Question:
Does anyone know the statistic and is this true?
Hi All, I will be 1 yr post opp in 5 days ( May 8th ). I recently found out that I am pregnant, im about 5 weeks. Well last wekk I called my surgeons office to let them know and the nurse said that I have to take more vitamins and take extra care of myself etc....well today I got another call fromt he doctors office. It was the receptionist calling to say that the nurse told the doctor about my pregnancy and he said that there is no way I should have this baby and that I should consider not having it. He says if I do this baby will be born with severe deformities and disabilities. So my question is, is there any statistics that show how often this happens and is it true that I will have a baby with these problems. Does a doctor even have right to say those thing? They were pretty rude about and I found it to be rather uncalled for, you just dont say that to some one!! Sorry im rambling but im really upset, thanks for your help! Renee — Renee D. (posted on May 3, 2004)
May 3, 2004
Boy I would never recommend that WLS to anyone! Our support group has
babies born by posties out a lot less than a year and they did fine. Our
surgeon dr philip schauer says wait at least a year. Having tried
unsuccessfully to have a child I am thrilled for you! Now find a NEW
surgeon for follow ups, and add his uncaring not axccurate comment to his
profile here so others will know what he said!
— bob-haller
May 3, 2004
My suggestion is to get yourself hooked up with a good Obstetrician and
make sure he knows all about your medical past....down to your eating
habits post surgery. That way with his knowledge and help you will be able
to go forth with this pregnancy...congrat!!!
— Laura G.
May 3, 2004
Renee,
I have never heard of this before. I don't think the doctor has the right
what so ever to tell you that unless you have health problems. May 8th I
will be one year out also - Isn't this weird. My doctor tells me that
after 1 year that I should be able to get pregnant but they would just have
to monitor me because of getting enough food in and vitamins. Matter fact
- One girl I know was 6 months out from her surgery and she got pregnant
and had a 8 lb healthy baby girl! If you get the obesity help magazine -
January issue spoke on pregnancy after weight loss surgery. A very good
article. I am planning on getting pregnant in the near future but I want
to get 30 more pounds off.
Tracie ([email protected])
— Tracie W.
May 3, 2004
Renee, I'm still pre-op so I don't know an answer to this, but I have seen
lots of people post about their pregnancies on other groups. I know of a
specific group that you may want to join that deals exclusively with
pregnancies after WLS, but I don't know the protocol for posting other
groups here. You can email me at [email protected] if you'd like the name
of it. There are over 1500 members that group. Other than that, I want
you to know that I'm saying a prayer for you and your baby. The
callousness of those nurses and doc to say such a horrible thing to you was
completely uncalled for and I hope that you're able to get a little peace
after talking to more women who've gone through this. Annie
— ruokannie
May 3, 2004
there are lots of post-ops having healthy babies. i would run from this
doctor as fast as you can! find a doctor that has had other woman who have
had wls. you can even call your wls doctor and see if they can suggest
someone to you. also you should look in the library on this site about
other who have had babies.
— franbvan
May 3, 2004
That's ridiculous! Congratulations on your pregnancy, and you should
report that surgeon to .... well, I don't know who, but you should still
report him!! :-)
— mom2jtx3
May 3, 2004
Rediculous AND Appalling. You're surgeon's office needs to get some
sensitivity training. How dare they call someone and spout out things like
that. I'd not listen to them at all. But, I would make an appointment to
go in and have a LONG talk about this with your surgeon and how the he@@ he
came up with such avcie and how the He@@ he felt it was apropriate to give
that advice through a nurse then through a receptionist. Excuse me, does
the doctor know how to use the phone? OMG. I'd be blazing furious if I
were you. Listen, you and your baby are going to be just fine. You may
need a little mre attention and nutritional guidance, but you have no need
to fear something horrible. While it may be more advisable that you had
waited a little longer, say maybe 18 months, there is no need for panic.
Now- go rip your Surgeon a new one.
— LMCLILLY
May 3, 2004
As posted by someone in a group I'm in:
From: "thebrowneyedgal" <hid1969@a...>
Date: Fri Apr 30, 2004 11:19 pm
Subject: My two cents -- going for broke.. lol
ADVERTISEMENT
Ok.. ok here is my story...
For those that dont know me, my name is Hope.
I had gastric bypass surgery... I would do it again in a heartbeat.
My surgery was almost three years ago.. Well I was six months out
from surgery and had lost 125-130 pounds and then found out that I
was pregnant.. LORDIE!! And then with the pregnancy I didnt gain any
wieght at all... How lucky is that.. I had a healthy baby boy..
He is now 14 months old.... I have put on about 20 pounds since his
birth.. Thats my own fault.. He keeps me too busy, I get tired and
dont eat the way I should. But everything will fall back into place
soon..
I had a great doctor - his name is Dr. Jeffery Matthews over at UC
hospital. He is a professor and he is also the chairman for the
department of surgery. He came from Boston. He has done MANY, MANY of
these surgeries. Great after care and very supportive office team..
His number is 513-475-8787.
I personally DIDNT have any complications.. NONE what so ever.
Guess I was either very lucky or just had a great surgeon..
However, there are many different kinds of complications.
It is a very tramatic thing for your body, you could lose some hair,
which for MANY of us it comes back after a few months. (just eat the
right foods and take your vitamins)
PERSONAL NOTE TO THE WOMEN WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT THE SURGERY!!!
IMPORTANT!!!! IF you want to have this surgery - please, please get
on birth control before hand.... and stay on it afterwards.. The
doctors dont like for us to get pregnant until at least 2 years out.
