tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post8757888057842946073..comments2024-03-17T10:07:53.205-07:00Comments on The Well-Rounded Mama: "You and the Baby are About 85% Likely To Die on the Table"Well-Rounded Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04129621631406155340noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-30256834828729503192015-01-21T09:22:16.897-08:002015-01-21T09:22:16.897-08:00I know this is an old article but I wanted to say ...I know this is an old article but I wanted to say that I would assume that any OB who said I had an 85% chance of dying on his table is just not very good at his job. I wonder what his personal statistics are! Scary.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-5058899336129773142012-03-19T05:34:19.816-07:002012-03-19T05:34:19.816-07:00Im not sure where I could add this comment but wel...Im not sure where I could add this comment but well decied to leave it here, I love your site, and find it very informative, I am a South African woman who weighs 138kg, and am currently 28 weeks pregnant, so far I have had a very healthy and normal pregnacy with no complications, (thank the good Lord) however I can share that I have not experienced any negative or scare tactics with any person attending to me, never have I been treated differently or in such a way that made me feel horrid. I just read all these sad stories of woman who have been and are not treated very well, this makes me proud to be a south african, my health care provider has been so positve and optimistic, and ive been treated with great respect. Just thought it was important that you know not all woman of size are being treated this way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-16048400236032250772012-02-16T01:56:57.300-08:002012-02-16T01:56:57.300-08:00Jay, we're not too fond of the "o" w...Jay, we're not too fond of the "o" words around here. I use them at times for SEO, but they are not the terms of choice to use on a fat-acceptance blog. See my page on "terminology" for why. You'll make your points better for THIS audience if you respect that they finds those terms stigmatizing.<br /><br />I appreciate you citing your sources. I always look for that in a commenter, and I'll check those articles out when I have time. Still, I question the quality of some of the megadose vitamin D articles out there and remain dubious about the value of really high megadoses. <br /><br />That said, I do think that fat people need higher D doses in general to bring up their levels. But I still urge some caution. I just think it's very easy to over-consume one vitamin and cause an imbalance in others in your system. That's my biggest concern with a mega-D approach. <br /><br />As far as pregnancy goes, I would note that my low vit D levels were not discovered till after my FOUR pregnancies, all of which resulted in healthy babies and no major complications. Did the pregnancies use up some of my vit D stores? I'm guessing yes, but even the final pregnancy, in my 40s, was fine, despite low D levels. So while I think there may well be an *association* between low D levels and some complications (like pre-eclampsia), I doubt it's causal and direct. <br /><br />You'd be interested to know that some researchers are experimenting with vit D supplements in women of size to see if that lowers the risk for complications, but at this point any connection remains speculative. I think it's an interesting possibility, well worth researching, but I'm guessing it's more complex than that. After all, many of us with low D levels do just fine.<br /><br />To close out this discussion now, I'd point out that I'm WELL aware of Vit D issues and I often tell people of size to get their D levels checked and treated if needed. But I remain dubious of many of the overzealous claims about D out there, and concerned that megadose advice may result in imbalances in other ways. So my basic message to people is check their levels, treat in a reasonable way, don't go overboard in doses, and don't jump to conclusions about supplementing D as a way to cure everything.<br /><br />Thanks for your input. We return to our regularly scheduled programming now.Well-Rounded Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04129621631406155340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-75188173415238208652012-02-15T17:58:14.617-08:002012-02-15T17:58:14.617-08:00Yes, the clinical trials are just starting and are...Yes, the clinical trials are just starting and are a mixed bag for the most part. I think the most favorable evidence for supplementation has come in the areas of autoimmunity and cardiovascular disease, and maybe mental health too. Yahoo ran a story on it, with over a 1000 comments in response, I was surprised how many people said it helped them with depression.<br /><br />http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/vitamin-d-supplement-153100421.html<br /> <br />The thing that should be emphasized, especially with overweight individuals, its important to take ENOUGH vitamin D. Because fat cells (adipocytes)'trap' vitamin D, an obese person will have to take a lot more to increase their blood levels.