Newby question - Hair loss? Loose Skin?

I am trying to cover all of the things that freak me out so that I can deal with them and get on with this process.

*    I am wondering if any of you have had a problem with hairloss and if so how bad was/is it?

*    I am curious about loose skin and how many of you have had plastic surgery, want plastic surgery or even need plastic surgery.

*    I am a smoker and have been told that I have to quit before surgery...(I know I should anyway, but...) I am just thinking that I have to give up cigarettes, Diet Dr Pepper and food! Wow! I feel sorry for my family...lol

I got a perscription for Chiantix. Did anyone have any luck with this?

Thank you guys so much...I can't wait to be on the bench next to ya!

My surgery isn't scheduled until 8/14 so I can only answer the question about Chantix. 

I had fabulous success with Chantix.  I was a smoker off and on for 25 years and have been smoke free for over 1 year.  Occasionally, I'll get that overwhelming urge to start smoking again, like now when I'm on the 10 day diet from h*ll, so I'll go back on the Chantix for a few weeks. 

Good luck, it's certainly worth it.

I am a WeightWise patient of Dr. Walton.  They tell everyone that you have to quit smoking prior to surgery.  I didn't smoke so this wasn't an issue for me.  I am now almost 5 months out and started loosing hair at about 4 months out.  I seem to have lost quit a bit since my hair was very thin on top I notice it a lot.  I'm hoping it's about finished now.  I think from what I've read that some have success with using Biotin and it helps with the hair loss.  It did nothing for me.  I think if you're going to loose it you're going to loose it.  My daughter is a juvenile diabetic and everytime she has a severe problem or has been hospitalized for extreme high blood sugars she also experiences hair loss.  It's just any traume our body goes through we will see it in our hair.  I think the body is pulling the protein etc from the hair to go to our organs.  I feel like my trade off of 125 pounds is worth some hair loss.  I know it will grow back in soon.  Everyone I've talked to who lost hair has had it come back in.  Good luck with your decision.  I wouldn't change a thing and wish I could have had this done years ago!!!

I am also a Dr. Walton patient.

I have very thick red hair and because of that it's more dense than most colors. I began losing hair at 4 months out. The most I ever lost was enough to plug the drain in the bathtub once a week. Now, I only notice a few strands in my hairbrush. You can try Biotin, Nixoin, etc. but it's up to your own body how much you lose. I don't think you have to worry about it all falling out, though.

Loose skin is up to your age, genetics, and elasticity. I figure losing 142 pounds is worth the loose skin I have. Someday, I hope to have the courage to have plastic surgery to complete the journey I began. If I never work up to it, that's ok too. The main thing is I'm healthy. I started my journey here at 333 pounds. My highest was 354. At my 9 month checkup last month I weighed 191. I started at a size 24/26 and am now an 11. Loose skin? Sure. Sizes with 1's in front of them and being in onderland for the first time since high school in 1978? Priceless.

I'm a non-smoker so no problems there.

I think what you "give up" doesn't compare to what you gain by having the surgery. No food tastes as good as thin(ner) feels.

I have really thick, course brown hair.  I had a VSG 4 months ago.  I am losing what seems like a lot of hair to me (plugs the drain every other day), but my hairdresser says I'll never lose enough to hurt me (she had other bariatric surgery patients as clients).  She says it will slow down and even quit at about 6 to 8 months, so I'm taking her at her word.

Now...Chantix...
I quit smoking in 2007 and used Chantix for 4 weeks only.  I have never picked up another cigarette since I put them down in March of 2007.  It is also a decision I never regretted.  Ocasionally I do think about them, but always tell myself I've come too far to ever go back.  It is very very worth it!  Even if you opt not to have WLS, do consider quitting the cigarettes anyway.  You'll be healthier & happier without them. 

Good luck!

I had my RNY back in 2004 and am now 4 years post-op so I'll do my best to answer all your questions honestly and openly about my own experience.

*    I am wondering if any of you have had a problem with hairloss and if so how bad was/is it?   I have dark hair that was very fine texture to begin with... I lost quite a bit of it, but I ended up doing highlights and cutting it shorter for a while and it covered it pretty well.  After a while, *most* of it came back in.  I took biotin supplements.

*    I am curious about loose skin and how many of you have had plastic surgery, want plastic surgery or even need plastic surgery.  Loose skin happens when you lose a lot of weight... fact of life.  I lost 160 plus pounds from my highest weight of 297 so I figured the skin was worth it.  I've gone from a size 26 to a size 4.  I had a hernia (incisional) and so I did opt for a tummy tuck and I have also had a breast reduction because the weight was killing my shoulders. 

*    I am a smoker and have been told that I have to quit before surgery...(I know I should anyway, but...) I am just thinking that I have to give up cigarettes, Diet Dr Pepper and food! Wow! I feel sorry for my family...lol  I got a perscription for Chiantix. Did anyone have any luck with this?   I quit smoking a year before my RNY and I didn't use chantix... I gave up sodas before the RNY and I admit, I went back to drinking them after surgery, then gave them up again.  Now I don't drink them at all.  Don't miss them either.

Looking forward to having you on the bench!

Thank you guys so much....I know that it is all worth it. Just thinking about it is all so overwhelming. I am so ready to have my surgery. I have a 10 year old and a 2 year old to keep up with (not to mention my 20 year class reunion is next year).

Thanks again for all of the support!