Hello everyone,

This is my beginning. I am 34 years old, and sick and tired of dealing with my PCOS. As I get older, it gets worse. PCOS is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, though I think that's a crummy name for it, because its so much more than the name implies. If you don't know what it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycystic_ovary_syndrome.

Its frustrating and adds huge challenges to the fight for staying healthy. This is why, I've decided to pursue Gastric Sleeve Surgery. I'm at the beginning of my journey. I go to my orientation seminar on Feb. 9th and thus it starts. It took me a year, and the last few months of pretty obsessively researching and digging deep in my brain to decide to do this. I've never had surgery, so that freaks me out a bit. Am I going to be okay after all this? Will it be a regret? Will it work!? The things that tipped the scale (HA!) and made me decide to do this are at only 34 years old, I'm worried about diseases I shouldn't even have to think about yet. I'm pre-diabetic, have hypertension and take medication for it, and have been having issues with build up in my uterus which will lead me to uterine cancer. Also, in a few years I want to have a baby, and had the hard to hear news told to me by my Oby-Gyn, "You're too overweight to have a baby right now without endangering your life and the baby's." Ouch. All pretty scary stuff on top of the general discomfort of being overweight. All of this has made me stop living and loving life. I've struggled with trying to make changes, I eat pretty clean most of the time, try to follow a low-glycemic diet and I hoop dance all the time. Yet, my PCOS keeps me from finding what it takes to lose weight. So, I started giving up. At some point, I realized facing scary surgery was better than facing scary disease. Whenever the fear tries to creep in, I just remember the scary disease part and I'm right back to determined to do it.

I've never been thin as an adult. I've always been a little to a lot (currently) overweight. I'm excited and scared about how or if this will change who I am. I'm hoping it does for the better. I want to remember what its like to be carefree again. I want to do so many physical activities that tire me out right now, or I'm too heavy to try.

Any PCOSers out there with stories or advice? Any one have thoughts or advice as I start this process? I'm looking so forward to taking back my life.

I'm 42 and I struggled with PCOS until I hit menopause at 40. (young for menopause, I know...) menopause renders pcos a non-issue. I had three babies before I got hit with pcos, then couldn't have any more. God allows these things for reasons we may not know until we meet Him. I think having this surgery now will allow you to do all the things you still want to do. You're still young. Go for it! I wasted more years than I should have fighting it. I was on 2000mg a day of Metformin. Did nothing for me. I dieted until i though I'd die and never lost an appreciable amount of weight. I've seen video accounts of women that have lost weight with the surgery and have gone on to have babies successfully. Go get your life back!

Thanks, Dooter! I am hoping. I just went to my surgeons seminar, and will be scheduling my appointment tomorrow for my one on one first appointment to get this ball rolling. So ready to be healthy! :ack2:

I have had PCOS since I was 12.... I've had 5 gyn surgeries related to it, and finally managed to get them to do a total hysterectomy this summer, when a cyst burst and was so large that the resultant internal mess landed me in the hospital for a week. I feel a million times better now that I'm on the proper hormones and they are no longer trying to force my janky body to work properly. No kids for me, but I never really felt well enough to consider them, with the constant pain, fatigue and complications of PCOS...

Fast forward to now, I've been unable to lose weight, because PCOS kills your metabolism. Having my ovaries removed won't really reverse that, in spite of the many things it did help. I decided to get sleeved now, and lose the weight I've carried for most of my life. I can't wait to start really living... at 33.

I have PCOS and I almost 3 months post op. I struggled with infertility for almost 6 years. I have one daughter who is 2 and she is the light of my life.

You will be fine I am off my metformin since before surgery and my insulin has been a bit high, I hope that for my 3 month post op check my insulin is better

I wish you the best of luck and keep in touch!

