Hi everyone! I have read about several women in this forum who have PCOS. I thought it would be nice to start a thread so everyone can share their stories and just talk with others who are going through the same thing. Many people are not aware of all the side effects of PCOS and the daily struggles we face. Here is the link to my story http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f18/newbie-georgia-42048/

Hope to hear from you soon!

The function of metformin and avandia is to bring down insulin levels so that the crazy cycle of storing fat is stopped and you can metabolize fat again. I've seen that several people are on one of these drugs or similar....I would like to know if there are people that have both gone through the surgery with and without the meds. I'm wondering if just the extreme drop in calories has been enough to get the fat burning mechanism working or if continuing on the meds plus the drop in calories would be a faster means to a skinny "end". As I have been told by my endo, as we loose weight, our insulin dips back to a normal level, therefore, breaking the cycle of "backwards" metabolism. At least, that is what I'm banking on....I am being banded on Jan 25th.

Amy

Ok i have a TMI Info for ya'll. Does anyone have hair on their stomach ?

Like LOTS of hair (Ok not LOts and lots ) but you know that dark line of hair you get when your preggers ? Well mine never went away ?

If you have it what do you do about it ? Im HOPPING once i get my TT it will all be cut off LMAO

Mindy

Rakes,

I used to take metformin, but stopped because it made me sick at my stomach. Here's the deal... Glucose is stored in fat cells. So, the more fat cells you have the more insulin your body has to produce to keep your blood sugar normal. So, once you lose weight, you have less fat cells, so your body doesn't have to produce as much insulin.

The thing about PCOS that this so difficult is that estrogen is also stored in fat cells. This contributes to the hormone imbalance that we PCOSers have. Thus causing all those yucky PCOS symptoms. One of which is increased hunger. You see, thus begins the vissous cycle.

So, the good news is...... Once we lose weight with our band, the viscous cycle is stopped. Those VERY IRRITATING symptoms are lessened, or eliminated, and the vissous cycle of up and down insulin production is halted. So...... whether you takes meds for PCOS or not, you still can have your "skinny end". I hope this all makes sense. Sometimes as a nurse, I say things in a way that is confusing, but this is my understanding of how weight loss affects PCOS.

Mindy,

Yes i do have hair on my stomach. When I was preggers I decided to shave it off. Big mistake... Now I have to shave my belly. How gross is that. I too, am hoping that it will be cut off with my TT.

Isn't PCOS fun?????????

I am still on my metformin even 77+lbs lighter. I am at a lower dosage, but I am convinced that the metformin is what is allowing my body to lose this weight quickly and consistently. I figure when I go on maintenance in a few months I will be able to go off of it. My PCP says to stay on the med as long as possible and milk it for all its worth.

Rakes,

Mindy,

Yes i do have hair on my stomach. When I was preggers I decided to shave it off. Big mistake... Now I have to shave my belly. How gross is that. I too, am hoping that it will be cut off with my TT.

Isn't PCOS fun?????????

Yeah when i had my surgery they shaved my stomach , I FREAKED ! So its a little worse than it was before. I thought about waxing it ! But im not sure. I think that would hurt like hell.

Sorry if i jumped into the middle of another convo. I thought this would be a good place to ask LOL

Mindy

I used to shve my tummy too. I had a TT before the LapBand and yes it took the hair away. No more Hairy tummy for me. YIPE!!!!

I used to shve my tummy too. I had a TT before the LapBand and yes it took the hair away. No more Hairy tummy for me. YIPE!!!!

AWWW good to know. Thanks for that Ann. Im not TOO worried about it yet. But it does bother me now . The thinner i get the more it bothers me .

Mindy

Thank you for this forum. I have PCOS. I was banded on the 14th of Dec. I have lost 14 pounds in 2 weeks and then nothing. I am getting depressed. Any suggestions???

Mindy, I am blessed with hair on my stomach too, lol. I made the mistake of shaving it too, and boy have I paid for it. The more I shaved it, the thicker it became.

Ann, thanks for sharing that. I was hoping it would disappear when I have my LBL.

Thank you for this forum. I have PCOS. I was banded on the 14th of Dec. I have lost 14 pounds in 2 weeks and then nothing. I am getting depressed. Any suggestions???

It's only been a little over 3 weeks, don't get discouraged yet. There are weeks that the scale doesn't move for me too, then all of the sudden I drop a few pounds. There are quite a few people on this site that have said they lose in spurts too. Just follow your surgeons instructions closely and give your body time to heal. How are you healing?

I have been feeling great. I was able to clean out the whole garage the other day. The weight loss stopped when I got off of my butt. I had become quite use to doing nothing. I ordered a Nordic Track treadmill. It arrives Thursday. I am looking forward to it.

Thank you for this forum. I have PCOS. I was banded on the 14th of Dec. I have lost 14 pounds in 2 weeks and then nothing. I am getting depressed. Any suggestions???

are you exercising ? I have found if i dont move my weight loss slows down drastically . the longest I have stopped loosing was 2 or 3 weeks and that was just this past week. I got up started walkig/ jogging again and BAM 2 lbs GONE !

So moving REALLY makes a difference

When all else fails go back to the basics of what we were told right after surgery ! That's what i have foun dhas worked for me

HTH

mindy

Ok i have a TMI Info for ya'll. Does anyone have hair on their stomach ?

Like LOTS of hair (Ok not LOts and lots ) but you know that dark line of hair you get when your preggers ? Well mine never went away ?

If you have it what do you do about it ? Im HOPPING once i get my TT it will all be cut off LMAO

Mindy

I have a LOT of hair on my stomach. I joke that I've got a hairier stomach than a lot of my male relatives. Like other people have said, DO NOT shave it, that'll just make it worse. Once I save up a bunch of money again, I'm going to look into getting it lasered off, since I'm having such a good result with lasers on my facial hair.

I have been feeling great. I was able to clean out the whole garage the other day. The weight loss stopped when I got off of my butt. I had become quite use to doing nothing. I ordered a Nordic Track treadmill. It arrives Thursday. I am looking forward to it.

mooselll

I got a Nordic Track Elliptical after thanksgiving and I just started back using it again. Exercising will really help, but don't go overboard, you're only 3 weeks post op, just be careful.

I have a LOT of hair on my stomach. I joke that I've got a hairier stomach than a lot of my male relatives. Like other people have said, DO NOT shave it, that'll just make it worse. Once I save up a bunch of money again, I'm going to look into getting it lasered off, since I'm having such a good result with lasers on my facial hair.

Thanks . I dont want to shave it . But eewws its yicky !! I started laser hair removal BEFORE surgery , bad idea. I should have waited until after surgery .

So I think im going to start up again soon . I started it on my lip and chin.

Im hoping the TT will get rid of most of it then i'll have the rest of it lasered LOL

Mindy