New to this board
Good Evening Everyone!
I am so excited to join this board, I am currently a little over 1.5 years since my surgery and very anxious to have a baby!!
I am getting married in May of 2012 and we plan to start around then.
My surgeon keeps telling me that I am classified as a high risk, and that I should be very careful. He also insists that I go see a high risk OB. Did you find that you needed to go to one?
I hope you do not mind if I ask a few questions as I prepare for the next adventure!
1. How much folic acid did you take before and while prego? Should we take more then the recommeneded for someone who has not had the surgery?
2. What is so differnert from a person who has not had the surgery compared to someone like myself who has had the surgery?
3. Is the rumors true that we are more likely to have a c-section because we had a gastric by-pass
?
4. Where you afraid about the weight gain?
Thank you for reading my post, and any input would be well apprecited.
Cheers,
Carrie
I am so excited to join this board, I am currently a little over 1.5 years since my surgery and very anxious to have a baby!!
I am getting married in May of 2012 and we plan to start around then.
My surgeon keeps telling me that I am classified as a high risk, and that I should be very careful. He also insists that I go see a high risk OB. Did you find that you needed to go to one?
I hope you do not mind if I ask a few questions as I prepare for the next adventure!
1. How much folic acid did you take before and while prego? Should we take more then the recommeneded for someone who has not had the surgery?
2. What is so differnert from a person who has not had the surgery compared to someone like myself who has had the surgery?
3. Is the rumors true that we are more likely to have a c-section because we had a gastric by-pass
?4. Where you afraid about the weight gain?
Thank you for reading my post, and any input would be well apprecited.
Cheers,
Carrie
All my best in your journey!
Carrie
Carrie
(deactivated member)
on 8/27/11 10:12 pm - Woodbridge, VA
on 8/27/11 10:12 pm - Woodbridge, VA
I'm only 9 weeks and 5 days pregnant, so I don't have all the answers. I also don't have an RNY gastric bypass - I have a VSG stomach and then about the same amount of intestinal bypass as with the RNY (but having a VSG means I still maintain a short length of duodenum), so I can't speak to anything pouch-related. That said...
1. How much folic acid did you take before and while prego? Should we take more then the recommeneded for someone who has not had the surgery?
I did not take extra folate before, nor am I taking extra now that I am pregnant. Look at your lab results for folate - mine were always unmeasurably high (just read >20), so I didn't bother adding extra. When I compared the label of a prenatal to the label of my current regular multi, my multi had MORE folic acid in it than the prenatal, so I did not switch to the prenatal. So, my suggestion is to see how much you're already getting from your current vitamins and how that translates on your lab results, and go from there.
2. What is so differnert from a person who has not had the surgery compared to someone like myself who has had the surgery?
Same as without pregnancy - dietary changes/restrictions and malabsorption, primarily. You'll find most post-RNY patients can't do the glucose tolerance test because it will cause dumping, so doctors will have to work with you to find another way to monitor your pregnancy for gestational diabetes. I also highly recommend you find a doc willing to run labs on you more often than on normal patients.
3. Is the rumors true that we are more likely to have a c-section because we had a gastric by-pass?
It appears to be true statistically (says Google), but I can't speak to this myself since I've not yet delivered.
4. Where you afraid about the weight gain?
I never reached my dream goal weight to begin with, so I still have weight to lose, but in general, no. I want a healthy family more than I care about being skinny. In fact, I had WLS to become healthier, not just to be skinny. Weight gain is anormal part of the process that I signed up for the second we decided to go off of birth control.
I do not see a high-risk OB; however, I've not actually seen my OB at all yet (just saw the Nurse Practitioner at my first appointment), so if my OB does not agree to run more frequent labs and allow me to self-monitor my glucose levels and whatnot, then I will be changing to a different practice, possibly a high-risk one/perinatologist.
In the end, I will do during pregnancy just as I have had to do since I decided to have WLS - be my own advocate, do lots of my own research, track my own lab results, and be very mu*****harge of my own care to make sure I get the best for myself and, now, for my baby. It's not that I don't TRUST doctors at all, but I undrstand that they are trained and accustomed to treating "normal" patients, so I have to be proactive about making sure my specific individual needs are met.
1. How much folic acid did you take before and while prego? Should we take more then the recommeneded for someone who has not had the surgery?
I did not take extra folate before, nor am I taking extra now that I am pregnant. Look at your lab results for folate - mine were always unmeasurably high (just read >20), so I didn't bother adding extra. When I compared the label of a prenatal to the label of my current regular multi, my multi had MORE folic acid in it than the prenatal, so I did not switch to the prenatal. So, my suggestion is to see how much you're already getting from your current vitamins and how that translates on your lab results, and go from there.
2. What is so differnert from a person who has not had the surgery compared to someone like myself who has had the surgery?