I was pregnant 6 months afterwards. We didnt know how the surgery
would effect me or my baby... But THANK GOD we were both healthy..
After the surgery we become more ferturle. Why they dont know maybe
because of the rapid weight loss. But for your health and for the
health of a child.. STAY ON BIRTH CONTROL until the 2 years. I was
very lucky... Like I said, I have a very healthy HANDSOME :) little
man....
But if anyone would like to talk to me about this or would have any
questions please feel free to email me at hid1969@a.... I will
answer anything you need to know or want to know. (as long as I have
the answer) :)
Good luck to one and all that might be thinking about this surgery.
Its a big step.. A hard choice.. And also keep in mind, this is only
a tool... And if you dont make the tool work the weight loss will not
work for you. You have to be willing to help it along and willing to
change your life...
OK thats my two cents, I am broke....
:)
Any comments -- Matt???
Hope
— Teresa Green
May 3, 2004
OMG!! Let me say that I have a very good friend that had the WLS and
2months later,yeah 2 months she found out she was pregnant. and 9months
later had a beautiful 7lb. baby boy..congradulations girl:-) find a Dr.
that has emotions not one that has frustrations and taking it out on his
patients..hellooo Dr.. things like this happen everyday..lol again
congradulations..
— Sheila W.
May 3, 2004
That doctor was highly unprofessional! Don't go back to him until you can
flaunt your healthy new baby! There's an OSSG-Pregnancy group over on
Yahoo. I don't know if that's the exact name, but do a search and you'll
find it. Those post-ops will know a whole lot more than this stupid
doctor. One of the most unusual stories we'd heard about on the Grad list
was the wife of one of our members learned she was pregnant just weeks
after her RNY, and although the pre-op tests came up negative, she was
pregnant at the time of her surgery! She gave birth to a healthy baby a
couple of months ago! Good luck, sweetie, you & the baby will be just
fine!
— Leslie F.
May 3, 2004
AMOS MOD HERE. I E mailed the surgeon a link to this discussion with a copy
of the posts so far. I hope he gets back to the patient immediately. Its
possible this is all a missunderstanding, caused by a poor employee.
Whatever the case I have notified the office and will likely call them in
the morning with a heads up. Looking at the glowing reports on his patient
profile I suspect this may be a out of control employee who needs
sensitivity and accuracy training.
— bob-haller
May 3, 2004
I find it very strange that a professional doctor would have his
receptionist relay a message like that. Unless you've had problems with
him doing things like that in the past I would go with Bob on this... an
overzealous employee with a negative/ignorant view of WLS.
— SJP
May 3, 2004
Please DO NOT listen to that receptionist. IF the dr. feels that way (and I
really can't think of a reason why) HE should be the one telling you.
<p>
Some dr.s want us to wait a year (like mine) some say up to 2 years. But a
majority will tell you there is no reason to not have kids after WLS. I am
a little over 8 months pregnant. We waited to start trying until I was a
year post op and it happened pretty fast for us. I'm due to deliver on May
22, but if she decides to go today it would not hurt my feelings!!
<p>
Please go over to OSSG-Pregnant at Yahoo, not only do they have great
support on the message boards, but they have some pretty good research in
the files section:
<p>
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-pregnant/
<p>
Congratulations on the baby and good luck!!
— Ali M
May 4, 2004
AMOS MOD HERE<P> I spoke with their office today. Its appears a miss
communication and the surgeon will be calling the patient later today. I
hope she will give us a follow up. I suspect they already had other calls
about this:(
— bob-haller
May 5, 2004
Hey everyone I just wanted to say thank you for your advice and words of
encouragment! They were very helpful to me and managed to calm my fears. I
had my first obgyn visit today and they say all should be fine but as an
added precaution they will consult with one of their high risk obgyns in
boston to confirm everything. So again thank you very much you guys are
great. Also I wanted to especially thank bob you are an excellent moderator
and obesityhelp.com is lucky you have you. However my doctors office still
hasnt called and its now 4:15pm on May5th, and I doubt they will but will
let you know if they do!
— Renee D.
May 5, 2004
Thanks for the kind words, being a mod here is fufuiling a promise I made
to myself pre op to give something back if I survived and did OK. It
troubles me your surgeon didnt call. I wonder if he even knows about this?
The office staff might be covering it up:( If he never calls be sure to
mention it to him at your next appointment. Tell him it got posted to the
net. His reputation is at stake with stuff like this. Its ONE thing for a
staff member to make a error, but far worse if they try covering it up. The
advice they gave you might have have caused terrible long term troubles. A
buddy of mines daughter terminated a pregnancy and is in counciling and
sufferes from depression all apparently caused by that decision made over 8
years ago. She ended up marrying her boyfriend and has gone on to have 5
more kids with him. Still that one causes her mental anguish. Glad your
baby will be OK!
— bob-haller
May 7, 2004
How outragous! First I would fire that doctor, then report him to the
medical board. Yes, you can do that. He's totally out of line and WRONG
about deformaties, etc....For God's sake! Please get yourself to a good
Ob-GYN and a nutritionist and you will be just fine if you are careful that
you eat properly and stay hydrated. Start exercising and get in the best
shape you can be in to help with the delivery - and GOOD LUCK!
Happy Mother's Day!
Diane N
www.WeightlossSurgery.ws
— DianeN
May 7, 2004
OK, so I confess. I didn't read all the posts!! Glad to hear that the doc
didn't really say that baloney...Diane
— DianeN
Click Here to Return