WLS'ers with PCOS success stories?

IslandSneezerooo

I'm curious if there's anyone here who was dx'd with PCOS prior to WLS? How much weight have you lost? Did you have any PCOS related challenges post-op? Anything else I should know?

I started having PCOS symptoms when I was 15 yo and I'll be 39 in May... Losing weight and keeping it off has been an exercise in frustration my whole adult life... I was excited to hear WLS works, even with PCOS, so I'd like to hear personal stories of success (or not).

cheekitty

I've lost 30 pounds since my surgery on 3/2/15. (Roughly, had a slight uptick this morning, but within normal fluctuations)

I'm having difficulty taking my metformin- I had some pretty drastic side effects pre-surgery, and it hasn't gotten better afterward, so I'm taking it slow with re-adding it to my medication regimen.

I can check in on this again in a few more months, as I know you have a bit of a wait for your surgery.

IslandSneezerooo

I wondered how it is with the metformin after surgery, @cheekitty, so I would appreciate you keeping me updated on your progress with that, along with weight loss... I started taking 500mg just over a week ago (or was it two now?) and I'm still having digestive issues...

cheekitty

500mg is my usual dosage, too. I'm going to try re-adding them this week, since I'm starting week 5.

joysie1970

Very interested in this thread, I went on liquid diet to prep for surgery - scheduled 4/7. About four days into my full liquid diet I started bottoming out, my PC took me off my Metformin I was taking 1000mg a day, that was a week ago. I am already having hair issues (damn).... And nighttime peeing is becoming an issue... I need the carbs to balance the metformin I think, what is your PC saying?

ac7nj

IslandSneezerooo wrote: »

I wondered how it is with the metformin after surgery, @cheekitty, so I would appreciate you keeping me updated on your progress with that, along with weight loss... I started taking 500mg just over a week ago (or was it two now?) and I'm still having digestive issues...

Metformin and VSG I was taking 1000 mg twice a day. Metformin cannot be crushed or broken to make it small enough to take after surgery. A lot of people don't know this even though it is in the manufacturer information. By the time I could take the metformin I didn't need it anymore.

Randy (regesterd nurse)

joysie1970

ac7nj wrote: »

IslandSneezerooo wrote: »

I wondered how it is with the metformin after surgery, @cheekitty, so I would appreciate you keeping me updated on your progress with that, along with weight loss... I started taking 500mg just over a week ago (or was it two now?) and I'm still having digestive issues...

Metformin and VSG I was taking 1000 mg twice a day. Metformin cannot be crushed or broken to make it small enough to take after surgery. A lot of people don't know this even though it is in the manufacturer information. By the time I could take the metformin I didn't need it anymore.

Randy (regesterd nurse)

Thanks for the information - that is good to know!

ruqayyahsmum

i was diagnosed with pcos when i was 18. i had surgery january 2014 and have lost 165lb so far, weight loss has slowed now
my periods are now regular and i fell pregnant in november last year. i ended up miscarrying but im hopeful i can now have another baby

joysie1970

ruqayyahsmum wrote: »

i was diagnosed with pcos when i was 18. i had surgery january 2014 and have lost 165lb so far, weight loss has slowed now
my periods are now regular and i fell pregnant in november last year. i ended up miscarrying but im hopeful i can now have another baby

That is fantastic!!! Sounds like your ovaries are being to operate properly, such a wonderful thing for us PCOS gals! Saying a prayer for you, keep us posted

IslandSneezerooo

ruqayyahsmum wrote: »

i was diagnosed with pcos when i was 18. i had surgery january 2014 and have lost 165lb so far, weight loss has slowed now
my periods are now regular and i fell pregnant in november last year. i ended up miscarrying but im hopeful i can now have another baby

That's amazing success! So sorry to hear of your miscarriage. Hugs and prayers for a full term healthy baby!

lmryoung

I have PCOS as well but have been off Metformin for a couple of years since I've been able to keep my A1C in the 5s through diet and exercise. I'm hopeful that the other issues with PCOS - irregular periods, infertility, weird hair - will wane after surgery. Fingers crossed!!

geekpryncess

I did great for the first two months, lost 38 lbs. Sleeved 2/2/15, SW 199 and got down to 162. Then I guess I hit my first stall on April 4. Since then I've gained weight up to 169. Not happy about that!! However for the past two days the scale has gone back down, so I am 168 now. Fingers crossed it keeps going down for now and no more roller coaster! I am 5'2" so I need to lose at least 30 more pounds. Preferably 40.

I believe the reason for my gain was due to two issues: carbs got a little out of hand because Easter I had candy and that set off my sugar cravings (hadn't had sugar for almost 3 months prior), and 2, I was super sick with pneumonia for almost 6 weeks and I think coming out of that my body finally got rehydrated and I was eating. So I think even without the carb issue I would have gained a few pounds back due to getting healthy again. I have gotten the carbs back under control and seems like it is working. I try to keep them under 60 a day.

kglowins

I am a little over a year post op and have lost 146 lbs. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 18, I am 32 now. I took metformin for a very short period (maybe 3 months) about 6 years ago and stopped because I did not like the way it made me feel. I was insulin resistant, however, I was unwilling to go back to the metformin medication. My periods were very irregular right after surgery...I could not get it to stop! Finally, over the last couple of months things seem to be evening out. My body is finally adjusting and it's looking like I might actually have a normal schedule.

janekoke

I am very interested to see more replies to this thread. I was diagnosed with PCOS last year but I've had the symptoms since I hit puberty but they never bothered me much. I was put on birth control, aldectone, and metformin and my body hates them all. Also they discovered I had fibroids (fml). On consulting a really good gyna he recommended weight loss surgery, I am 5'1 and weighed 100 kg. Eventually got a gastric bypass on 22nd June, lost 15k (just over 30 pounds) in the first month then....nothing. For a while month I haven't lost a pound!!. I eat nothing but protein, some veg and the occasional orange. Haven't seen a carb in ages. I swim and walk on the treadmill but nothing. My sister suggested that I was eating too little (though I wasn't hungry) so I have been trying to get at least 1000 calories which is hard for me, yet nothing!!
So frustrated, I self paid for this surgery and it wasn't just to loose a mere 30 pounds. My surgeon says just keep drinking ur water it will go...I drink over 2 litres a day!!
So now I'm thinking my ovaries are sabotaging me and I'm thinking of going back on metformin but if my normal tummy couldn't handle it how will my poor walnut sized one take it. But I'm desperate for results. I'll keep you updated on if I do go back on and if it helps. Damn this ovaries!!