5 months out, no hair loss...am I in the clear?

So its been 5 full months now.  Weight coming off like gang-busters.  So close to my goal I can taste it.  I have a few really cool landmarks just around the corner as well: just a few pounds till 100 lbs lost, a few more beyond that will get me below 200, and then just a few more to hit my ideal weight.

So for all of this I am super grateful.  Through it all, I have not experienced any hair loss.  After 5 months am i pretty much in the clear?  Or am I inviting fate to come crashing down upon me by even mentioning this?

You are doing AMAZING!  

But hang in there until at least after a year and then stay on top of your labs to make sure your iron and such doesn't get too low. I was 11 years out and my hair started falling out.  My iron got too low.  

Be sure and share before and after photos with us

Regards,

Kathy

My husband had VSG surgery last year and he didn't lose any hair (not that he had much to start with).  Me - on the other hand - lost a boatload and the worst of it was in Months 5-8.  

I would guess if you haven't had ANY noticeable loss that you're probably not going to start now.  

You're doing fantastic! 

You are probably going to dodge that bullet.  Just keep up with your protein intake and supplements.

Sounds like you're doing great! I'm just a little over months out and started losing hair like crazy 2-3 weeks ago. I recently had labs done and all looks good there. Hoping you're in the clear for the hair loss. :)

Nich_  if you will try the zinc losenge, it will stop your hair loss.  been there done that.

Thank you! :)

Zinc is not the magic bullet - believe me, I was taking zinc before and after surgery at the advice of my hair guy.  Google "telogen effluvium".  If you're losing hair and it's not due to vitamin or protein deficiency then it's due to this.  And nothing in the world is going to stop it except time.  

Matthew, 

What a great job! Congratualtions on using your new tool to the best result for you. Now you can reasonably expect to have a better health.

   If you do not already have it, You should have a complete copy of your medical file, including pre-op labs, a copy of the surgical notes, the discharge summary. These should be kept in a personal file in at least three places. A copy of all your post-op instructions, re: suppliments, diet, exercise all should be included. When those are changed for your changing labs, you hould include a note as to what was changed and why. Many things can happen which would leave your medical files in an unaccessible place. By having a copy, if you have an isssue, you can prove to another physician, what was done, and more importantly not done...

To answer your question I am going to give you some info. I gained from watchching my husband, who had another issue.

There are several things that CAN make your hair turn loose.  Having a complete copy of your lab work at each time it is done will be helpful for you and help you monitor it. Do not depend on your Dr... not any Dr to properly monitor your labs. They will not be as pro-active as you will. Do not wait until your levels are below normal, it is much harder to correct when critical levels are reached.  

  Iron has been addressed already.

You need to be aware that it will be years, before every problem you will experience has occurred. These surgeries on the intestine are designed to make mal-absorbtion the new normal to achieve a goal.

I had a surgery 20 yrs ago, that was much greater in scope than what is performed now. I lost my insurance less than 8 weeks post-op, and did not have the benefit of close post op care by my surgeon. At that time I did not know of this site, and did not even own a computer.  

   Several years post op, I had an intestinal twist and at that time, on eval. they found my Iron levels so low, they would not tell me what they were until after I had received 2 units of PRBC's..They were afraid I would go into shock..Many times your levels will drop so slowly your body makes compensations for the loss, and it is easy to dismiss being tired with normal "tiredness". (The Dr said, "well aren't you tired?" I  said yes, and asked him "aren't you tired after you work 16  hours?")

     The element that made my hair fall out was Zinc. I used zinc losenges, called "cold eze", it is absorbed sublingual/under the tongue.( It will stop hair loss very quickly, just a few days.) So I don't have to worry about how my pouch likes it, or absorbtion in the small intestine. I started with 3 a week, and then use 1/2- 1 a week to maintain.

  If your zinc  level is ok...the losenge will have a "bad" taste, just remove it and try again the next week.I just pick one day each week.

   and FYI,  By  your name being Matthew, I am guessing you are a male. For men, Zinc has several other functions, among which, are the proper use of  hormones. As  you get older...the male hormone level decreases, and amounts of it are converted into estrogen. Symptoms you would see are...hair loss, muscle loss and man boobs.This is reversable with replacement of zinc. My husbands issues were reversed with 200 mg po.

Congratulations to you on your tremendous successful WL!  As far as hair goes, I started losing it about 6 months out and here I am 11 yrs later still struggling.  Actually, this is the worst it's been!  Keep your labs current, take your vitamins, and get as much protein in as you can tolerate.

Good luck.

JA