XP: Lurker Question...

lady_chance_99 · April 2012

Hey everyone! I am a regular on the IF board and have a question for you, that I hope you won't mind answering... I posted a thread earlier in IF asking for opinions on waiting to cycle again until I can lose some more weight: https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/65069817.aspx

So my question to you ladies is... how many of you were overweight when you cycled (and I'm not talking 15lbs here) and essentially what are your thoughts on trying to cycle while that is a factor vs. waiting a few cycles to try and lose at least a little more weight before continuing? Anythoughts/insights/expierence would be helpful... Thanks and GL!

pooman · April 2012

I was VERY overweight when I got pregnant with DD. I'm even more overweight now that I'm pregnant with the twins.

My pregnancy with DD was great. I did have GD, but because I was on a strict GD diet I didn't gain any weight. No pre-e. An easy vaginal delivery.

Do I wish I was at a healthier place before getting pregnant with these guys? Yes. Absolutely. Am I worried about pre-e, and all those complications. Hell yes. But like that GD diet I stuck to when I was pregnant, you'll find it's a lot easier being healthy when you're doing it for someone else.

If you do decide to lose weight first i HIGHLY recommend slow and steady. Don't rob your body of all it's nutrients and then get pregnant because you're at a better weight.

And remember if you are lucky enough to get pregnant it doesn't mean the healthy lifestyle you are going to start just goes out the window.

lady_chance_99 · April 2012

pooman:

I was VERY overweight when I got pregnant with DD. I'm even more overweight now that I'm pregnant with the twins.

My pregnancy with DD was great. I did have GD, but because I was on a strict GD diet I didn't gain any weight. No pre-e. An easy vaginal delivery.

Do I wish I was at a healthier place before getting pregnant with these guys? Yes. Absolutely. Am I worried about pre-e, and all those complications. Hell yes. But like that GD diet I stuck to when I was pregnant, you'll find it's a lot easier being healthy when you're doing it for someone else.

If you do decide to lose weight first i HIGHLY recommend slow and steady. Don't rob your body of all it's nutrients and then get pregnant because you're at a better weight.

And remember if you are lucky enough to get pregnant it doesn't mean the healthy lifestyle you are going to start just goes out the window.

This is kind of where DH and my RE as well as my ob/gyn is comig from. All the doctors agree that while pregnant I will be expected to maintain the same weight if not lose weight because of making sure I am following a diabetic diet from the onset... I get that, really I do... but I just wonder if we are waiting money trying to get pregnant now instead of after losing some more weight. (I lost 40lbs last year, since my m/c I stopped exercising and stopped the 1200 calorie diet the doc's prescribed me so I have gained probably 20lbs back).

As for losing weight slow and steady- I don't really have a choice... my body kind of does what it wants to! LOL My docs all agree that having PCOS makes it harder to lose weight which is why I was on such a restrictive diet as well as doing at least two/three hours of hard exercising every single day- and it STILL took me six months to lose the 40lbs!!! So, like I said slow and steady is kind of the only option... Thank you so much for your insights and advice- it's good to be able to see DH's side from someone who has been there!

emmyloustu · April 2012

My re was big on obesity being a contributing factor in infertility, how well the meds work, pregnancy health, etc...he definitely strongly encouraged weight loss before attempting my fet after 3 failed fresh ivfs.

I did lose about 15lbs (nothing in the grand scheme of what I need to lose) before my fet. It was successful.

While pregnant, neither my ob nor my MW focused on my weight at all. I naturally lose weight during pregnancy & then start gaining weight slooooowly. So slowly, that my MW was having me add a protein shake towards the end. I gained less than 20 both pregnancies

By time I got my surprise BFP, I had gained back the 15 lost.

I had 2 very healthy pregnancies & healthy baby girls. Pregnancy suits me & I always feel so much Better about my body.

I don't think it hurts to lose weight before cycling, but I wouldn't have put my family building attempts on hold long term for it.

Good luck!

povo · April 2012

I am overweight and with my DD's IVF cycle the RE suggested I lose at least 10 lbs before. I was able to but with the meds put it all back on. That cycle was successful on the first try!

With IVF #2, I was about 15 heavier than I was with #1, the RE didn't say anything about it. This cycle was successful as well and thanks to m/s I am down to my pre preg weight with #1!

