2 year post VSG and pregnancy update

[iegal 460]

Happy anniversary! Keep bouncing back and forth between your post and pictures. While your words are a lot of fun to read - your expression and modeling pose tells the whole story. You look great! While I will never be pregnant again, my husband says I have dinosaur eggs, I appreciate you being open about how hard it is for one to put on weight after you hit goal weight. Thank you for sharing your insight.

Sounds like you are a baby growing mama...and a good one at that. Congrats again to you, hubby and big brother to sprout.

[sunnyd 32]

Sounds like you are doing fabulous. Your baby bump looks adorable!!!

[Gracey 7]

OMG your comment about MTHFR was so hilarious! Almost sprayed my drink at the screen!

You are just so adorable and so refreshingly honest. I've been on VST for a bit trying to get my courage up to get converted to a sleeve. (I know, Irene, hush!!!!) I enjoy your posts so much and wish you all the success with the sprouting of wee Sprout.

And btw, if anyone gives you mouth about freaking out about your tummy, you tell them to kiss MY big butt!!! Good luck; s/he will be here soon! Yay!

[camscrib20 0]

thanks so much for ur honesty abt what to expect never is all peaches i guess u look absolutely amazing at ur goal and with ur baby bump congrats ur my new inspiration and 1 week out good to have

[wishes 125]

Great post! I am so happy you both are doing so well.

[YOLANDA240 13]

Hey Tif, Happy 2 year annivesary and thank you for your open honest post. You look great preggers and you will be in your cute clothes in no time, while enjoying the new addition to your family.

Take Care

I'm a couple of days late posting this, but it's been a busy weekend around here.

2 years ago on June 3, 2009 I revised from band to sleeve. As many of you know, or have read previously, I had horrific complications with my revision including a leak, a stent in ICU on a ventilator due to anesthesia complications during the leak repair, and an exhaustive recovery that lasted 3.5 months. To this very day, I can assure any one of you that I would endure every single, solitary struggle and hurdle to live the life I have today.

My highest recorded weight was 270lbs at 5'2". The day of my revision I weighed 263, and within 6.5 months I had hit goal of 150lbs. I continued to lose another 23-25lbs into maintenance over another 4 months and my body finally settled. I maintained my loss of 138lbs for a year before the pregnancy weight started creeping in. My maintenance weight would bounce around 125-130lbs, and I was wearing a size 2 in most pants, some 4s, and XS-S tops. From a size 22/24W, to a size 2.

To answer the common question of "how'd you do it?", the simple answer is; I set a meal plan/schedule and I followed my surgeon's prescribed post-op guideline. I didn't cheat, I didn't want to waver from his plan because I figured "hey, I trusted him to cut our my stomach, I should probably trust him on what he knows will work." I essentially low carbed it for 6 months until goal. I ate no more than 30-40gr of carbs per day, closer to 30gr and a minimum of 60gr of Protein. Pushed clear fluids, and took my Vitamins. Easy enough to follow. I will add that I beat most of my food issues with the band. That crazy thing kind of makes you not want to eat out of fear of puking, so my transition to solid foods was slow. My hair fell out between 3.5-6 months post-op, and I lost half of my hair by volume. It all grew back, and is just lovely today.

Losing weight was easy. Keeping it off was the challenge for me in the past, and with the sleeve I have the constant and permanent restriction needed to ensure success. I gained a few pounds over the holidays last year, and within a couple of weeks of going back to my normal eating, those pounds melted off. I worked on my relationship with food, I started to view food as fuel for my body. I eat what makes me feel good physically and mentally. I do not diet in maintenance, I refuse to deprive myself of certain foods. I do eat all carbs, I have drank soda for over 16 months without any change in my sleeve capacity, and I haven't exercised since being 8 months post-op. So, I'm one of the few that went into this with a loaded deck, and succeeded because I worked hard to replace bad habits with good habits, and really focused on my life with food. I never fell in love with working out, and yep, I have flabby, loose, wrinkly skin, but hey, it's what I'm left with. I'm not going to kill myself in the gym. So, there's some honesty for those that want to know my life post-op. I eat what I want, in smaller portions, and yep I eat junk food, and fun food, but I live a life a moderation. It might not work for everyone, but no one can deny my results and my pure love of life post-op.

Now, on to Sprout. . . We are both thriving. There is very little difference with being pregnant with VSG. My calorie intake is to stay between 1700-1800 calories, 100gr of Protein and 100gr of carbs at a minimum. I have had zero issues eating enough to support my body and Sprout. I have not had any nausea or foods that just do not agree with me. Cravings are a TOTAL b***h, and new thing because I really didn't deal with them post-op. The hormones are another b***h to deal with that I had forgotten about. Medically, we are both doing extremely well. I have gained a solid 8-10lbs in 18.5 weeks of pregnancy. It really depends on the time of that I weigh. I attribute a lot of it to the fact that I quit smoking, and have been snacking more. Yep, I went back to smoking after VSG, and I had stopped and started again 3 times. So, it's a hell of a habit to kick.

