Lapband And Pcos

[whimsy 0]

In this thread alone there is more info than any other I have found on this site. WE need to find away to make sure that we are easier to find. Add PCOS to our signature and mention it in your posts then when someone searches for Pcos they will find more than a few obscure messages. The band sounds like its the way to making our lives better and ultimately longer. Its like our own little miricle that losing weight is evan possible let alone being able to keep it off. Thank you Crishell and SElaine you've given me hope and more determinatio to have this surgury.

I absolutely agree with this sentiment. It is inspiring to see other women who have PCOS make great strides in their health after lapband.

[boogitas 0]

Hello Everyone,

I want to get the band but I am scared the weight will not come off because of PCOS. I had an appt. with the surgeon yesterday, he could not tell me if it would effect my weight loss or not. I am going to my primary dr today so we can talk about it.

Sometimes I feel like it isn't worth trying so hard, I gained 6 lbs in the past few days, i am sure it is all Water. Sometimes I have pMS for longer than a week, I feel gross.

Its nice to see some people have lost wieght with PCOS, I am scared to get let down at this point. I know how to eat, but the weight just sticks. I need a little cheering up, today is one of those days I could just eat junk. I won't do it, but if I did the outcome would just be the same 245 lbs not budging!!!:pray2:

Tracie

[flipbarnett 0]

I too have PCOS. I had my surgery 1/8/08 and I have lost 16lbs on my scale. (I'll change my ticker when I go to the dr next Thurs. with what he tells me.) My left ovary is so full with cyst. I don't have regular cycles unless I take provera. I wasn't supposed to start till the 12th of this month, but on the night before surgery I started. I was so embarrased. I thought they would cancel but they told me no it wasn't unusual for women to start their cycles during surger. I can't wait to loose more so I can hopefully ovulate and conceive. But that wasn't my only reason for having the surgery. I love life. I decided that if I couldn't have a child I'd get myself healthier. I'm happy I had the band. I have 2cc in the band already and I do feel some restriction. The restriction isn't as tight as it was the first week, but I have that full feeling.

Good luck to all.

Felicia

[divaofsongs 42]

I also have PCOS. I was banded on December 13, 2007 and have lost over 40 pounds since then. I have my first fill on Jan 23rd, so I am hoping the weight loss continues.

I can tell you that the very first month, my period returned on its own and I had EWCM for the first time in 5 years. That is definetely a positive sign for me.

I have been sticking to a low-carb way of eating and I think that may have a lot to do with it. It is just much easier to eat low-carb when you have the band in to restrict your hunger.

[pearlygirl 1]

I'm so happy to have found this site that I am in tears. I have PCOS and am currently going through the process of being approved by my insurance company. I should know by the end of March....fingers crossed!!

[comepickmeup 0]

Hello Everyone! There are a couple of other PCOS threads on here...search them out. They all have some good points, information, and inspiration. I've had PCOS for 8 years. I've never had a regular cycle, have the facial hair, hairy arms, allllll the fun stuff. ha. I've been on Metformin, Spironolactone, and Provera. Metformin made me sick regardless of the dose, so I stopped taking it. Now I only take the Provera to help regulate things. I was just banded on Jan 7th. Lost 20 pounds on the pre-op diet. And like what some of the others stated...I ended my period about a 2 weeks before surgery. Then voila it came back on its own the week before surgery. Luckily, it ended the day before surgery. So perhaps the pre-op diet is having some crazy effect on our bodies helping our cycle jump start on its own.

Boogitas: I just went back to my surgeon today for a follow up appt. I was specifically asking about PCOS patients and their success rates. The way that I had understood it, was that those with PCOS were often successful but the rate of loss may be super slow. My surgeon told me that she's had many PCOS patients and they are just as successful as anyone else and lose at the same rate. Of course, she stated, it's a matter of following their rules....if we chow on milkshakes and other high fat/sugary foods that slip through the band easily we will not lose...this is true with PCOS or not.

So that's my two cents. When I was weighed today, I've lost a total of 30lbs since starting this journey. Of course, I'm still on liquids. I start mushies on Monday and expect to gain a couple of pounds back once I incorporate "real" food in my diet. The current loss has already surpassed my expectations though. Just hang in there everyone. I'm convinced this will be the solution to help reverse these PCOS symptoms!

Good luck to all of you!!!!!

[KTBEEE 0]

I am so excited that I have found you all!! I too like the rest of you have PCOS. I was diagnosed 6 years ago and have to conceive with IVF. Haven't had a regular cycle in I don't know how many years. But I am having the lapband on 1/29/08 to help me lose the weight and have a period and feel good again. I am tired of gaining weight. heck I wouldn't eat and I would still gain. I also am in Metformin. We need to all stick togather in this.

