I'm really scared and I need advice (x-post)
I'm almost 9 months out from my RNY, and I just found out today, at work, that I'm pregnant.
I'm really scared. Not only am I 37 with 2 full time jobs, but my fiance and I have 5 kids between us already. Obviously I didn't intend for this to happen and I knew the risks of increased fertility, so we took precautions, but somehow I'm still pregnant.
I have a hundred questions and I'm in shock. My first concern is nutritionally.....how do I handle that? Do I increase any vitamins or take anything new? Right now I'm taking the basics...multi, iron, calcium, B12.
Do I eat the same or increase protein? What about my weight loss during and after pregnancy? Like most of us my biggest fear is regain and I know several people that regained everything after a pregnancy.
I certainly never expected this to happen. I'm nervous about calling my surgeon. I assume I'll be a higher risk because of my age plus my recent wls.
I think I'm rambling now....I'm sorry.....I just don't know how to handle this.
Does any one have any advice or suggestions? Please tell me I'm not the only one that has gone thru this lol.
Thanks,
Meg
First off, are you on Facebook? I have a SECRET group for just girls who got pregnant after surgery, there is about 10 of us there. Please add me as your friend of FB and I'll add you to the group. My name is Yana Brown and my pic is of me, my 3 yr old daughter and Mrs Claus.
Second, I am 7 months post op RNY and 7 weeks pregnant(most of us on fb group is early out and pregnant). Now to answer your questions. Nutritionally you should eat every 2-3 hrs. I only had to increase my calcium. I take 3 Calciums a day, 2 multi vitamins a day, 1 B1 and 1 B12. Protein should be increased by 10 grams, should have alot of milk and cheese. Im not worried about the weight, I just want a healthy pregnancy and baby so cant help there. I am high risk(Im 30), but not because of age, but because of surgery. The actual pregnancy isnt high risk, but because of malabsortion, I am. All that means is alot more ultrasounds to make sure the baby is growing fine. My surgeon had no advice, but I talked to my nutricionist and just told you what she said.
Good luck!!
Second, I am 7 months post op RNY and 7 weeks pregnant(most of us on fb group is early out and pregnant). Now to answer your questions. Nutritionally you should eat every 2-3 hrs. I only had to increase my calcium. I take 3 Calciums a day, 2 multi vitamins a day, 1 B1 and 1 B12. Protein should be increased by 10 grams, should have alot of milk and cheese. Im not worried about the weight, I just want a healthy pregnancy and baby so cant help there. I am high risk(Im 30), but not because of age, but because of surgery. The actual pregnancy isnt high risk, but because of malabsortion, I am. All that means is alot more ultrasounds to make sure the baby is growing fine. My surgeon had no advice, but I talked to my nutricionist and just told you what she said.
Good luck!!
(deactivated member)
on 12/1/11 7:56 pm - Woodbridge, VA
on 12/1/11 7:56 pm - Woodbridge, VA
Deep breath - others have been in worse situations and survived :)
Keep taking your supplements for now, but when were your last labs? If not within just the past couple months, I suggest going to your surgeon or PCP for a full set of lab orders (and I do mean FULL - make sure they include things like ferritin, PTH, D3 - not just D2, etc., as many docs/surgeons do not order enough labs). Get copies of your lab results - do NOT just trust when someone tells you everything is "fine" or "normal" - and check to see if there is anything you're even CLOSE to being too low or too high in, and see where your folate level is. Folic acid is excellent for pregnancy, so some women take extra, but mine was always unmeasurably high anyway, so I didn't bother adding extra. The only thing I did add was a DHA supplement daily (supposedly good for brain development).
As for diet, I just kept my carbs low and my protein and fat high. I also ditched artificial sweeteners, nitrates, and soy, but those are personal preferences to reduce certain risks and consume more natural foods.
I'm about 23.5 weeks along, and I lost 12 pounds in my first trimester (no morning sickness or vomiting, just eating healthy and a bit of loss of appetite). I was still a bit overweight to begin with, so this was never a concern for me or my docs (I see both my OB and my PCP). I've since just about regained that back, so I've essentially maintained my weight for these first 23 weeks and expect to gain from here on out. I'm not too worried - I'd rather have a healthy baby than worry about being thin :)
Now, find an OB who is knowledgeable about your surgery and supportive of your questions and specific needs as an anatomically-alterred patient. My first OB refused to ever run nutritional labs, told me to stop ALL supplements and just take a prenatal, and was only going to run the anatomy scan ultrasound around 20 weeks, no other ultrasounds the entire time (unless there was a problem). NO DEAL. I fired her and found a new OB who works with my PCP to monitor my labs, supports my continuing to take supplements beyond just a prenatal, and will be running a few extra ultrasounds to monitor baby's growth since they can't judge it accurately based just on my weight and size. Don't be afraid to change doctors, even multiple times, if need be, to find the RIGHT one for you.
