Question:
Anyone started a family after surgery w/out complications and too much weight gain?

I have PCOS and obviously am having problems getting pregnant, after 4 years of trying. My doctor suggested weight loss to help the situation. I just want to know who out there, that has already had surgery, has had complication free pregnancies for one or more children?    — nmbr1teacher (posted on January 2, 2003)

January 2, 2003
Hey there! I am in your boat...pre-op, PCOS, inability to get pregnant without trying something drastic...I spoke at length with my OB/GYN about this. She assured me that having this surgery would not hinder any pregnancies (as long as I waited the recommended 2 years post-op for my body to stabilize itself). She is also confident that the weight loss will correct my PCOS-related hormone imbalances and that she is very positive that I will be able to have children the "regular" way after I lose weight. So I'm very optimistic!
   — Amy W.

January 2, 2003
Hi, You have an excellent chance at having a healthy pregnancy/pregnancies after your WLS, provided that you give yourself 2 years for your weight to stabilize. In fact, Dr. Wittgrove (Carnie's surgeon) published an article recently stating that, not only to RNYers stand a good chance of healthy pregnancy post-op, they also tend to lose the pregnancy weight FASTER than 'regular' moms! You should also check out the Yahoo group OSSG-Pregnant - lots of post-op moms on there. Good luck!
   — Patricia E.

January 2, 2003
The link to the Yahoo OSSG-pregnancy group is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG-pregnant/. There's another site listed if you go to this one with more info on post-WLS pregnancy.
   — garw

January 2, 2003
I am hoping to also have surgery (02/03/03) and become pregnant. I have been struggling with infertility and PCOS for 10 years. After 2 miscarriages, 5 inseminations and ZIFT, this is my last hope.
   — Milesa R.

January 2, 2003
My daughter recently delivered a beautiful, healthy baby girl at 31 months post-proximal RNY. She had lost 220 lbs. post-op and got pregnant 22 months after her RNY. She was one of those very obese individuals who rarely experienced a menstrual cycle, and she was extremely skeptical about her ability to ever get pregnant. However, this little one was conceived on the honeymoon, so weight loss definitely impacts fertility! Our bariatric surgeon recommends that his patients wait at least 18 months after WLS to allow the body to recover from one major medical event before subjecting it to another. She had a complication-free pregnancy ending with a C-section that was related only to a too-small pelvis and had nothing to do with her WLS. Her OB doctor had never cared for a post-WLS patient in her practice and contacted the bariatric surgeon to determine if there were anything special that she should do or watch for during the pregnancy. His advice was to double the daily prenatal vitamins and draw a CBC/comprehensive metabolic panel every two months, but stated that there was absolutely no reason that the WLS should effect the pregnancy negatively. She gained almost 35 lbs., had picture-perfect labs throughout the pregnancy, and at her six week postpartum visit weighed only 4 lbs. more than her pre-pregnancy weight. The baby is now 6 months old, and my daughter has lost an additional 15 lbs. which puts her about 20 lbs. from goal, and is looking forward to finally being able to have her long-awaited tummy tuck which should take off those last remaining pounds. It can be done, and I would wish for you the same wonderful experience.
   — Diana T.

January 7, 2003
Read my site, I am working on it. I am also in communication with another woman over at the PCOS site who is as far along as I am - and who also had WLS.
   — Karen R.