Have PCOS and want a baby? There's hope!!!

I had RNY 9 months ago.  I've been at goal for 1 1/2 months, and have been maintaining.  Before surgery, we had been trying for a baby for over 10 years.  I had completely lost hope before I lost over 100 pounds with WLS.  Last month we decided to stop being so careful and boom...I'm pregnant!!!

We're head over heels excited.  I'm 6 weeks along (I think) and feel like the world has opened up to me.  Suddenly everything has become clear.  So...if you're hoping for a baby...surgery and weight loss may be enough to tamp down the crazy PCOS hormones.  It worked for me!

EDITED TO ADD:
Sorry, I guess I spoke to soon.  I lost the baby about a week after finding out I was pregnant.  :(  It was tough on me, but I'm feeling much better and we'll try again.  Hey, at least I was able to actually get pregnant!  It happened the first month we tried, I'm sure it will happen again!

Congrats!

WOO-HOO!!!!!!!!  Super Congrats!

Congrats!  Loosing the weight worked for me too.  I'd gone through 8+ years of failed fertility treatments prior to my WLS and had about given up on ever being a mom.  Then like you we decided to not prevent and boom.  Got pregnant with our daughter who will be two next week.  Then earlier this year we did the same thing.  Decided to not prevent and boom...prego with #2!  This one will arrive in December and we couldn't be more thrilled!

Take that PCOS! 

Congrats! We're expecting our first as well and I totally credit WLS with helping me become pregnant.  We still had to use Femara, but we got preggo the second cycle!

Congratulations...
 
We have been trying for years to get pregnant with no luck. I recently got my date for surgery and can't wait. The doctors say this is going to help with all the PCOS symptoms. I'm very nervous that its not going to work for us but after reading everyones stories about how it worked for them I am beginning to feel better about it. Good luck to all of you that are expecting.

Hi Deb,

CONGRATS TO YOU AND YOUR HUBBY!!!! We too were able to get prego right away, and were THRILLED!  We miscarried at 6.5 weeks, but have hope of getting pregnant pretty soon. Did your Doc put you on progesterone? Are you taking anything to sustain the pregnancy? Just curious... My doc didn't want to see me til 8 weeks...but, here all along I should have been seen right away cause of the PCOS. Just a suggestion. I am so happy for you and don't want you to go through what we did.

Sarah

Well Sarah, I think you might have been onto something.  :(  Not to rain on anyone's parade, but I lost the baby.  From what I can tell it was at 6.5 weeks too.  I had been having trouble getting in to see OB, and my intake appointment was set for Wed.  I miscarried on Tues.  :(  In the military medical system here, you have to go through their intake before they'll let you be seen by the high risk group.  I think I'm going to have to do a little more research on my own about what I may need and I'll then have to be more forceful with my primary Dr. 

Tell me about the progesterone to help sustain the pregnancy.  What does that do, and in what situations?

I am sad.  I am very sad.  But DH and I are really trying to focus on the excitement that I was even able to get pregnant to start with!!!  So, now I have to heal and then we'll try again.

Deb, my husband called me from work today to read your reply. I can't express to you how sorry I am. I was so hesitant to share my story with you, but thought if I shared it in time you could be spared the hurt. According to my OBGYN... who is  a specialist with PCOS women trying to conceive...we PCOSers do not produce enough progesterone to sustain a pregnancy once we get pregnant. For the first 12 weeks, our babies are dependant on us for that. (Progesterone means...PRO GESTATION...which tells it all...) After the initial 12 weeks, the baby begins to produce it's own, and no longer need us. (By the way, he said when we PCOSers get to week 12...we are pretty much out of the woods. I'm sure that's not the case all the time..but, in general.) I found out too late that I was supposed to have been on these progesterone vaginal suppositories that help my body maintain the pregnancy. According to him, they are the magic trick for us. He has worked with hundreds and hundreds of our type here in Southern California...and helped the majority of them successfully carry to term more than once. (He had just delivered identical twins to a PCOS lady the night before I saw him for my miscarraige.) I would INSIST to see a fertility specialist or an OBGYN who will listen and work with you NOW, before you get pregnant again...so, when you do you can go right in.  My doc said we have to be seen RIGHT AWAY...as SOON as we know we are prego we have to go in and have an ultrasound and start the progesterone.  (By the way... I know they sell progesterone cream at vitamin stores. I've heard from another PCOSer that that works also....just a thought in case your doc won't listen....not sure if it works and I know it's a much lower dose...but, it's hope, right? She has carried three to term using that cream.)

I was interested in seeing where you live, thinking we could maybe meet up for lunch with our hubbies somewhere. Sorry to see we are so far away. However, kinda funny cause we were just in Charlotte visiting my husband's family. We are planning on moving to Charlotte next summer. I don't know where you are in relation to Charlotte...but, maybe we'll both have little bundles to show off by then, huh? This waiting for 1-2 cycles is hard...and I just really want to be pregnant again...but, am so scared. Let me know how you are doing. My personal email address is [email protected]. Please feel free to email me anytime.

Your friend,
Sarah

Congrads! I hope that happens to me!

Kitty
surgery 7-30-08