Oh, and I've never seen my surgeon - he doesn't even know I'm pregnant. He's not an OB. I saw no reason to involve him.
Keep taking your supplements for now, but when were your last labs? If not within just the past couple months, I suggest going to your surgeon or PCP for a full set of lab orders (and I do mean FULL - make sure they include things like ferritin, PTH, D3 - not just D2, etc., as many docs/surgeons do not order enough labs). Get copies of your lab results - do NOT just trust when someone tells you everything is "fine" or "normal" - and check to see if there is anything you're even CLOSE to being too low or too high in, and see where your folate level is. Folic acid is excellent for pregnancy, so some women take extra, but mine was always unmeasurably high anyway, so I didn't bother adding extra. The only thing I did add was a DHA supplement daily (supposedly good for brain development).
As for diet, I just kept my carbs low and my protein and fat high. I also ditched artificial sweeteners, nitrates, and soy, but those are personal preferences to reduce certain risks and consume more natural foods.
I'm about 23.5 weeks along, and I lost 12 pounds in my first trimester (no morning sickness or vomiting, just eating healthy and a bit of loss of appetite). I was still a bit overweight to begin with, so this was never a concern for me or my docs (I see both my OB and my PCP). I've since just about regained that back, so I've essentially maintained my weight for these first 23 weeks and expect to gain from here on out. I'm not too worried - I'd rather have a healthy baby than worry about being thin :)
Now, find an OB who is knowledgeable about your surgery and supportive of your questions and specific needs as an anatomically-alterred patient. My first OB refused to ever run nutritional labs, told me to stop ALL supplements and just take a prenatal, and was only going to run the anatomy scan ultrasound around 20 weeks, no other ultrasounds the entire time (unless there was a problem). NO DEAL. I fired her and found a new OB who works with my PCP to monitor my labs, supports my continuing to take supplements beyond just a prenatal, and will be running a few extra ultrasounds to monitor baby's growth since they can't judge it accurately based just on my weight and size. Don't be afraid to change doctors, even multiple times, if need be, to find the RIGHT one for you.
Oh, and I've never seen my surgeon - he doesn't even know I'm pregnant. He's not an OB. I saw no reason to involve him.
You are by far not the first to be pregnant relatively early out. Take a deep breath, let it out, and try to relax. As long as you stay on top of your labs and do your best to eat correctly, you and your baby should be fine. I like the advice that Jill gave you...talk to your OB and if they don't sound like their plans for monitoring your pregnancy co-incide with what you need, find someone who can. Keep taking all your vits...really monitor your iron & D throughout the pregnancy, b/c those seem to be the first two vits to take a dive...make sure you eat a little bit of carbs with your protein (don't go into ketosis w/o any carbs...bad for the baby's brain development...but make sure the carbs you get are complex ones).
Best wishes - congratulations - and I hope you have a happy and healthy pregnancy.
Holly
January 2008,
July 2008
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July 2011
Mom to Khaled
Yana I requested you on Facebook. I see you're in NJ too.....I'm SJ, near Vineland. Thank you for your help, and I'm anxious to be part of the group. :-)
Jill you have been incredibly helpful!! My conversation with the nurse at my surgeons office was basically, 'congratulations, keep taking your vitamins' lol. NOT very productive. I am going to be setting up auditions for OBs in the next few weeks and making an appt w my primary. I'm just overwhelmed because I had made plans to get my tubes tied early next year, and here I am.
Meg
I hope you are feeling a little bit of relief. I am 39 and 4 yrs post op. I am also unexpectantly pregnant. I have two jobs, 3 kids already, single. Wasn't planned and I am not with the father anymore. He had a vasectomy 13 yrs ago. Surprise!!! I was told there is no difference and no harm for my pregnancy because of the surgery. After I got over the "I can't be" and the "What am I going to do?" questions and freak out, I just accept it and am excited about it. Can't wait to see my miracle!!! Best wishes!!!
I got prego 11 months post op but my goal was to lose weight so i could have a family i just didnt expect it to happen so soon after. The nurse at my obs office told me to change my diet to a good rounded diet and instead of her normal protien siggestion she told me to do what i am now but to add whole grains, fruit ,veggies, dairy good luck and i hope you find a great OB
Starting weight 320 weight a preop 300 Current weight 198 goal weight 160
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