Dr Kabukoba’s work has been covered extensively
He has appeared in national media including
The Times, Daily Express and The Daily Telegraph newspapers; on SKY News television and on BBC radio in relation to the innovative work that he has undertaken.
Pregnancy Weight Loss Help: After Pregnancy Weight Loss
Pregnancy Weight Loss – Would You Take This Drug?
Pregnancy Weight Loss – would you take the risk of using Qnexa?
It has been reported that Qnexa, a weight loss drug that was rejected only 2 years ago, is being reviewed by the FDA. The review is to see whether it is safe to weight loss.
Feeling Low
Apparently, the concern is not about whether the drug is effecive. No, the concern is about whether it has lethal and nasty side effects including heart risks, and birth defects. The question of efficacy is not in question. The drug passed the low bar set by the FDA of 5%. Of particular concern is that although women in the child bearing age were warned to use contraception, many still fell pregnant.
Efforts to combat obesity must continue. Indeed it is sometimes necessary to go onto medication to get the process of weight loss started. It is debatable whether medication alone can help anyone long term, particularly when considering your women in the child bearing age groups. For pregnancy weight loss, it is in the woman’s best interest to adopt strategies that will work long term and will not endager her baby either when breastfeeding or were she to get pregnant.
Panel to Ponder Fate of Qnexa Weight Loss Pill
Once rejected by the FDA over safety concerns, the weight loss pill Qnexa on Wednesday will get a second chance before an FDA advisory committee.
Qnexa combines two currently approved drugs. One is the appetite suppressant phentermine, the safer “phen” part of the infamously unsafe fen-phen diet drug.
These may not have been major issues in the clinical trials, but troubling safety issues persist. In the FDA’s analysis of Qnexa safety, there were some ominous comments:
There was indeed evidence of increased heart rate and acidic body fluids in people taking Qnexa.
The FDA states that “only a long-term” study can tell whether Qnexa increases the risk of heart disease in obese people already at high heart risk. One question before the panel is whether Vivus must conduct such a study.
A disturbing number of women in the clinical trials got pregnant, even though they had agreed to be on birth control and had regular pregnancy checks. One of the ingredients in Qnexa is linked to birth defects, although none were seen in the clinical trial. Since 36% of U.S. women are obese, the FDA worries that a lot of pregnant women will be exposed to Qnexa.
On average, people taking the dose of Qnexa proposed for approval lost 6.6% of their body weight. For approval, the FDA requires that a drug result in average loss of at least 5% of body weight.
Source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20120217/panel-to-ponder-fate-of-qnexa-weight-loss-pill
Would you try Qnexa for your Pregnancy weight loss? Apart from birth defects, the drug’s side effects include depression, a relatively common mental situation after childbirth. “Baby blues” is relatively common mental state after childbirth, due to change of pregnancy hormones. It is different to postnatal depression that is more serious and needs medical intervention.
Therefore if Qnexa has the potential to worsen any of the common postnatal pyschological states of a mother, further research is needed before a lot more women take it for pregnancy weight loss. Results of the FDA review are eagerly awaited. Given the risk of weight loss drugs, would you take it?
When you think Pregnancy and Childbirth changed you for ever!
Looking at emotions of being pregnant, having a baby, being a mom.
The joy of being pregnant is indescribable, with peaks at various times along the way: from when you have a positive pregnancy test, seeing it for the first time on scan, hearing the fetal heart, the kicks and thumps in your belly, seeing it on 4d scans and sharing those moments with family.
You enjoy renewed attention from the other people well beyond the nine months. The very best always come at the end with the birth. I have seen thousands of pregnant women after conception, during pregnancy, during 4d baby scans and after they have their babies. I am certain the ecstasy after giving birth, of holding that bundle of joy and wonder, is the indescribable.
Changes During Pregnancy
The elation of knowing you are pregnant may get quickly tampered with the symptoms of nausea, vomiting and tiredness. In the vast majority of women, these are early temporary minor issues, that quickly resolve and leave the woman happy and well. Noticeably, some bits of her body may change beyond recognition including bust, bum, nipples and genital areas becoming darker.
Passing urine more frequently is extremely common, and is partly due to the pressure of the womb on the bladder. Urinary infections are also common, so watch our for signs of cystitis or painful micturition. This should be reported immediately.
What concerns most women, however is that of weight gain. On average, a pregnant woman can be expected to gain about 12 kg most of which is due to the pregnancy itself. Of course, for some moms, the weight gain is much higher than the average and for some none at all. It is important to gain weight but not too much weight.
It is known that the heavier you are before pregnancy the higher the pregnancy weight gain can be.
Higher weight , and a more expanding belly size, means you are going to buy and wear larger size pants and tops. This is never a problem for most women, because it is usually a welcome inevitable consequence of being pregnant.
Birth & After
Birth is the most challenging period of pregnancy, though not in every case. The process of labour can be unpredictable, pleasant, hassle free when you are well supported, have adequate pain relief of your choice and with minimal intervention. The joy of holding your bundle of joy in your arms is sheer bliss. I have seen the entire room of parents and all break into tears of joy.
After delivery, a new phase starts; not only nursing your baby but getting yourself back to health and fitness again.
It is on every new mom’s mind to get back to what they were before pregnancy. The ability and speed with which a mom get to where she want to be depends on many things including how the pregnancy and delivery went, normal birth or C/section and whether little Alice or John is healthy, feeding and sleeping fine.
The ability to wear clothes a mom wants and to get back to pre-pregnancy activities is very important to any mom.
Although there is a lot of weight lost following the birth of the baby, including the weight of the pregnancy waters, placenta, baby and body fluids, there is usually a residual weight to be shifted. Most of this goes on its own within a couple of weeks. When undesirable weight is not shifting and mom cannot fit into her clothes, tension and frustration sets in.
Excess weight is usually associated with not only the inability to wear their favourite jeans, but also the flabby tummy and changes in the breasts which may cause more disappointment.
Sex can also be painful for some women, not only because of the scar tissue in the vagina, but may also have to do with low estrogen in breastfeeding moms.
Patience & Action Is Necessary
Most of these changes are completely reversible and patience is called for. What I would say is that moms should become progressively active from the first few weeks after having baby until they are fully happy they have recovered from the effects of pregnancy and childbirth.
It is very important to understand that each woman is different and recover at different speeds. Therefore a customised plan is what is required, providing a mom with a practical template and support to ensure the path to recovery is straightforward and assured.
Whatever the challenges you might be facing now after giving birth, be certain almost all changes are reversible with a bit of guidance and support.
Posted in After Pregnancy Weight Loss, Blog
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