PCOS and DS

I am gathering information for both the RNY and DS with regards to how they help with PCOS after surfery. If you had DS surgery how did change your PCOS and what was your weight loss like?

Thank you
Heidi

Heidi,

There are several PCOS DSers on the DS board. I would pose this question over there. I have PCOS and will have the DS on Monday. From the other sufferers the PCOS seems to go away fairly soon after surgery.

Here is the link
/wwwww.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/a,messageboard/board_id,535 7/

I am so happy that you are researching your options. One of the reasons that I choose the DS is because of my PCOS.

Steph, thank you for the link I visit the DS forum daily. I will be sure to repost over there.
Again thank you

All the best

Heidi

Hi!

I had/have PCOS and I'm not sure how surgery has changed it.  My hair loss has stopped and the hair that grew back post surgery is wavy while the rest of my hair is straight :).  I've had a hysterectomy so I can't say that it has effected my fertility tho.  Mood wise, I think I'm on a more even keel so I think hormonally it is better.

Terri, so glad to hear that the hair loss has stopped for you and that it has help hormonally. My hubby will be happy to hear it helps with that. LOL.
Thank you for sharing

Heidi

I have/had severe PCOS.  No periods since I was 14 unless they were started with medication.  I'm 29 now.  Since surgery (DS - 6 months ago), I've had regular periods.

If I can give you any advice: Get the DS.  Forget the RNY.
 

Lynn, thank you for sharing and so glad to read all these wonderful posts about how the surgery seems to be helping with PCOS. I am still researching both surgeries and haven't yet made up my mind. I do appreciate your advice though

All the best
Heidi

I will have to let you know. I know that a few weeks after surgery I had a very long period (3 weeks) and I had not had one in months before that. I was just at the Gyn and my free testosterone is low (first time ever) and I was now prescribed Prometrium. We shall see if there is a change as I have about 4  1"+ fibroids and one cyst. the Dr is going to see me agian with another ultrasound in 2 months.

Jacqui

Jacqqui, thank you for sharing your story. Please keep me posted on how things are going with you. That is great to here your testosterone levels are low. Didn't think that would be possible, mine are so high. I am sure all will go will with you fibroids and cyst. I had some removed December of last year. Again thank you for sharing.

All the Best
Heidi

I'd already had a TAH/BSO when I had my DS, but I still had all the symptoms of PCOS not directly connected to menstrual/reproductive system issues.

I'd been both insulin resistant and insulin dependent with type II diabetes for some fifteen years. (Well, the insulin resistance probably went back further than that. I had glucose tolerance issues as young as my early teens--reactive hypoglycemia type stuff and elevated fasting blood sugars. But PCOS was essentially unknown at that time.) I went into the hospital on over 160 units a day of insulin, in an old fashioned tight control regimen of as many as 4-6 shots a day, plus Actos, and couldn't get a fasting blood sugar under 200. My A1c's hovered around 8. I had beginning nephropathy, retinopathy and significant neuropathy that had me on narcotics 24/7 for several years.

I left the hospital 3 days later on 20 units of insulin with a glucose of 90. I was completely off insulin within a month, off Actos within 4 months, and my A1c's have been in the nondiabetic range (under 6, actually under 5) for a year and a half now. All diabetic complications are GONE. My insulin responses are completely normal.

In other symptoms: My teenage style skin is no longer that way--no more oily skin or cystic acne. The excess body hair has improved a lot. All my skin tags and darkened skin areas are gone.

At my annual gyn exam earlier this year, the doc's opinion was that I could pretty much consider the whole PCOS issue resolved. We did not do the lab work necessary to back this up with hard facts, because there was no medical reason to ask the insurance to pay for it. If anybody ever hears about a study that follows this kind of thing (changes in PCOS after obesity surgery), let me know cuz I want to sign on!

I have lost over 220 pounds, which is over 90% of my excess weight, and am still losing, albeit far more slowly of course :-). I purposely put the brakes on my weight loss a few months ago by adding more carbs to my daily routine. A week from today I'm having an incisional hernia repair, abdominoplasty and panniculectomy, so I wanted to really slow down the weight loss until after I'm recovered from that. I want to see where I end up weight wise figuring in the removed skin and tissue, because I think I'm pretty much at a normal weight without the skin figured in.

Far as I'm concerned, my DS has been a phenomenal success thus far and I expect it to continue that way. I eat protein like it's going out of style, take my supplement regimen and periodic nutritional labs very seriously, and so far, all is well.

Please take a look at my profile for more information about my journey :-).