Question:
Whats the Real Truth about Pregnancy Post Op?
Ok.. So heres the question in full with explination.. I was refered to have Lapband by my Fertility specialist.. After 5 years of trying to get pregnant, Lapband was their solution.. So being the woman that I , and wanting to have a child so bad I went for it.. Going thru this whole 6 month process including consults, and surgery, and post op complications that were minor.. I go in today for my 3rd fill and the Nurse Praticioner proceeds to tell me that I cant get pregnant for 2 years... But my fertility specialist says I can.. and during my consult it was my main topic of discussion with my Surgeon, and he said it would be fine and ok... but the NP strictly says it cant happen, and has me absolutely mortified, cuz my husband is deployed and this was suppose to get us on track for when he came home, and now its all Ruined... Can someone please offer me some sanity.. Cause im not sure whats right or wrong anymore, or if I wasted my time having this surgery... PLEASE HELP... Ashlei... Surgery Date 10-29-08 Total Weight Loss 35 lbs. Only 82 lbs to go to reach Goal.. — spoiledarmywifey (posted on December 29, 2008)
December 29, 2008
Technically yes you can get pregnant before the inital 2 years is up though
since you are still losing and your system is pretty much trying to adjust
to the new set up.. they would prefer you not to get pregnant right away
post op.
Can you.. yes.. and you can have a perfectly healthy pregnancy. I got
pregnant 3 months post op RNY .. completely by accident.. but my daughter
is perfectly healthy. I am just extremely lucky that she is and that it
didn't sabotage my weight loss efforts. I have known other that it pretty
much ruined all the work the put into their surgery and weight loss by
getting pregnant too soon. I would suggest taking the time to lose all your
weight and get your self as healthy as you can first and foremost, then get
pregnant..
— NavyNukeWife
December 29, 2008
Not a woman and not a lap-band patient, so take what I say with a grain of
salt, but from MY research, the whole purpose of getting the lap-band for
someone like yourself would BE so that you would have the FLEXIBILITY to
get pregnant. MANY doctors recommend the lap-band just for that purpose.
With the OTHER weight loss surgeries, you are supposed to wait at least a
YEAR before you are allowed to become pregnant, and even then it is an iffy
proposition. Follow your SURGEON'S advice. He or she is the one who is
more knowledgeable about the procedure. Do not worry too much about the
NP's concern. He or she is probably just following the advice concerning
weight loss procedures as a WHOLE, and NOT the lap-band specifically.
Generally, I would not recommend the lap-band for weight loss EXCEPT for
someone in your position, or for someone who needed the flexibility that it
provides. People who may need extra nutrition during their weight loss due
to chemo-therapy or other reasons are good candidates for the lap-band. I
hope this helps. Hugh
— hubarlow
December 29, 2008
One of the big benefits to the ADJUSTABLE lap band is the fact that it is
adjustable. Once you lose enough weight to become pregnant you can remove
the fill from your band and basically eat like normal. After the baby is
born start with the fills again. Why would the NP not want you to become
pregnant - STATS. You will gain weight, it messes with the numbers if the
doctor tracks them. Lose as much weight as you can pre-pregnancy, get into
the healthy eating habits, start excercising and continue those habits when
you become pregnant, you'll be fine. But as always consult with your
DOCTOR to be sure - the NP is not a doctor.
— kathcar
December 29, 2008
As much as I respect NP's I think you fertility md is a bit more qualified.
I would think that after you body had gone through the stress of the weight
loss, pregnancy shouldnt be a problem. I would wait till you have been at
your maintance weight for a while.
Even if you dont have a child, and I sure hope you do. The weight loss will
not be a waste.
— urbrat2
December 29, 2008
You should ask the surgeon that performed your procedure for his opinion.
The purpose of any kind of weightloss surgery is to become healthy. They
generaly recomend a 2 yr waiting period to get pregnant to give your body
enough time to heal and allow you to lose as much weight as possible. It is
up to you. Think about your long term goals and good luck.
— maria09elena
December 29, 2008
Ashlei, you are physically capable of getting pregnant and, given that you
discussed this with both your fertility specialist and the surgeon, you
need to make an appointment with the surgeon regarding the nurse
practioner's statements. If the NP is giving the surgeon's patients advice
which is contrary to what the surgeon is saying, there is a HUGE problem
which needs that office needs to be resolved.
That said, if you are fortunate to be get pregnant, you will have to have
your band unfilled to ensure both you and the baby will get adequate
nutrition and it will slow down your weight loss. However, the beauty of
the band is that, once you have the baby, it can be filled again to get
your weight loss program back on track.
Best wishes. Lisa
— [Deactivated Member]
December 30, 2008
As I have learned going through this process, every surgeon is different,
and has their own protocals. Check with your surgeon, then if he gives the
go ahead, work with your fetility specialist. My surgeon said I could try
one year out, while others on his staff said 18 months....so just talk with
your surgeon. It will all not be a waste. I know with the military and
our husbands coming and going you are on not on a time table of your own,
but of the government....have patience it will work out.
