question

First off congrats to everyone and their bundles of joy either on the way or already here.

Now my questions. How early out of surgery was everyone before they got pregnant or ended up pregnant? What is the earliest you know of ever getting pregnant after surgery? Does the weight loss stop or is it just slower? And how dangerous exactly is it to be pregnant after surgery especially during the first couple of months and what are the risks involved?

Thanks everyone for your help!

Edit: I ask this question for a friend of mine from my surgeons office who had surgery 2 1/2 months before. Shes scared but doesn't use this site much (technologically disadvantaged as we call her). But thanks for the answers so far.

I have no room to give advice.  I hadn't planned on getting pregnant til at least a year out.

I think the earlier you are the more dangerous it can be. you are eating so little in the beginning that getting enough of everything is hard enough let alone needing MORE of that.  I'm pretty certain that at some point the loss stops for nearly everyone and then a bit is gained or you hold steady.  that doesn't mean a person wouldn't lose the whole time though.

you SHOULD be at least a year to 18 months or more before you get pregnant. whatever your surgeon says.

that said...use birth control. diligently. 

I had my surgery on 3/17/08, found out I was pregnant on 4/29/08. Very, very early out. You really need to take birth control. I had severe PCOS before my surgery and was told that there would be no way I would get pregnant without lots of treatment. I even did 6 months of clomid without ovulating. And the BAM. I got pregnant, and in a time when I had sex only 2 times that month.
    I lost weight my whole pregnancy, but definitely not as much as I would have because I basically had to ignore all of the surgery rules such as low carbs, low calories.
    Please, protect yourself. Your pregnancy will be so much easier if you wait the recommended time from your surgeon.

   Good Luck!

 -Miki

I got pregnant 4 months post-op.  It's not totally unsafe as the baby gets what they need from your reserves -it's you that suffers.  I still managed to have a 10.5 lb baby and gained 50 lbs with my pregnancy.  I lost 42 of it within 2 weeks but I never lost another pound.  I actually started THIS pregnancy 10 lbs heavier than my last.  I'm hoping that my efforts at breastfeeding help me out this time!

But when I started my last pregnancy, my OB said I was healthier than 90% of her patients.  I don't condone or suggest getting pregnant early out from surgery but your friend will be fine I'm sure if she can keep down her food.

Tell her to be sure to take her vitamins, including b12, calcium, and folic acid if her prenatal isn't enough or she isn't absorbing it well.  She HAS to get her labs checked regularly, and by 12 weeks, add in 200-300 calories a day.  It's easier than most think.  Just eating a few crackers with cheese can up it.

Hope this all works out for your friend!!

Sandy

It can be very dangerous to baby, and mama isn't out of the woods either.

The main danger to baby is ketosis -- which typically happens when the body is taking in less than 100g of carbs a day -- and when you can only eat 1-2oz at a time and protein is pushed, the carbs tend to get pushed to the way-side.

Ketones create an environment similar to one created by a drinking mother.. ketones are actually a form of alcohol, so this makes sense.  However, a difference from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is that some of the effects are more subtle and cannot be detected until the child is in school.  We are talking about emotional issues and mental issues and impairment.  Not things to mess around with.

The way to avoid ketosis in early pregnancy is to push carbs moreso than protein, check urine levels frequently with ketostix, and if ketones are too high, go in for IV fluids and drink additional fluids to help thin them out.


As for mama -- when the nutrition is low (which it is early out), baby will steal EVERYTHING from mama to grow.  Mama will get left with very little, if anything at all.  Vitamin and minerals need to be checked very frequently.. at least every 8 weeks to verify amounts.  


Now, don't get me wrong -- there are babies who have been conceived shortly out of surgery that are (so far) fine.  It's just not as easy of a pregnancy, whether it has to do with making sure the above conditions don't exist, or for other reasons.

Personal experience here -- I got pregnant with Kaitlin at 13 months postop.. and it was hell on earth.  I could not keep concious due to VERY SEVERE reactive hypoglycemia -- I was bed bound in case I would pass out *again*.  Working was a joke -- and gone before I was 2 months along.  My 2nd pregnancy was a ton easier, and of course, was further out.  My blood sugar behaved itself quite a bit better, probably because I could eat more at a time.

Is your friend scared she might get pg or because she is pg?  If she's not pg...someone had mentioned making sure she uses birth control diligently...I'd say use two methods.  There are some women here who have used birth control pills and the pills failed because of malabsorption from the surgery.

Be sure and pass everyone's advice to her that it's best to wait (unless it's too late****il she has the OK from her dr...but if she is already pg...get in to see the dr (OB/GYN) and follow their instructions.