Having PCOS and Having to Lose Weight Before Surgery

[becauseimlauren 1]

I have PCOS and insulin resistance. I am 19 years old and my metabolism is total crap. I have gained over almost 200 pounds in the last 4 years even while eating healthy. I have been trying really hard to lose weight for the past 6 months and was successful in losing 4 pounds the first month after my doctor put me on Metformin. Then she put me on birth control the month after to treat my PCOS and bring my periods back, but then I started gaining weight again. I got my period back but kept gaining weight. At first, I didn't want to go off of the birth control because I wanted to have normal periods every month but soon went off of it after 4 months of gaining at least 3 pounds consecutively. Even after going off of it I still keep gaining weight every month, and I am so worried that my insurance is going to deny me because I haven't lost or maintained weight since my first month starting this. My doctor then prescribed me more Metformin so that I take it morning and night, and so far I've just been maintaining my current weight. My PCOS has been ruining my life since I was 14. Treating it and not treating it, I can never win! Does anyone else have this and feel this way?

[rjan 163]

Yes, I have PCOS as well. I was actually diagnosed years ago - probably more than 15 years. But in the past few years, things have gotten bad, and while I was not yet diabetic, my doctor upped my dose of metformin to 3 times a day. Even taking all that metformin, I was struggling to even maintain my weight, let alone lose it. And I knew diabetes was around the corner because things were getting worse and my dad got it around this age. This is the main reason why I chose to have bariatric surgery. I think PCOS is a very common reason.

I did my surgery self-pay, so I did not have to go through the pain of a doctor monitored weight loss regime before hand. However, I have read others talk about it on here. It sounds like there are two point of the monitored weight loss regime. One is to make sure you can follow a restricted diet, since your diet will be very restricted after the surgery. I am 3.5 weeks post-op, and I probably spend more time and energy on food that I did before the surgery - I have to eat more often, and I have to track my food to make sure I am getting Protein, and I have to make sure I am getting enough Water. Not everybody is up for that, and those people who aren't ready aren't successful long term. The second is to reduce the amount of fat stored in your liver, which makes the surgery safer.

It sounds like you are following the advice from your doctor well. He knows you have PCOS and about your medication problems and why you are struggling with weight loss and how hard you've been trying. Your profile says you have lost 26 pounds - so that's not nothing. A 26 pound loss is enough to reduce the fat in your liver, and to show that you can follow a diet. So let us hope that you still will be approved. Also, talk to your doctor directly about this concern - she probably has dealt with insurance companies/patients before.

If you're wanting some suggestions on how to get your diet back on track just to make sure you are approved, I wonder if you have thought about low-carb? I'm not an anti-carb fanatic, and I hope to be able to eat reasonable amounts of carbs in the long term now that I've had this surgery. But before surgery, whenever I was having trouble controlling my appetite, low-carb usually got things back on track. At it's core, PCOS is a metabolic problem with your glucose/insulin metabolism and low-carb helps. And doing low-carb pre-op will prepare you for the post-op diet. The post-op diet isn't strictly low-carb, but when you can't eat much and you need to make sure you get your protein, it pretty much ends up that way.

[BoredFatGirl 134]

I have PCOS as well and am also on Metformin. It's honestly disgusting how little I have to eat in order to lose weight. Metformin helps me maintain weight, so long as I am eating healthy. However, to lose weight, the best thing I can recommend is Keto. Check out the keto subreddit, find out what your daily intake should be, and give it a try. I have lost quite a bit of weight following that alone. I do gain quite a bit of Water weight once I stop keto, though, so keep that in mind.

[MeowAMR 219]

Do you know how much they want you to lose? PCOS is usually looked at as a comorbidity. Metformin did absolutely nothing for my PCOS and I slowly gained over the years. Keto did help me lose around 10lbs, but as soon as I stopped Keto I gained it back. Before my surgery I lost 11lbs by the pre-op diet that was basically Protein Shake in morning and at lunch, sugar free Jello or pudding between that when I got hungry and one healthy dinner like a salad. For two weeks. It sucks and not something recommend for long term, but if there is a certain lb'age they are wanting you to lose before they approve you that might help.

I'm lucky and my insurance didn't require any weight loss and I was at a 40bmi so I didn't need any comorbidities to get me approved. I am 8months post op and have lost 74lbs! So this surgery does work for us PCOS girls. Unfortunately it only worked on the weight loss. I still have Hair growth thanks to PCOS and my periods are still wonky too. Good luck on your journey!