How long did you wait?

[SpicyGirl 1]

How long did you wait before trying to conceive after getting banded? Did your doctor recommend a waiting time? My doctor suggested 12 - 18 mths. because the majority of the weight loss is in the first year. I was banded in October 08 and just planning for down the road. I do plan to wait until the end of the year to start trying. I'm still on the pill and taking other precautions as well. I’m not in a huge hurry and am committed to my band and weight loss and have no issues with waiting. My doctor does have experience with banders and does work with your ObGyn. I feel confidant about that. I gained 50 pounds with my 1st pregnancy and had gestational diabetes and pre- eclampsia. Even with that much weight gain, I delivered early w/ preemie @ barely 5 lbs. I just hope to bypass that much weight gain and all the symptoms that go along with it and still have a healthy mommy and baby!!!

Have any of you preggers had any recommendations by your band docs to wait a certain amount of time before getting pregnant? Have you experienced any pressure on your band or port from the baby or baby weight gain?

Thanks in advance for your advise and suggestions!

:cursing:

[Daisalana 33]

I wasn't trying to conceive, but I conceived 16 months post-op and only 32lbs from goal (waah).

I'm gaining quite a bit with pregnancy unfortunately, but I plan to get an adjustment when baby is born and get back to it.

Definitely think it's good (especially now knowing how much I gained) to wait till you've lost weight, to reduce any discomfort or health problems that come with being overweight.

My doc was strict on RnY patients & when they could conceive, because of malnutrition and he had patients who couldn't carry to term due to this early on.. but for banding, he didn't really have a timeline. I think at least 1 year is good so you've learned about the band and how it affects your body, and also like I said to have lost the weight.

[Blaze21 5]

I was told I had to wait 2 years before getting pregnant to ensure all of the excess weight was lost before gaining any pregnancy weight.

[Cherry_Blue 0]

i was banded Jan 16th 2008, and fell pregnant in september 2008. My doctor said there was no reason why you can't get pregnant, as long as your weight loss is not dramatic, I had lost alot very quickly and had been maintaining my weight, so there was no problem.

I think if you were to lose a kilo a week and be pregnant then its not good.

I am due June 20th, had my anatomy scan on saturday and baby is nice and healthy. its amazing at how little food you can eat and maintain a pregnancy. With my first I ate for two, now I am eating for half a person and baby is ding well, yay :bored:

[MsButterKup23 1]

My original surgeon said 18 months. I lost 140lbs during that time so I knew it wouldn't be good to get pregnant at that time.

I waited almost 4 years because of me going back to school and working and life in general (nothing to do with the band).

Personally I would wait at least 1-2 years after you stabilize.

[SpicyGirl 1]

Thank you all for your replies!

[HeatherO 7]

I agree with stabilizing your weight first somewhere near to where you want it to be. I was also banded in January but pregnant in September like Cherry Blue - but I was already within 15 pounds or so of goal.

I have actually lost a few pounds with pregnancy so far . . . but I think most people gain a little but probably not as much as being unbanded. I gained 67 pounds with my first child so not gaining is kind of amazing to me. However, I still have 18 weeks or so to go . . . plenty of time to add a couple of pounds, lol.

My OB has not been happy that I have lost weight and put me on a supplement shake daily because of it. I have also had some band problems since pregnancy in that I am sometimes so tight I can't get anything in unless it is a clear liquid . . . and sometimes I could probably eat a horse. My hormones must be making it go from super tight to super loose and everything in between. Because of this I had to get my band emptied this week.

If you already suffered with pre-eclampsia and diabetes with the last pregnancy, I think it is definitely best to lose a significant amount of weight before pregnancy to improve the health of you and your baby - whether it takes 12 months or 24 months, etc.

[eejaydiva 3]

We waited 50 lbs...hee hee. I wanted to be at/near 200 lbs by the time we started trying because while that's still a "heavy" weight for someone my height and frame, it's hardly the "morbid obese" category I was at 250 or 260. So, around 208 lbs we started trying and around 201 lbs (which was EXACLTY 50 lbs lost from surgery weight) I got preggo. It took roughly 5 months of trying to succeed, but I admit I started earlier than my band doc preferred. He gave us the go ahead to start after 6 months of banding, which would have been September, but we started in July. We didn't get preg until early November, so it all works out.

I feel it's important to point out that I have cyst issues and such, so my fertility concerns were important enough that the band doc and I compromised on the whole 1 year rule...