Any ladies out there with PCOS? Banded or in the process? Curious to see how it has worked for you.... looking to get to know others in the same boat

I am a bandster with PCOS as well!! I am 2 weeks from my 6 month bandiversary (lol) and just shy of 70lbs down. I thought about having surgery for years and also decided I was going to do it on my own. Well "doing it on my own" lead to years of dieting' date=' yo-yoing up and down and unhappiness. Now that I have been banded I am finally finding real success and wish I had done it sooner.[/quote']

Question did you lose constantly or have dead times in your losing?

I don't know how "dead" her times could have been if she is down 70 lbs in 6 mos

I had 2 major plateaus and always broke them with pure exercise - stepping it up for a major event like a walkathon or just tons of Zumba, with high Protein focus. I think exercise is key to losing, especially when you are closer to goal.

thanks for all the comments ladies... today is my apointment, wish me luck...

Hi ladies,

I was banded in Nov 2011. I also have PCOS. Cant take the metformin or glucophage due to the side effects.

I have lost 55lbs to date. Go for a check up on Thur. I totaly forgot that the PCOS will slow me down.. I beat myself up all the time for craving the carbs. I had a hysterectomy were they removed my cervix and uteris so cycles but the hormones are there.. And since I have been losing the weight it has gotten worse with all the side effects that go with your cycle.. And the breakouts are worse.. My gyn Dr said once I hit my desire weight goal it should regulate..

Congrats to all the ladies who have taken the plunge to help lose the weight and stay healthy..

Question did you lose constantly or have dead times in your losing?

Sorry, I haven't been on in a couple days!! lol I haven't really had an dead times or plateaus. I have had some weeks or months where I have lost more than others. I just do my best to keep up on my Protein intake, Water intake and exercise. If I can't get in a "real" work out then I'll get a nice, long walk in (min 3 miles). Oh, and of course I keep up on my fills!!

thanks for all the comments ladies... today is my apointment, wish me luck...

Sunshine, How did your appointment go?!?

I am a bandster with PCOS as well!! I am 2 weeks from my 6 month bandiversary (lol) and just shy of 70lbs down. I thought about having surgery for years and also decided I was going to do it on my own. Well "doing it on my own" lead to years of dieting' date=' yo-yoing up and down and unhappiness. Now that I have been banded I am finally finding real success and wish I had done it sooner.[/quote']

Hey there jessi! I too have pcos. I was banded 7 weeks ago and I'm down 15lbs. I wish it was more but I'll take it!. I'm just wondering, do u do low carb or just eat a certain amount of calories?? Ive been stuck for 2 weeks now! It's always been hard for me to lose weight with the pcos unless I keep my cals extremely low. I'm just wondering how other pcos banders are eating??? Congrats on ur loss!! That's amazing

I eat a very low carb diet, while keeping an eye on my calories and fat intake. For me it is all about watching the carbs!! I try to make sure that the only carbs I get are from natural sources (fruits and veggies) and really try to have little to no grains. That is what works for me...while that and exercise. With that being said, if I am DYING for something naughty then I have it, just a lot less of it that before.

Ok I'm guessing my problem is I'm eating too many carbs. I know better than to eat carbs! I guess I just figured if I was eating less of things I would still lose, but this dang pcos screws up everything! I have to remember I'm different from others. Can u give me an example of what one of ur days looks like?? Are you Atkins style or more like south beach?

Oh, and thanks )

In the beginning I was really able to eat anything and I lost (with metformin) very slowly but down 70 lbs in 1.5 years. I wasn't exercising. I have about 30 lbs to go, and I am finding I really need to exercise and watch the carbs now or I won't lose. All in all, the exercise is really key.

I would say I'm kinda of a combo of the two but less carbs than South Beach allows. A typical day for me:

Breakfast: Protein shake (Premier protein 30g protein, 5 carbs)

Small snack a few hrs later: one ounce of nuts (I eat the planter's heart health)

Lunch: Mixed greens salad (with cucumber, tomato, green peppers) with drained tuna fish, small amount of dressing or leftover dinner.

Dinner: 3-4 oz of some lean protein, 1 cup of some steamed low starch veggie.

Snack: Small orange or apple or sugar free jello or sugar free popsicle. Plus 8-10 servings of water (some of them with crystal light for flavor)

Calorie wise I try to stay between 800-1000/day and carbs, I try to stay below 40/day.

Wow! You rate REALLY healthy! No wonder I'm not losing lol! Are you on myfitnesspal?? Or do u not bother counting cals? Are u in ur green zone?

Many with PCOS are insulin resistant and therefore, have difficulty with carbs and suggars. I try to stay away from bread, rice, Pasta, suggars like swets. Thankfuly my band will not tolerate these items accept for the sweet items wich for many just slide right thru. I also hav e to be careful with salty Snacks as well. It is ok to have a carb free plate and if you find yourself shaky after working out maybe have a small carb item like a pice of fruit before a workout or a small baked potato but only eat 1/2.

Some are put on Metformin and are quite sucessful with it. I would also recomend The PCOS Diet Plan by Hillary Wright The PCOS Workbook by Angella Grassi Both these guides give a good base for how someone with pcos should eat to mannage the disorder. This PCOS can make what we can put in our mouths either very good for us or down right toxic. PCOS is very closely related to diabetis. So if you are taking metformin monitor your suggars and be aware of any unusual symptoms to report to your doctor.

First thing I wanted to reply with was that I'm 5 months post op and I used to have to take birth control in order to get a normal period. I dumped the birth control about 3 months ago because it was giving me the worst acne and GUESS WHAT?! I just finished a normal period for the 2nd month in a row!!!! YAY!

In regards to the comment below:

It is ok to have a carb free plate and if you find yourself shaky after working out maybe have a small carb item like a pice of fruit before a workout or a small baked potato but only eat 1/2.

A low carb diet has always helped me with PCOS and I recently tried doing atkins w/ my lapband. ( I really like atkins and have no issues with it) But this time I was getting light headed/dizzy quite frequently and for longer than just the first couple of days.

Dr. Westman, the dr who just wrote the New Atkins book actually practices at Duke (Where I had my lapband surgery done) and he has worked with the dietitians that I work with. My dietitian explained that lapband patients on atkins should acutally up sodium intake just a touch. Maybe have a cup of chicken broth midday. It is supposed to help with that low carb dizziness!

I thought that was an awesome tip right from the King of Low Carb and wanted to share!!