Biotin

I got biotin yesterday so I'm going to start taking it today. Do I have to take it a separate time than my multi? Also, has anyone seen a difference with hair loss using this? I have PCOS so I've had crazy hair loss for a few years now (surprised I have some still tbh.. I had very thick hair before :( and I don't want it to get WORSE with this surgery! I'm nervous! 

Biotin will only help with hair loss if they have a biotin deficiency, which is pretty rare.

However, taking large doses of biotin when you are not deficient can lead to hair growth everywhere except on the top of your head. We've had members here who ended up having excellent careers in the circus after taking lots of biotin.

No kidding.  I already have annoying dark body hair, I don't need biotin making that worse!

Rapid weight loss (crash diet) is just one of the causes of hair loss.  http://www.medicinenet.com/hair_loss/page4.htm

"There are several cir****tances that produce a "shock to the system" that alters the hair growth rhythm. As a result, as much as 30%-40% of the hairs can cycle into telogen. Three months later, hairs come out in a massive shedding (effluvium), especially near the front of the scalp. These include

childbirth,
high fever,
sudden weight loss (crash dieting),
surgery,
severe illness,
severe emotional stress or loss."

As I said to someone else yesterday about hair loss -- Look up telogen effluvium.  Basically, when you do something, or a combination of things, that make your body think that it's dying, it stops wasting energy on hair growth.  It'll start back up again with the passage of time, so it's nothing to worry about.  (I shaved my head 6 weeks post-op to raise money for St. Baldricks, so it was never an issue for me!)

Biotin will not help unless you have a biotin deficiency, which is unlikely, but something you can get checked with blood work.  

There is almost nothing you can do to prevent hair loss. Vitamins, extra protein, special shampoo-- if it's going to happen, nothing's going to stop or slow it.

It can be a definite hit on your self-esteem, but all things considered, it's usually pretty much worth it for the trade-off :)

I am almost 3 years out. I tried the biotin, the shampoos, etc. Right around month 6 post surgery I started losing my hair (I had PCOS too but never had a problem with losing hair pre-surgery). I took biotin, I grew hair everyplace except for the top of my head. My doctor told me, don't worry it will grow back. And over time, it did, slowly but surely. My hair now is as thick as it was pre-surgery. I kept cutting it shorter during the process so it would appear thicker. But my hair has always grown very very slow.

In regard to the PCOS though, mine went away! I get my friend every month, same day.  This took about 6 months to settle in but in finally happened. There are trade-offs to the whole process.

After researching telogen effluvium (temporary hair loss) it appears common with rapid/extreme weight-loss.  The body may believe it's in "famine mode" and it concentrates on more vital bodily parts/processes.

There are Sleevers that see little or no hair loss.  I'm wondering if their weight loss was more controlled...or slower....in addition to good nutrition.

Research telogen effluvium some more. It has absolutely nothing to do with weight loss. It's connected to surgery and anesthesia, and not just WLS.

Making sure you get the minimum amount of protein is all you can do. 

The only thing slowing down weight loss is going to accompish will be never reaching goal.

I think it just depends on the person (genetics?). I remember a couple of women I met at WW years ago who had lost 100 pounds and both had hair loss.  That time I lost 50 but no hair.  This time I lost over 100 and still didn't lose hair (at least not noticeably).  So I think it is genetics (or luck).