Still losing hair 20 months later!

Hello friends.  I hope someone can help me.  I had my RNY surgery in May of 2006.  I expected hair loss, but from everything I had heard and read, I understood my hair would start to grow back 9 to 12 months after surgery.  Well here it is almost 21 months after my surgery and my hair continues to fall out.  I have blood work regularly, evrery 3 months, I take every vitamin and pill my doctors have ordered and still my hair keeps falling out.  I have had to purchase products to cover my ever present scalp, I even have a full wig waiting, but I want my own hair back. The third dermatolagist I saw a few weeks ago said it was 'perfectly normal'  for my hair to continue to fall out up to 2 years after the trauma of surgery - hummmm I guess in 3 months all should be well.  ugh!!!  Why can't they just be honest and say they have no idea?!?!  If you have some insight as to what may be my problem, please help.  Thanks so much.

I had very minimal hair loss and it lasted about 3 months (month 3-6).  I do believe it was because I was taking my vitamins and eating LOTS of protein daily - religiously.   You mention your vitamins, but what about your daily protein intake (which is just as important for us!).  Of course I'm no expert, but I would look there first...

Thanks for your reply.  I try to get in 60-80 grams of protein daily as recommended by my surgeon.

For a person with a regular digestive track:  A long-time, rough rule of thumb for daily protein intake has been 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight (a kilogram, or Kg., is equal to 2.2 pounds). This would be about 50 grams daily for a 110-pound person, and about 70 grams for a 154-pounder. Again... expert I'm not... but, I've always thought that we need more than 60-80 grams a day.  I base that on lots of reading and research and the fact that we really don't know how much we actually absorb... I average between 100-120 grams a day myself. But, I'm sure there are others way more knowledgeable than me on this who can give you better information! I understand biotin can help... Good luck!   Angie

Hi Angie, I do take biotin everyday and for my weight 70 grams seems to be in my range.  Thanks so much for your replies.

I think I didn't do well at making my point... Let me try again :-) That protein *formula* I posted is what they recommend for people who have all their original digestive track parts... meaning, regular stomach, all their intestines, etc... Hence, my belief that we need more than that, since we have no working stomack, and a bunch of the intestines have been cut out and bypassed... I hope that clarifies! :-) I do believe you should not be losing hair at this point... it tells me your body is asking for something that is missing... you know? Angie

I'm sorry Angie.  I do understand what you meant.... just a bit slow today.  I agree something must be lacking, but I continue to have my blood checked at least 4 times per year for so many things - they usually take several vials each time - but still no one can tell me what the problem is.  I am willing to double my protein if someone can tell me it will help my hair loss problem.  For now, I will increase my protein intake to perhaps 30-35 grams 4 times per day.  Thanks again, so very much.

How are your labs?  Do you check your numbers to see if they're low?  Maybe your iron levels?... sometimes the iron number might look OK, but the ferritin might be too low, and you don't want that.  Your B vitamins?   I've become very intimate with the blood work ranges and keep a spreadsheet with my lab results so I track how they're doing, so I don't get any surprises :-)  I've had the doctor put a note on there saying "normal labs"... but I ask that they give me the actual results and can see when numbers are getting low... sure, they're within normal range, but by keeping track of the actual numbers, I can see the trend and act before it's too late, you know? :-) Anyway... just in case, here's a handy list: http://www.geocities.com/tiger_angie/Labs_and_insurance_code s.pdf Angie

WOW1  Aren't you something!  I printed your list, thanks so much.  I was just at the doctors yesterday afternoon, but I will bring this with me when I go back and ask him for a more complete answer to my question of lab results.  I do take 2 prescription iron capsules daily as well as many others.  The answer to my hair loss problem lies hidden somewhere in my test results - it just has to.  Thanks again Angie.

I just posted this link on another thread.  I think it's a fantastic document! http://www.geocities.com/tiger_angie/VitaminMineralRecommend ationsVersion25-050205.pdf And here's another one: http://www.geocities.com/tiger_angie/Vitamin_and_mineral_sup plementation_after_gastric_bypass.pdf This one actually mentions hair loss:

TABLE 2. INDIVIDUAL VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS ADDED TO CORE PROGRAM FOR TREATING CONDITIONS AFTER GASTRIC BYPASS

Condition  Hair loss  Additional Vitamins + Minerals Zinc chelate 15 mg qd Copper chelate 1 mg qd Silica 20 mg qd Vitamin C 2,000 mg qd Flaxseed oil 15 cc qd Vitamin A 5,000 IU qd** Hope you find the answer!!! Angie