[Free2BMeforLife 0]

Hello Everyone,

I want to get the band but I am scared the weight will not come off because of PCOS. I had an appt. with the surgeon yesterday, he could not tell me if it would effect my weight loss or not. I am going to my primary dr today so we can talk about it.

Sometimes I feel like it isn't worth trying so hard, I gained 6 lbs in the past few days, i am sure it is all Water. Sometimes I have pMS for longer than a week, I feel gross.

Its nice to see some people have lost wieght with PCOS, I am scared to get let down at this point. I know how to eat, but the weight just sticks. I need a little cheering up, today is one of those days I could just eat junk. I won't do it, but if I did the outcome would just be the same 245 lbs not budging!!!

Tracie

Hi Tracie,

I'm not banded yet. (end of February) :biggrin:I've done alot of reaserch and spoke with several docters. Seems like the band is a good choice for PCOS. Exspecially those who don't lose because of IR. Because the band limits what we eat it automatically lowers the carbs we eat, which is what starts the cycle of IR. WE are told that we need to eat protien first, Therefore we souldn't have room for many carbs. Also from what I understand Carbs like bread, Pasta, rice and pastry can be pretty hard to get down. So that helps limit our carbs as well. I don't think we'll ever totally understand PCOS or how the band is beneficial to us but so far the results look pretty promising. Hope this helped. Good luck.

Staying positive is half the battle.

[soriminah 0]

I'm also worried that the surgery won't work for me but I've heard heaps of positive stories so I want to give it a go.

The Dr that I'm going to see in Feb states on his website that banding may be right for you if 'you do not have any other disease that may have caused your obesity', so I'm hesitant in telling him that I have PCOS in case he won't band me.

I think that may just be a disclaimer on his part - some PCOS people lose, some don't, so he doesn't want to state either way so there's no way that he can be sued if someones banded and they don't lose.

[got2bme 0]

Hi. I also have PCOS. I was banded on 10/18/07. I've dropped 27 lbs so far. I'm very impressed. I haven't yet started to exercise like I should but I am losing. Maybe you could have leak. Do you feel any restriction when you get a fill? Do you drink with your meals? Perhaps a nutritionists may be able to help.

Good luck!

Got2bme

[Kissmygrits 0]

I had to respond with some good news. Today (1 month pre-op) I had an ultrasound at my gyn to check on the condition of my ovaries. Before surgery, my poor PCOS-ovaries were so swollen and full of cysts that my right side ached almost constantly. Today's appointment was really to determine if I finally needed to get some of the cysts lasered off (a procedure I considered before Lap Band).

Well, guess what! The doctor found NO CYSTS on my ovaries. Not one! All the PCOS cysts are gone and the corpus luteal (big cysts) I had also are gone. My ovaries are clear and healthy for the first time in 3 years. I feel like I've been given new life!

I had a feeling that things had gotten better since I began to lose a little weight with the Band because my skin cleared up, that ache in my pelvis went away, and my hair wasn't shedding as much. But to see a beautiful ultrasound of healthy ovaries is just amazing to me. Thank God for this Band!!!

I know that I'm not "cured" since it's an endocrine disorder, but I am happy that it is being controlled at this point (which is more than birth control and metformin were ever able to do for me).

[pearlygirl 1]

Kiss - That is WONDERFUL news!!!! I have some decent news also. My ob/gyn is thrilled with the idea of surgery for me. He said that he's had several PCOS patients who've been banded and each of them have had good results. I was so excited to hear that because my biggest fear is that because of my PCOS this won't work either. Like most of you, I've tried everything. I lose but then I gain...what a vicious cycle. Well, here's to having HOPE!!!!!

[comepickmeup 0]

KissMyGrits: Congratulations! Having such great results only one month out, just think what's in store over the next year or so!! That's definitely enough motivation for all of us!

[jillrn 0]

I have PCOS and I have lost about 60 pounds. My periods have returned after 15 years or so of not having one, (unless induced by dr!) I am now actually pregnant on my own without fertility meds. I grant all this to my band and my low carb lifestyle with the band. ALSO exercise! I am however a very slow loser. only 60 lbs in 13 months. THen I found out I was pg so I quit trying to lose. Good luck you will lose but it will be slow. PCOS sucks bigtime!

[renewedhope 4]

Congrats on your pregnancy and weight loss!!! That is awesome!!