PCOS wow

I am down 105 lbs since having Duodenal Switch surgery in July of last year. One of the main reasons I had this surgery is for help in resolving the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome from which I'd suffered for years. While I didn't have diabetes, I did have severe insulin resistance and had been on numerous insulin sensitizers (Byetta, Glucophage, Glumetza, Avandia etc.) without success over the years. I was completely anovulatory and hadn't had a period in over a year.

I also had systemic chemotherapy a few years ago for Hodgkin's Lymphoma. After the chemotherapy and in conjuntion with the PCOS, my reproductive endocrinologist pronounced me in ovarian failure and peri-menopause at age 26.

I just turned 28 and am happy to say I am ovulating monthly since only a few months post-DS.

I had the fantastic opportunity to educate my GYN today about the DS, its benefits for PCOS patients and my daily life post-DS. He was very supportive and congratuated me sincerely on my weight loss and fertility health.

So, to those who have suffered with PCOS pre and post op... I wanted to let you know THERE IS HOPE!

Bethany
Atlanta, GA

Congrats, so you do not need any PCOS medicine?

Correct! I do not take metformin or any insulin sensitizing agent. I do have an IUD for birth control purposes.

That's FANTASTIC!! That gives me so much hope!! :) CONGRATS!!!!!!!

 CONGRATS on your success
? for u- is the DS better for PCOS patients, if so, why?

I am hoping for WLS this year and sometimes the PCOS symptoms seem to just intensify all my other health related issues..since having my kids, my cycles are regular but I seem to have the insulin resistant problems
here's hoping the WLS will help with some of those symptoms

Hi Jody!

Thanks so much :)

Losing weight with any WLS will help in some ways, but yes, the DS is the most effective WLS for PCOS. The reason is the intestinal portion (the switch part) that bypasses much of the small intestine fixes the insulin resistance issue for 99% of patients.

Check out diabetes cure rates from those with the DS. I was never diagnosed with diabetes, but tried numerous drugs for the insulin resistance. None of those are needed post-op as blood sugar is normalized. There are even some surgeons in Europe doing only the intestinal switch portion of the surgery, not the stomach sleve, to resolve diabetes in patients.