pcos and ds surgery
I know there's probably many posts about this but I am 5'5" and 220 pounds been recently officially diagnosed with PCOS although I am pretty sure I've had it for years I also have been diagnosed with psuedo tumor ceribi.
simple explanation from all my doctors optometrist endocrinologist neurologist regular doctor lose weight if it was that easy I would have done it already calories in calories out type thing.
I recently had a strong bout with a lot of symptoms and gained an enormous amount of weight in a very short amount of time about 40 pounds in 2 months and overall 68 pounds in about 7 months no lifestyle changes whatsoever. I occasionally get this thing that I now know is called the Buffalo Hump so I started looking into Cushing's and got tunnel vision until I got tested. My cortisol levels I was told by my endocronoloigst came back normal on a 24 hour urine and only slightly elevated 2.2 on a 1 milligram suppression test. so he said to forget about it its not cushings it's just PCOS so I got discouraged did some research and actually stumbled across this website and discovered that there are other PCOS patients who have had the Buffalo hump!
I got rather excited and also found some more information about weight loss surgery and the DS surgery and now I am really looking into this.
a little more about me also is this website really made me think about it I've never been a decent size more than three times in my life once when I was 18 when I was 23 and when I was 30. and only once was I under 150 and that was when i was 18 i basically starved myself and all I did was exercise hours n hours everyday. (so only once in my adult life have I had a healthy bmi and that was when I was 18 and starved myself and over exercised)
so unless I'm basically a full time food Nazi with myself and exercise at least 2 hours a day 6 days a week I'm never able to stay at a healthy weight.
what I am struggling with is the fact that you will have so many restrictions on eating afterwards and if I ate like that religiously for the rest of my life I probably wouldn't need the weight loss surgery however it's the discipline to do that for the rest of my life and I feel that having the surgery makes you have no option I guess a lot of other peoples opinions and who have pcos and have had the ds surgery and how it has affected their life would be helpful.
Also if i am honest i believe i am scared. Alot of the ds surgery is not reversible and i am worried that if i did get ds surgery i may of made the wrong choice. After all if God wanted my stomach routed that way He woulda made it that way lol...of course He never wanted me to suffer from pcos either and those suffering symptoms list is long.
Ok im done with my book. I appreciate your input and guidance everyone!
Huh? The only part of the DS that's not reversible is the small stomach(sleeve).
I can eat anything. I still have to watch it even with the DS. And I am still overweight. But here's the deal, as you get older, the weight will be even harder to control and your diet will become even more restrictive. I think the DS would be a good option for you. It has made a huge difference for lots of people with PCOS. I can also remember a woman named Ocean(I think) with pseudotumor ceribi who had great results from the surgery.
As Patti said, the sleeve gastrectomy part of the DS is not reversable, but the intestinal "switch" part can be either reversed or adjusted if needed. Of course that's major surgery, but it can be done. And the sleeve, while not reversible, will stretch out with time (whether you want it to or not).
The DS does not have a laundry list of foods you can never eat again. It does not cause dumping, which is a potential side effect of gastric bypass. We do need to watch carbs, but can eat protein and fat freely. This opens up a lot of food and cooking options.
My only concern is whether or not your insurance will agree that you qualify for any kind of bariatric surgery. Your bmi, according to the height and weight you state, is 36.6. The standard criteria for medical necessity for bariatric surgery is either a bmi over 40 OR bmi 35 - 39.9 with a major comorbidity. Now my own opinion is that your PCOS and pseudo tumor cerebri should do it, but it's not my decision. You will need to get your hands on your EOC (evidence of coverage) and see what coverage you have, and also what, if any, appeals rights you have if you get a denial. You are entitled to see the EOC and should never take the word of some insurance company employee who doesn't care about you.
