WLS and PCOS

well we knew when I lost just a little weight my testerone lvls went down... but I have always had normal girly hormone lvls... and never had cysts on my overies... which was confirmed when I had a c-section... so I don't have the "normal" PCOS...

But your best bet would be to have gastric bypass to help head off the type 2 for a long time... everyone that I know that has PCOS w/IR has gotten gestational diabeties... and later gotten type 2... and I was just a few numbers from that myself...

I have PCOS with insulin resistence. I am 5'10.5" and my highest was 302 lbs and 298 lbs day of surgery. I had surgery March 2007 and I am currently 108 lbs down so I'm 190lbs. I had the choice between gastric bypass and lap band. I chose gastric bypass because some PCOS folks have a bit harder time losing weight and I wanted to lose the most amount of weight in the least amount of time. I didn't want to be discouraged waiting 2-3 years for the same amount of weight loss that I could lose in 1 year or less with RNY. I also did not like how the lap band manufacturer's website said that it was unknown how long the band can stay in someone's body...I wanted a permanent surgery. There have been many many people who have been sucessful with the lap band and gastric bypass whether being a lap bander or having gastric bypass. You can also fail with either surgery. I think some of it also depends on what kinds of food you eat. Gastric bypass limits alot of the amounts you eat just like the lap band but it also limits the types of foods you can eat. With RNY you can't have sugar...and I am meat intolerant meaning I can't have chicken, pork, beef etc...unless it is like lunch meat and bacon. I would suggest looking at both surgeries (lap band and gastric bypass) and do as much research as possible. I also chose the gastric bypass because it cures diabetes...my doctor said within 3-5 years I would have developed type II...so having this surgery was a pre-treatment with gastric bypass helping even more than lap band would have. As far as symptoms gastric bypass has helped. I started my period the day of surgery and it has been regular every month. I have gone four months at a time without one and they were never regular...so that by itself is very helpful. My mood swings are practially gone. My hair problem isn't worse but it isn't really better. I am going for a check up with my specialist soon so that we can look at my blood work to see how my PCOS and insulin resistence is going a year out. He wanted me to wait to see what's going on after a year. At this point he could prescribe me metformin to help with the hair and help me lose some more weight. Regrets? None. I am 25 now and I think I did this at the right time. It was a really hard process but well worth it. It gets alot easier the farther out you go because you can look back at your progress. I am not perfectly skinny...I'm still chubby with rolls...but I am ok with not being perfect. I feel like the same person but entirely different at the same time.  Good luck with your journey!

Just wanted to say that I too have PCOS, and I had a mini open RNY in Nov 2007. I am almost 4 months out and I have not had any problems. My PCOS is now under control, I am cycling every 30-34 days, I am off my metformin, my blood sugar is completely normal. All of my signs have gone with the exception of my facial hair. I still have that, thank goodness it is blonde, so it is not that visible. But my dark patches of skin, all that is gone too.  I chose RNY for many reasons.  I didn't want the lap band, because I have too many allergies and I did not want that in there.  And honestly I think that I would cheat around it. I also LOVED the idea of the DS, BUT for ME, I wanted the restrictions that came with the RNY. With the DS I was afraid that I would continue to eat my carbs, fats and candy. Ultimately for me, ( only speaking for myself and MY personal choice) I am doing this to get healthier, not just skinnier. So I wanted something that would make me eat the healthiest foods possible. I know my will power and I don't want to be able to eat the things that made me unhealthy. I am also setting an example for my 4 girls of what healthy eating should look like.  Anyway sorry  this isn't an "organized thought" my 2 yr old is cutting a tooth, and she is cranky. so I am typing in between snuggling.

I had my rny on feb 1 and havent gotten my first blood tests to see how things are changing, i have lost 94 pounds from my highest weight of 435, but because of hemoraging in may 2007 they had to give me an endometrial ablazion, which generally stops the occurance of periods.  I had a full period after my surgery and have had spotting once since then... I have lost more weight so far than I ever have in my life previous to surgery, and it definately helps me to control my eating, many times i no longer even want to eat, im just doing it to get in my protien requirements.  many of my old cravings are just....gone... at least for now, and I am very happy about it.  I wish the weight were coming off faster but I hear that pco makes the loss slower than average. I think its the best thing I have done for myself in a long time, but its to early to tell about the pco symptoms....good luck to you on your decision...