PCOS & WLS

I got the go ahead at 1 month out for trying to conceive. I refused any birth control because studies show that is the worst thing you can take for PCOS, plus it messes with the pressures in my head. So far nothing (5 months out), but hoping the miracle happens soon. My PCOS has completely gone away, only had one cyst form at 2 months out from surgery, but since have been pretty regular.

All of my pcos Drs recommended for lifetime success of weight loss, to do the gastric bypass.  It will help with infertility and is proven to get rid of any and all symptoms of pcos for two plus years as long as you succeed at losing weight.  Unfortunately no long term studies have been done yet. But all of my Drs recommended the bypass I originally want the vsg but I'm super happy I went with the bypass. 

Just saw your post. I admit I haven't read all of your replies before posting this so sorry if this seems a little repetitive. I’ve had my PCOS since I was a teenager but only officially diagnosed a couple years ago. Same thing with the terrible acne, excess hair growth, weight gain, etc. Not a good confidence boost. Had terrible, irregular periods that were at times extremely painful. And when cysts burst… ouch!! The weight and the PCOS are definitely cyclical.

April 2014 I had the sleeve. I have had normal periods for the first time since I was a teenager. I’m even ovulating… with ovulation pain (lucky me lol). My endocrinologist took me off my PCOS related medications (including birth control) to see what symptoms have already been reduced by my weight loss. He wants me to be off them for at least 3 months. I remember the excess hair growth and acne got bad when I hit 200lbs so I figure that won’t be gone on its own until I’m in Onederland. So far now that I’m off my meds my hair growth that had finally disappeared has returned, and acne… although not nearly as bad as it was in the past. I figure once I’m done this 3 month period I will get back on the meds to reduce the hair growth/acne again and go off them once I’m under 200lbs. (My weight the day of surgery was 308lbs and today I am 240lbs.)

Hope this helped a little! Personally, I am happy I went with the sleeve VS the bypass. Perhaps the PCOS has made the weightloss harder than if I didn’t have it (who knows). BUT, so far the sleeve has worked wonders for me!!!!

Good luck with everything! I know how frustrating this whole struggle can be!!! 

Wow, I can relate to your struggle...so since my initial post, I had to undergo all of the different tests ordered by my surgeon.  I had to do a ph test, called manotemtry, which was like torture.  They slide a catheter up your nose and down the back of your throat, down to just below your esophogeal sphincter. And then they do a series of tests making you swallow with it for a half hour, remove it and replace it with a thinner cath and send you home with it for 24 hrs to monitor eating, when you take medication, and when you lay down.  They found that my esophogeal flapper just hangs open when I lay down and that food and acid come back up my throat.  They said I had an event lasting for over an hour that night and were shocked it didn't wake me up.  So now I am set to get a full bypass rather than a sleeve because that would've been an issue moving forward.

My 6 months are up and my final appointment with my dietician is tomorrow!  And then they put together everything and will mail it off for preapproval with Aetna. I'm hoping to schedule surgery for sometime early in March.  I have also completed 6 months of laser hair removal, and it's working!  I will post again next week.  How are you all faring?