Tearing my hair out with worry

[femfrankie]

It's official .... My hair is falling out :cry: Hairdresser was shocked and her hands were literally a mass of my hair when she was washing it. It wouldn't be so bad but I am ballooned, 7 stone lighter BUT I haven't even had my bypass yet so it's nothing to do with malabsorption of vitamins and minerals :sigh:. My diet is reasonably well balanced & liquids intake more than adequate. So what the hell is my body playing at now?!
I'm in total despair as my hair is now visibly thinned and I am worried witless about what it will do once I do get the bypass... Am I going to be bald?
Sorry for the tantrum but it is really frightening the life out of me. Hairdresser insisted that I get my thyroid checked which I am sure was one of the checks my doctor asked for when I had blood taken yesterday but this has been done many times before and has always came up ok so I don't think that is the problem... Suggestions anyone?
Frances x

 

[Lincs Lass]

Can't remember where I saw it but I was reading something in the last couple of days where a bariatric dietician said they have NEVER heard of somebody having had surgery who has lost all their hair - so don't worry about losing it all.

Although you haven't had the bypass 0- it may well be your body has some sort of 'delayed shock', along with the weather changing and it being natural for people to lose more hair at the onset of summer (I never knew that but a hair stylist friend of mine from a London salon told me a couple of years back).

Please don't worry too much and while it is obvious to you, you may find that other people don't notice xx

 

[femfrankie]

Thanks hun I needed to hear that. Although i had noticed my hair was shedding i think it was the shock that i saw on my hairdressers face that really had me in a panic especially when she showed me how much was in the bowl. I have only two things that I am proud of and that is my teeth and my once healthy thick hair ahhh well.

 

[Yvessa]

Thanks hun I needed to hear that. Although i had noticed my hair was shedding i think it was the shock that i saw on my hairdressers face that really had me in a panic especially when she showed me how much was in the bowl. I have only two things that I am proud of and that is my teeth and once my healthy thick hair ahhh well.

Honey it's not the malabsorption that causes it, it's the weight loss and reduction in calories. Believe me, my nutrition is aokay but I shed like a demon. It will get better and then worse again before it starts to come back in properly. Once the body adjusts and you lose some more weight so there isn't such a massive deficit it will start to come back in.

 

[femfrankie]

Honey it's not the malabsorption that causes it, it's the weight loss and reduction in calories. Believe me, my nutrition is aokay but I shed like a demon. It will get better and then worse again before it starts to come back in properly. Once the body adjusts and you lose some more weight so there isn't such a massive deficit it will start to come back in.

Thank you Yve I always assumed the loss came with the mis absorption side of things. Can only assume my body is just over reacting to the weight loss. X

 

[JoJoTGirl]

Same suddenly started happening to me 10 days or so ago and I too was really upset (even though I knew it was a real possinbility). My dietician recommends a high dose zinc supplement be added in by my GP immediately. GP also wanted to do a full set of bloods to check for any specific deficiencies / issues but has prescribed the zinc now they have been taken.

She said that I needn't have a specific deficiency for the hair loss to start. She said that now I was effectivey 5 months in and had lost quite a bit, my body was going into starvation mode if you like and stopping all non essential processes (such as hair growth and renewal) but that it will eventually re adjust when it finds the new regime is permanent and allow it to begin growing again.

I had loads cut off yesterday in an attempt to get it's weight lighetened and also so that I stop pulling it back / up so much as GP, dietician and hairdresser all said that putting the hair under tension would speed up the process. They all said that it may thin but it won't go completely!

It's rotten isn't it!? Even though you wouldn't go back on your decision for all the tea in china I'm sure, it does seem like a bit of a punishment. I've alwasy hidden behind my long, thick locks I think and pyschologically I was very worried about letting them go. 7" shorter (had exactly that much chooped at first because this is the amount needed to donate your hair for childhood cancer patients to have fully funded human hair wigs) and a choppy / trendy cut later and I'm coming to terms with it a bit more.........and I feel good about donating it before it was too thin to do so.

Good luck, chin up. 7stone is amazballs. x

 

[Lippyloirston]

I can suggest a few things I did when I went through chemo a few years ago and managed to keep my hair. (I should mention I used a cold cap when undergoing the actual treatment).
The main thing I did to help was, use a silk pillow case, this really reduces friction and stress on the hair when you sleep. I also cut my hair fairly short :cry: Try not to wash your hair every day, i got down to every 3/4 days but it was a struggle. Use ph balanced shampoo, I used baby shampoo. Don't use a hairdryer/straighteners, did cheat a little with this .
I know this is obviously different, but it might help, good luck! Xxx

 

[tubbytutor]

This may be a stupid answer, but are you on omeprazole, the anti acid tablets.

I started taking this and my hair fell out. The GP said she had never heard of this as a side effect. But she changed my tablets and my hair started growing again.

Just thought I should mention it.

 

[femfrankie]

This may be a stupid answer, but are you on omeprazole, the anti acid tablets.

I started taking this and my hair fell out. The GP said she had never heard of this as a side effect. But she changed my tablets and my hair started growing again.

Just thought I should mention it.

Have been on oomperazole for years until march this year when reflux became a real issue and doc changed this to lamperazole.

Jo Jo that's exactly how I described it .. I feel like I'm being punished, silly I know. Had blood works done Monday as I have been feeling out of sorts and so tired lately. Just waiting for the results.

Lippy thanks for the advice I will aim for 3 days for now and see how that goes. I wash it every 2nd at the mo.

Thank you everyone x