I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) last fall.

Then I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) early this spring. I'm still learning about this and because it isn't severely effecting my day to day life, researching it usually gets put on the back burner. The biggest problem I have from it is I don't menstrate... and who likes doing that anyways?!? lol. I know my body needs to though.

Anyone else here have these two health problems? These two are known to make you gain weight and make it hard to lose weight. I have been treated by my PCP for both and I was just referred to a specialist... waiting on a call back from my doc with referral info as we speak.

I'm wondering a couple of things.....

1) Since these two things make it difficult to lose on your own, will it still be difficult post-band?

2) PCOS is "symptomatic" if you have the symptoms, you have it... if you don't then you don't... and basically PCOS is a complication from obesity. I'm hoping if I'm no longer obese then I'll no longer have PCOS (symptoms are no period, abnormal horomones, etc). Anyone have PCOS go away after a lot of weight loss?

3) Same question as above except for thyroid problems? From what I understand thyroid problems are FOR LIFE, right? It's not going anywhere is it?

Thanks!

I have not been banded and am in the "hurry up and wait" period. I have a hypo thyroid and have been medicated for the last 10 years. Yes it is with me for life, but as long as I stay medicated it will not cause weight gain. Have you been banded?? Are you on levoxal or the generic?? Have they regulated your meds yet?? It took years to get mine to where I was not on too much or too little. Hope this helps..Kimberly

I know I had thyroid problems, yes as a guy, and only found out through testing before i was banded, about 3 years ago...but since i've been banded i have not hand any problems losing weight...im glad you brought this up so i can ask my doctor about this...

I'm on the synthroid generic. Something weird is going on with my thyroid. Every time I go my blood work says something different. What was a little high last time is now normal but something else will be abnormal. Last time I went they checked my insulin (PCOS) and it was pretty high... I think 104... and something about my T something glubinoid or glubin-something was off. My doc referred me to an endo specialist and I'm waiting for them to call me back with the information to call the specialist and make an appointment. They haven't changed my meds since I first started, but they might at the specialist.

How do you take your thyroid meds? Do you crush them or take them whole? Is there a liquid form you take?

I haven't been banded yet, I'm in the "Hop all over atlanta from seminar to seminar" phase. I wanted to be 100% comfortable with getting banded before I spent $150 in gas traveling to seminars :wink_smile:

I am hypo since I do not have any thyroids at all due to cancer. Once your medicine is regulated which can take over a year. You will be fine in the loosing weight aspect. You have to be patient with this process and should have your blood checked every 6 weeks or so. If you are really concerned make sure you are seeing an endocrinologist(cannot spell).

As for levels being different everytime you had blood work, that is what tipped off the doctors that I had a growth in thyroids. Most growths are beign(90%) of them.

Good luck everyone!!! I am also in the waiting period.

I am PCOS and Hypothyroid too.

1) Yes and no.

Thyroid: as long as you take your thyroid meds and you get your thyroid levels checked regularly to make sure your meds are right, your hypothyroidism should not hinder weight loss. Make sure your doctor is not only looking a bloodwork but at hypothryoid sypmtoms when determining your medication dosage. Finding a good endocrinologist is important for both conditions

PCOS: Yes losing weight for us "cysters" is always a little more difficult. Of course we have to watch our carbs and avoid refined flour and sugar. I had to follow a low carb high Protein liquid diet pre-op (and boy was that torture) But that got all of my carb cravings out of my system during that time. Now that I am allowed to eat carbs I still have not allowed myself any bread, sugar, Pasta rice or starchy veggies. I feel like now that I got that stuff out of my system I don't want to start eating them again and go back to the cravings.

2) My endocrinologist told me that it is very possible that the Lap Band will resolve my PCOS issues without the need for medication! Like Diabetes, there really is no cure for PCOS but both can be resolved with weight loss surgery...

3) Yes hypothyroidism is for life. Weight loss will not resolve this.

Edited June 30, 200818 yr by Jodi_620

I'm on the synthroid generic. Something weird is going on with my thyroid. Every time I go my blood work says something different. What was a little high last time is now normal but something else will be abnormal. Last time I went they checked my insulin (PCOS) and it was pretty high... I think 104... and something about my T something glubinoid or glubin-something was off. My doc referred me to an endo specialist and I'm waiting for them to call me back with the information to call the specialist and make an appointment. They haven't changed my meds since I first started, but they might at the specialist.

How do you take your thyroid meds? Do you crush them or take them whole? Is there a liquid form you take?

I haven't been banded yet, I'm in the "Hop all over atlanta from seminar to seminar" phase. I wanted to be 100% comfortable with getting banded before I spent $150 in gas traveling to seminars :wink_smile:

Yes, it is best to see a good Endocrinologist for hypothyroidism. Hopefully he/she will get your dosage right or find out what your problem is. From what I have read it is important to make sure that your thyroid levels are in control before getting the lap band. Out of control thyroid levels can make it nearly impossible to lose weight.

As far as how to take the meds, my synthroid are pretty tiny and I am able to swallow them whole with no problems.

Hi Kaytie:

I self-pay for all my meds so I was very hip to try the generic Synthroid. It just did not work for me. I felt odd and my levels never seemed to be quite right. Later I had a doctor who was pro-generic except for Synthroid. I now use only Synthroid - the extra cost is worth it to me. I am just careful to make sure it is not more than 6 months old, again because of things this doctor said.

You may want to try going non-generic a couple months to see if things level out. Plus Synthroid is tiny and sweet so you can chew it after banding which will make it easier to take. (I'm not sure if you should chew it, but I usually do and have for years - check with your doctor.)