Same as without pregnancy - dietary changes/restrictions and malabsorption, primarily. You'll find most post-RNY patients can't do the glucose tolerance test because it will cause dumping, so doctors will have to work with you to find another way to monitor your pregnancy for gestational diabetes. I also highly recommend you find a doc willing to run labs on you more often than on normal patients.
3. Is the rumors true that we are more likely to have a c-section because we had a gastric by-pass
?It appears to be true statistically (says Google), but I can't speak to this myself since I've not yet delivered.
4. Where you afraid about the weight gain?
I never reached my dream goal weight to begin with, so I still have weight to lose, but in general, no. I want a healthy family more than I care about being skinny. In fact, I had WLS to become healthier, not just to be skinny. Weight gain is anormal part of the process that I signed up for the second we decided to go off of birth control.
I do not see a high-risk OB; however, I've not actually seen my OB at all yet (just saw the Nurse Practitioner at my first appointment), so if my OB does not agree to run more frequent labs and allow me to self-monitor my glucose levels and whatnot, then I will be changing to a different practice, possibly a high-risk one/perinatologist.
In the end, I will do during pregnancy just as I have had to do since I decided to have WLS - be my own advocate, do lots of my own research, track my own lab results, and be very mu*****harge of my own care to make sure I get the best for myself and, now, for my baby. It's not that I don't TRUST doctors at all, but I undrstand that they are trained and accustomed to treating "normal" patients, so I have to be proactive about making sure my specific individual needs are met.
Good Morning,
Thank you for all the wonderful information and taking the time to write it all out!
I think my biggest struggle is going to be my nutirtion, I am going to get some blood work done in the next few weeks - to ensure that all of my levels are good. If not, I can start working on getting them into the optimal area.
Cheers,
Carrie
Thank you for all the wonderful information and taking the time to write it all out!
I think my biggest struggle is going to be my nutirtion, I am going to get some blood work done in the next few weeks - to ensure that all of my levels are good. If not, I can start working on getting them into the optimal area.
Cheers,
Carrie
All my best in your journey!
Carrie
Carrie
Hi Carrie, Welcome to the board. As far as being considered high risk will depend on your doctor. I do see a high risk doctor besides my normal midwife/nurse practioner, but mostly due to my age (38) and with having RNY (they want to make sure your baby is growing normally and you get your nutrition). It is very important to have your vitamin levels checked before trying to get pregnant and then at least 3 times during your pregnancy, as your levels can change drastically during pregnancy. With that said, here is my response to your questions:
1. With my last pregnancy post-op, I didn't take extra folic acid and my son is a very active, normal, smart 3 year old! With this pregnancy, I decided to take extra folic acid mainly because I realized it woud be good to do. I didn't take a prenatal vitamin (continued taking my complete multi-vitamin) with either pregnancy as my OB and Barix surgeon's office said it wasn't needed. Along with my multi-vitamin daily, I take an additional B-12 sublingual, D3, Calcium, Folic Acid, Iron and just added in Zinc because my last blood draw was low. But please have your levels checked and talk to your surgeon before you decide to add any additional vitamins, as we are all different and absorb different (with my 1st blood draw, my iron was high....with my 2nd draw it had gone down and appears it would continue to go down, so I started taking my iron supplement everyday verses every other day).
2. Like the previous poster stated, you have to watch your nutrition more. It's important to add good carbs (whole wheats, brown rice, etc.). You also want to watch your vitamin levels more like I stated above.
3. I have a very hard time to believe more woman have c-sections due to gastric bypass. You will find lots of woman on this board (including myself) that have delivered just fine vaginally. C-sections seem to be more common nowadays probably take place more than they need to. I would highly suggest you not be induced unless medically necessary because it is proven that woman that get induced are more likely than woman who don't.
4. I think if a woman told you they were not scared about weight gain after taking the steps to have surgery and loose a major amount of weight would be lying to you. This is very normal! Please understand, gaining weight during pregnancy is normal and required. Some woman gain very little (even loose) and some gain more than they want to admit (myself). Chances are you will find you will be able to eat more and tolerate more foods once pregnant. Don't worry to much about this, your pouch will shrink back down after the baby is born and you will find you will become more restricted again. You may find the baby weight will fall right off and you might have to work harder on loosing it....but regardless it's very possible to achieve your pre-pregnancy weight!
Congrats on your upcoming marriage and best of luck to you when you decide to get pregnant!
Kerri
1. With my last pregnancy post-op, I didn't take extra folic acid and my son is a very active, normal, smart 3 year old! With this pregnancy, I decided to take extra folic acid mainly because I realized it woud be good to do. I didn't take a prenatal vitamin (continued taking my complete multi-vitamin) with either pregnancy as my OB and Barix surgeon's office said it wasn't needed. Along with my multi-vitamin daily, I take an additional B-12 sublingual, D3, Calcium, Folic Acid, Iron and just added in Zinc because my last blood draw was low. But please have your levels checked and talk to your surgeon before you decide to add any additional vitamins, as we are all different and absorb different (with my 1st blood draw, my iron was high....with my 2nd draw it had gone down and appears it would continue to go down, so I started taking my iron supplement everyday verses every other day).
