Scared of losing hair again

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sweetnlow30
sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Now that I am trying to lose the 20 pounds I gained slowly over a year of failed maintenance, I am getting worried that I might start losing my hair again. When I initially lost the 105 pounds (from 250 to 145), I though it was doing it in a healthy way by losing about a pound a week and eating 1900 calories in the beginning to about 1500 during the last 20 pounds. Everything was going great until I started to lose my hair. It became so thin that I could see bald patches when I tied it back. I was taking a multi vitamin with iron and a B 50 complex every day as well as eating a pretty clean and balanced diet. I really like fish and chicken so I ate a lot of that along with lots of veggies, berries, yogurt and whole grain carbs.
I live in Ontario and we have a doctor shortage so you kind of have to take what you can get, unfortunately. My doctor is an idiot and I try not to visit her unless it is really necessary LOL. When I saw her after losing the weight, she didn't congratulate me, she just asked if I was starving myself :grumble: She is kind of a big person herself. She said the hair loss was just because of losing weight and it was at least a 12 month wait to see a dermatologist. I did have basic blood work done and everything came back great. I was able to lower my cholesterol and get off blood pressure meds myself as well as rid myself of pre diabetes.
My hair is still pretty thin but no longer falling out like it did. I am just really worried about losing it again. The one thing I can think of is that I was using Fitday at the time and there was no recommendation to eat back my exercise calories. I wonder if I wasn't getting enough food. I was eating around 1600- 1800 at the time and only doing a 50 minute workout video a couple times a week so I don't think it was that much of an issue. Have you had similar issues and do you have any suggestions? I can't afford to buy a lot of supplements or products.

Replies

  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    How's your fat intake?
  • sweetnlow30
    sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
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    That is the one thing I have been focusing on this time. I have been trying to eat more peanut butter and I like sunflower seeds for a snack. We eat fish a couple nights a week. I am not sure how much fat I should be eating though. I need to start logging my entire day because lately I have just been adding it up on paper and staying within my limits. I have been counting for so long that I just know the calories in all my foods so I can mentally add it up and jot it down. That is why my food diary isn't open because it looks like I don't eat anything LOL.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    Now that I am trying to lose the 20 pounds I gained slowly over a year of failed maintenance, I am getting worried that I might start losing my hair again. When I initially lost the 105 pounds (from 250 to 145), I though it was doing it in a healthy way by losing about a pound a week and eating 1900 calories in the beginning to about 1500 during the last 20 pounds. Everything was going great until I started to lose my hair. It became so thin that I could see bald patches when I tied it back. I was taking a multi vitamin with iron and a B 50 complex every day as well as eating a pretty clean and balanced diet. I really like fish and chicken so I ate a lot of that along with lots of veggies, berries, yogurt and whole grain carbs.
    I live in Ontario and we have a doctor shortage so you kind of have to take what you can get, unfortunately. My doctor is an idiot and I try not to visit her unless it is really necessary LOL. When I saw her after losing the weight, she didn't congratulate me, she just asked if I was starving myself :grumble: She is kind of a big person herself. She said the hair loss was just because of losing weight and it was at least a 12 month wait to see a dermatologist. I did have basic blood work done and everything came back great. I was able to lower my cholesterol and get off blood pressure meds myself as well as rid myself of pre diabetes.
    My hair is still pretty thin but no longer falling out like it did. I am just really worried about losing it again. The one thing I can think of is that I was using Fitday at the time and there was no recommendation to eat back my exercise calories. I wonder if I wasn't getting enough food. I was eating around 1600- 1800 at the time and only doing a 50 minute workout video a couple times a week so I don't think it was that much of an issue. Have you had similar issues and do you have any suggestions? I can't afford to buy a lot of supplements or products.

    this is usually an issue with eating disorders, when the body isn't getting enough nutrients it starts pulling from the body (hair, teeth, bones, etc). Without know what type of burn you were getting, I can't say for sure if this was your issue. If I were you I'd go ahead and give it another go and see what happens, just keep a close eye on your nutrient balances.
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
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    How's your fat intake?

    this^^ You need enough healthy fats! Maybe you aren't getting enough.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    As the above poster said, watch the fat intake. And maybe biotin supplements and a multi-vitamin?
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    That is the one thing I have been focusing on this time. I have been trying to eat more peanut butter and I like sunflower seeds for a snack. We eat fish a couple nights a week. I am not sure how much fat I should be eating though. I need to start logging my entire day because lately I have just been adding it up on paper and staying within my limits. I have been counting for so long that I just know the calories in all my foods so I can mentally add it up and jot it down. That is why my food diary isn't open because it looks like I don't eat anything LOL.