<br /><br />http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111101141345.htm<br /><br />As far as vitamin D and weight loss goes, more trials are needed, yes, and there is probably evidence to the contrary as well. <br /><br />Here is the original research I quoted: that nanogram increases in blood vitamin D levels resulted in higher levels of weight loss<br /><br />http://laura-owens.suite101.com/vitamin-d-weight-loss-and-obesity-a215046<br /><br />Overall, I'd say for obese individuals, 4000-6000 IU/day is that way to go. If it helps with weight loss,great, but even if it does not, it probably is working towards lowering your risk for stroke and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, I'm absolutely convinced that not being replete during pregnancy is really dangerous, especially if you are overweight, because pregnancy is already a state where your overall levels go down. This cannot be emphasized enough, IMO. It probably is a part of why the risk factors for obese individuals in pregnancy are so high.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15553205805046479504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-28054162189876840182012-02-15T11:39:52.517-08:002012-02-15T11:39:52.517-08:00Jay, I am well aware of Vit D issues in people of ...Jay, I am well aware of Vit D issues in people of size, as well as implications for pregnancy etc. I've written about it before here:<br /><br />http://www.wellroundedmama.blogspot.com/2008/07/low-vitamin-d-levels-common-in-fat-folk.html<br /><br />However, while I think it's important to check vit D levels and correct them if possible, I have to note that research is still pending on whether vit D supplements truly alleviate the risks associated with low D levels. <br /><br />So often in the past, a low level of a particular vitamin is associated with a problem, everyone decides that supplements will magically fix those problems, and then everyone is surprised when research doesn't necessarily bear this out. We need more research before we can truly say that normalizing vit D levels "fixes" various problems. <br /><br />And while I do personally think that bringing D levels up is helpful in many ways, I and many other fat folk with low D levels have brought our D levels up without experiencing weight loss. It's certainly not a universal "cure" for obesity. I think it may help with insulin resistance and fatigue and joint issues, so I'm in favor of more awareness of vit D levels, but I don't think it can be promoted as a way to lose weight.Well-Rounded Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04129621631406155340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-46032094594115767572012-02-14T16:45:19.027-08:002012-02-14T16:45:19.027-08:00While I would rather that, for their own sake, a m...While I would rather that, for their own sake, a morbidly obese person not be complacent with their weight, I'm shocked and appalled at such medical practices. Ignoring the fact that its utterly wrong, it is also utterly counter productive. What is the point of yelling at somebody before a surgery? Its going to make them stressed, which in itself probably increases risk during a surgery.<br /><br />I'm a scientist, I fully recognize in many overweight people, genetics and physiological imbalances are rigged to cause weight gain, and fighting that is a very hard thing. While the genetic causes remain impossible to fix as of now, the physiological issues behind weight gain CAN be tackled.<br /><br />I wonder whether you are aware of the Vitamin D connection- low levels of vitamin D are risk factors for both diabetes and PCOS, it also increases morbidity or mortality risks within a pregnancy itself, and moreover,in a vicious cycle, obese people have much less bio-available vitamin D and hence are much more likely to be deficient.<br /><br />Becoming Vitamin D replete improves insulin resistance, and many studies (Some done in obese teens) show that it really helps with weight loss. Nanogram increases in blood levels correlate with higher amounts of weight loss, sometimes, it is just like magic. <br /><br />I think everybody who wants to go through pregnancy, should get their vitamin D checked. People with PCOS, diabetes and obesity issues just HAVE to get their vitamin D levels checked, and everything indicates that this simple fix will really help.<br /><br />While many in the medical feild are becoming aware of global pandemic of vitamin D deficiency, many medical professionals (who should be reading up and telling their patients all this) live with their heads buried under a rock. These are probably the same guys who yell at a woman before she goes in to surgery!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15553205805046479504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4738062031052371885.post-15908776177239709842012-02-14T02:52:01.956-08:002012-02-14T02:52:01.956-08:00Well said.Well said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com