Pregnant and surprised!
Hello All. I lurked here when I was researching WLS a year ago and then had my DS in January. Gradually my PCOS symptoms have been subsiding as I have lost about 85 pounds. The loss has slowed quite a bit in the last few months. Well, I really didn't think I would be coming to this neck of OH again (for a while), but here I am for the apparent reason. I am 5 weeks pregnant. My husband and I are happy but admittedly nervous since this was a bit of an accident and we intended to wait until I was down another 40 pounds or so.
I just found out on Sunday and I have continued taking my vitamins (vitalady schedule) and am a little worried about the vitamin A and 100k IU of D a day. Could someone please offer me some advice as what vites I should and should not be taking now that I am pregnant? Any other advice would be so appreciated. I really have no knowledge of what I need to be doing as a pregnant woman, but just as I researched WLS extensively, I am now trying to learn as much as I can about this and any additional advice would be so appreciated!
Thanks!
Trish
I just found out on Sunday and I have continued taking my vitamins (vitalady schedule) and am a little worried about the vitamin A and 100k IU of D a day. Could someone please offer me some advice as what vites I should and should not be taking now that I am pregnant? Any other advice would be so appreciated. I really have no knowledge of what I need to be doing as a pregnant woman, but just as I researched WLS extensively, I am now trying to learn as much as I can about this and any additional advice would be so appreciated!
Thanks!
Trish
Original DS-1/07/09- Dr. Simper, SW: 286, LW:170, Post-op HW:194
Hiatal Hernia Repair & Revised DS to Hess Method-1/29/14- Dr. Keshishian, SW:194, CW:176, GW:130ish
PCOS w/ 2 post DS pregnancies!
ETA -- I was taking 50k of Vitamin D a day and my D went down the tubes while pregnant so they upped me to 100K of D and said it has no effect on the baby.
Welcome and CONGRATS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The vitamin A question plagued me too ! Like you I took large doses (you'll find other DSers on here who don't take A in such large quanitities) and I was stressed about it.
No one could give me a good answer. MY Weight-loss-surgeon said "The baby gets it from your blood supply so as long as your blood levels aren't high the baby is fine." . My regular OB freaked out at the level of ADEK I was taking and told me to take 1 prenatal a day. (I laughed in his face.) My high-risk OB tended to agree with my weight-loss-surgeon but wasn't willing to put his name on it --
So I compromised. I was taking Vita4Life -- 12 pills a day, plus two extra does of calcium w/ magensium and ADEKs.
I decided to take only 4 vita4life the 1st trimester (keeping my Vitamin A at about 12,000 IU of Palmitate a day ) and added 6 prenatals --- the only vitamin A in them is beta-caratene which we can take all of we want. I kept my iron and calcium high.
Because I removed my ADEKs I ended up tanking out my vitamin D and K and had to add those back later without the A. And in the 2nd/3rd trimester I went up to 8 vita4life a day -- raising my vitamin A levels since it's the first 12 weeks that A is (supposedly) most detremential
I had blood drawn every 2-4 weeks by my weight loss surgeon to check for vitamin levels until the last trimester when I was too tired to make the drive that often!
I also had monthly ultrasounds to check on baby's development. And monlthy OB appointments.
If I get pregnant again I am thinking maybe just keep taking my Vita4Life and eliminate the ADEK and keep all else the same.
I figure it this way.... if the acceptable does of Vitamin A (in retinol or palmitate form) is 5000 IU a day . We absorb (by some estimates) only 20% of what we take in. So we could take up to 25000 IU of A in man-made form (retinol / palmitate) and all the beta caratene we want and be okay.
I am babbling now....but to sum it up.... no one knows. You have to do what is best for you.
If you've needed higher doses of A to keep your levels up don't let them talk you into only taking a prenatal or by the end of the pregnancy you'll be so far in the hole you will have trouble getting out and do damage to you!
Good Luck !!
Cindy
(By the way - I have a perfectly beautiful little boy who is just over 4 months old!)
Welcome and CONGRATS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The vitamin A question plagued me too ! Like you I took large doses (you'll find other DSers on here who don't take A in such large quanitities) and I was stressed about it.
No one could give me a good answer. MY Weight-loss-surgeon said "The baby gets it from your blood supply so as long as your blood levels aren't high the baby is fine." . My regular OB freaked out at the level of ADEK I was taking and told me to take 1 prenatal a day. (I laughed in his face.) My high-risk OB tended to agree with my weight-loss-surgeon but wasn't willing to put his name on it --
So I compromised. I was taking Vita4Life -- 12 pills a day, plus two extra does of calcium w/ magensium and ADEKs.
I decided to take only 4 vita4life the 1st trimester (keeping my Vitamin A at about 12,000 IU of Palmitate a day ) and added 6 prenatals --- the only vitamin A in them is beta-caratene which we can take all of we want. I kept my iron and calcium high.
Because I removed my ADEKs I ended up tanking out my vitamin D and K and had to add those back later without the A. And in the 2nd/3rd trimester I went up to 8 vita4life a day -- raising my vitamin A levels since it's the first 12 weeks that A is (supposedly) most detremential
I had blood drawn every 2-4 weeks by my weight loss surgeon to check for vitamin levels until the last trimester when I was too tired to make the drive that often!
I also had monthly ultrasounds to check on baby's development. And monlthy OB appointments.
If I get pregnant again I am thinking maybe just keep taking my Vita4Life and eliminate the ADEK and keep all else the same.
I figure it this way.... if the acceptable does of Vitamin A (in retinol or palmitate form) is 5000 IU a day . We absorb (by some estimates) only 20% of what we take in. So we could take up to 25000 IU of A in man-made form (retinol / palmitate) and all the beta caratene we want and be okay.
I am babbling now....but to sum it up.... no one knows. You have to do what is best for you.
If you've needed higher doses of A to keep your levels up don't let them talk you into only taking a prenatal or by the end of the pregnancy you'll be so far in the hole you will have trouble getting out and do damage to you!
Good Luck !!
Cindy
(By the way - I have a perfectly beautiful little boy who is just over 4 months old!)
Surgery on 4/25/05 , Dr. Alverdy in Chicago. God Bless the DS !!!
Highest Weight = 412lbs, Surgery Weight = 359lbs, Current Weight = 155lbs (5'7" tall)http://www.picturetrail.com/gid8138761
Thanks Cindy. I hope you won't mind some panicked messages every once in a while. I'm a little freaked, but starting to feel much better!
Original DS-1/07/09- Dr. Simper, SW: 286, LW:170, Post-op HW:194
Hiatal Hernia Repair & Revised DS to Hess Method-1/29/14- Dr. Keshishian, SW:194, CW:176, GW:130ish
PCOS w/ 2 post DS pregnancies!
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