    Health isn't necessarily as cut and dry as calories in/calories out. You have to get a good macro balance.
  • deblc6836
    deblc6836 Posts: 59
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    Hair loss can be a thyroid issue, and you can have "normal" bloodwork even if your thyroid is functioning at just 30% capacity. If you don't know what your previous "normal" was, the tests are not significant. Some endocrinologists will treat you with Synthroid based on symptoms rather than bloodwork for this reason. I take a low-cost iodine supplement available from this website: http://1-thyroid.com/. It helped with some other thyroid symptoms almost immediately, and others over the course of a few months. There is a thyroid symptom questionnaire you can take on that site.
  • chrissym78
    chrissym78 Posts: 628 Member
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    Mine fell out HORRIBLY after about a year of steady weight loss. I took a break and tried to maintain (gained alittle back though) and my hair started to grow back. It is back to the way it was pretty much now. I am losing slowly again. Just being way more cautios now.
  • sweetnlow30
    sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
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    I agree! I need to start logging everything again and see what my macros are like. I try to aim for about 100 grams of protein every day and I usually come close to that. I eat a lot of eggs, tuna, feta and cottage cheese because I like these foods :) How many grams of healthy fat should I aim for? I am 159 pounds, age 30 and 5' 3"

    Back when I was losing hair, my burn was about 600 calories three times a week according to my HRM. I was eating about 1800 cals at the time.
  • sweetnlow30
    sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
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    Hair loss can be a thyroid issue, and you can have "normal" bloodwork even if your thyroid is functioning at just 30% capacity. If you don't know what your previous "normal" was, the tests are not significant. Some endocrinologists will treat you with Synthroid based on symptoms rather than bloodwork for this reason. I take a low-cost iodine supplement available from this website: http://1-thyroid.com/. It helped with some other thyroid symptoms almost immediately, and others over the course of a few months. There is a thyroid symptom questionnaire you can take on that site.

    I know she specifically tested my thyroid levels two years in a row. I will keep that in mind though :)
  • woodmetal
    woodmetal Posts: 72
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    A couple of things.... Peanut butter is not the greatest fat source! Olive oil, almonds, coconut are great! You eat a lot of fish and that can be good except... If the fish are contaminated from the water. Here in Wisconsin they do not recommend fish three time s a week because of the mercury in the water.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    Hair loss is tricky. It can come from thyroid issues, losing weight or something else. If you feel like your doctor is useless, you should find a new one. If she doesn't want to listen to your "minor" complaints and investigate, then what happens if it is more serious.

    I say first ditch your doctor.
  • SwimKitty
    SwimKitty Posts: 122 Member
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    Agree with the fat intake question.

    I had issues with thinning hair as well. In addition to other supplements that I take, I make sure to take 2,000mg of biotin everyday. I have seen an improvement in my hair. It did take several months of consistent intake for me to see a difference, but it is definitely a noticeable improvement. It was recommended by a doctor to a friend of mine who had gastric bypass surgery to help with hair loss. Though your weight loss might not be what is causing your hair problems, it might be worth it for you to do some research on it. I am not a doctor, nor am I recommending anything specific for you, but since it is difficult (with long wait times) for you to see a doctor, please do some internet research regarding biotin dosages for hair. It is a water soluble vitamin, so safe for MOST people. Oh, and it is also fairly inexpensive. Good luck!
  • sweetnlow30
    sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
    Options
    Hair loss is tricky. It can come from thyroid issues, losing weight or something else. If you feel like your doctor is useless, you should find a new one. If she doesn't want to listen to your "minor" complaints and investigate, then what happens if it is more serious.

    I say first ditch your doctor.

    I really wish that I could! I have been waiting for more doctors to come to our area. There is a waiting list of people who have no doctor and they are forced to use a medical clinic. It is really unfortunate.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
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    Getting enough healthy fats and vitamin b specifically biotin should help.
  • sweetnlow30
    sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
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    Agree with the fat intake question.

    I had issues with thinning hair as well. In addition to other supplements that I take, I make sure to take 2,000mg of biotin everyday. I have seen an improvement in my hair. It did take several months of consistent intake for me to see a difference, but it is definitely a noticeable improvement. It was recommended by a doctor to a friend of mine who had gastric bypass surgery to help with hair loss. Though your weight loss might not be what is causing your hair problems, it might be worth it for you to do some research on it. I am not a doctor, nor am I recommending anything specific for you, but since it is difficult (with long wait times) for you to see a doctor, please do some internet research regarding biotin dosages for hair. It is a water soluble vitamin, so safe for MOST people. Oh, and it is also fairly inexpensive. Good luck!

    Thank you! I will look into that :wink:

    Edited to add: There is only 50mg of biotin in my B50 complex supplement so I am definitely not getting enough from that!

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