First OB Appt

OK ladies, I guess it is official, LOL.  I had my meeting appt with the OB today...got my blood results back from my 4 week drawl....HCG is 10,888....which is good and high she said.

They had NO idea what the DS was, of course not many do, but I went prepared like a good little DSer!   I had print outs of what I look like on the inside, my surgeron's info, etc.  They asked for the surgerical notes, so I will make and provide a copy for them....they are used to gastric bypass peeps, but not DSers.  So she said they will be sending me to a maternal fetal specialist...as they are concerned about the Dry Vit A I take...but were happy to see the amount of suppliments I am already taking, especially the B12. 

They gave me a lab slip to get drawn before I go to the next appt and before the specialist. 

She said my due date is 01-28-2010...I have my first dr pregnacy exam on June 16 and that he might "peak" and see if he can see the bean....if not I have a ultrasound appt set for June 22...a nice little be-lated gift to my DH!

Then I go in July to see the maternal fetal specialist.

Ok....so I am still worried that something could happen and I could miscarry but I am trying to kick all negative thoughts out and focus on the positive.  Which is reassuring to some degree as I have killer sore breasts / nipples and have been nauseous like nothing before!!!  Uggg, it is awful, it is like, come on and puke already, LOL.

I am SO super glad I have this board!!! 

Well now you have to tell Dr. P :)

congrats on a good appointment!   We'll have to compare notes, because my practice is equally unsure of what to do with a pregnant DSer.

I see the High Risk docs on Wednesday and the Vitamin A is on my list of questions.

Stay positive (this is the kettle telling the pot, btw) as best as you can.

Sharon

Sharon, are you taking extra Vit A?  I am so unsure if I should take my extra or not....my last lab it was 54 which according to VitaLady is low (range is 38-98) but lab range is 60-80...so I would still be low for the normal lab range.....I am torn about what to do. 

And I have a vit A sitting here staring me in the face....I take it with my afternoon vits.....

Oh yeah, I gotta call Doc....today or tomorrow I swear!!  LOL. 

I just posted what I'm taking below - I take a 25k dry A from Vitalady.  She herself said she isn't sure.  The nurse didn't know.  GAH.

I'm taking it for now....Vit A has been a struggle for me to keep normal from the beginning. I'm waiting on labs now and we'll see what it looks like.

This is so irritating.

Grats! Do you mind me asking where you are being seen for your pregnancy?

Good Luck with the Vitamin A question!

I am about to give birth and no one can yet tell me what DSers should do about the dry A we take!

My OB panicked about the amount I took (60,000 IU a day mostly Palmitate in my multi and then about 20,000 extra IU in my dry ADE pills) and said a safe level is under 5,000 IU.

I explained I don't absorb.  The question became "When is vitamin A a danger to the baby?  When blood levels are high (mine weren't) or when too much is ingested."

The agreement from my weight loss surgeon and my Maternal fetal specialist was that unless my blood levels of A were too high the baby should be fine....    The people at Vita4Life that (the multi I take) said they have had pregnant women take the Vita4Life their entire pregnancy and be fine, but talk to my doctors blah blah blah

I decided to stop the Vita4Life and take 6 prenatals (2 pills each 3x a day) along with 12 tender irons from Vitalady and 2000 MG of calcium citrate and 50,000 of dry D. 

As my levels were drawn I was found low in zinc and selenium so upped those as well... and my vitamin K was REALLY low so I had to take it with a probiotic to help it absorb.  I also had to up my D to 100,000 of dry. 

All I can say is I cannot wait to be back on my "easy" vitamin routine that I was on for years prior to this pregnancy!! 

I hope you get all your questions answered!
 

Cindy

Dang Cindy.  that's a lot of vitamins LOL.  I've already had to change one prenatal, since they gave me an omega-3 oil based one.  That was pretty much worthless.

Here's what I"m taking now, and have continued until Im told otherwise:

1 pre natal
2 multi vites
2 addtl folic acid
1 zinc
2 magnesium
1 50k Dry D
1 25k Dry A
2 probiotics

And of course calcium btw. 2500 and 3000 per day.

How are you managing all that iron?  What do your labs look like?  Now I'm really curious.

Maybe my post is misleading....the 12 tender irons are broken down 3x a day.  So in the AM / lunch and PM I take 2 prenatals, 4 tender irons, 1 zinc, 1 selinum -- and in the AM I add in my probiotic and vitamin K. 

Then I take 2 doses of calcium each 1000 mg w/ vitamin D and if I'm constipated I add some extra magnesium citrate. 

So 5 doses a day of pills.....  same as before pregnancy, but Vita4Life was easier than juggling all the individual pills. 

My labs are great !  They were checking every 2 weeks for most of my pregnancy.  I admit I slacked off on driving to my surgeon's office this last 6 weeks....   My iron was borderline BEFORE the DS --- since the DS it actually went up, but, Vita4Life had a lot of iron....when I stopped it I had to replace it.  Vitalady's Tender Irons are easy to take.... and even taste good!  (If you lick them too long!)

I think maybe my malabsorption is greater on Iron and fat than some.... since I have had to take high does of fat soluables (ADEK) and iron since my surgery!  

I wouldn't trade the ability to eat the way I am able to and maintain my 200+ lb weight loss for the world, though.  I have never felt/been healthier! 

Cindy

OMG -- I forgot to mention this --- I started taking a digestive enzyme when I got pregnant !!!!!! 

I only take one a day with breakfast - usually.  SOMETIMES if I am eating something like fish or something with a lot of omega 3's I will swallow a digestive enzyme as well to help me absorb the good fat !!   It is supposed to help fat absorption and carbs too.

I figure it's worth the weight gain for the baby.

In fact.... when I ran out of them for a week I lost 3 lbs that week !  So I THINK it is doing something. 

I try to eat a healthy breakfast with my digestive enzyme -- eggs and veggies, etc.

Cindy

Ok so now I wanna put it out there with what I take....

AM - multi, 50K dry Vit D, folic, zinc, calcium

Lunch - prenatal, 50K dry vit D, vit A, folic, zinc, calcium

Evening - multi, 50K vit D, folic, calcium

I haven't started any iron b/c I am SO scared of My iron is kinda low, not too bad....I am trying to eat lots more red meat before I head to the iron road.