Children after the sleeve?

[dfluke87 23]

Hello guys and gals! I'm super new to this forum and this is my first time posting. I just yesterday confirmed with my neurologist and my nutritionist that this is the road I indeed want/need to take to get myself healthy. I have been heavy my entire life. I dont remember a time when I wasn't. I was working with a trainer and nutritionist trying my best to get healthy and in 2012 I was diagnosed with Psuedotumor cerebri and my world kind of flipped on an axis and life got real. I was managing better and started working with a trainer again and I hurt my back in 2013 (I have degenerative disc disease.. which in turn resulted into a herniatied disc, a bulged disc and I have 2 bones spurs resting oh so dearly on my sciatic nerve), I then tore the tendons out of my arch in my left foot in 2014, cracked a rib in 2015, and in 2016, I had the honor of getting my self to awesome pair heel spurs and plantar fasciitis. I'm literally just a ball of injuring myself lol. I'm a hot mess really. For now, 2017 is treating me well and I truly hope I didn't speak to soon. (To be continued on that lol) With all jokes aside, I got married September of 2016 to an amazing man that has been by my side through all of this and we are ready for that next step, a family of our very own. When we started talking to the Dr's about getting pregnant and battling psuedotumor cerebri I felt my heart stutter a little bit. The medication I'm on to control my PTC can cause birth defects. Then I was told my back injury won't likely do well with a pregnancy and the added weight. So I just felt so discouraged. I've had surgery on my mind for sometime now, maybe since 2014, and I never had the guts to do it until now. I am 29 years old, still young, yet I'm hearing that time clock tick away. Without boring you all with this novel I'm forming here (lol), has anyone had the sleeve done and successfully carried a child years later? They say it can be done 18 months out (preferably), but I think I'll feel better knowing that there is someone out there that has fought for it and has had a baby post sleeve. I know no matter what health wise this is kind of my last option without giving up all hope. I'm ready to fight for this. I must get healthy and I can't wait to feel healthy again. I must do this for not only me, but my husband and any of our future children (birthed by me and/or adopted).

So with all that being said, any knowledge would be greatly appreciated and welcomed.

You are all such an inspiration and just know that this forum and all of you help make this journey 100% better.

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[tamara2333 33]

I have had 2 friends that have had babies post Gastric bypass. They both struggled getting back down to a comfortable weight. One had a revision and is doing better and the other did not. From what I've seen it can be done but you have to be ultra on top of your game once the baby is born. No cheating and probably starting back at post op phase 1

[MissKay 329]

Oh gosh, you've had a rough and tumble path, but it's great to see you still kicking and not giving up! I can relate on a much smaller level, I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2011, and that sort of killed me because it directly impacts whether I could ever carry a child or not. Fast forward to 8 months ago when I got sleeved after trying 5-6 years on my own of losing the weight (I didn't balloon up until 2009-2010). I have a friend who was sleeved with PCOS about 8 years ago, back before it was actually a big thing. She went to Spain to have it done because the doctors here just weren't that knowledgeable at the time. She's had 2 kids in the last 3 years and she's 43 years old. She gain some weight, but has dropped it back off once her hormones leveled back out. So it's possible as long as you remain smart during the pregnancy and then maybe start back at post-op phase 1 after just to get things back to how it was after. A lot of women overeat during pregnancy because of the "I'm eating for two" belief, but many doctors have stated that it's not necessary and causes unnecessary weight gain. So as long as you're aware and sticking to healthy foods and to good portions, I don't see it being too big of an impact. I also took this journey with the hopes of suppressing my symptoms and giving me a better chance of getting pregnant. The good news is that my cycle is getting back to normal, and that's a sign that my body is agreeing with all the changes!

[citizenlizzie 41]

Hi. I've always been overweight and was about 50 lbs heavier than a healthy BMI as my hub and I tried IVF to get pregnant. We failed 4x and then from all the hormones my A1C went from high end of not diabetic directly into full blown type 2. Got that under control and then got pregnant...An unexpected miracle. I was on insulin 9 months, fought against genetics as I gained 65 lbs during pregnancy like all other women in my family but gave birth at an exquisite 5.4 A1C. At 274 lbs. I would be absolutely devastated to gain that much back after getting the sleeve. A couple rude jerks called me "golly you are huge!" but I swear my doctors, nurses, and endocrinologists all treated me very well. Since my blood pressure was low and my type 2 under control, I had a very healthy pregnancy.

It's been 4 mos since giving birth and I still have post partum edema that won't leave me til I slim down. My sleeve will be done in June. If I were you, I would strongly consider waiting until after you are done having kids, wait the requisite 6 mos to heal up from giving birth, and do your pre-op requirements for surgery. You need to eat for your baby, and eat healthily. My two cents...Cray to have a kid knowing the surgery could be done after. Best of luck!

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[bekah7482 79]

Having the surgery and losing the weight will actually give you a better chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy. I don't have first hand experience but I know plenty of people who have had success having children after surgery. I have a friend who has been trying to have a child with his wife for almost 20 years. He thought he was sterile (she has 2 kids so her stuff works). They have both had the surgery and are now pregnant and doing great.

As a woman who is in the same position as you, ready to start a family, I was very worried about pregnancy after surgery. I have done a ton of research and ask my doctor about it every time I see him...literally EVERY appointment I ask him about how surgery can affect pregnancy. I have gotten so much positive notes on how much healthier pregnancy is after surgery then it would be for me at my current weight.

Pregnancy is complicated and there are always a million things that can go wrong. Yes you will have to be super on top of your Vitamins and making sure you are getting good nutrients from your food. However, I think anyone with past weight issues would have to be on top of not gaining too much weight and most women have trouble losing weight after having a kid. I am personally stoked to have this surgery and increase my chances of a health pregnancy.

Also, you need very little additional calories to grow a baby. Especially if you are still in the overweight category. "Eating for two" or "you need to eat more for your baby" is not true. A person in the healthy weight range does not need to eat more calories in their first trimester, 340 more cals per day in their second trimester and 450 more cals a day in their 3rd trimester. If you are still considered overweight, these numbers would be even lower. At 1.5-2 years post surgery, you could easily add a couple hundred cals without screwing up your sleeve.

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[bekah7482 79]

Dang...it cut part of my comment.

As I was saying, you will have to be super on top of your Vitamins and make sure you are getting good nutrients from your food but I think most women with past weight issues have to be careful about how much they gain and most women in general have trouble losing weight after a baby.

Also, you do not have to eat a lot to support the growth of a baby. "Eating for two" or "you need to eat to grow a baby" is not true. Women who are in the health weight range don't need to consume any additional calories in their first trimester, 340 more cals a day in their second trimester and 450 more cals a day in their third trimester. And if you get pregnant while you are still in the overweight category the extra cals you need to consume is even lower. 1.5-2 years post surgery, you can easily consume an extra few hundred calories without messing up your sleeve.

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[dfluke87 23]

Thank you all so much!! I just woke up to all of these amazing comments. You gals are the best. We know I will not be able to carry with what's happening now and just knowing that I can after is a great feeling. Just knowing there are people out there that have done it. I'm so happy knowing this. Thank you all again... so so much!

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