I am still over weight and I the drs suggested only gaining 10-15 lbs during my preg. I worked really hard to eat correctly and only gained 13 lbs. I wasn't crazy about it but just really made sure I was putting the right stuff in my mouth first (and treating myself once and a while!)

I didn't have GD with #1, close though. I have my 3 hr glucose on Monday for this LO and I am praying to god I don't get it.

GL!

Mouseygail · April 2012

Both times I have gotten pregnant, I was losing weight and was on a low carb diet. It might be a coincidence, but I am sticking with the same diet as I continue TTC#2. I agree with the PP that I would make every effort to be living a healthy lifestyle, but I wouldn't postpone trying to get preg because of that. I haven't really absorbed the new studies on obesity during pregnancy and links to autism yet, so I guess that might sway me a little towards waiting, providing I had youth and no DOR issues....but I don't know, it feels more like frear mongering than real science to me.

I'm sorry, I probably didn't help...good luck with whatever you decide!!! I hope that all of this is a moot point very soon and you are KTFU

Melicakes · April 2012

I am also overweight, actually at 5'3 and weighing 270 (I'm not ashamed!) Dr's use the term morbidly obese (which I fond derogatory, but anyway)

When I went to cycle for my daughter I weighed 296, the RE did suggest loosing some weight, I didn't try all that hard, I cut out soda and ate mostly soup at lunch drowned myself in water and was able to lose ten pounds before the IUI ( I didn't do IVF).

That cycle was successful and even though I only moderately changed my eating habits (still no soda, still lots of water) I only gained 16 lbs during pregnancy and did not have GD. And somehow, even now 4 months after I had my baby, I weigh 10 pounds less than what I weighed before I got pregnant.

Honestly, if you're just talking about losing another 10-40lbs I wouldn't wait to cycle. But if you were trying to lose upwards of say 50 lbs, then yes I would wait, Good luck with whatever you decide!

itsmevkb · April 2012

I'm with the other women who said it's great to start eating better and to try and lose weight but I would not put ttc on hold to do so. If you are significantly overweight, you are looking at a long stretch of time before you will have lost the weight. I knew for me that it would take a year to get down to a truly better weight and my RE said that although he believe obesisty can contribute to infertility that he didn't think I should wait to do our IVF. I was 36 at the time so I'm not certain if his answer would have been different had I been younger.

And, perhaps you'll get "lucky" like I did and pregnancy will help you to lose weight.

Cajunladybug22 · April 2012

I wouldn't necessarily put cycling on hold, but a lower carb diet will help to level out any insulin resistance you might be dealing with. I was doing only veggie carbs, and minimal carbs beyond that, and was able to lose 43lbs (not TTC at the time), and it lessened my IR. Good luck!

GreenEyedGal · April 2012

I am overweight and I was in the middle of doing WW when I cycled with Clomid and got pregnant with my son on the first cycle, I think I had just lost about 15 lbs. I also completely cut out caffeine. I did gain 50 lbs (!!!) throughout my pregnancy but I lost all of it and then some about 3 months after he was born. I didn't do anything to lose it, it just all melted off.

When we were getting ready to try again for baby #2 last year, I did not do any sort of lifestyle change. In fact, I was at my heaviest and it was the holidays so my choice of food was far from healthy. First cycle I ovulated but resulted in a BFN and second cycle I didn't even respond to the medicine. Coincidence?

Who knows but this time, I am not playing around. I am determined to lose this weight so that it can (hopefully) help me get pregnant again AND so that I can have a healthy pregnancy. In addition to losing 25 lbs, I've cut out caffeine again. Hopefully I'll respond to Clomid this month and hopefully that'll result in a BFP.

I encourage you to lose weight but not to stop TTC. Either way, good luck to you!

lady_chance_99 · April 2012

Thank you all for your responses! It's wonderful to hear everyone else's points of view... We will see what happens after I talk to DH again...

wiscgirl95 · April 2012

I'm also overweight and both of my RE's didn't say much about my weight as it related to IF and treatment. My 1st RE suggested I lose weight to make sure I had a healthier pregnancy but that was it.

Fortunately I did not suffer from GD or any blood pressure issues (like I feared) during the pregnancy.

Good luck.

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