Three questions for those who have had WLS surgery

I have finally decided to have the surgery after 3 referrels from my primary care provider.  I have everything completed, we are just waiting to set a date because I need to wait until July due to school and out of town visitors and we are not sure of the doctor's schedule in July for right now. I have two issues that have stopped me in the past and I'm hoping to get some advice or even just comments from those of you who have had the surgery.  They are not stopping me from doing the surgery this time because I do realize that losing the weight is healthier for me than my concerns, however I am just looking for some feedback.

My first concern was hair loss.  I have a friend who had the surgery more than 5 years ago and she still has extreme amount of hair loss.  I'm wondering about your experience with the hair loss - did you lose a lot, was there a point where it stopped, was there anything you could do to help with the hair loss?

My next concern, and I know this probably sounds pretty vain, but is the lost of my breast size, not just a little, but a lot.  I have another friend who had the surgery over 13 years ago and she told me to be prepared to lose everything in my breast size and be very saggy, in fact her words were "be prepared to lose it all".  She didn't have much of the saggy skin that comes with the surgery (and I hope I am prepared for that), just with the breast.  Does anyone have any advice or exercise that can help with this or is this just something I need to expect?

My third question is not a concern, I would just like to hear other people's experiences.  I am wondering how long you were off work after surgery.  My job is a lot of computer work, so I don't do a lot of moving around.  I figure I could be sitting at home, or I could be sitting at work.  My ex had this surgery and he was ready to go back to work after one week, but the doctor had him wait 2 weeks since his job was physical work.  Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for  you time to answer my questions.

Camille

Not everyone has hair loss. I didn't. Most people lose hair from what I understand starting months 3-4 to month 9 maybe. Most people it comes back. I know those in my support group those who had lost it, but it all came back...

Yes my breasts deflated... I shove them into a bra and no one knows but me. I actually still wear the same cup size, I just fit it differently.

Most people from my understanding take 2 weeks off. I felt great after one week, but still got very tired in the afternoons for a couple of weeks.

The question is are these deal breakers? Is your health and well-being worth it? I have come to realize I will always have to watch what I eat and exercise, but I would rather do it from a thinner healthier place, then do it as morbidly obese and all the health problems that go along with it. Good Luck

I have not lost the amount of weight that NY Mom has, and I am just 4 months out.  But both of these things were concerns for me, as I always felt my hair and my bust were some of my best features.  So here is my experience so far:  First, breast size. After losing 60 pounds, my bras are now somewhat loose, but I am still wearing the same ones as I wore pre-surgery, and the cups are still full!  The weight loss there seems mostly around my chest and back.  I expect my bust will get smaller overall as I lose more weight.  I want to be proportional, so overall it is not a concern to me to get smaller there.  It would be weird to stay as big as I was in the bust when the rest of me gets smaller.  I do see some sagginess.  But I am now 50 years old and my shape was never a "perky" shape, even when I was trim in my 20's.  So that could be there anyway, whether I was MO or not.

About my hair, I am just starting to notice hair loss.  This was a HUGE concern to me.  I love my thick hair!  But I felt, from reading about this side effect, that it would not likely be permanent.  And that it would probably not be especially noticeable to other people.  I also felt that thinner hair might be an OK trade-off for a thinner me as well.  I wonder if your friend, who still has issues with hair loss, could have something else going on:  some women do have hair loss issues as they age, whether they have WLS or not.

Anyhow, good luck to you.  It will be all right!

Most people lose some hair, although the amount varies widely from one person to the next, but most people also get all of it back.  I lost half of my hair (literally, based on my ponytail size)  from month 4-9.  I only got what I estimate to be about 75-80% of it back, though, and then lost some more hair due to peri menopause/menopause.  So my hair is now only about 2/3 the volume it was before I had my RNY.  My experience is not the norm, though. Most people also lose the hair over the entire head rather than in patches, but a few people do lose it in clumps. There isn't anything you can do about it, but if you get in your protein and take your vitamins, it will prevent the hair loss from being any worse than it will be if you get enough protein and vitamins.

The bad news is that your breasts a definitely WILL sag.  There is no getting around that (there is no exercise or anything to help it).  The good news -- or potentially good news -- is that how much of your breast size you lose really depends on your breast composition and your heredity.  Not everyone ends up flat chested.  Women who had large breasts before they gained the weight will still have large breasts (just not AS large, LOL) because more of the breast is tissue than fat.  You can lose fat, but you cannot lose tissue (except by surgery).

I have always been very busty.  I was a "C" cup in Junior High School, and even after losing my weight am still a DDD cup in most bras styles. The difference is that I only wear a 36 band size (whereas before surgery I was wearing 46s (or was stretching out 44s).  The other difference is that my breasts (which sagged significantly even before losing weight, of course, due to their size) now literally hang almost to my waist. 

