Wondering what your post op fertility experience has been??

I am currently 7 months post op and have lost jsut over 90 pounds.  I still need to loose at least 50 more.  Before surgery I did not get a period at all.  I had twins eight years ago with the help of ovulation induction drugs but other than that I never had a cycle.  Since my surgery last April I have had a period every month.  At first they were light and more like spotting but the past two months they have been "REAL" periods.  I am wondering if this has happened to anyone else?  I have no idea if I am ovulating...How would I even know????  My husband and I are not using any type of birth control...we really have never had to so it seems so foreign to me.  I feel like I am kinding of leaving things up to fate... Maybe I shouldn't so early out but I just  feel wierd trying to prevent something that would be such a blessing... Any thoughts... 

I can't be sure, but it sounds like you're ovulating!  Congrats!  I've heard a lot of people say that when your body weight comes down, it wakes things up again, and you can naturally start on a normal cycle.  Crazy!  Hope it happens to me too!  :)  (I'm not a Dr, and I can't tell you for sure that you're ovulating, it just sounds like you may be.)

OK, now that we've established that, my Dr gave me warning after warning that my husband and I should use birth control after surgery.  Your body does suddenly become very fertile, and it is not healthy to get pregnant too early.  She recommends that people wait 18 months on average, although once I get to goal she promised to re-assess.  :)  I would recommend that you start using some kind of birth control until your body has regulated itself.  Think about it.  If we're taking in such a small amount of nutrition that we're magically melting, how can that possibly support a growing fetus?  I know that getting pregnant would be a huge blessing...believe me that's one of my primary goals here, but it would be devastating if something went wrong because it was too early.  That said, I know there are people (including people on this board) that have had successful pregnancies early on.  I'm thrilled for them, and it shows that it can happen, but my Dr was very clear about the risks (she has only seen 1 in 4 successful pregnancies prior to a year out) and I just don't want to take that chance. Maybe you should check with your surgeon or PCP?  Whatever you decide, good luck!  :)

Hi! I just wanted to let you know that before surgery my husband and I tried for 2 1/2 years to get pregnant and nothing happened. I had my surgery and bam my periods were regular and I actually started ovulating too. I got the okay at 12 months out to starting trying to conceive and it happened the first month. This surgery is a miracle not only for myself, but for the life of my soon to be child. I only have until January 12th to meet this little miracle! I wish you the best and wanted to give you hope!! Best wishes to you and all of those dealing with infertility. Courtney

Thanks Courtney!  I just love hearing those positive stories!!!  Congrats on your upcoming new arrival!

Hi Deb!  Congrats on your surgery!  Like you before surgery I never had cycles...we'd even been through 8 years of various fertility treatments which all failed.  I'd gone on the patch after surgery and stayed on that until I was at goal at 1 year post op.  At this time I went off the patch to find that I was regular!  Every 36 days and I was ovulating!  After 3 cycles of using condoms we went without protection and got pregnant immediately.  I was 16m post op.  I had a healthy pregnancy & a healthy baby girl 10 years after we'd started ttc'ing. You really want to be further out than 7m post op.  Not only so that you can adjust to the new you...but also so that you can be sure that you're eating an adequate amount to sustain a healthy pregnancy.  I understand that things happen...but ideally...you should wait a little longer before ttcing. As for knowing if you're ovulating...having regular periods is a key sign.  Also, if you want I can tell you how to track your cycles by taking your bbt (basal body temp)...if you don't want to get that complex (and it's really not that bad) you can tell if you're ovulating by your CM (cervical mucous) or discharge.  When there's a lot of it and it's like egg whites...you're ovulating.  This is prime CM and when ttc'ing is the PERFECT time to BD (baby dance).  If you're having lots of it and it's like water...also good CM...not as perfect as EWCM (egg white CM) but good.  If it's like paste or just creamy and not very much of it...it's not your fertile time. Anyway I hope that helped and if you want more info on the whole temp thing...let me know...and I'll explain it to you...I've done it for years... Kristy

I guess I may as well start charting my BBT, just for clarification that I'm ovulating.  I think I probably am, which is totally exciting!!!  By the time I get to goal, then I'll know whether things are "working" or not.  :)

I've also started ovulating since surgery.   I chart my Basal Body Temperature every morning even though we're not TTC.  I keep track of it on FertilityFriend.com .  It also allows you to keep track of weight loss and other fertility signs.  I know how you feel about preventing it.. I sorta feel the same way too, but my DH and I have agreed to wait until 12 months out so that I can maximize weight loss.  We've been married eight years and have never used BC.  SO yeah.  I get what you're saying. 

I have PCOS, and I was always having to take birth control just to get a period, since my surgery in June, I am now getting normal periods. To me it's a freakin' miracle! I am not wanting to have children until I am closer to my goal. I am not taking any birth control because I afraid they will mess with a good thing, but I am very careful! My fears of infertility are at a halt right now because I am doing so well. I would wait a little while longer before having any children. I know it takes your body at least a year to even recover from surgery so be careful! I too get anxious... I had this surgery in hopes that it would help me have children one day.

Isn't it crazy how our bodies just seem to right themselves after surgery?