Re: Bittersweet Introductions

[Guest guest]

HI Janine and welcome! I had 2 living children prior to surgery (both

c-sections with me over 400lbs) and they're 11mos and 6 days apart in age

(yes right now I have TWO 2yr olds) and you know its probably the best thing

that happened to me! Sure there are times its tough, not gonna lie to you!

IMNSHO It was much easier when they were smaller.. now they get into everythi

ng LOL! I'm not pg post surgery yet (done on 2/26/01 and down 205lbs from

491lbs, being 286lbs @ 5'11 " ) but have been given the go ahead to start TTC

#3 (actually #4) and while I'm excited about the whole journey of a new life

growing and entering our lives, I'm also terrified!

BIG HUGS, and no real answers as I haven't been pg post op just wanted to say

HI :0)

*~Joy~*

Lap RNY 2/26/01

Dr. N. Bertha, D.O.

@ town Memorial Hospital

town, NJ

Down 205lbs as of 12/11/01

Seeing the weightloss in MY eyes for the FIRST TIME!

Mommy to:

1-9-99

&

Saralyn

12-15-99

[Guest guest]

Janine,

I want to say I am one that has faught with infertility, miscarriages

and infant losses, but I can understand where you are at, some.

My third child was 9 months old when I found out I was pregnant with my

fourth. It wasn't that I didn't " want " another child, but not att hat

time. They are 18 months apart adn the first 6 months was very hard, but

after that it was very pleasant, still is (most of the time). They are

10 & 11 1/2 now.

Everything will be OK. Just take one day at a time.

I know several women that have gotten pregnant earlier post op and

everything was fine. Follow the diet guidlines from your Dr. and take

your supplements. I can't promise you things will be OK, but you have a

great chance of it.

I am not pregnant yet. It is in our plans, if it's in His.

Hugs, Donna

open RNY October 9, 2001

272/218

[Guest guest]

Have I

> pretty much blown it since I will be pregnant during

> the window of opportunity?

No, you haven't blown it. You can still continue your weight loss

after baby. I know it seems really overwhelming now. But you don't

really have that far to go. What was your goal weight? I have faith

that you can get down to that weight after baby. The fact of the

matter is that alot of women continue to lose weight while pregnant

and it does not affect the baby negatively. You will be fine.

Jen

[Guest guest]

hi janine..

never fffear, i too was in your shoes not too long ago finding out about the

surprse pregnanacy, only i was only 4 months out of surgery. i too was thinking

oh god ddid i sabatoge my surgery, blah blah blah, real fear there, totally

justified considering all that we have went through to regain our health! now i

am four months later down another 35lbs with a healthy bbaby inside. my surgeon

totally reassurred me about the weight loss, it will just be sloweddown some

until after the baby is born, which is ok with me as long as i have a healthy

kid, thats all im thinking about these days. just remember that as long as we

continue our exercise and our healthy eating it is inevitable to loss the pounds

considering how much we are able to eat, so little! again, stressing is totally

justified but u will be surprised by how little u gain during the pregnancy, if

anyat all..

one day at a time friend!

eniiigma

july 17, 2001

367/246/150

edd june 12, 2002

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Janine,

Welcome!!

I got pregnant 7 mos post op after having RNY - via lap done and

being at about 75% of my weight loss. I had NEVER gotten pregnant

before, wasn't expecting to get pregnant that easily and had plans

(even had my tickets purchased) to take a tour of Europe and

eventually Africa on a wildlife excursion.

Needless to say I was not the happy camper when I got the news that I

was pregnant. I cried for several days not knowing what to do it

seemed that everything I had been planning was about to change.

I had mixed emotions and naturally was scared as well, I did a lot of

reading one of my favorite books was A Pregnant Woman's Comfort Book,

it was very supportive of the " mixed " emotions one goes through and

not preachy at all. This helped a lot especially when it seemed to

me that everyone was happier than I was about this whole matter.

Things didn't improve when I started having terrible morning sickness

and I blamed myself thinking that I was so sick because I

wasn't " grateful " enough. This book really put all that into

perspective for me.

