Question:
I'm pregnant at 7 months out. Help!

HI all! Well, just found out yesterday that I'm 4 weeks pregnant. Yes, I do know how that happens LOL. Anyways, I had gastric bypass on the 27th of December, 2002, so am only 7 months post-op. This baby is a real shock & surprise. I have 4 other kids, by the way. I would like to hear from those who have gotten pregnant within the year following their surgery. What did your docs tell you? What kind of supplements were you on? I've been on the phone with my WLS surgeon, my PCP and by OB/GYN trying to get a game plan together. So far, my WLS surgeon just wants me to stop taking any other supplements and just start taking prenatal vitamins, and to get a B12 shot every month. I was surprised because I thought that I'd need to be taking tons of supplements, including extra folic acid. Also, are protein powders going to be a good protein for the pregnancy? I drink them already, but really would like to make this as healthy a pregnancy as possible. Thanks all! SuzAnne in Utah    — SuzAnne S. (posted on July 30, 2003)

July 30, 2003
Original poster here: before someone gives me the address for the Yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-pregnant/), I've already got it and have signed up :).
   — SuzAnne S.

July 31, 2003
SuzAnne I know we're not supposed to but like you said...it happens! I was only two months out and found out I was pregnant and with twins to boot!! My doctor put me on a prescription prenatal (not a regular over the counter). I took one in the morning and one at night. Right now I am drawing a complete blank on the name but will post later when I get home from work. I continued to lose in the beginning. Up until I was 34 1/2 weeks I only gained 12 lbs. Because I was carrying twins, I also wound up carrying alot more fluid toward the end. In the last 3 weeks of the pregnancy I packed on 28 lbs of fluid. Within 1 week of having the babies, I dropped 60 lbs and have lost about 10 more since. Before the surgery I was 265 lbs. I was at 220 lbs and today (babies will be 3 months old tomorrow!!) I am weighing in at 184 lbs. I am hearing compliment up compliment about how good I look. I thought when I became pregnant that I screwed up my whole weight loss plan but I didn't. I continued to very healthy during the pregnancy. I ate more often but now I am back to how I was eating before the pregnancy...small meals...trying to remember to eat because I am so busy at work. Well I delivered mtwo healthy babies, Samuel (5 lbs 13 oz) & Savannah (5lbs 8 oz). They were delivered at 37 weeks which is considered full term when dealing with a multiple pregnancy. The only complication I developed (which happened toward the end) was my iron and hemoglobing were low. They couldn't even tie my tubes because they were afraid I would lose too much blood. I'm still taking additional iron as my levels are still a bit low. If you have any questions or need to talk, please feel free to email me. I know I felt so alone because I felt there was no one that I could talk to. I felt like a failure...like I let myself down. But I got over that real quick and am back to my healthy eating. Now all I have to do is get back to walking my 1-2 miles a day and going to my water aerobics classes three times a week but with the babies...it seems a bit harder to do...LOL Take care of yourself and your little one!!
   — Tammy W.

July 31, 2003
Congratulations! I know pregnancy isn't supposed to happen either but it can (obviously). A close friend of mine had WLS surgery and six months later found out that she was six months pregnant (and she had lost 90 lbs to boot!). Yes, she was pregnant when she was operated on but didn't know it and it was too early for a blood test to pick it up at pre-op. She had broken up a bad relationship 2 weeks before surgery and figured her missed monthly visitor was just a post-op matter because of the extreme weight loss. Fortunately her pregnancy went well (though she had little time to prepare for it). Her OBGYN was wonderful and kept a close eye on her pregnancy. She had an 8.5 little girl, completely healthy! Just do what your doctor says and take care of you and your baby, it can work out!
   — Mary A.

August 6, 2003
Suzanne, Hello there!! My name is Michelle and I had my gastric bypass surgery on October 16, 2002 and found out yesterday that I am pregnant. You know what is funny, is that my gyno's office is not really sure how safe it is to become pregnant so soon after the bypass surgery but like you said it happens and now I am waiting for the surgeons office to call me back and tell me if I should continue with the supplements I am taking now and the prenatal vitamins they just prescribed. I am alittle nervous about it but I am really excited since I only have one daughter and she is 9 years old and I have been waiting for this for a long long time but at this point I don't know whether to be happy or scared or both?? Have you heard anything else and do you have any tips for me? Please keep me posted on your situation. Thanks, Michelle in Delaware
   — Michelle O.