Question:
if you have the answers let me know........
I am twenty years old and 220+. I have tried many things from dieting to pils prescribed and not, and my membership at aspen gym. nothing helps...i can not seem to lose weight. now, i have something called POS. (polysistic ovarian syndrome) i have known about this for some time(since i was 16). my doctor tells me that for me to lose weight is a losing battle within itself if medication did not help and it hasn't.now they what remove that which makes me a woman(my ovaries|) because there is nothing else they can do but put me on steriods and i have refused that. my family has a past history with diabetes and that is what scares me, because i don't wont to have that at a early ageand in all likely hood i will too. i have gone through high school wondering why was i so different and why god did this to me. my friends were some ofthe people that i envied because they were thin, healthy, and had a monthly period when i had none of these. my self esteem is so low that i will go days without wanting to do anything with anyone, including family. a day does not go by with out me want to just give up on everything and face the fact that i will have nothing that everyone else has. i have found your site a few weeks back and i had hope but my insurance will not pay for it. if you can give me some info or help me with my situation i would be most greatful. thanks Tiffany — I_know_how_it_feels05 (posted on January 24, 2007)
January 24, 2007
Tiffany: My niece suffers from POS too and she is has to constantly watch
her diet and cannot eat carbs! You need to find an endocrinologist who
specializes in POS - you do not need to have your ovaries out. Do your
research and find out what your options are. If weight loss surgery,
either lapband or RNY is the only solution for you, then it becomes a
medical necessity and insurance will cover it. Right now, the POS should
be treated with diet and you need to find yourself the right specialist to
take care of it. Good luck.
— Sheri A.
January 24, 2007
Tiffany - run, don't walk away from this doctor. I have had SEVERE PCOS
since I was 14 years old. I am now 36 with a 2 1/2 year old (yes my own
child). I went to a specialist at the University of Michigan when I was a
teenager. He put me on the pill and then a few years later added metformin
to my regimen. No where was I ever advised that my ovaries needed to come
out.
PCOS is a hormanal condition. Also, with your weight, you sound like you
have the insulin resistance as well. A diet that weight loss patients
follow is an excellent way to assist with regulating your insulin.
If you need a referral to a ob-gyn, ask your doctor for one. If he will
not give you one, find a new primary care doctor.
Just to let you know, I had weight loss surgery - lap ryn in October 2006.
I was 278 the day of surgery and I now weigh 144. You can get through
this. Please e-mail directly if you want to learn more about PCOS and how
to handle the condition. [email protected]
Please get a second opinion and don't let this doctor take your ovaries -
you have other options.
Cathy
— cdavison
January 24, 2007
Tiffany, I agree with the other member. Find another doctor. I've had
PCOS since I was about 16 as well. My "baby" will be 10 next
month. There are certain foods that will trigger the pain. Carbs are
among them. Other things to avoid are chocolate, peanut products and
caffeine. But, you do not have to have your ovaries out unless something
else is going on. Find another doctor.
— lv2beasahm
January 24, 2007
Have you gone to a specialist and/or goten a second opinion?
— Novashannon
January 25, 2007
Aloha Tiffany! I was saddened to read your posting. It sounds all too
familiar. Losing weight is not a losing battle. You just need another
tool to help you. It's about BMI. Find a good weight loss surgeon, one
who has experience, and have him work with your insurance company. Point
out that this will save them so much money in the long run. Also, PCOS and
obesity and diabetes are all interrelated. Its all endocrine related. I,
too, have PCOS, no periods, and obesity and diabetes. I had the lap band
done in September 06. Please don't give up! You are so young and have so
much to offer the world. Surround yourself with positive people and
positive things. Don't let doctors or anyone else take your enthusiasm for
life away. Please let me know if I can be of any help. Im an RN and nurse
educator, so I know a few things. :)
— gtali1954
January 25, 2007
hello tiffany i know exactly where you are coming from. i'm 26 yrs old and
waiting on insurance approval for my gbs. i have pretty much always been
overweight and since i first started my period about 10yrs ago i have had
problems like severe pms, irregular cycles, horrible cramps and heavy
bleeding. the doctors put me on the bc pill as treatment and it seemed to
make things tolerable. in august of 2006 i decided my weight issue was too
much (5'4" 265lbs and unable to loose the weight on my own. not to
mention extreme fatigue) and i wanted to have gbs, so i got my referral
from my primary care doctor and have been working on things since then.
