Please Tell us about youself, and your story

Hi Everybody,

My name is Jennifer.  I've always had a problem with my monthly visitor.  When I was 16 and still hadn 't started my mom took me to the gyno.  She said she couldn't find anything wrong with me and put me on bc pills to see if I would start.  Well I did....but she said that I didn't need to have my visitor until I was in my 20's so I quit taking the pills.  She never diagnosed me but did tell me that I would probably never have children.  When I got married I was 24 and i went back to the same gyno and had to BEG for bc pills b/c she said I didn't need them.  So after I ran out of them I just never went back because I didn't feel like begging again.  I had a friend with PCOS that had a baby and she referred me to her gyno.  Well that's when i got diagnosed with PCOS.  She put me on metformin and increased my dosage to 2000 mg a day....then when I went for another glucose test well the metformin wasn't working.  :(  So her nurse told me that she wanted to see my reg dr.  My reg dr has since then put me on Actos.  I go next month for another glucose test to see if it is working.  I'm very discouraged as i've been married for 5 years next month and I want a baby more than anything.  I have decided to have WLS and I complete my first weigh in tomorrow.  Just 5 more months to go to see if I can get approved.  I'm sure it will fly bye as time seems to do...Hopefully WLS will help take care of my PCOS so that I can become a mother!  :)

Hi Everybaody!

Thanks for starting this group Teresa!

I'm Nicole, 38 and after reading an article in reader's digest in 2003, I went to my Ob/Gyn and asked her if I might have PCOS.  After a testosterone test and some other labwork we drew the conclusion I had it.  I was lucky that my hubby and I could concieve 2 times before my diagnosis.  first pregnancy was after a 30+ lb loss with Jenny Craig.  2nd pregnancy took over a year to get pregnant- really following my irregular cycles.  After that my weight was consistantly increasing and I became insulin resistant.

I am on the path tp Rny in about 6 weeks.  I am hoping it will help me loose the extra weight that jsut doesn't seem to budge. 

Thanks again!

hey Teresa. Its such a long story...I'm 36 years old. I was only diagnosed with PCOS about 2 years ago and by accident. I was under the treatment of a neurologist/pain management specialist and she was the first person to actually listen to me. She ordered the lab work that showed I was suffering from PCOS and after taking a thorough history, it became clear that I had it since menarche (which wasn't till I was 17 years old!).
I've been overweight since about 9 years of age being 5'4 and 202lbs in 6th grade. I've been fighting obesity with weight training, aerobics and basically never eating. That's how I managed my disease and didn't even know what was going on with my body. I would go months to a year without a period (and in ignorance, it seemed like a blessing because when my periods did come they were horrendous!!) and my obgyn never advised me to take b/c unless I was sexually active. Well I wasn't so I didn't take it. I met and married my husband in 97' when I was at my lowest weight, approx 260lbs and 6'1. His eating habits were quite different then mine and he thought I was abusing my body by eating only one meal a day. I relented and so my downward spiral began. I got pregnant just months after we married. The pregnancy was hard, very hard. I was pre-eclamptic, miserable with morning sickness and stuck on bed rest for most of my pregnancy. I basically lived in my  bed, the pool or the ocean until after 20 hrs of labor they c-sect'd my son. I wasn't able to breast feed because, surprise surprise, my breasts didn't produce! Not enough prolactin, oxytocin, estrogen, etc to produce but the doctors still missed the diagnosis!!!
I wasn't able to maintain my weight well after that. It slowly continued to creep on despite my lifestyle of being highly active (I'm a paramedic of 15yrs+), exercise, etc
I started trying to wls surgery in 2000 and was approved 2 weeks before the government department I worked for changed our insurance. I was devastated but persistent.
Here now, 10 years later, I'm still trying to get the surgery, my health has declined so significantly that I can't work, at all. PCOS has created an absurdly high androgen/testosterone levels, IR that is now non-insulin dependent diabetes, inflammatory arthritis, severe headaches, progesterone sensitivity that has created a psoriasis like skin disorder on my FACE!, androgenic alopecia and the list goes on!
My husband just started a new insurance and wls is specifically denied in the policy. I'm working with DVR and have only come up against wall after wall of incompetency. So I'm not giving up but here I am, 10 years later, still trying to fight this disease, which has only recently been given a name, still trying to get wls and get my life back!!! I went from a productive member of society to relying on other for everything!! Its sad, really sad.
I'm on metaformin and b/c now since aldactone caused persistent vaginal bleeding for the 3 months I took it. There are no other options but wls. On line I've researched this disease and added vitamins, changed my diet to the diabetics diet at about 1800 calories a day (low fat, low preservative) and added supplements like soy milk (helps your body dispose of excess testosterone) omega 3 fatty acids and the like.
If anyone knows of anything else I can do I'm all ears. I'm moving back with my husband at the end of the month (yes this situation has stressed my marraige of 13 years to almost breaking point emotionally, physically and financially) and have to get established with a new primary, new endo, new obgyn, etc and hopefully I'll get competent, thorough and caring doctors who will help me.
I forgot to add that a significant change in my diet (including no fast foods, etc) has made a tremendous change in the inflammatory arthritis (before it took morphine and loritab just to get out of bed in the morning to now managing with otc meds like IB and Tylenol) but still no weight loss, no improvement in my health in any other way. Its very disappointing but its my reality. I know I won't loose weight and get out from under this hellish nightmare without wls.
Thanks for reading my story.

