Despite that my dr says I'm doing great, I feel like my weight loss is going awful slow. I admit that most days I don't meet my daily protein goal, does this make your weight loss slower? Also, I'm scared for hair loss although I don't want another supplement, at what point should I start taking biotin? Thanks

In my experience, not getting protein slowed my weight loss.  I don't know what your daily goal is, but I'd shoot for 100g while in my honeymoon period.  Get all your fluids in too!

Biotin will not stop your hair loss.  It only made my hair nicer (thicker and wavier) when it grows back.  I'd start taking it when the hair loss starts.  For me it was three months out.

Kay

 Thx Kay, whew I'm struggling to hit 60 g protein a day!

You are still early out, so do the best you can and don't beat yourself up.

60 was my surgeon's recommendation.  I found I lost better with 90-100g.  I couldn't drink heavy protein shakes made with milk.  I found the Syntrax Nectars work for me.  They are fairly light because they are mixed with water.  They are just much easier for me to drink and I count them toward my daily fluid intake as well.  I make 16 ounces of Nectar and get 48g of protein with 200 calories and 0 carbs.  I often have a second drink late in the day/evening.  Some people don't like them, but they work for me.

Find the protein source that works best for you.  Also, I'm more than a year out and still drinking them.  I can pretty much eat any protein, but my pouch does best without food in the morning. 

The hair loss is not stopped by biotin or protein, it's usually a side effect of anesthesia.  Upping protein and taking biotin will help with regrowth.  The hair cycles in three month cycles.  Loss for 3 months, stasis for three months, regrowth for 3 months, statis for 3 months... so the loss usually starts around 3 months give or take after surgery - and lasts for roughly 3 months as well.

Mine started at 2 1/2 months and lasted until 6 months.

Keeping your protein up should help with weight loss - your body needs that as fuel or it will start muscle wasting.  The less muscle you have the less calories you will burn at rest.  So you want to keep the protein up to maintain your current muscle mass.  You also want to excercise for the same reason.

Yes, I found reduced protein slowed my weight loss and made me fatigued which made it more difficult to exercise. It was a real double whammy, and it STILL works that way in maintenance.

Find a protein shake that works for you - this early out, that or mixing your protein powder with greek yogurt and a SF preserve is going to really help you in nore ways than one.

As far as hair loss, it's entirely up to your body and no supplement will really change that. The process is called telogen effluvium, and occurs whenever there is bodily trauma, including illness and car accidents, and even childbirth. Biotin helps the regrowth come in stronger, but does not speed it up or prevent loss. We thought I was going to skip much loss, and then it started at 4 months out, ended about 6 months later, then I had two rounds of reconstruction (both of which caused more loss), and I'm now actually able to have hair without fuzzy new growth all over the place!

I think that one of the real issues with hair is that when it comes back, it may not come back the same way it was. My hair used to be stick-straight, on the oily side, and HEAVY. It's now more fine, has wave (and some curl in back!), and more dry. It's actually adorable, but I'm having to relearn how to handle it because it is so different than what it was.

I had the same experience with my hair.  It used to be straight and now it is CURLY.  Ditto on the relearning!!!

 my curly hair is now only slightly wavy and it used to be coarse and now it's super fine, staticy and volumeless. on the plus side my straightening time cut down from an hour to about 20 minutes

I think at 6 months my hair is still falling out but not at the rate it was...i was cleaning the drain catch everytime i showered from all my hair.  pretty scary thing.  But i am not doing that anymore.  So i am just hoping its done...but i am praying super hard that my hair comes back thicker and curly or wavy because mine is fine and straight as a stick..i hate it. lol

Side note question:  Do most women go through hair loss?  Mine is so thin now from diabetes that I'll be bald if that's the case!  Can anything help stop the loss before it starts?

@Arieschick33 - Thanks for posting your concern about slow weight loss and protein intake.  I'm still 30 days pre-surgery so I feel that everything I can learn from those who have experienced it puts me one step ahead.  Plus, please don't feel like your loss is "going awful slow".  Let's remember where we were before this journey began - fat and unhappy . . . at least for me!  Keep up the good work!  ~Vicki