Larra
Hi there thanks for the replies. You know a few "informative" website state it is not reversible. But as I have read up more and more, I see that only the sleeve part is not. I am so appreciative for your responses. You are so right as time goes on it is only more then likely going to get worse and harder to loose weight. Also I want children more then anything and pcos makes that hard. If I do get pregnant the weight will be even harder to loose!
And the psuedo tumor ceribi as I research more on that the main thing that everyone tells you is to loose weight and try to never gain it back as this is what will put you in the most danger of loosing your eye site!
So I am in complete agreement with you I think the pcos and the fact that ptc can cause you to go blind should be cause enough. I am looking into lenox hill hospital in Nyc as I live on long island and there are not many drs out this way that do the ds. I have watched all the videos on their site and also read their insurance info. They seem to have a STRONG belief that it should be the persons choice not the insurance and will fight with you every step of the way with your insurance. So I truly loved that. I have Health First NY insurance and I do see them listed on their accepted insurances so that also gave me hope. Only thing is I can not find a contact number for them only a way to email them which I did. I even filled out the form for the request an appointment but havent heard back yet.
Anyone else have any experience with this hospital?
Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC
The doc is more important than the hospital! Find the right doc for you. And do beware of the bait and don't switch thing. Docs want your money and they will claim to do the DS and once they have you in their office, they try to sell you on the surgery they actually do! You have to be strong and assertive!
Ok well it seems dr roslin which is who i wanted does not take my insurance BUT dr teixiera does take my insurance and he does the ds surgery.
So I have to go to a seminar first before they will schedule a consultation. Also they said on the phone I do have a lower bmi and no diabetes and so on...soo basically not sure if 1 the doctor will agree to do it then 2 if he does if the insurance will approve it based on whatever he says or requests.
So I had another comment/question I was told by my endocrinologist to go to a sleep apnea test because I could have it based on some information he got from me. If I do this and they say I have sleep apnea will it help my cause in getting the ds wsl or dont bother?
Sleep apnea is a serious disease that, if untreated, can lead to heart disease. Even if that doesn't happen, it affects quality of life. If your doctor is worried that you may have sleep apnea, get tested. It probably will help you qualify for bariatric surgery as it is a major comorbidity. Even if you never have surgery, being treated for sleep apnea will improve your health and your life.
And regarding which operation with a "low" bmi, the standard criteria for medical necessity for bariatric surgery apply to all the operaitons. there are many so called lightweights who have had the DS and done great. It also offers you your best prospects for relief of your PCOS and also for resolution of sleep apnea if it turns out that you do have this comorbidity.
Larra
Sleep apena is usually a comorbidity, but i believe you still may need a BMI of 38-40 with a comorbidity. Go to the seminar and check it out. I had a BMI of 38 and sleep apnea. They would not count my PCOS as a morbidity.
My PCOS HAS improved since my surgery - I had the sleeve done. Within 2 months i was getting my period every 30 days - never happened before in my life LOL. Gyno said PCOS and weight is like the chicken and the egg - they dont know if the weight causes the PCOS or the PCOS causes the weight gain. In either event, its pretty much gone. I have fluctuated my entire life and my story is very similar to yours. I am 36 and so happy I did not wait until later on to have the surgery.
I can sense a little frustration in your voice - which is normal FYI - about having to go to seminar before consultation. Just as a heads up this is a very slow process and depending on your insurance, it could be 6 month-1year before they approve you. Find any way you can to get someone on the phone at your insurance company to detail their specific process. I was stupid and didnt do this and relied on the dr's office. Stay on top of the insurance company and the surgeon's office to make sure you are fulfilling the requirements sufficiently.
That being said, I think you answered your own question....I have lost weight before and it always come back. You are not alone in that statement and which is why many of us (not speaking for everyone), has gone through this process. If we could have done it on our own we would have. Me, with PCOS, i have tried every diet, gym, weight loss pill...nothing worked. It took me to phsysiologically change my body to get something to stick and my mindset to change. I wouldn't change a thing and I dont regret having the surgery.
Hope this helps and good luck in your process!