 

Hi everyone, my name is Sonia.� I too have pcos.� I remember my period coming on when I was 13 then stopped.� My mother took me to the doctors to see why and they just said my body wasnt ready.� It came on and off for years but my mother assured me that it will staighten out.� Around 18 my mom and I got worried and wanted some answers.....just got bc no answers.� I remember once�that i thought i had another pack�so when i�was on the�gray pills my period came on and I�had to wait three weeks for the doctor to see me to get a refill, he wounldn't write the refill without the appointment he only got paid thru medicare for office visit so i bleed for one month.����I was�okay if I had kids or not�because every guy I dated had kids so I thought it was a two for one�blessing.� �� I got married in 2002 and I was 27, I had a good husband who had a 5�yr old girl I was complete.� After a few years and no�surprises happened�my husband started asking�questions.�� Since I didnt have a reason or knew what was wrong I didn't know how to explain it to him or answer his questions....so i didnt tell him.� I then started seeking help which lead to the fertility dr.� We did clomid and a few shots then two sessions of AI....no baby so we stop still no daignoses.� It was time for my annual�gyn appt but he was called to the delivery room so they asked�if I would mind to see�the nurse practitioner, seeing no problem I said yes.��She review my chart, asked serveral�questions then sent me for blood work.� A few weeks�later I�had a daignoses�and went back and scheduled with her for what was next.� She advise me to�lose weight and then come�back.� I thought no way, that simple just lose and I will get pregnant, couldn't be that easy.��She also put me on metforim to.� Well I was determined to prove�her wrong I wanted something out of my control to�be the problem not something that was�a problem that I did have the power to control.� So with metformin and weigh****chers and the treadmil I lose 60lbs in the next few months.� And�found out alittle before�Mothers' Day 2005 that I was pregnant.��Someone told me a secret that worked for me using the treadmil, walk for until the calories burned is my total weight each time i walk, so if i weight 250 walk for until it says 250 calories burned.� So after having her and dealing with my husband and I separating, losing my job and taking over the house by myself I found myself not able to put down the spoon or fork.� And having her and watching her pick over every meal I find myself eating hers and mine just not to waste.� I prayed for a relief and I think wls is the key to living again, feeling sexy and sexual again.� Not just wanting to date but feeling confident to date. I am worried about the skin if I will have that problem but wont know until I do it, they say everyone is different and it depends on your skin type.� Surgery is scheduled for May 3, 2010.
Thank you for�reading my story and thank you all for yours.�

Hi guys.

Sitting here reading all these stories has made me cry. Not a bad thing at all... first off, I am pms'ing and hormonal, and second, it is so great to find a place where ppl truly understand what I am dealing with, b/c it is a case of 'been there, done that.'

I am yet another Jen in the group. Yeah, there are LOTS of us! I am 34, have probably had PCOS for aeons b/c I have always had hellacious periods since I started at 10. Officially, I was diagnosed with Endometrial Hyperplasia/PCOS in 2003 and it required a d&c. I had my first lap in 2004 for an ovarian cyst, that revealed I also had endo. Two more laps over the next few years (with a shoulder scope and gallbladder surgery added in the mix, just to keep things interesting) and finally a lumbosacral nerve ablation on one side, I am ready to pull my hair out. My gyn is convinced a) getting pregnant will fix my girly problems (yet I keep trying to convince him I haven't found the right gene pool...yet and b) I don't need a hysterectomy at this point, b/c I will end up regretting it. Even on BCP, my cycle is not regular and I can go months w/o a period.

