Monday, October 30, 2006

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow?

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow?

 

Faithful reader- you’ve seen me allude to a problem. I’ve had this post in the DRAFT stages for over two weeks now. I guess it is time to post it.

 

One of my fears when entering this path was losing my hair. Much of my research showed that in some, but not all, cases the patients lost hair. I've even heard some of the ladies on Thursday nights discussing it.

In the olden days I used to get a haircut every 5 or 6 weeks, with 6 week haircuts being shaggy.

In the 103 days since July 10th. I lost 72 pounds, which is amazing. But besides losing weight, I'm losing hair. Which is NOT amazing and NOT the least bit good.

I had my last FAT haircut on Thursday July 6th. I had my first post LB haircut on August 17th. 6 weeks. I probably could have waited another week, as I was not the least bit shaggy. The woman that cuts my hair told me on that day that my hair was "Lifeless". She said that some of her customers that had been under anesthesia would have their hair be lifeless for around 3-6 months, but they usually don't lose any. She thought I'd be OK as I had one of the better heads of hair she cuts.

Well, I had to wait NINE weeks for the next haircut, and even then, I probably could have waited a week.

Over the last month, I've notice more and more hair on the bathroom floor after a shower. I've even had to de clog the tub from all the hair down the drain. That almost NEVER happened before. My man fur even falls out when I towel my self dry. So, I knew something was wrong. I am vacuuming and cleaning the hair off the bathroom floor 2 or 3 days a week now.

I asked my haircut lady how bad this was, as she did not really want to tell me. I used to have hair that she said everyone would be jealous to have. But now she states I've lost between ONE THIRD AND ONE HALF of my hair. I've scheduled my next haircut for 8 weeks out, so I won't be scruffy for Christmas, but she thinks at this rate, if it keeps falling out, and the growth keeps slowing, I will not be needing haircuts even at 8 or 10 weeks.

She does recommend that some of her patients take a PRE NATAL VITAMIN. She thinks those do a good job, and when she had her own gallbladder out two years ago, she took it after losing some of her hair due to the anesthesia. Within a few months, she was back to a decent head of hair. She said I should talk to my dietician and my doctor to see if my diet and health would be helped by taking a pre natal vitamin or to see if either/both would recommend a nutritional supplement.

 

I then sent the following to the Deaconess Dieticioness and Dr C-

So..........what would you recommend? A simple prenatal vitamin? Some sort of Supplement?

My hair, and my mental health, appreciate any help either/both of you can provide.

I've always said, "It may be grey, but at least it's there". I'm hoping you two can help me keep saying that.

If my choices are fat and hairy vs. skinny and bald, I guess skinny and bald is where I'm gonna be. But is there any way to make me skinny and STILL HAIRY?

Your favorite patient.

JC

---

Well, I got this response-

Hi there,

You need more protein!!!! Are you still tracking the protein grams each day?

You can try pre-natal, Bariatric Advantage MVI, but also Biotin. There is also a shampoo that also helps - "Nioxin". You can go online to find locations to purchase.

The Deaconess Dieticioness

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My response-

I am not writing the numbers down any more, as they were always around 60-70. Salad days are less. but I want to get back to more salads as they are filling, healthy, and do help with the weight loss. Since fill #2, I've only had a few salads, as the protein counts do worry me.

Every item I eat, I look at two things

1. protein

2. Calories

If it doesn't have protein, then odds are against it.

A typical day-in chronological order

7 AM

4 ounces Cranberry Juice

BP Medicine

Chewable Centrum

Chewable Benefiber

7:30 AM

12 ounces lite lemonade

8:00 AM

can of slimfast- 10 or 15 protein- most are 10, but I have a few 15s , 220 or 190 calories. amazingly the 15s have 190. But I bought 2 cases of the 10/220s and still have way too many of those. Odds are I have enough for the rest of the year, but will look for the 15/190s when I eventually run out. The 15/190s do cost much more, but I do think I'll spend the money.

9:00 AM

12 ounces lite lemonade

10:30 AM

morning snack

Tub of yogurt- 5 or 7 grams protein 100 or 70 calories. Activia or Kroger lite. Activia helps you be regular. Kroger Lite has more protein and less calories in more ounces.

wait 30 minutes

11:00

12 ounces lite lemonade

1:30 PM

lunch- 6-8 ounce lunch, weighed on food scale.

These vary, but most are 6 ounces of protein, 2 ounces of vegetable, so 40 or so grams of protein

If salad, zero calorie dressing, but 1 ounce of cheese and one ounce of lunchmeat on it.

banana (perhaps at lunch, more often as a 3:30 PM snack, since fill #2, it is usually the latter. I'm not hungry, but leg cramps are telling me to eat a banana everyday.

wait 30 minutes

12 ounces lite lemonade

afternoon snack-

rare that I have.

But if I do, it is usually a delay of the banana above or a yogurt. Odds are the banana, other snacks are very rare any more.

evening snack-

6-8 chips with either hummus, or pimento cheese, or perhaps 2 ounces of cheese with one ounce Peanut Butter

wait 30 minutes

12 ounces beverage

dinner- usually around 8 PM or later

6-8 ounces, weighed on food scale. varies

If salad, zero calorie dressing, but 1 ounce of cheese and one ounce of lunchmeat on it.

wait 30 minutes

Multiple beverages at night, to make sure I get to 96-120 ounces of beverages for the day.

dessert-

if I have, it is protein pudding. These are rare nowadays since fill #2.

Protein pudding, is SF pudding, with one scoop of protein powder and one scoop of dry milk in it. It is usually runny, or the texture of cottage cheese, but it is pretty decent and pretty much 4 servings out of a box for 10-12 grams of protein each.

---------

So, where would a place be to add protein? (Without adding calories) I am already the king of string cheese. Before fill #2, I ate that ALL the time. Since fill #2, I've had a bunch just sitting in my frig and only take it when I am traveling. Each piece had 7 or 8 grams of protein for 80-100 calories.

Hairless, in LapBand Land,

JC

==

The Recommended solution-

One of the protein drinks- Either the Profect Test Tubes, or the Protein Water from Meijer ($1.39) that we tried at a recent Support group meeting.

Well, Meijer STOPPED SELLING THE THINGS. The GNC version is $3.75 a bottle. I have a few test tubes, but they are disgusting, and expensive.

So, now I’ve added more cheese, any dessert I have is the SF Protein Pudding, and most (but not all) nights, I have a Protein Shake when I get home.

The bad news is that with these additions, my calories are increasing.

I’ve not added the vitamins yet, I’m going to GNC for Fish Oil for my vision tomorrow, and we shall see what they may have. I had hoped that the Bariatric Advantage websight had something on there, but the info is all too overwhelming. There was one Bariatric Advantage product listed above by the Deaconess Dieticioness, so I’ll do some research on that. Also, Deaconess did NOT add any Bariatric Advantages pages today as they said they would.

 

Wish me and my hair luck. As I’ve said, this post has been in the DRAFT stages for over 2 weeks now. I really did not want to post it. But after not having to cut my fingernails for 12 days, and there being lots of hair on the bathroom floor again, I decided that I really needed to put this out there for anyone considering this path.

I’d still take the path, but I wish the path was not strewn with locks of my hair.

 

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