I have been feeling ill for about the last 3 days. I have a constant low-level headache that feels like its in my temple or right behind my eyes. I also have been having feelings of head rushes, like all the blood is rushing to my head. I also feel from time to time a prickly feeling in my skin, like in my palms and in my face.
I am also experiencing some hair loss. Its actually getting kind of bad. Its worse that it has ever been. Today I actually counted the strands that came out after my shower and I lost 86 strands, not including whatever ended up on the floor. I am starting to get concerned.
So, I was just wondering if any of you WLS-ers have any advice. I am almost 3 mos post-op. I get between 85-100+ grams of protein a day and take my vitamins religiously. I take the Bariatric Choice Complete Multi and 500 mg calcium, both twice a day, and 500 mcg liquid sublingual B12 once a day. I also try to get 64 oz of water a day, but some days I dont make it. I cant find much online to help me out, so I just wondered if any of you had any insight to offer. Thanks.
Talk to your doctor about your symptoms regardless of what feedback you might get. They need to be informed and can provide you the best info about what you're experiencing.
Thanks, yes I have a Dr appt tomorrow with my general practitioner. If she doesnt have any viable solutions for me I'm going to call the surgeon. I'm also going to call the nutritionist about my hair loss again. Just kinda looking for some support and/or suggestions.
Last edited by VioletSwerve; 03-06-2011 at 06:58 PM.
That's good/smart! I worry when some folks hesitate to contact their doctors but instead look to others for things that should be directed to the physicians, but it sounds like you're on the right track and handling it right. Congrats on the 80-pounds down and so close to your first goal!!
Everything i've read so far indicates that there might not be anything you can do to stop the hair loss, but that it WILL grow back. Hope it doesn't get too bad! I'm also keeping a close eye on my hair though it's probably too soon to start shedding . .
The hair loss is completely normal - look up the term "telogen effluvium." In brief layman's terms, hairs grow in a cycle. When we have a major trauma (such as a surgery), the hair cycle stops because more than usual of the body's resources are required elsewhere (such as for healing). Once the body has recovered/healed, the hair growth cycle begins again, but since all hairs stopped the cycle around the same time, all the hairs now start at the SAME point of the cycle, which means more hairs than before will be at the point of the cycle where they fall out concurrently. This hair loss has nothing to do with any illness or deficiency and usually starts around 2-3 months post-op and can continue until about 6 months post-op, so you're right on schedule.
You can take extra vitamins (such as biotin) and bump up your protein and use expensive hair care products, but none of this will stop the loss, just will help to ensure the new hairs growing in are strong and healthy. You might also try a shorter haircut than you're used to to make the hair loss less noticeable.
So, my non-professional opinion is that the hair loss is coincidental in timing and not related to the other symptoms.
Your other symptoms could be indicative of many things, but low blood pressure is a possibility that comes to mind for me. Do let us know what your doc says at your appointment today!
As a general question, is there a reason you're only supplementing with 1000mg calcium daily? This is lower than the ASMBS recommended guidelines, and many folks require much more than this. Most people I see take 1500-2000mg daily; I take 1800mg (3 doses of 600mg). I don't think this is the cause of your symptoms, just a general note. Additionally, I notice you're not supplementing any Bs other than B12 nor any vitamin D nor any iron; please be sure to keep an eye on all of these levels on your lab results, as these are common to slip down without supplementation.
Thanks for all the suggestions and help, ladies. I am excited to be close to my first 100 goal. It seems like it has gone so fast.
Jilly--Thanks so much for this info. I literally started crying when I read this. This hair loss has been a huge source of depression and feelings of hopelessness for me lately. I'm getting married in May and I fear that I will be bald by then. It helps to know that there is an end in sight and that this is just a cycle I'm going thru. My hair has always been very naturally thick and coarse so, thankfully, others have not noticed the loss yet (unless I point it out. of course, lol).
Thanks for the questions about my vitamins. I'm doing the 1000/day calcium because when I checked with the dietitian and she said 1000 mg/day in addition to the 200/day I get in the multi is ok because I eat so much dairy thruout the day. A lot of my diet is composed of milk and cheese, but I'll check with her again to see what goal I need to be meeting. The B-12 I take is actually a B complex that has Riboflavin (B-2), Niacin, B-6 and Pantothenic Acid. But I just bought the complex because it was all I could find, my dietitian said I just need the B-12, and only 500 mcg/day. Weird. I will for sure follow up on my labs and make sure my levels are where they need to be.
Ok everyone, I'm going to the Dr this afternoon, I'll post back to let you all know what she says. Thanks for all your wisdom and support. It is appreciated more than you know.
Everyone is different, of course -- let me say that up front -- but I've had several cousins and close friends who've gone thru WLS. Every single one of them experienced "scary" hair loss. Every single one of them has hair as thick today as it was prior to surgery.
Violet, I had a HUGE amount of hair and I lost so much hair that it freaked me out VERY bad. However, nobody else could tell that I had lost any hair, especially if they didn't know me. I was losing handfuls. However, it stopped and I am not anywhere near the amount of hair that I had before, but I'm only 10 months out from surgery so I don't know if it will grow back in or not. Honestly, I kind of like how easy it is to flat iron my hair! haha. But you DO stop losing it and you will feel better.
i had thin, fine hair before the surgery - and it started falling out, especially in the front [where i have the bad habit of stroking it when i'm concentrating - and that breaks anything that's fragile].
I STILL have fine, thin hair, but no more really thin spots. honest - it'll come back.
Went to the Dr and got my blood work done yesterday. My Dr said about the tiredness and ill feelings that we would wait till we got my bloodwork back and see what it says.
I talked to the dietitian about the Calcium and she said I should be taking 1500 mg/day. She told me 1000 mg before, so not sure what her deal was. She said I can take Biotin for my hair loss, but agreed that it will grow back on its own. I asked her about the hair cycle thing and she agreed that it does happen that way.
Anyway, will update again when I found out what my bloodwork says. Thanks for all your support.
good - glad you talked with them. most dieticians - and bypass folks - i know recommend taking the RDA in calcium supplements, and then whatever calcium we eat is a bonus.
Been Feeling Ill, Experiencing Hair Loss
She said I can take Biotin for my hair loss, but agreed that it will grow back on its own. I asked her about the hair cycle thing and she agreed that it does happen that way. 
