XtinaDoesIt

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

I might actually go to a friend from college's wedding in June instead of sending my usual gift and excuses.

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

I think Carys sugar free Syrup taste just as good as Aunt Jemima! I make Protein pancakes or waffle and top it off with this syrup when I need something sweet.

My boyfriend brought my engagement ring a month or two back (mom can't keep a secret and told me). I wonder if it will fit when he finally pops the question?! I'm 3 month post surgery...

I might actually go to a friend from college's wedding in June instead of sending my usual gift and excuses.

Hi All!
Its been a while since I posted anything or been active. I found out in November that I was pregnant. I was 8 months out of surgery when I got pregnant. My fiance and I had just gotten engaged a few months before and were planning our wedding. So it was definitely a surprise! I was really nervous about proceeding with the pregnancy. I just knew I would be ready in just one more year (I've been saying that for the last 5 years!) BUT I was pregnant now, 33, in a great relationship, with a stable income, healthier then Ive been in a while and all out of excuses not to start my family. So my journey began...
I am currently 23 weeks pregnant! This is my first pregnancy so I have nothing to compare it with but this has been my experience in case any of you find yourself in my situation.
Its hard to find doctors who understand how VSG affects my pregnancy. They understand that I need to be monitored more but don't really get the nuances. One example; I was given this HUGE jug to collect my urine over 24 hours. When I returned it, I was told that they need AT LEAST 4X more urine than I had collected. They were convinced I didn't collect all my urine. I told them that was everything I had to give! They told me to drink more Water. Now this community knows how hard that task is. I still can not eat and drink at the same time. I also cant just drink a gallon of water in one go. It feels like a herculean task. I have tried 3 times and have still not filled this jug! I've learned that drinking tea increases my urine output so I have hope for my next attempt. I was really sick throughout my first and second trimester. I already had bad acid reflux before and after surgery and was taking omeprazole to relieve it. Turns out you can't take anything stronger than Tums while pregnant. So on top of the normal nausea, I felt the need to throw up to relieve my indigestion and heartburn. I started really hating food when everyone else kept trying to feed me more! I've been feeling better now though. I was allowed to take pepcid and it actually helps. Now, I have the desire to eat more but still cant eat more than a few bites of anything in one sitting. My food also takes forever to digest so I have to be really picky about what I eat. Fruits are my best friend! I kept my surgery a secret. My fiance and sister are the only ones I told about my VSG. So no one really gets why Im having a hard time eating more. They also keep wanting to see my belly but Im not sure how to explain my incisions. It feels too late to say anything now... so its awkward and more isolating than it could have been. But my family can be SUPER judgy so I think they would just find a way to make me feel bad about it and I don't need the added stress. I get to do more sonograms than your average mom to be. Because of my VSG and previous hypertension, I'm monitored more and have more doctor visits. I really don't mind! I love getting to see whats going on in there! So far so good... mostly. I keep expecting the docs to say my baby isn't growing or Im malnourished but that doesn't seem to be the case. Everything is progressing normally and baby looks good. They did mention that one of babys kidneys is not eliminating waste as it should. The other kidney is fine but they want to keep an eye on it. Of course we are worried but its actually pretty common and generally resolves itself. If it doesn't, there is a small procedure to fix it after birth (if necessary) so we are trying not to sweat it. I got Covid. I'm a teacher and as soon as the mask mandate was removed, I got COVID. Never mind that Ive been vaccinated, boosted and was still wearing my mask! Im actually recovering now. (SIDE NOTE: We seem to be having a second surge at my school. I wonder if any other teachers (or parents) have noticed that?) I was EXTREMELY sick the first week. I was lightheaded, coughing, full of mucus, achy and just couldn't get out of bed. I also couldn't take any medicines because of the pregnancy. My mom kept sending me home remedies but when I looked them up, there was always a warning for pregnant people. I just had to ride it out. Baby seems ok but I'll know more at my appointment next week. As far as my VSG goals... I was 195-200 lbs when I found out I was pregnant (SW:267) and had been stalled there for almost 2 months. I was getting a bit discouraged because my whole weight loss process had been so slow and felt harder for me than it seemed like it was for some people here. I also had a friend who had her VSG after me and had lost almost twice as much weight as I had so I knew it wasn't in my head. I started drinking again and sneaking in more cheat Snacks. When I found out I was pregnant, I cut out all alcohol and was really strict about making sure the little food I ate was good for baby. I dropped 20-25 more pounds. Im currently 175 lbs. I havent really gained any weight. Part of me is happy about that and still trying to get to my goal of 155 while pregnant. But I know I have to put on weight for baby. It's really a mind f**k. Doctors say the baby is growing normally so there isn't much to worry about... yet. Technically I'm still overweight and they don't recommend as much weight gain for overweight moms. Im entering my third trimester now and am supposed to put on 1-2 lbs a week. We'll see how that goes. Im still trending downwards... If you made it to the end, thanks for reading through this entire post. I hope it helps. I hope to update you with only good news in the weeks to come! Last note, I'm having a girl! So exciting!!! My VSG has definitely complicated things but I think we made the right decision and I am really excited about entering this next chapter of my life healthier than I have been in years!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

I might actually go to a friend from college's wedding in June instead of sending my usual gift and excuses.

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

Wearing shorts without chaffing... much 😁. I cant wait not to chafe at all!!!

I am in support of affinity forums. Why not?! There are plenty of forums here. I personally saw the girls room and thought that was great! As a poc, I wouldn't mind exchanging thoughts with other people who might have a better understanding of what I am going through. Creating affinity groups does not erase public forums nor do they exclude others. It's just a way to hopefully ensure that the people who post in them care about that specific thing.
I will agree that sometimes, when I learn a person has a particular political view, it can be hard not to see that in everything they say. So this forum may not be the best place to discuss the happenings of the world. But that's not what an affinity group is. The girls group for example, doesn't post about unequal wages and gender discrimination. Although imo, a post about the dismissive nature of doctors towards women (Particularly women of color) and how that affects your journey could be more interesting then the standard "stalling" thread.
EDIT to add: I'd also like to add that unfortunately people in underrepresented and marginalized communities can often be afraid to share their stories. Affinity groups allow a safe space to do that. Im sure everyone feels a little insecure when posting but some people have the added pressure of hoping not to be discriminated against, judged or isolated when engaging with larger groups.

I am in support of affinity forums. Why not?! There are plenty of forums here. I personally saw the girls room and thought that was great! As a poc, I wouldn't mind exchanging thoughts with other people who might have a better understanding of what I am going through. Creating affinity groups does not erase public forums nor do they exclude others. It's just a way to hopefully ensure that the people who post in them care about that specific thing.
I will agree that sometimes, when I learn a person has a particular political view, it can be hard not to see that in everything they say. So this forum may not be the best place to discuss the happenings of the world. But that's not what an affinity group is. The girls group for example, doesn't post about unequal wages and gender discrimination. Although imo, a post about the dismissive nature of doctors towards women (Particularly women of color) and how that affects your journey could be more interesting then the standard "stalling" thread.

I haven't even reached my goal and it hasn't been super easy for me (especially now that I'm pregnant) but I only regret not doing it sooner! I really want to get breast reduction surgery next. Cant wait for that! I will say I wanted more immediate results. I fantasized about being "beach ready" 4 months after surgery and that didnt happen (the way I fantasized about it anyway). It's taken me a lot longer than I hoped to reach my goal and be "back to normal." I pretty much took a year off my social life then got pregnant so I still feel like Im on pause and under construction. But one day soon I know I'll be where I want to be! No regrets!