shortly after that i started having a lot of pain in my pelvic area and
stopped my periods all together. once i figured out pregnancy was not the
issue i made an appointment with my gynecologist. she ordered me a pelvic
ultrasound and then we found out i also have pcos. i went to a speacilist
in the area and basically found out that the only real treatment is bc
pills for now and once i decide it's time to start a family and experience
problems getting pregnant they will put me on metformin ( a diabetic med,
which regulates insulin levels helping with ovulation). from what i read on
the internet it is a genetic syndrome that you are born with and some
people have it but never know. unfortunantely like you, i know because it's
not easy to miss. i have never heard or read info that lists removing your
ovaries as a treatment option and because you are so young you definantely
need to find a new doctor and get a second opinion. weight loss is also a
treatment for pcos, but as we know it's a losing battle, because it makes
you unable to lose the weight on your own. find a new primary doctor and
talk with him about the possibility of weight loss surgery and have him
help you with the insurance issues. good luck girl i know what you are
going through and i know it isn't easy. email me directly if you want to
talk more. [email protected] holly carson
— RNlvnCARSON
January 25, 2007
Tiffany I have a friend who also suffers from POS and she just delivered a
beautiful baby girl. she had to watch her carbs and she to was overweight
but as soon as she started losing the weight she became pregnant. her drs
all wanted her to "get the female stuff removed" cause "she
didn't need it" (yes thats what one dr told her) I am so glad she
didn't listen to him. I don't think many drs understand what woman go
through all the emotions that are tied up inside us and they sometimes
think removing "that which make us female" is the issue. Yes
there are times where it is an emergency and i can understand their
resoning, but you'll have to look at your options and think this is your
dessision and i wish you all the best of luck in that dessision, just think
about the people who have been there and have gone through it and are all
right.
God be with you and much luck
Paula
— japaad
January 25, 2007
I, too, have PCOS. First let me tell you that the right doctors make a
huge difference! I have a 6 year old little boy who I conceived with the
help of fertility meds and the right doctor. (and my hubby, of coarse!) I
also have been overweight my entire life and lived with no periods, unless
brought on by meds. You are soooo not alone as you can tell by all the
prev posts! I had RnY gastric bypass on December first. It was covered by
my insurance. I had to jump through many hoops, but I did everything I had
to, knowing that this would help me be healthier. I even got a period on
my own a 6 weeks after surgery. Most insurace will not cover unless you
have bmi over 40, or 35 with comorbidities. I had to loose 5% of my weight
for my insurance to approve as well. I am 34 years old. I have lost and
gained more than 50lbs multiple times in my life. Even after surgery, you
have to be compliant. If you can not have surgery covered, try weight
watchers or South Beach. Both have low carb or good carb programs that
help some with the PCOS. A nutritionist can help you. You will be ok.
PCOS is not the end of the world. Think of people who are diagnosed with
cancer or other horrible diseases. Live life to the fullest.... don't give
up.
— robinmarra
January 26, 2007
Tiffany, it is likely that you have co-morbidities associated with your
weight that you are not aware of. I would see your PCP for a complete
physical to include BP, glucose testing, lipids etc. In addition to all of
these health issues there is also the quality of life and depression
issues. If your physician believes this is medically neceassary for you to
have a normal life, have him write the ins. co a letter. If that fails, you
can always get the help from an attorney. I have read on this site, that
there are people out there that have had to go this extreme and it woked.
There is a book called "Weight LOss Surgery, finding the thin person
inside you" written by Barbara Thompson, she gives alot of advice on
how to appeal to the insurance company and some advocacy groups that may be
able to help. Get the book , it may be a big help. Hope all of this was
helpful, if ya need anything else, please let me know.
— jlw0423
January 26, 2007
Tiffany, I only read a couple of other replies to your post, but I agree
with them! Run to find a new doctor. I, too, suffered with PCOS
throughout my teens & twenties. After my wedding, my ob/gyn put me on
hormones and I was able to have my first child, then three years later,
(without hormones) I had my daughter. There are answers out there for you,
don't give up! if you want to talk more, just email me and we'll talk.
Lots of love and encouragement, Kimberly
— MoabMama
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