— lmw9674
December 30, 2008
I am in the same boat. I had surgery 2/5/08 and have lost 113lb. We have
been trying to get pregnant for the last 3 months. I was also told that it
is ideal to wait 18 months to 2 years to get pregnant. I talked to my RNY
surgoen and explained that I wanted to get pregnant and he said that he
wouldn't advise it and was not telling me it was okay but there have been
women who get pregnant only a few months out from surgery and everything
has been fine. I was also worried about weight gain during pregnancy. I was
told by someone that if you get pregnant before you're done losing the
weight then you will platuea at the weight that you stopped at when you got
pregnant. That scared the hell out of me since I was already trying. I
asked my surgeon about this and he said that is not correct. He explained
that we have the mechanism inside to lose weight still and while we may
slow way down during pregnancy we can still lose the weight after
pregnancy. Again he didn't advise it and he made that very clear. He said
to atleast wait until your body slows way down on weight loss or til I am
at my ideal weight because we obviously don't want to lose weight while we
are pregnant. A friend of mine had RNY in June of 2007 and she is 5 months
pregnant right now. She wasn't done losing weight even though she was a
little more than a year out. Everything is okay except she has morning
sickness really bad and she has discovered that she is extremely lactose
intolerant just since getting pregnant.
Good luck to you and God Bless.
I want to say too that my intention here isn't to ill-advise you into going
against your doctor. I just wanted to share with you what i learned because
I too have wanted to have another child so badly and I'm not getting any
younger.
— Sillyguts
December 30, 2008
Thank you all for your advice... I have seriously had issues with this
since she told me yesterday. Especially Since both of my In Laws have
passed and my husband has no other family that he is on good terms with to
consider to have family.. So for him having a child would be another part
of HIS Family..and if we get Lucky maybe a Bundle of Baby Joy to pass on
the Last Name. Otherwise My Husband is it. I have wanted nothing more in my
life than to bear child, Its my personal ambition. Most people want that
College Degree and their Dream Job, well mine is being a Mom.
For a Weight Loss Patient this sounds bad, But I could have cared less
about the weightloss. My husband and I were happy either way, Ive grown up
heavy and its been very much a part of my life, and the reason why I have
the great personality that I have. But they could have told me 6 months ago
to cut my legs off, and live in a wheelchair for the rest of my life enable
to get pregnant and I would go for it. Tears rolling down my face as I
type this all out. But Surgery was the answer to all this and no matter
what it seems like ive made the wrong choice.. For about 3 weeks around
Thanksgiving I swore I was on the Approved Bulimia Diet, cause I would eat
and eat and eat, but anytime i put anything in my mouth I would puke over
and over again not being able to stop. And now Im back on track and the NP
broke my heart.. I guess for some ppl who have had the same fertility
problems as I, will forever understand, but the weight loss has helped yes
with making me healthier, and yes im loosing weight, but my real goal will
never be a number, it will be that bundle of joy... if that day comes. I
commend everyone for all their weight loss, and such progress, it truly
shows me that I can do this. I just wish that being the 25 year old Woman
that I am, things could come a little easier..
But Once again Thank you all for your support and words of encouragment. It
Helps, I personally am not ready to get over those words the NP spoke to me
yesterday. It will take some time. Does anyone know of or is a Weight Loss
Patient who has a severe case of PCOS and has had the surgery that helped
them concieve,I would like to hear what they have gone thru, and if or how
the surgery has helped.
(sorry im not all caught up on the lingo for these boards and question
posts, its just easier for me to type it out fully..)
Ashlei
— spoiledarmywifey
December 30, 2008
Ashley, because you had the lapband, getting pregnant is not as serious as
if you'd had RNY. You need to familiarize yourself with PCOS and all the
symptoms and their solutions and you need to be aware that miscarriages,
especially with the first pregnancy are very common. I'm 47 and have
suffered with many of the symptoms of PCOS; however, was never diagnosed
until this yr. Both my mother and both of my sisters suffer from it and one
sister has both that and endometriosis. My youngest sister has never been
able to conceive and has recently been told that pregnancy could be life
threatening. My best advice is do as much research as possible and find the
best Dr. in this field. Loose as much weight as possible, because once you
get pregnant, you'll be forced to eat healthily for both you and the baby
and that can result in some weight gain. I"m almost 4yrs post op RNY
and I can tell you that the further out one gets the more malabsorbtion one
must deal with. I've regained half of what I lost, am dealing with thyroid
cancer and am looking to get a revision. Be patient, God has his own plan
for you and accepting that is the biggest challenge. Good luck.
Cheryle
— amistique569
December 30, 2008
I think what your NP meant to say is that you shouldn't get pregnant for 2
years after WLS. Most likely she wants you to reach your goal weight,
stabilize, be at your healthiest and then try to get pregnant. Keep in
mind, your bariatric surgeon's office's main goal is not pregnancy, it is
for you to be a successful WLS patient and reach your goal weight. I do
agree that you should probably wait until you reach your goal weight and
then try to get pregnant- you can get the fluid out of your band and have a
normal happy, healthy pregnancy while trying not to gain much weight. Then
after delivery and/or breast feeding, you can re-start the process of fills
and weight loss when you choose- one of the wonders of having the band.
Please keep in mind also- your fertility specialist didn't say the lapband
was the solution to get pregnant, getting the band to lose weight to then
help you be able to get pregnant was the solution. Try to cut yourself
some slack and take it easy... all good things come in time and it will
happen when it should. Best of luck and thanks to your husband for his
faithful service to our country.. I really appreciate it and am thankful
for him for doing it and for you for holding down the homefront while he is
away. Bless you.
Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
— DawnVic
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