Hi everyone, sorry I haven't been around for a while, life has just been really busy lately. I've missed you guys! Hope everyone is doing well. Anyway, here is a little update on me.
I thought that I was going to skirt the "hair falling out" side effect, but no such luck. About a month ago, my hair started falling out. I'm loosing clumps every time I wash my hair. It's okay, I know it will grow back, but I sure hope it stops soon, or I'm going to be bald before too long. My husband says that he can't tell a difference, but I can, it really feels A LOT thinner than usual. I'm going to get a short cut to hopefully get a little more volume.
Anyway, I'd rather be a bald thinner person, than be hairy and the size I use to be.
I'm also freezing to death. I wear sweat pants and a sweat shirt with a t-shirt under it, and two pairs of socks all the time. At night I wear all of that and use my electric blanket set as high as it will go. I have a friend that had a lap band and she has lost 112 pounds. She says that she is frozen all the time too. So, I guess I'm not alone here, just hoping that it gets better soon. It will be embarassing to be the only person besides my grandmother who wears sweat pants in the summertime.
I've lost a total of 69 pounds so far, and I'm feeling great. I recently bought a pair of size 16 pants that fit perfectly, not too loose or too tight. It was the happiest day I've had in a long time. But, I'm also looking forward to them being loose and having to find a pair of size 14's.
Things have slowed down around my house, so I'm hoping to be here a little more often.
I just wanted to commiserate with you, no matter if you had gastric bypass, lap band or lost weight without, your body takes time to get used to the lack of insulation. I used to be the one that was always hot, now I am the one that is always frozen. I put my thermostat at 72 (I used to have it at 65 in winter), flannel sheets, a down blanket and a down comforter and I'll wear sweats to bed as well.
As far as losing hair, I don't know too much about the side effects of WLS but that sounds like a lack of fat, is there a way to add some more into your diet? Or does that come as your stomach expands a bit more?
congrats, MS Monkeys... sounds like youi're doing GREAT. right on schedule with the hair loss as well.
while i LOVE nelie's idea that a bit more fat might help, unfortunately, that's not the answer.
the reason for the hair loss is the tremendous hormone changes that comes with such a rapid, huge weight loss. taking your vits and eating enough protein - that 60-80 gram number - and drinking water help to MINIMIZE this, but it's nearly impossible to avoid it [although i DO have hopes for Pookarella, since she's losing more slowly]
the short hair is a great idea, because it reduces the strain on the hair follicles. and make sure you don't use barrettes or scrunchies or pony tail things. anything that puts pressure on the hair or stretches it makes it weaker and more likely to break. besides, now that you're more active, who has time to pay attention to a HAIR DO????
we were also told to try NIOXIN shampoo - some folks had great results, others found it a waste of money. and what else - um. don't wash it too often.
the cold - yeah. one of myfriends moved from joisy to arizona this week, in part because it was so much warmer in arizona and she was so tired of ALWAYS being cold. she's about 3 and a half years out, and lost 100 pounds...
The hair loss and freezing seem to be "rights of passage" with a large weight loss. The good news is that both improve with time.
I am almost four years out, and recently noticed that I still lose more hair than I did preoperatively. Certainly not as much as during the real hair loss phase, but probably more than the average person. I take my vitamins religiously and get my labs checked, and other than being slightly anemic, everything else looks good, so I'm not sure why this is still an issue. Jif, deb, what about you? Is hair loss completely back to preop status? That said, I have enough hair for 10 people, and no one but me and the kids who clean my shower and sink drains out would ever know.
As for being cold, it gets better. Not back to the old preop, "I'm so hot I could wear shorts in the winter" phase, but better enough that I don't ache with the cold anymore.
Jif was right, one of the lovely things is that during the summer (and I live in the high desert in southern California and it gets HOT here), I do very well. Used to be, I would feel as if I would pass out from the heat. It would just sap all strength from me. Now, I do very well in the heat. Can't say that I love it, but it is a big improvement.
I lost a lot of hair after having my weight loss surgery. I had naturally curly hair and it became less curly too!! My hair has grown back, thick and curly once again. So, hang in there.....it will stop falling out soon!!
I can relate with being cold!! I am still cold all of the time!! Ya know what? Prior to surgery, I was constantly hot and sweaty. I'd much rather be cold than to go back to being hot and sweaty. You just need to dress in layers!
I have lost weight without WLS, and I have lost a lot of hair at various stages, too. My weight loss has been slow (it's taken me nearly 3-1/2 years to lose 160 pounds), and I get enough fat, protein, etc. and I take vitamins religiously. Still after I had lost about 40 pounds, *whoop!* I dropped a lot of hair. Yes it grew back, but am still losing in cycles, right around the 40-pound mark each time. Every hair on my head is a different length from every other hair because it all falls out and comes back at different times! :P
WOW!!! i've never heard of this! how INTERESTING!!! i mean, i'd heard that people who lose a lot of weight quickly - no matter how they do it - often lose some hair, but i've NEVER heard of anyone doing it after every XX number of pounds...
have you talked to your doc ? <like they'd actually KNOW something ?
Yep, I knew it was hormonal changes that caused it, but it is nice to know that it will grow back in time. I'm still a little bummed that I have to get it cut short, but I'll get over it. I've never heard of Nioxin Shampoo before, so I'm off to find some in a little while.
I was one who was constantly hot too, I agree it is somewhat better to be cold than hot. Except, when you have layers of clothes on and your feet are so cold they feel like the will develop frost bite, and you just can't get warm for anything. I hate those days!
Pookie pie! My little 5th monkey! Thanks for the compliment on the picture of my baby monkey. I took the picture, and did the color tinting myself. And, of course I made the little girl too. It's not really an appropriate signature for this board, but I use it on another board that I belong to, and didn't have time to make a different one for here. It is always fun comparing notes with you! It's amazing that we always seem to be at exactly the same spot even after all this time. Yep, you are right I had my surgery done by lap. But, I think the big difference between the two of us is that you lost 60 pounds prior to surgery I didn't loose a single pound before hand. It's absolutely amazing that you have lost a total of 127 pounds! You go girl! Anyway, I think we are both right on track.
Yes the doc's checked me out for various things, all's clear. I actually had a hair dresser tell me the phenom is very common -- any time the body gets a significant shock, it can drop hair. And, losing a lot of weight is a shock! I'm kinda surprised at the 40-pounds thing myself, but ... it's a great little conversation tidbit, ain't it?
Going bald and freezing to death.
?
