Unless there's something else going on in your body that's causing the hair loss, I wouldn't give up on the band just yet. Hang in there.

Hair loss can and does happen from all the WLS types... including banding. Look at the gazillion threads here on hair loss. It is quite common.