Now, emotionally and mentally with the pregnancy. Let me just tell y'all ladies that are looking to getting pregnant post-op. If you have never experienced skinny b***h syndrome, prepare yourself NOW. I wanted pregnancy more than anything else post-op. I wanted to give my husband a child more than I wanted to breathe myself. We struggled through TTC for over 12 months and was told that we'd medical intervention for success because something was wrong with me. Well, here we are today, nearly half way through a healthy pregnancy, and we did it without any assistance. I am considered high risk, but NOT because of VSG. If you wait until you're in maintenance, and your body is able to support you and baby, you aren't considered high risk as long as your labs are good. My labs have always been stellar and they have remained. However, regardless of how fabulous I am medically, emotionally I am a hot mess. My body has changed tremendously. I can not wear my adorably, cute, fashionable clothes. They have been packed away to make room for my "baby" clothes. AND, before you say it or think it, I am NOT resentful or regretful that I've gained weight or am dealing with body issues due to the pregnancy. DO NOT make this about me not accepting it. I'm fine with it, but it is a HUGE mindfuck to not be able to wear your clothes. TO have your cute, little sleek body expand exponentially what seems like overnight. To have strangers think it's okay to touch me, this is all foreign to me, and it's very overwhelming. I was fat when I had my 1st son so being skinny pregnant is very different. I thought I was prepared, I thought "oh I'll just be so happy being pregnant" WELL I'm here to tell you that it's all bullshit. I hate feeling fat again. I'm so uncomfortable that sleeping is so difficult. My hips constantly ache, and I can't take any NSAIDS, not because of VSG, but because of the pregnancy. Tylenol isn't touching it, but they've increased my dose this week to see if it will help. All I'm saying is that if you think being pregnant is going to be all sunshine and roses, please know that's not always the case. I do love being pregnant, but I'm still struggling with the body changes.

We had our gender determination and measurement/growth ultrasound on Friday. The gender is still questionable, but it's more a 60/40 split. I'm not convinced and won't be revealing gender until after my 20 week appointment on June 15th. Sprout is measuring perfect for length, the spina bifida screening was NEGATIVE, and my quad screening (risk for Downs and Trisomy 18 and 19) is 1 in 6250, and the NT Scan was normal. Sprout is growing and thriving, and actually weighs 2 more ounces than most 18 week old babies. SO, no one can question if I'm eating enough, or taking in enough calories/nutrients to support a baby.

My clotting disorder is still being diagnosed and they think it's a platelet function that is messed up to put it in lay man's terms. I had more labs today. I was diagnosed with a genetic disorder and the acronym is MTHFR (I swear I'm the only person that could get some funky ass disorder with MOTHER F*CKER as an abbreviated acronym), and there is no treatment. BUT, I have been prescribed an 81mg Aspirin per day for the rest of my life to help with the clotting disorder in hopes that it will help. However, it can be counterproductive since I have a slow clotting time, but it's due to my platelets sticking to themselves instead of being free floating.

THANK GOODNESS for VSG, if I would have chosen RNY, guess what, I would NOT be able to do it safely due to risk of ulceration.

Okay, enough of all the blabbering, PICTURE WHORING TIME ! ! !

Before with my fabulous husband:

15 weeks pregnant:

18 weeks SO do NOT look pregnant from the front

BUT WHOLLY **** BATMAN Hello BELLY ! ! !

Sprout at 18 weeks

Sprout has a major thing with waving at the u/s wand ! ! ! It's been a wonderful 2 years, and I continue to look forward to what life brings us ! ! !

[sam30204 0]

Congrats on the baby! I remember reading your posts in the past about trying to conceive. I can understand how you feel about not being able to wear your sexy clothes. Although I shouldn't I am more obsessed with my weight and looks now than ever. I am so paranoid of regain now that I am finally thin. You seem to be like me where the weight continued to come off. I have had a hard time figuring out how to stop losing but not regain. I am considered "under weight" now with a BMI less than 18. Did you get a lot of comments like "you are too thin" "you need to gain some weight" or the kicker, "are you sick" :) Anyway congrats on the baby, I can't wait to see baby pics!

[AnneG 7]

Yeah- I love reading your posts- so down to earth and honest- I appreciate it- especially your sense of humour.

Can't wait till you have the baby and share pics with us-

No worries- you will be wearing your cute sexy clothes before you know it

:preggers:

[CT Fats 82]

Love your posts!

[Nichelle 21]

Such a wonderful post. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful story. I'm so glad to have gotten a chance to read your update. I always look forward to reading your posts. Congratulations on both your weight loss and your new baby.

[KathyM 14]

Tiff-

You are doing awesome! I have thought about you often and wondered how the pregnancy was going. I am so excited to see pics of little Sprout when he/she is born! You were a tremendous source of support to me when I was new and I will always be greatful for that!! And by the way you are sooo damn cute pregnant!

Kathy