Hair loss nearly two years post-VSG. Possibly Metformin or due to weight loss at this point?

[Clementine Sky 708]

I was grateful to have very minimal Hair loss in my first year post-op when I lost the vast majority of weight. I'm bewildered as to why I'm losing it so profusely now, nearly two years since having the VSG in August of 2015 when I've essentially been in maintenance since December 2016. I've lost ten pounds in the past year, 75 in the year before it. In November of 2016 my endocrinologist put me on 1000 Mg of Metformin with the hope it could help with my PCOS (I'm not diabetic). hair loss is not listed as a side effect for it, but in having searched online many have stated that they lost hair while taking it. However, many weren't certain if it was the medication itself, or the weight loss it helped them to achieve. For me, the weight loss was more minimal because my BMI was already 21 when I started taking it, and my body wasn't willing to budge much lower. The hair loss was insidious. A few years ago a horrible John Frieda product had caused immediate and profound hair damage and loss, so it was the obvious culprit. With this I hadn't realized I was losing so much hair until one day when it was suddenly obvious that I had. It's also breaking off.

I just had blood work last week, and my B12, thyroid, and Vitamin D levels are normal. My primary care doctor had ordered it, and he's not as knowledgeable as my endocrinologist (but you can get an appointment with him that month, whereas with my endocrinologist you have to book five months out). He was totally unhelpful about the hair loss, offering no potential explanations.

Has anyone else experienced hair loss so far out from having surgery, or while taking Metformin?

[Berry78 4,261]

I agree with you that it's not from the surgery directly. Did they do the full panel of tests for your nutritional status? (There are a lot more than the 3 things that need to be checked)

Tell us more about your diet.. what are you eating, how many calories, etc...

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

What are your Iron and Zinc levels?

Low iron and low zinc will make you hair shed like crazy, especially low iron.

Edited July 21, 2017 by OutsideMatchInside

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

You might have an immune system issues, get a full endocrine panel of all your hormones. Not to sound rude, but what John Frieda product? I see no class action lawsuits for any products by John Frieda and I would think if it caused Hair loss it would be more than one person affected.

Edited July 21, 2017 by Sosewsue61

[Clementine Sky 708]

3 minutes ago, Sosewsue61 said:

You might have an immune system issues, get a full endocrine panel of all your hormones. Not to sound rude, but what John Frieda product? I see no class action lawsuits for any products by John Frieda and I would think if it caused hair loss it would be more than one person affected.

The John Frieda product was called Go Blonder. I was contacted by other women who'd experienced horrific damage and loss from using it after I wrote a review about it on a popular site, asking about working together to form a class action suit, but I don't know if they pursued one. I contacted John Frieda with photos documenting the damage. I moved forward after doing so because of too many things going on in my life then to justify the time expenditure in pursuing it further.

I did have blood work last week that didn't flag any issues. I have an appointment at the end of October (unfortunately, that was the first available time available) with my endocrinologist and will ask for more blood work then. In the meantime I'm hoping to find out if anyone else had similar experiences.

[Clementine Sky 708]

42 minutes ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

What are your Iron and Zinc levels?

Low Iron and low zinc will make you hair shed like crazy, especially low iron.

I'll look at the results from the blood test when I get home to see if my zinc levels were tested, and if so, if they were normal. I know my iron was tested and was fine. That had been a point of concern, but the blood work indicated no issue with it. I am taking a Multivitamin with iron every day, and have since a month prior to having the VSG in August of 2015.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

There is a huge range on Iron though. The one on zinc is even smaller. If you are near the bottom of either you might want to supplement more.

Also I would try going to a dermatologist. I take spironolactone for my skin, but I know that they give to people with PCOS to help with Hair loss. I don't have PCOS or PCOS issues but it is a drug that Derms give to women experiencing hair loss.

[Clementine Sky 708]

22 minutes ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

There is a huge range on Iron though. The one on zinc is even smaller. If you are near the bottom of either you might want to supplement more.

Also I would try going to a dermatologist. I take spironolactone for my skin, but I know that they give to people with PCOS to help with hair loss. I don't have PCOS or PCOS issues but it is a drug that Derms give to women experiencing Hair loss.

Thanks to you and everyone else for their response.

I'll check the Iron levels on my blood work when I get home tonight to see where my levels are on the range.

I've been taking Spiro for over a decade since being diagnosed with PCOS in college, but very gradually reduced the amount two years ago from 200 to the current dose of 50 because of adverse side effects I was experiencing due to it. I've contemplated going back to 100, but ever since having Lasik, an increased dose has caused unbearably dry eyes no matter how much I hydrate and use drops and ointments.

[James Marusek 5,244]

I was on Metformin for several years prior to surgery and did not experience any Hair loss. One of the causes of hair loss is a lack of Protein.

[Clementine Sky 708]

3 hours ago, Berry78 said:

I agree with you that it's not from the surgery directly. Did they do the full panel of tests for your nutritional status? (There are a lot more than the 3 things that need to be checked)

Tell us more about your diet.. what are you eating, how many calories, etc...

