I have PCOS ( with insulin resistance and endometriosis) and I am due to get VSG surgery around the new year. I would love to hear from some fellow PCOS cysters who have had VSG surgery. Have you been successful? Anything you’ve found to be extra hard with PCOS? Any words of advice? What’s your story? Have you been able to stop taking metformin? Was your fertility restored? (We are NOT ever having children.) And other topics similar. Please share.

When I have more time I will respond to this better. I have PCOS and got lapband 14 years ago. Then this week on October 3 rd had band to sleeve revision. But.... PCOS is terrible. I am sorry you deal with that too. I don't get periods at all but I have 4 kids from 16 years old to 5 years old. Femera was the answer for me. Anyway I'm healing so I'm a bit groggy but I will try and get back to you as soon as I get a little better.:)

Edited October 6, 20178 yr by Road2health

My endocrinologist is the one who recommended the VSG to me specifically because it has benefitted other patients with PCOS. I read through promising medical studies when making the decision to pursue the surgery. I had the VSG in August of 2015, and I do consider the outcome to be successful because I exceeded both the goal my surgeon had set and my own "dream" goal. Depending on the brand, I'm wearing between a size zero and a four, which I would have found impossible to believe a few years ago. I did start off with a lower than typical BMI for the surgery (32), but was literally busting out of size 14, so this is a dramatic change. I've sustained that weight loss fairly easily. My diet this year has been more focused on PCOS than weight loss; I've read a few books about dietary guidelines for women with PCOS, and try to follow them.

Having the VSG abated some issues with PCOS, but unfortunately not all of them. I've reduced risk from obesity-related health problems, and that is important. I still struggle with acne and hirsutism, and fertility problems.

I actually didn't start taking Metformin until after I'd lost the majority of weight, and have lowered the dosage because of side effects. I plan to discontinue it altogether soon, after gradually tapering off.

I'm taking 100 MG of Spiro now, and I use Vaniqa to help with the facial hair. It's obscenely expensive, but it's been effective for me, so worth the cost. I'd been on a lower dose of Spiro for nearly two years post-op, and have only recently upped it from 50 to 100 because of acne and cycle irregularities. My cycle had been fine for a while, but I had several international trips over the summer, and it's believed that the travel contributed to throwing things off.

One thing I experience with Spiro is an increased appetite. Though some people lose weight and have a reduced appetite while taking it, others have the opposite experience. I don't know if this is a medicine you've ever taken, but wanted to discuss it since it's often prescribed for PCOS. For years endocrinologists insisted weight gain was not a side effect, but it's now listed as one on Mayo Clinic's website. There are many accounts online of women, both with PCOS and not, who've gained considerable weight while on it. Since I'm now two years out, carbonated drinks don't have as much of an effect on me as they did the first few months post-op when I was still healing. I find that drinking carbonated water gives me the sensation of fullness when I've felt an increase in appetite from Spiro, without consuming calories and carbs, and it also quenches the increased thirst I feel. I also am careful to keep healthy snacks around so that if that's not sufficient and I'm so ravenous I need more, I'll have better options within reach.

I definitely think the VSG is worthwhile. I'd be optimistic that it could help you with PCOS, but braced for the possibility that some issues will continue. It absolutely improved my life and I'm grateful every day for it, even though it didn't help as much as I would have liked with PCOS. I wish you all the best!

I have PCOS. I'm 3 months post op and have lost 36 lbs. Before surgery, I hadn't had my menstrual cycle for 5 months..then, after surgery I got it. I've had it every month since surgery. One side effect of PCOS that has not slowed down though is the facial hair on the sides of my cheeks and where my chin/neck area is. It's not THAT bad, I've seen girls have it worse than me but that's a symptom that has not decreased. I've done 2 treatments of laser hair removal so far and it's decreased a tad...my next laser appointment is next week so we'll see how that helps it. (I was told birth control helps this side effect of pcos but I hated how I felt on bc so I don't want to go back on it)

Edited October 6, 20178 yr by sleevedshereen

I have PCOS and I had the sleeve surgery on 4/20/17. I’ve lost 101lbs since my highest weight. This is the most successful I’ve been with weight loss since puberty. Weight has been one of my biggest struggles with PCOS. My nutritionist actually said that little to no starches in my diet is important not only for weight loss but also for PCOS. I’ve only had a few bites of any starches since surgery and it’s made a big difference. I feel much healthier and have had less of those intense mood swings related to my cycle. Like another woman said though, I haven’t had any reduction in my hirsutism which I was really hoping may be improved. I know that the high protein diet post op helps to prevent general hair loss so I wonder if it’s just helping to prolong my hirsutism. Unfortunately I have light hair so I’ve been told laser isn’t a great option but I may look into other permanent hair removal methods in the future.