Good luck and let us know what happens!

Susan

I'm on the synthroid generic. Something weird is going on with my thyroid. Every time I go my blood work says something different. What was a little high last time is now normal but something else will be abnormal. Last time I went they checked my insulin (PCOS) and it was pretty high... I think 104... and something about my T something glubinoid or glubin-something was off. My doc referred me to an endo specialist and I'm waiting for them to call me back with the information to call the specialist and make an appointment. They haven't changed my meds since I first started, but they might at the specialist.

How do you take your thyroid meds? Do you crush them or take them whole? Is there a liquid form you take?

I haven't been banded yet, I'm in the "Hop all over atlanta from seminar to seminar" phase. I wanted to be 100% comfortable with getting banded before I spent $150 in gas traveling to seminars :wink_smile:

Thanks everyone for the info.

I've been hypo for 2-3 years, and I still have to adjust my meds everytime i go to the doctor. I'm getting closer though! My advice, find a good endo who is very up to date...my original doctor was going to let me levels continue to be elevated b/c they were in the "range".

Isn't that frustrating?

With the last endocrinologist I saw, I was going along fine for about six months when I started losing my hair in clumps, my skin was flaking, I had zero energy, no concentration, memory issues and worst of all horrible anxiety as well as all of the other clear signs of thyroid issues. I went to see the "endo" and he said that my blood levels were normal and I would just have to accept these side affects of thyroid disease because I would have them for life. I found a new endo right away, he adjusted my Synthroid dosage and I felt wonderful in a week or two. My mother is experiencing the same thing, she has every symptom of thyroid disease and her doctors keep saying she is borderline but within normal range. I keep trying to convince her to find someone else but that is not easy where she lives.

A good Endocrinologist will know that there is no one "normal range" for everyone. They should work with you to find your own normal range that keeps your symptoms at bay while not throwing you into HYPERthyroidism.

2) PCOS is "symptomatic" if you have the symptoms, you have it... if you don't then you don't... and basically PCOS is a complication from obesity. I'm hoping if I'm no longer obese then I'll no longer have PCOS (symptoms are no period, abnormal horomones, etc). Anyone have PCOS go away after a lot of weight loss?

I also have PCOS and have been diagnosed for about 6 years. I also have hypothyroidism and am just starting my journey to be banded. As far as I know from all I have read (which is a lot) PCOS is not actually a complication from obesity. (There actually are folks with PCOS who are not obese.) It is a much larger problem. Since the symptoms of PCOS are so wide in range, one can have lots of the symptoms and not have PCOS. Conversely, one can have only a few of the symptoms and still have PCOS. While losing weight will CERTAINLY help with PCOS, weight loss will not cure it. I know that you are not all that concerned with it right now, but I urge you to make sure to keep your eye on your PCOS. There may come a day when you want children and having PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility.

Good luck in your efforts.

That is true aivey. My sister has PCOS too and she is not overweight. Weight is not a cause, it is a symptom of which not everyone has.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism last summer.... I go to a naturalpathic doctor who specializes in Thyroid disorders.... thank goodness. I am on Amour Thyroid, a natural thyroid medication... she wants my TSH level to be less than 2.0 at all times... so after one adjustment, it is consistently there... now I was just banded at the end of May and right before surgery I had my levels checked... they were at 1.2... in the perfect range... I have probably had a thryoid condition most of my life, but whenever I asked my PCP doctors to check it, they did one little blood test, then said my levels were normal, no need for treatment. My levels for the past 10 years have been 3.5-7.0 for TSH.... so even though the "normal range" is from .5-5.5.... I should have been treated long ago... my naturalpath believes that anything over 2.0 needs to be treated. I get new test results in about a month, that will be two months post LAP Band. I can't wait to see what is going on.... as of now, my diabetes is in remission since surgery, off all meds. She is waiting to see if they thyroid condition is primary or secondary... if it is being triggered by the diabetes or obesity, we will find that out soon with weight loss and A1C (diabetes) is decreasing. I am thankful I found the doctor that I have.

As for the PCOS, I was diagnosed about 7 years ago after trying to get pregnant and couldn't. I tried ovulation therapy and medications... none worked.... finally after going on a low carb, high Protein diet... after trying 5 years to get pregnant, 6 weeks after starting this new diet, I got pregnant! Coincidence? I think not! So.... during pregnancy I continued eating that way and lost 55 pounds during pregnancy... I was strict with everything I ate. Since I was greatly overweight... my doctor was not concerned about my weight loss and I felt fantastic and even my diabetes was very under control, didn't have to take insulin or anything... had a perfect, flawless pregnancy and a perfect baby girl in November of 2002. I had a hard time sticking to that diet and have bounced back and forth over the years. Now, being banded for one month... I eat very healthy, as I said diabetes is in remission and I believe that if I tried, I would get prenant very quickly. But, since I have some major weight to lose so I can have another healthy pregnancy, I am choosing birth control... as they call LAP Band surgery, the fertility surgery as well. So I think that the way you eat and LAP Band can most definately help with both of your issues... although if your thyroid is primary, you may very well be on medication for life.... the pills are usually very inexpensive... my monthly prescription is not covered by Group Health, but costs less than my $10 co-pay. They are also pretty tiny pills and so far, don't have to do anything like split them to get them down... maybe in the future after a few fills, but now it is ok.

I hope this info helps!

Kammi in Everett, WA

335/302/180

DOB 5/27/08

Dr. Kuri - TJ Mexico