heyclementine
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2015
- Messages
- 40
hi everyone! i haven't updated in ages and a LOT has happened since. i'll just tell a quick version of my experience from the beginning:
i had the DS surgery on june 2, 2015. in july 2015, i went and had an IUD installed by my gynecologist. the next month we moved across the country to california.
recovery was difficult but rewarding. through trial and error i learned what i could and couldn't tolerate. i lost weight steadily and was happy, albeit very tired and very sick quite often, which i felt was just my body adjusting to its newly rearranged insides.
in september of 2015, i informed my pcp that i was no longer having a monthly period. she told me that it was due to rapid weight loss and not to worry. she ran a normal set of labs and had me increase several nutrients that were low.
in november of 2015, i told my husband i thought i felt movement in my uterus!! we already have kids, so it wasn't a new sensation, but neither of us actually thought it was possible because we thought the IUD was virtually failproof.
the next week i took a pregnancy test and it was positive. i was TERRIFIED!! by then i had already lost so much weight due to my surgery and inability to eat. i did not think my body could withstand pregnancy or actually make a healthy human baby.
i went and had an ultrasound that day. there was an 18 week old fetus on the screen. i was nearly halfway through a pregnancy at my first appointment.
the rest of my pregnancy was the most trying experience of my life. i ended up with a high risk maternal fetal specialist who understand the risks and limitations of my surgery and how it could affect me and the baby. he kept a very close eye on us, on my health, on her growth, etc..
to his dismay, i continued to lose weight throughout my pregnancy. he demanded that i eat carbs as often as i possibly could. the last month or so of my pregnancy i was at least able to maintain my weight and not lose or gain.
regardless, my baby was measuring small. she was healthy in every other way, but she did appear growth restricted. i had lost over 100 pounds while i was pregnant....
at around 34 weeks, i went into preterm labor. i had gone into preterm labor with another child too, so they don't feel this was due to the surgery. but because she was growth restricted, and because my doctor had observed a knot in her umbilical cord, he decided not to stop labor. he felt as though she'd be safer on the outside of my body.
on april 6, 2016, less than a year after DS surgery, i gave birth to a 4.5lb baby girl. we spent 19 days in the NICU where she learned to eat, and once she knew how, they let us go home.
she is 16 months old now, and measures normal for a baby her age. she's had no developmental issues whatsoever! she's the love of my life.
as for me, i've lost around 150 pounds since surgery, which was 2 years ago now. i started at over 350 and am now around 200lbs. i am not at my ultimate goal but i'm slowly working toward it. at 5'10" i'd like to weigh around 170. but i began this journey wearing a 3x top and size 18 jeans and currently wear a L/XL top and size 8 jeans. i'm very happy with how far i've come, despite a HUGE setback. i have tons of body issues and sagging skin and all that good stuff, but i am happier and healthier than before. i would not change a thing.
(i have developed anemia and go to an infusion center every few months for iron infusions.)
tomorrow i go in for my big lab work draw and i'm hoping everything is stable. i actually logged in here to print out the lab order as shared by diana and thought i'd post an update while i was here. i hope you're all doing well on your journey, whether you are just beginning or have been on it a while! thanks for all the support and information.
edit to add: the IUD is not a reliable form of birth control in weight loss patients. the weight loss can cause it to slip out of place. i've since learned it's very important to use at least TWO forms of birth control post op. just fyi
i had the DS surgery on june 2, 2015. in july 2015, i went and had an IUD installed by my gynecologist. the next month we moved across the country to california.
recovery was difficult but rewarding. through trial and error i learned what i could and couldn't tolerate. i lost weight steadily and was happy, albeit very tired and very sick quite often, which i felt was just my body adjusting to its newly rearranged insides.
in september of 2015, i informed my pcp that i was no longer having a monthly period. she told me that it was due to rapid weight loss and not to worry. she ran a normal set of labs and had me increase several nutrients that were low.
in november of 2015, i told my husband i thought i felt movement in my uterus!! we already have kids, so it wasn't a new sensation, but neither of us actually thought it was possible because we thought the IUD was virtually failproof.
the next week i took a pregnancy test and it was positive. i was TERRIFIED!! by then i had already lost so much weight due to my surgery and inability to eat. i did not think my body could withstand pregnancy or actually make a healthy human baby.
i went and had an ultrasound that day. there was an 18 week old fetus on the screen. i was nearly halfway through a pregnancy at my first appointment.
the rest of my pregnancy was the most trying experience of my life. i ended up with a high risk maternal fetal specialist who understand the risks and limitations of my surgery and how it could affect me and the baby. he kept a very close eye on us, on my health, on her growth, etc..
to his dismay, i continued to lose weight throughout my pregnancy. he demanded that i eat carbs as often as i possibly could. the last month or so of my pregnancy i was at least able to maintain my weight and not lose or gain.
regardless, my baby was measuring small. she was healthy in every other way, but she did appear growth restricted. i had lost over 100 pounds while i was pregnant....
at around 34 weeks, i went into preterm labor. i had gone into preterm labor with another child too, so they don't feel this was due to the surgery. but because she was growth restricted, and because my doctor had observed a knot in her umbilical cord, he decided not to stop labor. he felt as though she'd be safer on the outside of my body.
on april 6, 2016, less than a year after DS surgery, i gave birth to a 4.5lb baby girl. we spent 19 days in the NICU where she learned to eat, and once she knew how, they let us go home.
she is 16 months old now, and measures normal for a baby her age. she's had no developmental issues whatsoever! she's the love of my life.
as for me, i've lost around 150 pounds since surgery, which was 2 years ago now. i started at over 350 and am now around 200lbs. i am not at my ultimate goal but i'm slowly working toward it. at 5'10" i'd like to weigh around 170. but i began this journey wearing a 3x top and size 18 jeans and currently wear a L/XL top and size 8 jeans. i'm very happy with how far i've come, despite a HUGE setback. i have tons of body issues and sagging skin and all that good stuff, but i am happier and healthier than before. i would not change a thing.
(i have developed anemia and go to an infusion center every few months for iron infusions.)
tomorrow i go in for my big lab work draw and i'm hoping everything is stable. i actually logged in here to print out the lab order as shared by diana and thought i'd post an update while i was here. i hope you're all doing well on your journey, whether you are just beginning or have been on it a while! thanks for all the support and information.
edit to add: the IUD is not a reliable form of birth control in weight loss patients. the weight loss can cause it to slip out of place. i've since learned it's very important to use at least TWO forms of birth control post op. just fyi
