Just found out today..

Hi you guys, I am new to this forum (not to the main one, but to this one alone). I just got the call this morning saying I have Polycistic Ovarian Disease. I flipped out really bad because my Mother told me it meant infertility and my sister had it. She acted like it wasn't a big thing. After doing research and hearing from members on the main board, I felt so much better. I'm wondering if having this has helped your approval for WLS, or worsened it? Also, what do you guys do about shaving? I have tried waxing my legs but I always get too scared to rip it off and then I end up with a sticky mess all over myself. I've tried NOT shaving but well the hair doesn't ever seem to stop growing. I've tried creams and gels and everything I could think of. Everytime I shave, the hair grows back REALLY course and BLACK! I'm not even dark haired! I had no idea this was why I was so hairy.I feel like a porcupine sometimes!! I can't afford the laser hair removal :/ And have always been sort of shy about going to get my legs waxed professionally as I feel so weird about my body being naked in front of some salon person. Also, I'm on YAZmine  now, wont that make me gain 2x more weight than normal since I have this? I can't have that! My insurance will definitely deny me then! Also, how do I know if I have sleep apnea, my fiance says I snore, but he doesn't think I stop breathing. But he snores louder than I do and is usually out before I am. I don't want to die in my sleep yet!!! And how do you know if you are infertile from this?? Aside from trying to get pregnant, is there a way they can tell? Also, my gyno now wants me to go in for some fasting blood work.. why would she want that??? What are they going to test? Are they going to want to remove the cysts down there and if they do will it go away? And what happens when they do remove it, is it surgery or is it just an office visit? And my stomach has always looked like I  had a beer belly! I don't even drink. Is there something I can do to reduce it? They say it is treatable, but how exactly? My thinking has always been lose weight and when that didn't work, I opted for WLS, still in process of being approved. Sorry to bombard with questions =/

Good Evening, Sorry to hear of your diagnosis of PCOS.  I have had PCOS since 16.  It is something that you just kind of learn to deal with, I think.   I thought I might try and answer some of your questions, but remember I can only speak from my personal experience.   You never know if infertility is going to affect you or not.  But please don't ever give up.  My husband and I tried and went through three years of infertility treatments due to the PCOS.  Just when we had decieded I had abused my body enough after all those years of injections and Medication...we had decieded to take some time off and look at other options...I got pregnant! I now have a beatiful 20 month old, whom is very healthy.   For the fasting blood work, usually they test your glucose, possibly they may test your thyroid.  They may also test your hormones.  With PCOS,  you have too much testosterone in your blood for a female(which causes the increase in hair production) but also can possibly increase your resisitance to insulin.  They would put you on Metformin( also called glucophage) for insulin resistance, it is a diabetes medication but in some individuals it can even help lose weight.  In my case, I was on this med before WLS but have since been taken off until further notice.   They usually don't remove the cysts unless they have to.  It wont go away but your body deals with them usually.   Well I hope this helps, Keep your head up and keep looking forward.   Please feel free to ask if you have any further questions.   Jen 

So...just curious...but how did they diagnose you with PCOS?  I was diagnosed nearly 10 years ago after my OB went over my cycle history. Anyway, to answer some of your questions... About fertility - some do...some don't.  I was one who had serious fertility issues.  DH & I went through various treatments to try to get pregnant for 8+ years before I opted for WLS.  I never ovulated...but once my weight was down & I was at a more normal weight...I started ovulating on my own & our first month not using protection I got pregnant.  We now have a very happy & healthy little girl. I'm wondering if having this has helped your approval for WLS, or worsened it?   Not for me.  My insurance didn't see PCOS as a co-morbid condition, although the diabetes & hypertension that came along with it were. Also, what do you guys do about shaving?  I shave...I don't wax & I don't use creams because I have pretty sensitive skin.  I'd love to do the laser hair removal...but it's considered cosmetic and I just don't have that kind of cash lying around. Also, I'm on YAZmine  now, wont that make me gain 2x more weight than normal since I have this?   I didn't gain any weight when I was on bcp...I gained my weight after I stopped taking them.  Having PCOS & being on the pill helps to regulate your hormone levels...keeping them in balance.  Hormones in balance mean less risk of weight gain. Also, how do I know if I have sleep apnea?  They can do a simple sleep study test.  You go in to the doc's office in the evening...they hook you up to a bunch of wires...and you go to sleep.  It's not the most comfortable thing...but they monitor your brain waves, respirations, heart rate, if you snore...all kinds of stuff.  About a week later you'll get your results.  Sleep apnea can be treated with a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine. And how do you know if you are infertile from this?? Aside from trying to get pregnant, is there a way they can tell?  You can get a basal body thermometer and take your temp every morning before you get out of bed.  If you are ovulating you'll notice lower temps, a slight drop, a spike & then higher temps and then a drop in temp when AF arrives.  Chances are that if you're not having regular cycles...you're not ovulating.  However many women with PCOS & ovulation issues are able to ovulate with a drug called Clomid...it's a drug to help your eggs mature so you ovulate. Also, my gyno now wants me to go in for some fasting blood work.. why would she want that??? What are they going to test?  They are probably going to test your glucose...maybe even your insulin levels.  They could also be doing a chemistry panel, thyroid panel, lipids.... Are they going to want to remove the cysts down there and if they do will it go away?  They can't remove the cysts.  Your body has to do that on it's own.  Unless you have a large cyst that becomes very painful...they just leave them be.  And no...PCOS doesn't go away...not to depress you...but PCOS is for life.  It's an endocrine disorder that we're born with.  They aren't yet sure what exactly causes it...but they are finding strong genetic links in families. And my stomach has always looked like I  had a beer belly! I don't even drink. Is there something I can do to reduce it? They say it is treatable, but how exactly?   Me too...I was a fat girl with relatively skinny arms/legs.  What you'd call apple shaped.  I looked like either I had a beer belly or like I was pregnant...it's just the way I carried my weight.  The only thing to reduce the size of your belly is to loose weight.  Good luck in getting your WLS approved...for me it was/is the only thing that's worked for me.  I'm down 111-114lbs and maintaining at 3 years post op.   And...feel free to ask questions!  Also, if you haven't yet heard of it...check out www.soulcysters.com .  It's an awesome support/information website for women with PCOS. Kristy

hello, also i can only answer on my experience, and explanation of the drs that i have seen. i was actually only diagnoised with PCOS about 7 months ago, but have had it since 14. the fertilitly issue some people it doesnt really affect and others it does. i went on birth control to regulate my periods well and to not get pregnant. well after a year on birth control (the patch) i did have regular periods however i did get pregnnat too. about 4 months after my daughter was born and irregualr periods i got pregnant again. i then went 11 months without having a period. i went to the doctor, and they checked my fasting blood sugar among other things, and found out that i wasnt ovulating (kinda a given with no periods) they also said i had prediabities...however after taking my sugar levels at home it showed that i was diabetic, so did the ac1 test. also when i had my son via c section they found a fibriod in my uterus and removed it. my doctor that did my other testing had me get an ultra sound (because of no periods) they said everything looked ok, just my ovary follocicles showed characteristic for Pcos. anyways the belly fat, hmm yea i look like i am pregnant, and or a beer gut, the doctor and research has informed me that is due to the pcos. also since jan 1, 2007 till present i have had 2 periods..bascially they told me pcos should get better with weight loss.

I am currently waiting for my surgery, but have lost about 15lbs since my OB put me on Yaz about 4 months ago.  I have lost this weight without even trying.  The BC is suposed to level out your hormones.  Also, I have been on Metformin for some time and it actually helped me to start having periods.  Hope this helps relieve some of the worry. Jenny