Hey there Moregan, You and I are on similar journeys! I was diagnosed with PCOS almost two years ago, and have been overweight since I was seven! And I want a baby, too! That's how I found out about the PCOS to start with, and a big reason why I decided to go forward with sleeve surgery. It has changed my life big-time! I am now 8 weeks post-op, and I've lost 32 pounds. I don't have to take metformin anymore, thank goodness, but this path so far has not been easy. It's only the las couple weeks that I've really felt like myself since the surgery, and had somewhat normal energy levels. food and I still don't get along very well if I'm not careful- I haven't thrown up a single time since surgery, but I gave gotten dumping syndrome a few times after having a little of something I shouldn't have had. And Dehydration is a constant worry.

However, this surgery has given me a new outlook on life. Despite my troubles, the weight is coming off. I don't get out of breath climbing stairs. I am down from a size 4X/ 28 to size 22, and some 1X's in less than two months!! I have the confidence to be able to plan and dream about a much more enjoyable future! And, I don't really feel hungry anymore. It is way cool to have five or six bites at dinner and be done!

So, yes it is scary. And there are needles. BUT, there are also DRUGS! Lol. And when you're done, recovered (this part takes time and is also way not fun), and skinny, then there will be a BABY!! I hope my perspective was helpful, and God bless your journey!

Caradina - I totally understand what you mean. I'm 34 and only received my diagnoses when I was 27, but I'm pretty sure I've had it since I was a teenager. One of my reasons for this surgery is related to exactly what you said, its time to start living.

Cris - We can do this! And thank you. I appreciate hearing everyone's story, they're all different, but they give a good look at the possible hurdles. I'm prepared for the worst recovery ever, and if it goes smooth sailing, that will just be that much better. I am lucky in that I know 4 people who have had sleeve surgery, and speak to 2 of them on a regular basis. They both have been so supportive, and honest down to the TMI details about what to expect.

I'm finally to a place mentally where, even though there is still the fear of the unknown, I'm like... let's do this!

Oh, and I got scheduled for my one on one consultation with my surgeon of choice. I'm going to Dr. Worley here in Houston at the Methodist Hospital. He is a sought after surgeon who does the VSG (and By-Pass) surgery with robotics. This has proven to lead to shorter recovery time, less scaring, less bleeding, and less chance of complications. At this appointment, he'll discuss further the surgery with me individually, I'll meet my "team", and schedule appointments for a nutritionist, psychiatrist, and an abdominal ultrasound. *deep breath* Here I go down the rabbit hole!

I too have PCOS. I was diagnosed when I was 25, and have followed the low GI diets and taken t he drugs since then. These did help "control" my weight for a little while but my body adjusted to these too. I was told I would likely not have children at 25 too, due to the PCOS. I am 36 now and still no children, tho also there really hasnt been anyone I would have wanted to have kids with.

Looking back mine really kicked in, in my late teens where my body ballooned and then all the associated angst came too, self esteem issues etc. Not wanting to go out, everytime I exercised I would injury myself and spent many hours at a physio. Grr

I was sleeved last September and am doing better than I ever expected, I am almost 5.5 months out and have lost 44kg (97 pounds). This journey is not always easy, I work out twice a day, have a trainer once a week, nutrionist and many follow ups. But it somewhat feels easier than the way I was living before the surgery. Today I feel happy and relatively fit. I still have a long way to go to where I want to be, which is a combination of what the scale says, what I see in the mirror, how I feel and WHAT my life looks like, but for the first time in years I am confident that I will get there.

PCOS does not need to define our lives, I am learning that.

Wow, Aussiegirl. Your success if inspiring to me. And thats exactly what happens to me too. When I eat clean, and exercise I'll do great up until about 20-25 pounds lost and then it all comes back no matter what. Or at best, I'll stay at that weight for a few months before I'd get frustrated.

This battle has made me want to get involved with PCOS Awareness though, more women should be checked for this. I know that when I was diagnosed at 26-27 years old, it was like a temporary moment of "Ah -ha!" I knew there was something wrong with me. I knew there had to be an explanation, because I took pretty good care of myself, and was always involved in something active.

I'm just ready to get the show on the road now!