I’ve been on the pill since I was diagnosed about 12 years ago so I’ve had a monthly cycle for that entire time. The first couple of months after surgery my period was 2 weeks on 2 weeks off but after three months it has stabilized and I’ve only been getting it for a few days once a month.

One thing that my PCP said is that hormones are stored in fat cells. So while I’m losing weight the hormones essentially get forced out when a fat cell shrinks enough. She said that was the most likely reason for my erratic cycle after surgery especially since the weight was coming off really fast.

I have absolutely no regrets about surgery at all. I don’t think that it will resolve all of the symptoms that go along with PCOS but I do feel like I’m better equipped to handle my PCOS. I’m also hopeful that as I get closer to goal it will improve even further.

Best of luck!!

Hey everyone


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Thank you for posting this! Its a much needed light at the end of the PCOS struggle (which most people think is a fake diagnosis).

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9 hours ago, kfulcer said:

Thank you for posting this! Its a much needed light at the end of the PCOS struggle (which most people think is a fake diagnosis).

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Who on earth thinks it's a fake dx? It's a syndrome--so is a collection of symptoms rather than a disease that is attached the failure of a certain organ, etc such as (polycystic kidney disease). PCOS post meno=metabolic syndrome. These symptoms are all tied to insulin resistance and it's unclear whether it's the chicken or the egg--meaning, did obesity bring on the insulin resistance and PCOS, or did underlying PCOS disrupt the endocrine system and drive obesity. All of my docs: PCP, oncologist, bariatric surgeon, pulmonologist, cardiologist, orthopedist, and plastics dude all believe it. Most treat so many patients with it all day.

For me, it was definitely PCOS first, obesity second. I was on prednisone (high doses) for a blood disease when I was a child (6mos-11years). By 14 I had full blown PCOS with hirsutism and was gaining weight at an alarming rate. I went on my first diet at 9. I'm hoping that WLS will help mitigate the most important factors of PCOS, but if I have any say, will choose the RNY over VSG because of greater hormonal reset (so I've heard).

Edited October 18, 20178 yr by FluffyChix

I had gastric sleeve and they took me off the metformin the day I had surgery. My depression caused from pcos has literally gone away and I don't feel cysts anymore. My periods are still a little crazy but that's because of hormone changes. I had no idea how much pcos was a factor in my life until Titus surgery and I am down 75lbs in three months and feeling amazing!

Some people think if you look fine, you're fine. In my case the only person in my life that gets it is my mom.

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Ahhh, got it. ((hugs)) Sorry you experience this.

I have PCOS ( with insulin resistance and endometriosis) and I am due to get VSG surgery around the new year. I would love to hear from some fellow PCOS cysters who have had VSG surgery. Have you been successful? Anything you’ve found to be extra hard with PCOS? Any words of advice? What’s your story? Have you been able to stop taking metformin? Was your fertility restored? (We are NOT ever having children.) And other topics similar. Please share.

I am 6 weeks post op. I was diagnosed with PCOS last year. I have at least 2 cycles a month. I stopped taking 500 mg of metformin the day before surgery. I lost 30 lbs so far. I suffer from mood swings, unpredictable cycles, hair on upper lip, hormone imbalance. I'm on my cycle now and I feel the urge to eat all day even when I have this restriction.

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I have PCOS as well. I am watching this thread my surgery is being scheduled very soon.

I have PCOS but went the SIPs/Loop DS route. I stopped Metformin and Spiro the day after surgery. Fortunately I never had problems with excess hair (just thinning hair, ugh) + major hormonal acne and of course wacky periods.

My periods are still a bit wacky but my hormonal acne is MUCH better - I was waking up with painful cysts under the skin around my jawline multiple times a week and now I'm getting them very rarely, usually only around my period. My cycle isn't normal but I'm still on BCP so I am getting them semi-regularly every 4-6 weeks.

The biggest difference is the amount of energy I have - and I noticed that within a week of having the surgery. My moods have gotten so much better. I"m having my 3 month checkin in a couple of weeks so we'll see where my levels are at but I'm feeling pretty great.