Hi ladies,

I'm going through the process to get approved for a DS in November. Woot woo! I've been working on losing weight and have reached that magical number where my periods have returned, which I'm ok with. However, today is day 49 of the worst period ever!! The GYN and I are good buddies, as I've seen and talked to him 4-6 times in the last three weeks. We did 10 days of Provera which worked out to 7 days of light spotting. Two ultrasounds, lining is still thick (ugh), a biopsy that was negative for cancer (wahoo!) but I still just continue to bleed heavily with really bad cramps and PMS. I found out last week I have an enlarged heart, fatty liver disease, and several gallstones (which are all things I can live with) but that has the Doc second guessing birth control as an option. Plus neither of us want me to gain any weight - I'm already at 390.

Options given: Wait it out and hope it sorts itself out with more weight loss and eventually the DS. Or look into a hysterectomy (I'm 30 with no kids and not married)

Any advice, love, support or anything would be greatly appreciated!! I'm really at my emotional and physical limit these days.

I have to take BC pills to regulate my period due to my PCOS, I've taken it for over 10 years, at the moment I take Marlissa. I don't contribute the BC to any weight gain, as long as I do what I'm supposed to I still lose weight.

Do you want children in the future? If so - I'd wait it out until you've lost weight - if possible. What's the cause of the enlarged heart? You should get your gallbladder removed at the time of DS surgery.

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I've been on the Nuva Ring for about 7 years now to regulate my period. I'm 32 with no kids, and PCOS and I have definitely had our issues. All the doctors believe that the sleeve is going to help me lose the weight and get all of the symptoms of the PCOS under control, but I still plan on taking my birth control. Husband and I aren't really interested in procreating though, so I would ask what your opinion is on kids and if you want any in the future (or if you think there's a small chance that you might). Did they discuss hormones you'd be on if you got the hysterectomy? I know a few gals who've had it done and they've recovered well - but they also had all of the kids they'd ever wanted and were ready to be done.

Even with the issues compromising your health, I don't think you're in immediate jeopardy to anything life-threatening due to PCOS and obesity at your age. If you were in your 60s it would be an entirely different matter. I would definitely hold off on having the hysterectomy. You're way too young for something so drastic. Have the surgery and then reassess your health in a year when you've hopefully made significant progress and had some of your symptoms abate.

I also have PCOS, and it's the primary reason I had the VSG. My endocrinologist recommended it because it's benefitted other women my age (early 30s) and size with PCOS who are hoping to have children one day, and who also are wanting relief from their symptoms. This might be of interest to you: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3334389/ and http://bariatrics.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=115#pcos

I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow for blood work. I've definitely had some relief from PCOS-related issues that plagued me before, like painful cystic acne and irregular cycles, but it took some time. The first couple of months were a bit of a hormonal roller coaster, then it became more steady. I very gradually tapered off spiro and bc and no longer take either. My periods began to normalize about 4 months post-op. I've lost weight at a slower pace, but I also was starting with a lower BMI, so that could have been an additional factor. I think you'll be pleased with the effects of WLS.

When we were going through fertility issues, my doc ended up giving me a D&C due to my heavy lining. After that I had a few days of light spotting, then things were "normal" for 4 months or so. Once you get the lining down to a reasonable level, using the provera monthly to give you a withdrawal bleed may work for you.

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Have you been check for fibroids?

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them"

Einstein

If you haven't been checked for fibroids, check that first. I had a fibroid embolism after years of horrible periods and it returned me to a teenager-like period status. Amazing results. I highly recommend that procedure if it applies. Good luck!!

Thank you for all the advice!!

I love kids and have always wanted a big family, but in my mind that doesn't necessarily mean they have to be my biological kids. I'd be just as excited to adopt and or foster then birth my own.

I'm not sure about being checked for fibroids. I know on the ultrasound he saw a polyp, but I guess I don't know enough about fibroids. I will research them and discuss with my dr. Thank you!

It's also really encouraging to hear that PCOS and I could possibly learn to coexist after surgery. I was hoping that was the case, but these last few weeks have me second guessing everything. Go hormones!

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I have PCOS as well and I hear ya on the period angonies! I didn't get mine for 8 months, then on my college graduation day (when my whole family/friends traveled 6 hours to see me graduate) I got bombarded by my period. I lost so much blood in a matter of minutes, I almost passed out.

My drs wanted me to get the surgery for multiple reasons, fertility rate goes up after surgery and a lot of symptoms such as cysts subside with weight loss. PCOS s also a vicious cycle, you gain weight because you have it, you can't lose weight because you have it, but to get rid of it you need to lose weight.

WLS is very successful for people with PCOS! So I would probably hold off on any major decisions until after the surgery and see if you feel/ get better first!

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I don't have a good answer for you but my story is a bit similar.

I have PCOS and had a hysterectomy at age 34. I'm now 41. I didn't have children and didn't want them. I am content to be the fun aunt and mom to a pack of 3 small dogs.

I also had endometriosis and fibroids. Debilitating cramps and ridiculous amounts of bleeding. I had been on everything from bc pills to provera to try to regulate my nightmarish periods. I was on the trial for Seasonale and NuvaRing. Those all worked temporarily, but I'd be right back to square one again. I had 4 d&c procedures in less than 2 years. My final straw was when I had been bleeding over 60 days and called the doctor who agreed to do my surgery.

I found out after the surgery that I had a severe case of adenomyosis as well. No way to tell that until they do the surgery and do a biopsy.

I do not regret my hysterectomy one bit. I wish someone would have done it for me sooner. I felt like I got some degree of my life back.

I still have PCOS and one remaining ovary and am hoping VSG will help me better control some of those symptoms.

I wish you the best of luck in your journey.

Before considering a hysterectomy, I would ask the doctor about having a uterine ablation. You won't be able to have children, but your organs will be intact.

It was my treatment of choice when, at 38, I began what was the worst 2 years of menstruation I could ever imagine. Ablation is an outpatient procedure done under a sedation similar to when you have a colonoscopy or EGD. They insert a balloon into your uterus through your cervix, and fill it with scalding hot liquid which ablates the lining permanently. Over the last 10 years, I've had a tiny amount of brown spotting that lasted about a day- less, really, about once a year.

My hormones are intact, as are my organs. Just a thought- if hysterectomy was your treatment of choice.

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