Other women may start with a DDD cup and then end up a B or even A cup after they lose the fat in the breasts.  

I don't really have anything to offer as far as recuperation and going back to work because my RNYs was open (and so I was off work for just over 6 weeks).

Lora

I can't see which surgery you re having and that can make a difference with hair loss.

But you will lose breast ize and shape. I sent from 46E to 36C. And it takes a good bra to keep them in place!! 

How long off work depends on the surgery you have chosen.

If you have had three referrals and still have these questions, I think you're still not ready for surgery.  You need to be more informed.  Otherwise, you will regret it.  If you are at the point where you are only waiting for a surgery date, then you should be better informed at this time.  I don't think you have enough information to make an informed decision.

Most of us had reached a point in our lives where WE decided we wanted to have surgery, and asked our PCPs for a referral or found out where surgery was being performed and made a call and had to attend an Orientation Meeting.  Then we asked a gazillion questions and read everything we could get hold of about the surgery.  We wanted to know what the pros and cons were.  We did not wait until "the eve of surgery" to find the answers to our questions - and most of our questions were about the procedure, about our diets pre-op an post-op and the stages of the program.  About vitamins and medications.  

It takes true commitment to succeed in following your program and maintaining the weight loss. It means post-op dealing with an all-liquid stage for a few wees, then pureed foods, and then soft foods, then "real food".  "Real food" post-op is protein, then veggies, then limited fruit and minimal carbs.  My plan is the following:  I have to eat at least 60 grams of protein; I have to keep my calories under 800; I have to keep my carbs under 40.  I have to drink at least 64 oz. of water/liquids a day.  Until I reach goal, I cannot eat pasta, potatoes or rice, no cake, no candy, no soda, no sugar, no fast food.  I have to weigh and measure everything I eat.  I have to track my meals (I use myfitnesspal . com).  I have to pre-plan my menus every day.  Once I reach goal, to mantain my loss, I still basically have to follow the same plan but can increase the calories and carbs to a certain degree. Vitamins will be part of my life forever.  I also exercise daily.  If I don't continue to follow the plan after I reach goal, I will gain all the weight back.  That's the way it is.  

I have lost hair, and my hair was thin to begin with.  There are times I consider buying a wig - I haven't yet - but I still may.  My boobs sag, but they sagged pre-op too.  I have flabby thighs and tummy.  I am hoping to have limited plastic surgery next year - but my insurance only covers a breast lift and a Panniculectomy (which is not the same as a tummy tuck).

But you know what -- I'd do it again tomorrow if I had to.  Because my health has improved. I underwent surgery for health reasons - not vanity.  And it's a lot of work - and if you're not committed to the work, you will fail the surgery (not "the surgery failed").  I was ready to do battle with my cardiologist did not clear me -- I told him if he didn't, I'd find a doctor that would. Luckily I passed the stress test with no problems, otherwise I'd have a new cardiologist.  

If you're not fully informed and committed, you should wait until you are -- otherwise, it may very well turn out to be a waste of time.  Weight Loss Surgery is NOT "the easy way".

I wish you the best -- please keep us updated and let us know what your decision is.

Mary

Hi there.  I am not sure which surgery you are considering, but I had an RNY 15 months ago. Of course, not everyone's experience is the same, but I can share with you my experience.

1. Hair Loss. There are many reasons for hair loss, but the most common after WLS (or really any surgery) is  telogen effluvium. The hair loss doesn't usually begin until about 3 to 4 months after surgery and ends by 9 to 11 months.  People very rarely lose enough hair that it's super noticeable to others. I had convinced myself that I had beaten this terrible effect because I immediately got my protein in after surgery and started biotin supplements 3 months before.  Indeed, my hair was thick and beautiful for a couple of months after surgery!!   I was ****y thinking that I had escaped losing hair. But, for most of us, IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PREVENTED BY OUR DIET because it's an effect of surgery exacerbated by eating so little. Keep in mind, some people DO escape it --but it's a crap shoot.  Almost on cue, I started losing hair at 3 months and 2 days. It stopped at around 9 months and I still have more hair growing in.  It isn't fun, but it does pass.  It is very rare for it to continue forever ... and in that case, I would question if there wasn't a lack of nutritional/vitamin compliance or an underlying problem beyond WLS.  telogen effluvium
2. Breast Size.  I hadn't had any concern with my breast size and WLS because I had been smaller before in my life and have always had a large bust.  I just assumed that I would still be large busted even after losing weight.  I started at a 44 to 46 D to DD and I now wear a 32C.  It has been an adjustment -- but truthfully, even being that size is large on my much much smaller frame.  I think I would look ridiculous if I still wore a DD?  I don't feel that my breasts are overly "saggy" -- but they aren't like breast implants either -- I mean they are normal looking and do their job.  I will say that it's nice to be able to buy cute bras anywhere I want -- and to not have straps that are two inches thick.  I do work out but I haven't done anything to build up my breasts.  I think this falls under the "crap shoot" area, too.  
3. Time off.  This really varies on the surgery and the person -- and whether you are having open or lap surgery.  I had a lap RNY -- and I was back to work in 13 days on my feet teaching on a college campus.  I would have preferred to have another week, to be honest, but I was okay.  I was very tired for the first 6 to 8 weeks.  

