Mild PCOS

Hello, new to the forum, wondering what you think... I was recently diagnosed with PCOS, and it explains a lot about my body that has been "off" for years. However, with reading articles and posts on the internet, I realize that I have a somewhat mild form. I have irregular periods (always have), but they do come every few months, and sometimes every month, just very heavy. I do not have any unusual hair growth, and I am overweight with a BMI of 35. My weight gain has been gradual, though, and I have barely gained or lost a pound in 3 years, no matter what I eat. I know I need to break the cycle of weight gain in order to get well and I am interested in the LAP  Band surgery, but wonder if I will be considered eligible considering fewer/less severe symptoms than others have reported. There is, however, a very strong history of diabetes and heart disease in my family (even in seemingly otherwise healthy people). Does anyone have advice about whether I may be a candidate based on what I described? I will certainly be talking to my endocronologist, but I like to be armed with as much information as I can before I go. Thanks in advance!

Not totally sure about your particular situation, but based on your history of minor problems and lower BMI, your doctor or insurance may not consider you a candidate for surgery. I'm also not sure about your age as well. I, too, had mild PCOS symptoms for most of my teens thru my mid twenties. However, from 25-33 (now), my symptoms have seemed to almost worsen overnight. Whereas my weight was always around your BMI, it literally climbed overnight. Now that I am older and my BMI is 40, I would like my doctor and insurance to consider my fertility at my age as well. I hope, for your sake, you are considered because, I completely understand where you're coming from. Good Luck, and keep us posted!

It's not the answer you'd probably want but you just have to talk to your doctors and insurance company. Every insurance company is completely different and so are doctors. With my military insurance I only had to have approval of my surgeon and it was completely up to him whether he thought I was eligible or not. I can relate to you that most of my outward symptoms are mild, I do have hair growth but it's easily taken care of with tweezers nothing tramatizing. I am 24 now and in the past 4 years my weight has been climbing...always been overweight though...and my symtoms and body just started falling apart. I think most doctors want you to be having problems before they'll help you...which is silly if they could prevent it...but it is MAJOR surgery and they try to be cautious. If you can't get it now it doesn't mean you couldn't in the future if you still have problems. Just stay positive and keep trying to better yourself! Good luck with everything. Christal/dionysus_star

Thanks. I should have mentioned in my first post that I am a 32 year old F, and although fertility has not been an issue as I am not married, yet, I certainly want that door open to me when I am ready. My other concern, as I mentioned earlier, is avoiding type 2 diabetes at any cost. It runs strongly in my family with all sorts of complications like kidney failure, and I want to be as proactive as possibly about taking care of myself so that  this will not be my future. I will be heading to the doc on Monday, and will post if I get word, then, about her recommendations! Thanks for the support :)

Hello, I truely wonder if you have pcos, I never heard of a mild case of it and pcos suffers have alot more symptoms and facial hair is the top trouble for us, weight is our torture and your bmi is not that high is the doctor sure its pcos and not just an imbalance of some kind, I have severe pcos and I have read and been through it all for help.  I think you need an endrocrinologist and an ob/gyn todo alot of lab work and the hormonal levels should be all messed up if its pcos, its the best thing.

Nope, I've got it, alright... My endrocrinologist has done all the work, and my hormone levels are all wrong (DHEA and Free Testostorone are particularly off). I have suffered from irregular periods my whole life. I am on Yasmin birth control and Metformin right now to control the hormones, and a very strict diet and exercise  plan to help me get the weight down. Surgery is not in my forecast unless I go up another 5 points on my BMI. Until I did internet research, I had no idea that other people were having a much harder time than I am-- my doctor didn't mention that my symptoms were less than anyone else (except for the facial hair issue). I have also read a lot about very thin people with PCOS, so clearly there is a variety. I guess we PCOSers come in lots of shapes and sizes and severity of symptoms...

Please dont think I was saying you dont have pcos, I just never heard of a mild case before, believe it I wish I was a mild case but like I said Pcos is an enemy of mine for yrs now.  I hope all goes well, thank you for the feed back