MAJOR ISSUES

Okay, so I know that many of you are having hair loss issues, and just let me say...ME TOO!!!!!! Omigosh I am going to lose my mind, I don't know if I will ever get past this. I go for my 5 month post op on April 3rd. OKay, so you know how ever surgeon has there own way of doing things, like what kind of pre-op diet, post-op diet, protein shakes, vitamins and so on. Well, my surgeon told me I didn't need to start protein shakes until I was 5 months out...well now I am concerned. I know that hair loss is normal, but do you think it's because I haven't been doing protein shakes. I'm starting to get scared that i am malnutritioned now. I can't eat meat because it doesn't like me. I can eat bacon, but i really don't eat what I should be eating. I mean, I'd rather just eat chips or something because it digests so well, rather then an actual meal. I have also been throwing up at least once a week, when I have over eaten or something didn't digest well. So this hair loss thing...is there anything I can do?? I know they were talking about somethng that started with a B, what is it called and what is it? Also, all my doctor told me to do was take a chewable multi-vitamin twice a day, should I do anything else??

Hello, I use Biotin Shampoo & Cond. I get them at GNC for like $8.00 for the set. There is also Biotin pill I think, never tried that. I take prenatal vitamins, & that seems to be working fine, nothing mayjor falling out. My dr also said NO PROTEIN shakes, only get my protein in my three, 4 oz meat/fish/chicken/eggs or beans meals a day.

Melanie, When I started loosing my hair about a month ago I did a bunch of research and this is what I found out. After any major surgery about 1/3 of people will loose about half of their hair starting about three months after surgery and will start growing it back again at 6 months after surgery. At this point there is very little you can do to stop the hair loss. The biotene supplements are probably not going to do anything (I've been taking it the whole time and am losing my hair) It happened immediately after surgery but due to the hair growth cycle your hair dies then stays on your head "resting" for 2 to 3 months before it falls out. Unfortunately our bodies kill a lot more hair when we shock it with a need for major healing and that is why we loose so much more than usual. But later, yes, your nutrition will be a major cause of hair loss if you aren't getting the right stuff in your body. As for protien...my surgeon is a major stickler for getting your protien in via supplemental shakes/drinks. And especially if you aren't getting protien through what you eat I would definiately be supplementing. You said you can't eat meat but are you making sure you get your protien other ways? Cottage cheese, cheese, yougurt, beans, eggs, milk all of those have lots of protien and you should be able to handle them...unless you're one of those that is lactose intolerant. It seems like eating chips is not a great idea. Not only are they pure carbs but they are fried and really don't have much nutritional value to them. Everything you eat should be a significant source of protien and as I mentioned there are many sources of protien that aren't meat. I personally can't eat very much meat at any one time either so I can't rely on that for my protien. Another thing to try is fi**** is high in protien but I can handle that much easier than beef, chicken or pork. As for the rest of the supplements, my Dr has me doing a multi vitamin (adult), B50 complex, iron, calcium and B12 every day. I know a lot of Dr's don't have their patients take much more than a multi vitamin each day. Mine seems to have more requirements then most. He actually wants me getting 80 grams of protien via shakes everyday plus whatever I eat. The best way to find out if you are not getting your nutrients and protien is to have blood work done. It will show if you are missing anything. Usually your surgeon has you get that done about 3 months after surgery. Hope that helps a little. Corinna Q

I take the biotin capsule. I am not experiencing hair loss. I also heard from my doctor that zinc sulfate works for hair loss. I really don't know why my hair is not falling out. I do know the biotin has made my nails really strong though. I take a multi-vitamin 2 times a day, and calcium. To this point, my labs have been fine. I eat quite a bit of protein so I haven't really worried about that. I'm not supplementing, but my dr. is more for getting protein in food than through supplements, and the supplements were more just in the beginning until you could eat more protein.

I too am loosing my hair I stared at 4 months, I have taken Biotin from the beginning. I have started to take Omega 3 one lady I talked to hasn't lost any of her hair and she's farther out than me so I thought I'd add it. Because I swim 3 times a week I really don't want to use the Nioxin shampoo because everyone says it's really dries your hair out. Deb

The Omega 3 that I saw came in big capsules. What form are you taking? I've not tried to swallow a pill or a capsule since surgery. Do you know if we can tolerate them?

I take fish oil capsules that are huge and also a hand full(literally) of other vitamins. I have never had any problem. My Doc said pills were ok at 3 months out. If you think they might stick, break them in half if possible. The capsules I hold in my mouth for a minute before swallowing so that they begin the breakdown process before they hit my stomach and quickly move to the intestines (not recommended for fish oil if you have a week stomach, can you say nasty!). I Just drink lots of water to flush them through.

I can take really big tablets and capsules and they don't seem to bother me either. Deb

hi take biotin