Three Questions . . .

Hello Everyone . . . Well I'm officially one week out and 14 pounds lighter but . . . I haven't been able to have a BM so before I get too constipated what can I take to help move things along and NOT get me sick. Second, my husband bought me vitamin water from Costco can I drink this? It's not on any list I have and I just want to be certain I'm doing things correctly. Last question, does anyone take Omega 369 and if so, do you think it has helped with your hair along with protien of course and I'm also taking Biotin. I just don't want to lose all my hair it's my worst darn fear! I appreciate any advice you can provide. THANKS!!!

Hey there Girl! First, send me an email with your address so we can get out of town in 2 weeks! The only thing I can comment on right now is the Vitamin water. Check the label, if I remember correctly (After drinking half a bottle) the sugar content was too high for me.....(like I said if I remember correctly) And about loosing hair? (Ok, so I can comment on 2 things) I think it is a part of WLS life, mine is so thin now, I can see through it when it is down. But on the flip side, it is growing in again, so when it is up, there are little hairs poking out all over the place, but I am still loosing it. It does get better, but be prepared for not matter what you do, you are gonna loose some..... Email me girl! Dianna

Thanks for dropping me a note back! You got mail I'm looking forward to our road trip!!!

Constipation : Stool Softeners work well . You can get these at any pharmacy or Walmart . Vitamin Water ?? Not sure what it is in it . I hope you are on a chewable at this point in your journey . Biotin : Some will tell you that no matter what you do you will loose your hair .. and for the most part you may loose some or a lot . Depends on your makeup . As for me.. I started loosing my hair about month 6 .. not much , but enough for me to cut it shorter . I started using a suppliment called HAIR SKIN AND NAILS . And I noticed a difference about week 8 of taking it , My hair is almost back to normal now . The hairloss comes from lots of things . Stress from the surgery , being malnutriced .. and you are ... the first 4 or 5 months .. anethesia .. so keep your protein levels up high .. start the biotin .. It can not hurt . Hope this helps . Nat

Thanks for responding Natalie! I follow everything you write on these darn boards like a groupie so THANK YOU! I will start the Hair Skin and Nails vitamin and I already have the Biotin. I'm glad that your hair is almost back to normal! Your information helps a bunch! Thanks!

Hey Jean Based on my experience: 1. Increased walking and water help... if not, my doctor's office recommended a stool softener... I got ducolax and it did the trick after only one dose. 2. Check the label. Some of them, like Propel, don't have any sugar and are great!! My hubby and I were in Costco today and bought a case... only 52 cents each averaged, compared to $1.69 or $1.09 on sale at the grocery or convenience store. Fruity taste helps the water go down and a few extra vitamins never hurt. Again... check the label. 3. Haven't addressed the hair thing... I'd suggest asking Tinkerbell aka Natalie aka Super Protein woman and vitamin lady If I recall, Biotin is supposed to be helpful, but the hair loss is gonna happen if it's gonna happen. Not TOO much you can do about it... but I've heard it's temporary and will grow back. Hope that helps... from a newly... 2 1/2 month post-op Tammy

