Plateaus, hair loss, and snacking

I was reading some other posts over the last few days and I feel so much better to know that I am not alone. I am having 2 wk plateaus monthly and my weight loss has slowed down tremendously. I am just over 4 months post op and down 67lbs. I am completely grateful, but I just dont want it to stop. Then I have noticed that my hair is falling out, now I know they told us this could happen, but truthfully I did not think it would happen to me, it is really freaking me out. Then theres the whole issue of snacking. I have that urge to snack, even if I am not hungry, which is exactly how I was before surgery. Well I will stop complaining now. I am glad I am not alone and if anyone has any advice to fix these problems, I am all ears. ~Amber

The only advice I have is try to keep a journal of when you "plateau for 2 weeks". I was doing the same thing and put myself into an emotional tizzy until I tried keeping track of it. Now I realize I'm only ever going to lose for about 2 weeks a month,it's just the way my body works. For 2-3 days before my monthly cycle I don't lose anything....the 6-7 days of my cycle I usually gain 3-4lbs...then 3-4 days after my cycle I don't lose anything again. That leaves me roughly 2 weeks a month to lose the weight I gained from my cycle plus any additional weight loss for the month. Trust me I hate it but I don't worry about it anymore because it's just the way my body is and I can only control so much, ya know? My hair just recently started falling out as well and I haven't reached a place yet where that doesn't freak me out. I also felt it may not happen to me....at my last support group losing hair after WLS was compared to losing hair after child birth( I didn't!) so I fooled myself into thinking I wouldn't again. Snacking...UGH!!!! My surgeon says 3 meals a day NO snacks...ever. Ok,I'm human and snacking( especially high carb stuff like chips...chex mix...etc) was my weakness and still is apparently. I tried 1 chip...not 1 bag..ONE chip and I found myself wanting more.I think it's normal to have that urge...we're still fairly new at this,it's the will power to ignore those urges that will take practice. Good luck and know you're not alone! Cathy

The hair loss happens to almost everybody. I borrowed this from a post by another member on the Texas board. "What Is It? At any given time, about 85 percent to 90 percent of the hairs on the average person's head are actively growing (the anagen phase) and the others are resting (the telogen phase). Typically, a hair is in the anagen phase for two to four years, then enters the telogen phase, rests for about two to four months, and then falls out and is replaced by a new growing hair. The average person naturally loses about 100 hairs a day. In a person with telogen effluvium, some body change or shock pushes more hairs into the telogen phase. Typically in this condition, about 30 percent of the hairs stop growing and go into the resting phase before falling out. So if you have telogen effluvium, you may lose an average of 300 hairs daily instead of 100. Telogen effluvium can be triggered by a number of different events, including: Surgery Major physical trauma Major psychological stress High fever or severe infection Extreme weight loss Extreme change in diet Abrupt hormonal changes, including those associated with childbirth and menopause Iron deficiency Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism A new medication Because hairs that enter the telogen phase rest in place for two to four months before falling out, you may not notice any hair loss until two to four months after the precipitating event. Telogen effluvium rarely lasts longer than six months, although some chronic cases last longer. Although losing a great number of hairs within a short time can be frightening, the condition is usually temporary. Each hair that is pushed prematurely into the telogen phase is replaced by a new growing hair, so there is no danger of complete baldness. Because hair on the scalp grows slowly, your hair may feel or look thinner than usual for a time, but fullness will return as the new hairs grow in. Symptoms If you have telogen effluvium you'll notice more hair than usual accumulating on your pillowcase, on the shower or bathroom floor and in your hairbrush. Your scalp hair may feel or look less dense than usual. Often, though, the hair loss is subtle, and other people may not notice anything different about your hair. Diagnosis Most cases of telogen effluvium can be diagnosed based on medical history and an examination of the scalp and hair. If the hair loss has been occurring for several months, there may be visible thinning patches, but often the hair loss is not dramatic enough for a doctor to notice. If you have large bald patches, you probably don't have telogen effluvium. If the doctor gently tugs on some hairs on your scalp and four or more hairs come out, you probably have telogen effluvium. Also, the hairs will look like hairs in the telogen phase -- they will have a white bulb at the end that was in the scalp, and will not have a gel-like covering around that end of the hair. You may be asked to gather all hairs that fall out of your head over a 24-hour period, and count them to see if the hair loss is truly excessive. Losing fewer than 100 hairs in a day is considered normal. You also may be asked to gather and count lost hairs every one or two weeks to see when the shedding starts to decline. In some rare cases, if there is reason to doubt the diagnosis, a biopsy of the scalp may be done. In this procedure, a small piece of the scalp that includes several hair follicles is removed for examination under a microscope. Your doctor also may perform blood tests to check for conditions (such as thyroid abnormalities) that may be contributing to hair loss. Expected Duration Typically, hair loss begins two to four months after the event that triggered the problem, and lasts approximately six months. New hairs begin growing immediately after the hair falls out, but significant growth may not be noticed for several months. Prevention Nothing can be done to prevent most of the types of physical shock that can start telogen effluvium. Some cases may be caused by a poor diet, and these might be prevented by eating a balanced diet that provides enough protein, iron and other nutrients. Treatment No treatment for active telogen effluvium has been proven effective. Some causes of the disorder can be corrected. For example, if you have a poor diet, consult a dietitian to help you balance it. If the hair loss began after you started a new medication, talk to your doctor to see if the medication should be discontinued. Many times, however, the cause is a specific event in the past. In these cases, the best advice is to relax, and rest assured that the hair will grow back. In chronic cases, some doctors may prescribe minoxidil (Rogaine), a lotion applied to the scalp that stimulates hair growth in some people. When To Call A Professional See your doctor if you experience excessive hair loss or obvious thinning patches on your scalp. Prognosis The prognosis for telogen effluvium is very good. Most cases run their course within six to nine months, and the hair usually grows back. In some cases, the disorder may last longer; in other cases, not all hairs grow back."

I am about a week short of 5 months and I have only lost 40 pounds. I spend alot of time at a weight before I lose any......... so we are all different, yet some things still the same.

Hi Amber, I had surgery April 11th 2005 and I am down 77 pounds. My weight loss has slowed down a lot too, I notice no loss for 2 weeks then I will lose like 2 pounds. I average 1-2 pounds per week. I had issues with hair loss too and actually cut my hair pretty short to make it look fuller. I am getting in all of my protein and I always have so I couldn't explain the hair loss until I went for my last blood work I was low in iron,vitamin c, vitamin B1, and Zinc so I had to go buy a lot of supplements but I guess not only lack of protein makes the hair fall out but lack of Zinc. Hopefully in October when I go for my next blood work I will be all straightened out!!! Best of luck to you!! Jennifer 252/175/130-150??

Hi AMber, I had my surgery April 25. I have not lost a single pound since my 12 week check up Aug 3rd. I also am very frusterated. I am increasing my protien and increasing my cardio by 15 minutes to see if that will help. Any advice is also welcome here !! Katie

Hey Katie, I guess we are all going to lose at our own pace. All i know is this is a day at a time experience. Protein, water, and exercise have proven to boost my weight loss, although I still plateau alot. Good luck, at least this is a journey that we have each other to be part of.