Help!! I'm Pregnant And My Doctors Are Telling Me Different Things!!!

bandster_1007 · 03-19-2008, 09:27 AM

OK, i had surgery 10/18/07. it took me a LONG time to get restriction, and i got it about 1.5 months ago. since i have lost 25 lbs. i have been pregnant the whole time but did not know it.

..little background…I haven’t had a period since October, and assumed it was from my body being in “shock”. However, in early February, I took a home test and it was positive. Then I took a lot more, including a dr. urine and blood, and I was not pregnant. Then 2 weeks ago, I confirmed it, at the dr’s office and at home.

Around here they don’t want to see you until you are “8 weeks +”…however, I have not had a period in months. So, I don’t know how far along I am. I know that my morning sickness is gone (I thought that was the band), and I’m showing. So based on symptoms I am going into my 4th month.

Ok, since I haven’t had a good fill for a LONG time, and since I was having nausea majority of the time since the last one, I’m sure the baby did not suffer nutritionally.

However, lately, I have not been able to eat what I think is enough. One ob doctor, not mine, she wasn’t in the office…says I need to be eating at least 1500 calories. Well, the only way that I can get 1500 calories is if I drink my calories, too…and that is not good.

What do you guys think? I’ve posted in the pregnancy section, but I haven’t gotten a lot of direct feedback, because all of our situations are different. I thought maybe some of the people that have been pregnant are not over there anymore.

I’m trying to decide, unfill or not, my band doctor says no need to get an unfill that I can do just fine?????????

SuzanneG · 03-19-2008, 09:31 AM

First of all, congratulations on the pregnancy. I wasn't banded way back when I had my kids so I have no first hand experience.

How do you think you would do if you added protien drinks in between meals?

bandster_1007 · 03-19-2008, 10:06 AM

i would probably do better. i just haven't been able to add them. i need to bring a gallon of milk to work.

newmommy · 03-19-2008, 10:30 AM

Can you not call your OB and demand to be seen immediately?

Your baby probably didn't not suffer nutritionally if you are in fact 4 months along. I actually lost 30 lbs with my pregnancy in the beginning because for the first 4-5 months I couldn't keep *anything* down.. and my baby is huge now! So I would worry about hat.

You did need to get unfilled asap. You will have to do it regardless and the sooner you can get some more nutrition to that baby the better. Start your prenatals now. Your OB will give you free samples if you call them. Remember some of these can make you constipated or nauseous.

Is this your first baby? Congrats! You'll do fine with the pregnancy and your band. People do it all the time. Plus after you have your baby you have a great tool to help you lose that weight!!

And make sure you enjoy this time with no fill. You are *supposed* to gain so eat lots. My surgeon's wife got preggers with the band and she gained over 50 lbs pigging out.

Good luck and keep us updated!

**MacMadame** · 03-20-2008, 03:31 PM

It might make you feel better to know that I didn't find out I was pregnant until around 4.5 months the last time. During that time I:
1) was on Jenny Craig and getting only 1200 cal. per day
2) drank like a fish for a week when I was on vacation
3) took provera (a hormone) to kick-start my period
and my kid turned out fine!

Also, I was still overweight so my doctor told me to keep my weight gain down and not gain as much as a thin person would during my pregnancy. I didn't count calories at all. I counted RDAs. I had a list of what I had to get in each day -- so many servings of calcium, so many of Vitamin A veggies, so much of Vitamin C foods, etc. So many servings of protein, etc. If I got that in, I was happy and didn't worry about how many calories it was.

My baby was born 9 lb. 1 oz., too so it's not like she was deprived.

**Wheetsin** · 03-20-2008, 03:56 PM

I can't tell you for your case, but I can tell you what I've been told.

First, I asked my surgeon about fills & pregnancy (before I became pregnant). At the time, his guidelines were that if 1) morning sickness is not an issue and 2) you can meet your OB's nutriotional guidelines, then he does not think it's necessary to have the fill removed.

I'm 8 weeks today. So far I've not had even the most remote sign of morning sickness, knock on wood. I have had a significant decrease in appetite. I really don't want to eat anything, the thought of it puts me out. I've been making sure to get my vitamins, folate, omega 3, etc. Yesterday I had my first OB appt and I've lost a little over 10 lbs since learning I was preggo at the start of the month. I mentioned this to the OB and she wasn't concerned. She told me that I still had "plenty of reserves" (gee -- thanks!), and that as long as there were reserves, I didn't need to be too worried about what I was eating because either way the baby would get what it needed. For the last 3 weeks or so, with very rare exception, I've been eating about 3 - 4 oz solid food per day, plus liquids, fresh juices, etc. I've also been trying to get in at least one milk-based pritein drink per day since I'm not a milk drinker, no longer carry the emphasis on protein that I did within my first year or so pre-op, and would prefer to cut back on the calcium supps a bit.

The OB asked what my surgeon advised, and I told her that I haven't called him since getting the positive on the preggo, but that (see guidelines above) was what he he had said previously. She said that sounded fine.

I'm sitting at right around 40 - 50 lbs to lose, depending on the scale and the day, so let's say 45 because that's right in the middle. If your ticker is accurate, you have a bit more to lose, so I'd *think* that if my 45 lbs of reserves is enough, you're in a similar boat. But I'm not a doctor, so take that for what it's worth.

bandster_1007 · 03-20-2008, 05:26 PM

thanks you guys. i went and got an unfill yesterday because if it weren't for liquid calories i was only averaging 200 calories in solid food, and it wasn't healthy stuff, it was just what i could get down.

since my unfill i have had roast (omg that was sooooooooooooo good), fruit and yogurt parfait (again..awesome), and cheesy bread..i know bad..i was picking it up for kid and babysitter, and was eating on the run.

the doctor that saw me yesterday was upset that i did not come in sooner. he said that my eating habits were not acceptable period. he said i needed to be eating at least 1500 calories a day and eating fruits, veggies, etc. he took out 2 cc's. the anxiety of eating is gone. i can eat a decent amount now, without eating a ton. i felt full for the first time last night since my last fill. that was comforting..made me sleepy. and i ate normal portion sizes, deck of cards for the meat, 1 small piece of a potato, 1/4 cup green beans.

i have read in several places that ketones can cause severe mental retardation or low iq's in babies. i had ketones in my urine at my last doc appointment, so now i'm just trying to make sure to get myself out of ketosis.

**Wheetsin** · 03-20-2008, 05:43 PM

Ketones are virtually impossible to escape. You could go to bed with 0, then wake up with some from not eating while you slept. (Morning breath is a variant of ketosis breath). Trace ketones - just up your water intake or add a few more calories (not additional meals -- think like a glass of milk).

If you're worried about it, ask your OB where your ketones were at (they will register from the lab work), and if it's a concern.