G'morning Jean - My saving grace (battling constipation) was good ol' BENEFIBER! It's a natural remedy, is absolutely TASTELESS, pretty much breaks up into nothing, no grit, no taste, nada! I added a scoop to my morning protein shakes and never (EVER) had any issues with constipation. On the vitamin water - it should be FINE, although Ive never tried it - with us malabsorbing as much as we do (especially early post op) any and ALL vitamins we can get into our system is a plus. Just check the SUGAR content. I don't dump on sugar, never have - but Ive heard/seen where some people dump on something as simple/small as a pack of ketchup. It's a crap shoot. ...er, no pun intended. On the hair? We're all going to have different results - bottom line, IF you are one of those that loses a lotta' hair (like I did) there's NOTHING you can do about preventing the 'dead' roots from falling out. However, you can work on a line of attack to help PROMOTE regrowth. Although Hair loss CAN be attributed to lack of proteins and nutrients, etc, early postop - the primary cause is triggered because of "surgery" in general, the anesthesia and TRAUMA to the body. My hair fell out at two different intervals after weight loss surgery. It started up around the 4th month and shed lightly for about 3 months - not too much damage. Round 2 started falling out during the 10th month (Im kinda guessing on the time frame here, it's in my profile somewhere) ...anyway, the second round of shedding took it's toll and I ended up losing approx. 50% of my hair. If you look at some of my progression pictures of my journey (before, during, after) you can see the difference in hair volume. If you got me outside during it's worse stages, with just enough sunlight, it was painfully noticeable. I've become very good friends with 4 other women from this OH site who live here in VaBeach. We get together for lunch weekly. All of us had the RNY surgery and of the FIVE, I had the most problems. At least ONE of the ladies had NO hair loss at all, and the remaining had light to moderate. I mention this only to point out that the amount of loss is SO unique to the individual, their bodies and possibly even the TYPE of surgery they had. Im the only one in the group that had a DISTAL RNY bypass. Thankfully not everyone loses as much as I did. I (personally) didn't waste too much money on products that boasts it KEEPS the hair from falling out. Dead roots are dead roots, nothing brings them back to life and natural progression will cause them to shed. Most of the affects we have from hair loss during this period is due to the anesthesia during surgery and our bodies reaction to it. What's happened has happened, per se'? When I had my gallbladder taken out about seven years ago, the same thing happened, lost most of my hair and it had NOTHING to do with a lack of nutrients or vitamins. I was quite capable of eating by the truck load back then and I DID. The only thing the expensive shampoos and/or vitamins might help with is the promotion of NEW growth. Also, Ive had 3 different rounds of plastic surgery since reaching goal - each and every flippin' time, Ive lost some of my hair. At this rate, a chia pet has more sprouts then me? - Lei Here is an interesting write-up on Hairloss that might help to explain it better: Hair Loss After Gastric Bypass Surgery Explained by Dr Richard Lee, MD: "Excessive shedding occurring 4 months after gastric bypass surgery would be a typical example of a telogen effluvium ("TE"). The name "telogen effluvium" explains the nature of the hair loss very well. All hair follicles in humans run through cycles of activity. During anagen, they produce hair fiber. During telogen, the follicles are dormant and there is no further growth. The hair shaft is shed at the end of the telogen phase. Effluvium is a Latin word that means "letting loose". So the term "TE" describes hair follicles entering a dormant stage and shedding (letting loose) the hair shaft. "TE" forms of hair loss are generalized and diffuse over the scalp. It is not normally a permanent form of hair loss. Eventually, the hair follicles recover and return to normal hair density usually within one year. In a normal, young, healthy individual up to 90% of hair follicles are in an a growing phase (anagen) and only 10% are in a telogen (resting) phase at any one moment in time. If your body experiences a systemic physiologic upset, such as a surgical procedure, many of the anagen hairs can be shifted into telogen. At the end of that telogen phase, which is typically about 100 days in length, those hairs will all shed. Rarely are more than 50% of the hairs of the scalp ever involved in a "TE". severe shedding rarely lasts more than the length of the telogen phase, which is about 100 days. There is no treatment for telogen effluvium. Once the hair follicles entered the telogen phase, the hair shafts were destined to shed in 3 to 4 months and there is no way of preventing it from taking its natural course. However, you will be encouraged to know that the hair follicles have not been damaged and that all of the hair will grow back in. If you would like to read more about the phenomenon of "TE", please access the article at (www.) minoxidil.com/journal.htm#Telogen -- Richard Lee, M.D."

Lei, I can't THANK YOU enough for your post I really APPRECIATE your WEALTH of knowledge!! You are Great and what a journey you have taken on and you look BEAUTIFUL. I loved the pictures of you in your gown in Richmond. You give someone like me such inspiration - Thank You! Sincerely, Jean

. Aaaw - you're so sweet, Jean! Thank YOU! You have so MANY special moments coming your way in this journey and I look forward to reading, smiling and sharing in your happiness!

i used a few pieces of sugar free peanutbutter cups...some say whole milk...that didnt work for me ...the candy did the trick and i got through those first few days of adjustment good luck