I have lost weight during my pregnancy due to being ill most of the

time, but I have talked with people who have had a good weight gain

and have had good luck loosing the weight after. I know when I

first found out I was also worried that I was going to gain all my

weight back, never be thin, etc...etc... I also found out later that

I worried about EVERYTHING. If I didn't eat I worried, if I ate I

worried I spent almost the whole pregnancy wishing I was doing the

opposite of what I was doing. It wasn't until almost the very end

that I just decided to let go that I was able to relax and accept

that I was doing my best with what I had to work with.

Eating well, good vitamins, keeping up with bloodwork and talking to

your doctor are all good things to keep up with and keep in mind.

Also remember you are going to be on a emotional rollercoaster and

may worry anyway, that's ok too.

Best of luck to you!!

~Ann

PS

I want to make a small statement about the " window of opportunity " I

realize that there is one post op, but let me just say you stomach

(contrary to myth about stretching) will never be the same unless the

surgery is reversed, you will never be able to eat the same amounts

of food again. There are ways to eat high calories anyway if really

determined, but I imagine that there are ways around anything. I

spoke with one person (not here) who would sit and eat all day until

they ate a whole pie, I also have heard of people who eat so much

they blow their pouch. I can't imagine either scenario for myself

because like most who have had the surgery I feel sick when I eat too

fast, the wrong food, and too much and I usually stop WAY WAY WAY

before I am full. Those things are all different than before I had

the surgery, and now that I am pregnant (as I have learned even WLS

patients can be very different in experiences) I am even more

sensitive to all sorts of food. Everyone will have different

experiences and different reactions, but I don't believe that

anything is impossible so I would tell anyone who is already pregnant

and worried about the weight gain to of course be careful but the

priority is different when you are pregnant, and after the baby is

born you can focus again on the loosing of weight. The tool is the

surgery, it never was the SOLUTION it was always just the tool, *WE*

are the ones ultimately who make it all work.

I hope this helps.

~Ann

RNY - LAP 09-00

Post op Weight 265+

Current Weight (at 39 weeks pregant) 144

Due Date 01-10-02

Expecting first baby - A girl - Kaarina Honor

Age - 30

> Hi Everyone!

> I'd like to start by saying I'm so glad to have found

> a support group that deals specifically with pregnancy

> after weight loss surgery. I am 6 mos post-op. My

> pre-op weight was 256 and I am happy to have lost

> 66lbs since surgery! My surgery went very smoothly and

> I've been slowly making the adjustment to my new way

> of eating. Up until a week ago life was good.

>

> I'm sure you all have probably heard this story

> countless times from other new members so I'll just

> cut to the chase. I took the test and two lines showed

> up! Two lines! What is going on? I've never been the

> fertile turtle! Also, I've been taking the birth

> control pill NorQD! What have I done?

>

> I know about not having a baby until at least 18 mos

> out! I know about the " window of opportunity! " I know

> about the possibility of a miscarriage! I'm just so

> overwhelmed with the emotional weight of not knowing

> how to feel. This will be my second child. I also have

> a two year old. Aside from the whole surgery issue,

> I'm very intimidated at the idea of having two babies

> nearly back to back. Yikes!

>

> I just feel so guilty because I know that my thoughts

> should be zeroed in on the welfare of the baby but all

> I can think of is that I've sabbotaged my surgery.

> Please don't bash me. I know how selfish that sounds

> but that's all I can think about. It's like - it took

> me so long to decide to have the surgery and so long

> to be approved! I know a baby is a blessing but the

> timing seems lousy.

>

> For those of you who've dealt with infertility, please

> forgive my whining. I know I sound like such an

> ingrate. The bottom line is that when all is said and

> done, I will have my baby and love him (hoping for a

> boy) but in the meantime I can't stop crying. Will

> someone honestly tell me how having a baby this soon

> after surgery will affect my weight loss? Have I

> pretty much blown it since I will be pregnant during

> the window of opportunity? I can take the truth, I

> think. (smile) Thanks so much for your support and

> congratulation to all the new moms and mommies to be!

>

> All the Best,

> Janine

> Surgery Date - 7/6/01

> Pre-Op - 256lbs

> Current - 190lbs

>

> __________________________________________________

>