I switched to a new primary care dr in Sept/Oct of last year. She specializes in women's health and weight management, as well as being internal medicine. OMG I can simply not say how good that decision has been for me. She has tried from the beginning to get me to think about WSL, and having seen the absolute worst side of gastric bypass, I was very closed minded about it. However, having been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, developed palpitations and hypertension, and dealing with chronic back problems, I finally agreed to think about it. My employer switched health ins the first of the year, so I checked with the carrier as soon as I had my info and they require 6mos nutritional counselling. I started that with my pcp as soon as I knew, so I will go for my 4th month visit this coming Friday. The next morning I am attending a bariatric seminar with the surgeon I want to use, so that will get the next step started.

I am actually hoping to have everything in order to be able to possibly have surgery by August. An aboutface, yes, but I am just so over all the health issues, the hurting, the being tired, etc.

Thanks for reading my rant, and even more so for the inspirational stories!!

Hello, all! I have many symptoms of PCOS (excessive hair growth, acne, weight, no ovulation or menstruation), and my ob/gyn diagnosed me with PCOS just based on that. He wanted to do an ultrasound of my ovaries, but decided to wait because of my decision to have WLS. He told me that losing weight helps many women with PCOS; I hope it helps me because I do want to have children. He put me on the pill to start my periods, which it did, and my husband and I decided to go off the pill in Feb 2010 to see if we could conceive this year, and since then, I've not had one regular period, only some spotting.

My husband and I have been married for nine years on June 2, 2010. We met in high school and dated for a few years and lived together, too. (fingers wagging ) He works overseas right now and I work at a brokerage firm full-time. I have two little dogs - mini schnauzers - and a black cat. That's where I spend my time and energy when I'm not at work.

Hi my name is Kim.  I am 31 years old.  I started having PCOS symptoms when I was in middle school and actually had to have two cysts removed when I was in the 8th grade.  I was not diagnosed until I was in my late twenties, however.  I always knew something was wrong and looking back now, knowing what I know, I can't understand why the doctors didn't pay more attention.  I was in and out of the doctor's office and they really started treating me like I was a hypochondriac.  Anyway.  I have been trying to deal with it since then. My weight and other symptoms have been a constant yo-yo.  After first being diagnosed the doctor put me on Metformin which worked well for quite a while.  I actually lost about 50# and started feeling better.  It was during this time that I met the man that is now my husband.  We got married last year and have been thinking about the future and having children.  During our dating and ingagement my symptoms and my weight bounced back up.  I am currently on 2000mg of Metformin and 150mg of Spironolactone.  I went to see a reproductive endocrinologist at the end of last year and he wanted to put me on clomid.  My husband and I decided to wait and think about it.  In the mean time my husband who is also overweight started researching WLS.  One night he woke me up (it was about 2am) and said I found the answer.  Of course I was thinking whatever shut up and go to bed...but he said I've been reading about women with PCOS who have had WLS and were able to get pregnant without any medication.  He said you have to read what I found.  So I did.  I have been working on all my testing and stuff for WLS.  I am hoping to have the DS this summer. 
I'm so glad to have the opportunity to talk to others that really understand.  OH and one of the sites my husband found was this one :)  So thanks!

Hello Everyone, I just found this blog and thought I needed to share my story here.  I am at a loss of what to do and wanted some feedback.  Ok, my name is Keri and I am 29 years old.  I have been overweight all my life.  I love food.  It is  one thing I can always rely on.  I became big in high school, and started wearing boys clothes.  I didnt want to go to the "fat lady store" like my mom always called it because I remember how ugly the stuff was and I didnt want to be the fat lady at age 15.  So, I resorted to boys clothes.  I felt I looked good and could fit into these clothes.  As a child, my mom would bring me to the Sears section called "Pretty Plus" and there would be all the fat girl clothes.  So, shopping for boys clothes at Old Navy and Abercrombie made me feel more like my friends.  Sure, I would go to the left and they would go to the right side of the store, but I felt normal. 

