PCOS and lap band

Elise · December 5, 2003

Hello everyone, am new to this site. I live in Europe and am thinking about getting the lap band procedure done in the UK by a very experienced surgeon. My question is this: Have any of you bandsters had PCOS and received the lap band? Have you had any unique or unusual problems in losing weight? Is it slower than "normal" bandsters without this problem? I've read alot of debate between those with PCOS who prefer the lap band over gastric bypass, and vice versa. Could the info on PCOS perhaps adversely affect my surgeon's decision to give the lapband? Thanks for any info that you can provide me. This is a great forum for information!

Bright · December 5, 2003

Glad you found this message board - I love it.

Apologies but I don't have any experience of, or information about polycystic ovarian syndrome but am living in Dublin, Ireland and wanted to say Hi to a fellow european! I researched having my surgery in the UK as there are no surgeons in Ireland performing the op, and instead decided to go to France, due to their high standard of health care and also the price!!! It cost me "only" 4,000 euro there!

Anyway, enough about me, welcome to the board, and I hope you find the information you need.

best of luck on your lap band journey!

GeezerSue · December 5, 2003

It might impact on your decision. PCOS patients lose--according to the study authors--a lower percentage of their excess weight than do other patients. (Older patients--and I'm one--are in the same boat.) That doesn't mean YOU won't lose much weight. It just means the odds are not a good for you or me as they would be for a younger non-PCOS patient.

Good luck to you. Here's the abstract:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12527345&dopt=Abstract

Sue

claraluz · December 5, 2003

Oh, great! I have insulin resistance AND I'm older. I didn't know about these statistics prior to getting banded and I hope it wouldn't have changed my mind if I had. Because only three months out I've lost 25% of my excess weight. I may not make it to 100% (or I may), but I'm sure I'll make it to 50% and that will be a huge and important improvement in my health, my quality of life, and my appearance.

Nancy