a post DS.9 months out is 5 months PG! !!

just saw a post on the FB OH FAMILY GROUP from a 9 month post op who is 20 weeks preggers. I thought this was dangerous?? Anyone who is up on this and in that group who is inspired to offer her any guidance from experience might be welcomed??

She's on top of it... she's seeing a regular OB, a high risk OB, and a hematologist. What do you want people to do, tell her to abort? She has made her decision, obviously, and is being heavily monitored and by all signs the baby is doing ok. Not that I would recommend it but I find it annoying for people at this point to try to spank her... she is already 20 weeks along, it's too late for that anyway.

but I have heard some DS'ers discuss particulars here that those doctors may not be aware of is all regarding the DS. To help someone it's better to err on the side of caution I figured so I don't need to be barked at for trying!

Bless her family and I wish all the best for them.

 Oooo- I'm getting ready for a DS and one doc I saw had me sign something promising that I would not get preggers and that he would recommend I abort if I did. He must say that for a reason. I hope she and the baby will be OK!

I hope so too- especially reading she threw up everything she ate for the first 16 weeks and has lost 120 pounds in her 9 months post op. I hoped someone here might have some special DS wisdom on the subject to help with.

I don't think many here can help her because I don't think it's something that many DSers have experienced. Like the other poster wrote, it may not have been a wise decision but it's her decision and she seems to be doing all she can.

I threw up everything I ate for the first 14 weeks with all three of my children and that was LONG before I had the DS. It's like everything else, some people follow the rules, some don't. At this point she is 5 months along...there is nothing that can be told to her at  this point.

While I agree there is nothing we can do for someone who has made the descion to get pregnant and carry to term except wish her well. 

We would be very remiss not to share information with pre-ops that it is very dangerous indeed for pregnancy early out after the DS (or any WLS), my surgeon wanted proof of BC, and was adament that a year out was the bare minimum that he recommended pregnancy, but he was much more cofortable with the two year mark.  That being said there have been healthy DS babies, its the issues that may pop up down the road that scare the hell out of me.  The main reason being that ketosis can cause brain damage in fetuses, the scary part is that it is sometimes not evident until the child can be up to 5 years of age. 

I will look for a link from a nurse practioner who also had the DS and post the link that has a lot more information. 

Kym

Her Profile has been deleted from some unfortuante things that happend a year or so ago but I did find a copy of her guidelines:

This is from Carolyn M's profile: 


Post-op Birth Control

 

If you are female, heterosexual, between the ages of 13 and 50, and have all your female parts intact, read this.

 

It is very dangerous to get pregnant in the 18 months following your surgery. Not just because it can mess up your weight loss, and not just because it is hard to nourish an unborn baby when your intake is restricted and you are malabsorbing protein and vitamins, but because for at least the first few months, you will be in ketosis much of the time. Ketones can cause fetal brain damage. Don't risk it. You may not think you are fertile, and many obese women aren't very fertile, but you can become fertile again very quickly as the weight comes off.

 

Many but not all surgeons will advise you to use reliable birth control post-op. Birth control pills alone aren't considered reliable post-op, because they may be partly malabsorbed, and because as you lose fat, your estrogen levels fluctuate anyway. And if you didn't know it already, the more overweight you are, the less reliable the Pill is to begin with. If you are on the pill, you will also need to use a barrier method, such as condoms, the sponge, a diaphragm, or vaginal film or foam (listed in order of reliability).

 

You could also use condoms plus the Sponge, or condoms with vaginal foam or film.

 

If your family is complete, male or female sterilization procedures may be your best long-term option.

 

Temporary birth control methods that you can use alone are the Depo-Provera shot, the Nuva Ring, or the Mirena or Paragard IUD. A little bit about these choices:

 

1. The shot is extremely effective birth control, similar to having your tubes tied but less permanent. You may have irregular bleeding for the first 3-6 months or so, after that most people have little to no bleeding. Other side effects--if you are prone to depression, it can make depression worse. If you are prone to acne, it can make acne worse. In 25-30% of women, it stimulates the appetite. This is why it can be associated with weight gain. In about 2% of women it can cause hair loss. Because many of us have had problems with depression and appetite pre-op, and problems with hair loss post-op, this might not be the best choice. It takes up to a year to become fertile again after going off the shot.

 

2. The NuvaRing is a thin flexible plastic ring that you insert into your vagina, leave in for three to four weeks, and then remove. You can leave it out for up to 7 days to have a period, or insert the next ring immediately to skip periods (if you use it to skip periods, you will have breakthrough bleeding from time to time. You can remove the Ring for 3-5 days and then reinsert it to stop breakthrough bleeding. But to avoid losing contraceptive effectiveness, always leave each new Ring in for at least three weeks and reinsert the next Ring within 7 days).

 

With the NuvaRing, you have more local hormone effect, so it is very good at preventing pregnancy and controlling periods, but a lower blood level of hormones than with any other hormonal method, and thus fewer side effects. It is very comfortable to wear; you won't even feel it when it is in place. Most women who try the NuvaRing end up loving it. You become fertile again right away after stopping the Ring. It’s not a preferred medication on most insurance plans, so you may pay higher co-pay (compare to the costs of using the Pill plus a barrier method).

 

3. The Paragard IUD is expensive to start out with, full cost is $450-750 to purchase and get it inserted. But it lasts 10 years, so it's the cheapest method in the long run. It takes a procedure to put it in, which can be a little uncomfortable. After placement, you may have intermittent spotting and cramping for a couple of months. After that, your periods may continue to be a little heavier and crampier than your usual. It contains no hormones, so you will not have any hormone related side effects. You can usually use the Paragard IUD even if you haven't had any children. Your fertility returns immediately after the IUD is removed.

 

4. The Mirena IUD contains a small amount of progesterone. It is also expensive to start with, but lasts 5 years. It can be used not only for birth control, but to decrease bleeding for women who have heavier or more frequent periods. By the time you have had it in for 2 years; you will have very scant periods, if any. For the first year or so, you may have frequent and/or prolonged episodes of very light bleeding. This can be annoying but isn't dangerous as the actual amount of blood loss is low.

 

Most of the progesterone effects are confined to the uterus, however, sensitive women may experience some of the side effects listed under Depo-Provera (depression, acne, hair loss, etc.) These effects, if experienced, tend to decrease with time. You can use the Mirena IUD only if you have already borne at least one child. It may take a few months after this IUD is removed for you to become fertile again.

 

Please make an appointment with your OB/GYN provider or visit your local Planned Parenthood or County Health Dept. to discuss which of these methods may be right for you.

That's a really helpful post....but I need to add CERVICAL CAP as an excellent barrier method.

...and please support Planned Parenthood...