I've had blood work every six months since having the VSG, and I know my Iron, B12 and Vitamin D levels have been fine. I'll check on my zinc levels. I'd had B12 and Vitamin D deficiencies in the past, but was able to correct them prior to having the VSG in 2015.

I am going to start tracking what I eat on MyFitnessPal again. I do eat quite a lot of Protein, but am no longer diligently adding up exactly how much since I've been maintaining at ten pounds below my goal weight for eight months now. I felt like I'd established healthy enough routines to sustain the weight loss without adding everything up, but tracking provides a better overview. It's possible I haven't been getting in enough calories, or healthy carbs and fat. I eat a lot of turkey burgers and salads, nuts, protein smoothies. My BP is on the low end of normal and my cholesterol levels are good.

[Clementine Sky 708]

1 hour ago, James Marusek said:

I was on Metformin for several years prior to surgery and did not experience any hair loss. One of the causes of Hair loss is a lack of Protein.

My dad was also on Metformin for years and the only hair loss he experienced was due to the natural aging process (he's in his 60s), but it seems to impact younger women differently than men from what I've been reading on various other forums like ones for PCOS and diabetics. A lot of women have talked about hair loss while taking Metformin, but aren't sure if it's the medicine or the weight loss it caused. With me, I lost most of the weight prior to taking Metformin, so I don't know if it's the weight loss catching up on my hair, or the Metformin, or something else. I haven't read any posts yet from someone who has had bariatric surgery and taken Metformin.

I consume quite a bit of Protein, but am no longer tracking exactly how much. I'm going to start doing that again. Thanks for your response.

[Little Green 583]

@JupiterinVirgo posted about having this issue recently. Maybe the two of you could discuss and see if there's anything in common? I'm sorry this is happening to you. Fantastic work on your weight loss, though! That's so awesome.

[Clementine Sky 708]

2 hours ago, Little Green said:

@JupiterinVirgo posted about having this issue recently. Maybe the two of you could discuss and see if there's anything in common? I'm sorry this is happening to you. Fantastic work on your weight loss, though! That's so awesome.

Thanks so much for the kind words and for letting me know about JupiterinVirgo having this issue. I'll send her a message right now.

[lindabalseca 373]

I was grateful to have very minimal Hair loss in my first year post-op when I lost the vast majority of weight. I'm bewildered as to why I'm losing it so profusely now, nearly two years since having the VSG in August of 2015 when I've essentially been in maintenance since December 2016. I've lost ten pounds in the past year, 75 in the year before it. In November of 2016 my endocrinologist put me on 1000 Mg of Metformin with the hope it could help with my PCOS (I'm not diabetic). hair loss is not listed as a side effect for it, but in having searched online many have stated that they lost hair while taking it. However, many weren't certain if it was the medication itself, or the weight loss it helped them to achieve. For me, the weight loss was more minimal because my BMI was already 21 when I started taking it, and my body wasn't willing to budge much lower. The hair loss was insidious. A few years ago a horrible John Frieda product had caused immediate and profound hair damage and loss, so it was the obvious culprit. With this I hadn't realized I was losing so much hair until one day when it was suddenly obvious that I had. It's also breaking off.
I just had blood work last week, and my B12, thyroid, and Vitamin D levels are normal. My primary care doctor had ordered it, and he's not as knowledgeable as my endocrinologist (but you can get an appointment with him that month, whereas with my endocrinologist you have to book five months out). He was totally unhelpful about the hair loss, offering no potential explanations.
Has anyone else experienced hair loss so far out from having surgery, or while taking Metformin?

I've been taking metformin for over 10 years and no hair loss...on the contrary I have hair down to my waist lol you are lacking something in your diet. Try Biotin or pre natal vitamins...you don't have to be prego to take them...you will notice a difference...

[Clementine Sky 708]

8 minutes ago, lindabalseca said:

I've been taking metformin for over 10 years and no hair loss...on the contrary I have hair down to my waist lol you are lacking something in your diet. Try Biotin or pre natal vitamins...you don't have to be prego to take them...you will notice a difference...

Oh you're a lucky girl to have hair down to your waist. I've read on diabetic and PCOS forums about Metformin and Hair loss, but there seems to be other variables. All my blood work has come back as normal, but I'm going to track my food again and see if perhaps I'm not getting enough calories in. I unfortunately cannot take Biotin and have to be very careful about what Vitamins I take because with PCOS they tend to trigger cystic acne breakouts.

I hope you don't mind the questions, but what dose of Metformin are you taking, and is it for diabetes or PCOS? I'm taking 1000 MG for PCOS. I don't know if it's having much of a benefit overall. It had originally helped to boost weight loss when I wanted to drop another 10 pounds, but since then hasn't had an impact. I'm worried that if I stop it, I could regain. I'm below my goal weight, but would like to stay where I am.