Finally I got to college and after a few months my new "fashionista" roomate said we had to do something about my clothes.  She brought me to Lane Bryant and I fell in love.  I could finally wear cute fashionable clothes and not look like a boy anymore (I was always the girly girl wearing dresses)

So, during college I gained and gained.  I tried weigh****chers, atkins, slim fast etc, and nothing helped.  I would lose a few pounds but it would come back easily.  Also in college, my body started changing.  I all of a sudden had this huge floppy belly, and hair on my chin and lip.  At 13, I got my period and it was very irregular.  At 16 I finally decided to go to the doctor.  I got this new boyfriend and I took this as an opportunity to get on the Pill (way too young I know, it never happened though!)  So, telling her all my symptoms, she put me on the pill.  I was on the pill for 13  years.

In 2006 I decided enough was enough, I had to do somethign about my weight.  I truly believed I would never find a husband if I didnt lost the weight.  So, I got the Lap Band.  I remember going into surgery and saying "this is the most selfish thing I have ever done" but I came out with a diaphramitic hernia repair and a brand new lap band.  My pcos was never thought about or recognized by any doctor that I saw.  If I knew I had this condition I would have done RNY because it seems to be a lot harder with the Band.

SO, I lose 50 pounds, gain a husband, and then I have to get my tonislls out.  They say you have to get your band unfilled for an anestesia surgery, so I was unfilled.  After my healing process, I had three fills back up in my band, then I had heart burn.  So, they emptyed it a little.  Now, I dont have any restriction at all.  My surgeon basically threw up his hands and said I dont know why, it doesnt work for everyone.  I gain back all 50 that I lost plus some more.  Presently I am back up to my highest weight. 

So, now my husband and I have been married and we are off the pill, no pregnancy.  I go to a regular appointment with my doctor, and she asks if I was ever tested for pcos, and I replied no.  She sends me to a endocronologist and of course, this is what I have.  Its no wonder I cant lose weight naturally, whatever I do, I dont lose a pound only gain.

So, now I have this new diagnosis, and what does my gyn say?  I thought I said when you first started here that you probably have that.  She never told me that, shes just covering for not telling me this vital piece of information.  Like I said before, I would have chosen a different surgery if I knew this before. 

So, I go to a new surgeon to see if he could do a conversion from the band to bypass.  He was so scary and blunt.  Said this surgery would be twice as risky as a regular surgery.  He suggests for now, to go to his practice and get filled with an xray so that he can assess if its really not working or if its improperly filled.  I was so sad I cried all this afternoon.  I thought I would be skinny by next year.  I dont know what to do, try this second doctor using the incredible tool I have and fill it up properly, or risk my life and health with the surgery.  I think I want to figure out my band, and read a lot about a pcos diet, and figure it out from there.  Its so annoying and confusing.  I just dont know whats the right move.  All I want to do is get pregnant and have a healthy baby, but I cant have a healthy baby if I am not healthy myself.

Why is the doctor saying that the surgery is risky?  Do you have special health related concerns?  I am currently in a similar situation minus the lap band.  My husband and I have been married for almost a year and are thinking about a baby.  I have seen a reproductive endocrinologist and he wanted to put me on more meds (I already take70+ pills a week).  My husband did the research and so I'm in the process of insurance approval for the DS.  I have read testimonials from multiple people w/pcos who have had the ds.  they had babies right after the year waiting period.  It's also supposed to be better results and less nasty side effects (like dumping).  Doctor's that do the DS are hard to find and not all insurances cover it but I'm really impressed by the data so I drive 4 hours to my surgeon.  I definitely suggest research.  Good luck and if I can help in any way let me know.  PCOS sucks.  I have struggled with it for four years (even though I've had it much longer).

Hi Teresa!
My name is Amanda and I am 33! I wasn't diagnosed with PCOS until I was 28 and I had never heard anything about it. After 3 years of failing to get pregnant I saw a fertility specialist and he diagnosed me. 5 years later plus 2 miscarriages I started learning more about PCOS and how it  works with fertility. It's only recently that more information about this disease has become available.
I have finally decided to get LAP BAND. I'm scheduled for my surgery in June. My doctor suggested this website and it's wonderful to find other women who not only have had WLS surgery they have PCOS too. It's comforting to know I'm not alone.
I'm excited about my surgery and a little scared too. Has anyone else in this group had LAP BAND? If so, how did you do with it? Any advice or tips?