WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MINIMIZE HAIR LOSS???

I AM 9 WEEKS POST OP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY HAIR WILL START FALLING OUT IN 3 WEEKS AND THAT IT WILL FALL OUT FOR 6 MONTHS. WOW!! WILL I GO BALD? WHAT DO I TAKE TO MINIMIZE THE LOST? HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO I NEED? ANY EXTRA VITAMINS I SHOULD BE TAKING? DOES EATING FAT HELP? I AM AT A LOSS WITH THIS HAIR THING AND I AM FREAKED OUT LIKE NO OTHER. PLEASE HELP!!!

Hair loss is normal. No you cannot stop it. It is from the shock of surgery and from fast weight loss. Just stay on your vits and protein, it will grow back (very rare sometimes it doesn't). Mine did and it looks lovely!
Things I did to help
I made sure to keep the hair I had healthy and hydrated
I cut my hair shorter with layers to make it look fuller
I made sure to stay on my vits, protein, fluids and added biotin to my vits

The best way to minimize hair loss is to stop stressing about it. There's nothing you can do---if it's going to happen, it's going to happen. Google 'telogen effluvium'.

Nothing will help what you already have...

You can make what is being created better by getting your protein/fat/vitamins.

Surgery is a major factor in this, called Telogen Effluvium

Just relax and go with the flow...I cut mine very short to hide the thinning. Now I am growing it back out.

Not everyone loses their hair. I didn't, and I had 3 surgeries in an 18 month period. It may thin out, it may not. Some lose all hair, some do not. It just depends on what your body does. As everyone keeps saying, your mileage may vary!

When it starts, how much falls out, how long it keeps thinning - all these factors are unique to you.  It might not happen at all, or it could be extreme.  There is nothing you can do about it now.  As others posted, it is caused by the surgery and sudden weight loss.  Those days are passed - so just make the best of it when/if it happens.

Mine started dropping out in handfuls 2 months after surgery.  It was dropping heavily for a month, then quit.  I am just starting to see some regrowth.

Your hair and nails are based on protein.  Make sure you get enough protein every day.  And treat the hair you have left well.

When it starts coming out and you see it in your brush, on the floor, on your clothes - know that this too shall pass and relax.  The chances of you going bald are slim.

I did not lose any hair from my last two major surgeries. I think it just depends on the person and how they handle stress to the body. My body has lived with physical stress, broken bones, torn ligaments etc since I was a child. Nose, rotary cuffs, back, both legs, both knees, wrists, ankles etc have all been broken or torn from my rodeo days. Right now at two months out other than the bathroom thing I do not even feel like I have had surgery. BUT, ya never know this one may be different. I might start losing it next month. As of now my hair has actually grown in fuller and my nails longer since I have had surgery. I was losing my hair from thyroid, stress and depression like crazy prior to surgery. Now it is pretty and thick and has stopped coming out in hand fulls like it did prior to surgery. 

YMMV

Ive decided if, and when my hair decides to fall out, and it gets thin enough that it bothers me, I will turn to the clip in extentions to keep my hair full.  I will be doing the "foxy locks" extentions.  There are many different brands.  Look on UTUBE, its very informative.  I felt EXACTLY like you do about this.  But I knew it was just part of this journey, and I was going to have to just go with the flow if I wanted this weight off.  Now I feel better.  I have a back up plan....

I anticipated the hair fall-out thing, so I was prepared, but the thing that really bugged me was when I would loose it in the kitchen.  Being around food and finding loose hair drove me crazy.  But I came up with a solution.  I cut up stacks of paper towels and made small squares and place a few piles in various locations.  That way I could just grab a square and throw the hair in the trash. 

Good news was it only lasted a few months.