I hope this helps you.  

I can't answer these as someone who has HAD wls, because mine is scheduled for 6/8, but I can answer somewhat.

I'm prepared to lose hair.  Not everyone does, but I started losing hair at 3 months post-op with each of my c-sections.  I also work in dermatology, and this is common with ANY surgery, not just WLS.  Google telogen effluvium.  It almost always comes back.

Also, I am prepared for saggy breast and skin.  Do I want either?  No... but my health is more important than saggy skin.  I'd much rather enjoy my children and have NO breasts, than be unhealthy forever and go their whole childhood and wish I'd done it sooner.  I can get fake breasts if I have to, I can't get my health or my childrens' childhoods back.  I've also prepared my husband that this is possible.  And you know what?  He'd rather see me healthy.  He'll love me either way.

As far as work, I am taking 10 days off, the amount of time I will have a drain.  I am a surgical assistant and office coordinator of a busy dermatology office.  There are days I don't sit at my desk one bit.  Fortunately my Dr. knows why I am taking off and is supportive, so if I have to do "light duty" for a week or so, he will be ok with it.

Good luck!

Camille - here are my responses to your questions.  It would also help to know what surgery you're having.  I had the VSG so my responses are based on my experience:  

1.  Most people will experience hair loss.  For some it will be a lot (me and another friend lost at least half our hair), a very few will lose none but most will lose some.  Months 3-8 were the worst for me.  At 2 years out I'm pretty much back to normal.  Not a darn thing you can do about it except to keep that protein up and take your vitamins.  

2.  Breasts are primarily fatty tissue so you absolutely will lose fullness there.  For me it's where I gain weight first and lose it first.  You can strengthen the pec and chest muscles but that will just hold up the saggy boob sacks a little better.  It does nothing for fullness or "perkiness" of the breasts themselves.  Mine ended up not being too bad but I will eventually want a breast lift.  But I probably would have wanted one some day if I'd never lost weight.  

3.  I had surgery on a Friday, went home Sunday, was driving Tuesday and back to working f/t the following Monday.  Again, I had laporoscopic VSG so you have to take that into account.  

You ladies are awesome!  Thank you so much for your answers to my questions. I should have stated that I am doing the Lap RNY and like I mentioned, it will be July sometime. These are concerns, Mary G., but not enough to stop me this time. I have back issues that I am sure are exaggerated because of my weight, so it is time for me to get the weight off. I'm not concerned about my diet after. When I met with the nutritionist and she went over what I would need to do, yeah I admit that it scared me, but I am making changes for me now and doing stuff that I have put off for other people. I'm going back to school after 20 years, so I know I can do the diet that I need to do to make me the healthier person I need to be. I have protein shakes that I use now that I absolutely love. I have done a lot of research because my biggest concern was the lack of needed nutrients that you get from the surgery and I know what I need to do to prevent that. I have an awesome primary care provider that is more than willing to help keep me on the right track.

Like I said these are not deciding factors on if I do the surgery or not, they are just concerns of what to look forward to after surgery. I know I have a lot more positive stuff to look forward to, but in my research I have found people who went into a big depression because they weren't expecting certain things. I have done a lot of research on the internet including the Mayo clinic and National Institute for Health among many, many blogs and videos of people who have had the surgery and their responses to the concerns I had. However, the majority of the blogs and videos that I have seen when I searched hair loss were very negative. It was nice to hear the different experiences that you have had. I'm glad that you mentioned that you started on Biotin Kat W. because I started that last month even though I have a lot of hair now, I just wanted to try and be as prepared as possible. Also, most of the blogs and videos from people about losing their breast just talked about the plastic surgery they had after.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one with these concerns, Pokemom.  I love my hair as it is now, but I have always been a little self-conscious about my breasts, so that is why I wanted to ask about these two.  I just want to have an idea as to what I am going to be facing.  I really am looking forward to a much thinner me, but I do have concerns and it is nice to be able to have others who have been there to be able to ask questions to.

Just as a side note, going to this website is actually a requirement from the surgeon who is going to do my surgery.  I guess there was a video on here at one time that he required all of his patients to watch and print of the certificate saying that we watched it.  I am glad that he has his patients go here, because it has been a big help and I haven't even had the surgery yet.