I have been on here many times talking about how my period have been wacky since I got the band. I always thought it was just due to the band, or due to the weight loss, but I found out yesterday I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome/ PCOS. I am kind of freaked out about it, since I really want to have children in the next 2 years. I know there was a few threads on LBT about PCOS but I can't find them. Can anyone find the links, or share with me your own story about PCOS and how I can expect it to affect my life and my plans to have children. Thanks.

Hmm, I "had" PCOS prior to banding. I could go years without a period, however, that isn't healthy. So, my gyn. had me taking progesterone to kick start my cycles. Once, I was banded and began losing weight my cycles, without meds, have been monthly.

Did you say that your cycles have been irregular since banding? Where they irregular prior to banding? This would have me stumped.

As far as pregnancy is involved, my first was born when I was merely overweight and not diagnosed with PCOS. I had cycles but they were irregular. With my daughter 5 years later, I was obese and had been taking progesterone. Obviously, that must have helped me to get pregnant. No sure how healthy it is to take progesterone and then get pregnant?

Put in a search for PCOS. It is quite common.

Good luck. Shawn

Laura

Have hope dear! PCOS is INCREDIBLY common among obese women (probably more so than actually know they have it). PCOS and metabolic syndrome go hand in hand. The good news is that you have a band and as you lose weight that metabolic syndrome could very well disappear along with your PCOS. And like Shawn said, there are certain medications that doctors can give you to help you get pregnant and alleviate some of the symptoms of PCOS.

I have PCOS. It makes me grow hair in places girls shouldn't grow hair. I don't have periods, ever. I've lost 100 pounds and my periods still haven't come back. But I haven't really pursued it a the doctor's office. There are many things that can be done to help.

Hi Laura, I conceived with my PCOS using herbs, as have a few other people I've told about it. PM me if you want details.

Also, your fertility may increase as you lose more weight.

Thanks everyone. I actually had normal periods before banding b/c I was always on birth control and I guess that kept me regular. I went off BC before being banded and for the last year my periods have been very irregular and I finally went in for some tests because I have had a period for a month now - I guess due to the homrone imbalance from the PCOS the lining keeps building up. I am just worried because I want to have a baby sometime in the next few years.

Here is an excellent site to learn more about PCOS from the women who have it: www.soulcysters.com.

PCOS can make getting pregnant harder, but it can be done. I have a 4 year old that proves the point.

However, anyone who has PCOS who doesn't think they can get pregnant needs to be really careful while dropping weight. The weight loss can change the insulin resistance part and you might find yourself staring at a plus sign when you weren't expecting one. Of course, the flip side is that it can bring that blessed plus sign when it's what you are praying for, too.

The term, polycystic ovarian syndrome is misleading from what I learned when I first found out I had it. You may or may not have cysts, but the other symptoms can include:

Hair growth in unwanted places

depression

darkened elbows

thinning hair

skin tags