2. Like the previous poster stated, you have to watch your nutrition more. It's important to add good carbs (whole wheats, brown rice, etc.). You also want to watch your vitamin levels more like I stated above.
3. I have a very hard time to believe more woman have c-sections due to gastric bypass. You will find lots of woman on this board (including myself) that have delivered just fine vaginally. C-sections seem to be more common nowadays probably take place more than they need to. I would highly suggest you not be induced unless medically necessary because it is proven that woman that get induced are more likely than woman who don't.
4. I think if a woman told you they were not scared about weight gain after taking the steps to have surgery and loose a major amount of weight would be lying to you. This is very normal! Please understand, gaining weight during pregnancy is normal and required. Some woman gain very little (even loose) and some gain more than they want to admit (myself). Chances are you will find you will be able to eat more and tolerate more foods once pregnant. Don't worry to much about this, your pouch will shrink back down after the baby is born and you will find you will become more restricted again. You may find the baby weight will fall right off and you might have to work harder on loosing it....but regardless it's very possible to achieve your pre-pregnancy weight!
Congrats on your upcoming marriage and best of luck to you when you decide to get pregnant!
Kerri
Hi Kerri,
Thank you so much for all of the wonderful information!!
I am going to take your great advice and get my blood work checked soon so that I can make sure my levels are in a good state. If not, I can work on improving them.
I really hope that I do not have a c-section, I would love to do it vaginally, however if it is a c-section..nothing wrong with that either. All I care about is a healthy baby!
Thank you again for your great words of wisdom!
Cheers,
Carrie
Thank you so much for all of the wonderful information!!
I am going to take your great advice and get my blood work checked soon so that I can make sure my levels are in a good state. If not, I can work on improving them.
I really hope that I do not have a c-section, I would love to do it vaginally, however if it is a c-section..nothing wrong with that either. All I care about is a healthy baby!
Thank you again for your great words of wisdom!
Cheers,
Carrie
All my best in your journey!
Carrie
Carrie
(deactivated member)
on 8/28/11 5:09 am - Woodbridge, VA
on 8/28/11 5:09 am - Woodbridge, VA
Just wanted to add a note on the "importance" of adding "good carbs" during pregnancy - this is something I've heard said here a lot, but I have yet to find a single reliable resource substantiating it. People will tell yout hat ketosis causes fetal brain damage, but I've never found anything that proves this. I have, however, found lots of anecdotal evidence that women who eat low in carbs throughout pregnancy generally experience fewer nasty side effects (nausea, morning sickness, edema, etc.) and still had perfectly healthy babies.
In the end, it's your decision how you want to eat. Personally, I'm staying low in carbs - the human body does not require dietary carbohydrates for anything normally, and pregnancy is no exception. I eat a variety of meats, eggs, cheeses, some other dairy (full-fat Greek yogurt, butter, etc.), nuts/nut butters, non-starchy veggies, and some fruit here and there (mostly berries since they tend to be lower in sugar). I avoid all grains, including all bread/flour products, rice, pastas, starchy veggies (potatoes, corn, etc.), sweets, and limit intake of high-sugar fruits. I don't test to see if I'm ketosis or not (frankly, I don't care), but I'm sure I am at times, as are many women who have severe morning sickness and the hundreds of generations of women *****produced while living in areas where vegetation was sparse and dietary carbohydrates were not regularly available.
My PCP and my OB's NP are both fine with my eating plan. No one has suggested I add carbs nor presented me with any evidence substantiating why I should do so, so I don't :)
In the end, it's your decision how you want to eat. Personally, I'm staying low in carbs - the human body does not require dietary carbohydrates for anything normally, and pregnancy is no exception. I eat a variety of meats, eggs, cheeses, some other dairy (full-fat Greek yogurt, butter, etc.), nuts/nut butters, non-starchy veggies, and some fruit here and there (mostly berries since they tend to be lower in sugar). I avoid all grains, including all bread/flour products, rice, pastas, starchy veggies (potatoes, corn, etc.), sweets, and limit intake of high-sugar fruits. I don't test to see if I'm ketosis or not (frankly, I don't care), but I'm sure I am at times, as are many women who have severe morning sickness and the hundreds of generations of women *****produced while living in areas where vegetation was sparse and dietary carbohydrates were not regularly available.
My PCP and my OB's NP are both fine with my eating plan. No one has suggested I add carbs nor presented me with any evidence substantiating why I should do so, so I don't :)
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