WLS Peeps with PCOS - How to help ourselves? - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

Hychap2009 · 10-07-2009, 05:41 AM

Hello to all. I'm guessing if this thread peeks your interest then you are a sufferer of PCOS. I have been diagnosed with PCOS for around 20 years, but have never had any advice or assistance on how or if anything can be done to help the condition, apart from lose weight of course. PCOS can create havoc in your life - and manifest itself in so many different ways. You may have one, two or many more of the effects of it. For the past couple of years I have been trying to find out the cause of my hair thinning (male pattern baldness) - only recently discovered that PCOS is normally responsible for hair loss. So having WLS surgery, you know you're going to lose hair - but it should grow back right, but with PCOS is this likely to be the case - scary. I have excessive facial hair growth - recently having laser hair removal - 3 more sessions to go.

Anyway I thought it was a good idea to start this thread - where by PCOS suffers can add any infor, advice or treatments which might help with the condition. I recently found a site called Power over PCOS. Some wonder facts that I will start sharing here. Please join in if you feel you can make a productive contribution or you just want to have a say about PCOS related issues.

Did you know that your diet can have an effect on your hormones, what you eat can have a direct influence on how balanced or unbalanced your hormones are.

So I'll start with: Spearmint Tea

Recent research has shown that spearmint tea can help reduce the effects of testosterone in the body, reducing symptoms such as acne, excess hair and hair loss.
online source: Power over PCOS.

Christi · 10-07-2009, 07:19 AM

I have nothing to offer at this point about PCOS. Just wanted to say Thanks for posting this about the spearmint tea. I usually end my day with a cup of "sleepytime" tea that has spearmint in it, so its good to know that it should also help with the symptoms of PCOS.

Also, I use to use metformin and I can't express how happy I am to not be taking it anymore. I didn't realize how "unwell" it truly made me feel.

Hychap2009 · 10-07-2009, 07:50 AM

Thank you for your interest in this thread. I too am taking 850mg of Metformin 3 times daily. I was prescribed it in 1998 as treatment for diabetes. However, once I started taking it low and behold - for the first time my menstral cycle kicked in. i started to have regular periods on a 28 day cycle.

I felt pretty normal for the first time. Like a women. I didn't see any sign of a period until I was 18 years old, and then it was patchy and irregular.

I remember reading about people trying to get this drug prescribed by their doctors for the symptoms of PCOS but had great difficulty as it was not registered as a treatment for PCOS only for Diabetes. At the time there were trials going on in the UK (1998) and I think people now have access to it. So for the past 11 years I've had regular periods.

Puddin · 10-07-2009, 12:55 PM

For those of us with PCOS, I think you'll find that the weightloss will help tremendously. I'm down 100 lbs and I'd say about 90% of the symptoms I had have disappeared including normalized cycles and excess facial hair...so nice to not have to get the area under my chin waxed anymore.

Hychap2009 · 10-07-2009, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puddin

For those of us with PCOS, I think you'll find that the weightloss will help tremendously. I'm down 100 lbs and I'd say about 90% of the symptoms I had have disappeared including normalized cycles and excess facial hair...so nice to not have to get the area under my chin waxed anymore.

Yep, this is one of the many reason's which helped me make up my mind to follow through and have WLS. However, there is no harm in us helping ourseleves on the way down....... Many of the nutritional suggestions are both beneficial to us a PCOS sufferers and equally beneficial to people who have WLS diets. It's all good for our general well being.

Hychap2009 · 10-07-2009, 05:20 PM

Like my experience some of you may have symptoms of PCOS and not realise this is the case. FYI this may be of interest. I had the condition for many years without the awareness to recognise the symptoms.

PCOSupport | Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association, Inc. | Home Page
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

hexx2003 · 10-10-2009, 08:21 AM

Just thought i'd chime in. I had PCOS for 17 years, diagnosed when i was 16. I'd love to share that weight loss surgery.. especially the gastric bypass that re-routes the intestines is a great tool to rid yourself of PCOS. I have researched it and found that because that part of the intestine they remove is the main culprit in absorbing insulin.. thats why you are rid of PCOS and diabetes shortly after surgery. I dont believe the actual weight loss did it.. but the re-routing. I never had periods.. maybe once a year if that.. facial hair, infertility plagued my life. 3 weeks after RNY surgery i got my first non forced period in over a year. Then it occured.. 4 weeks later.. whooo hoo.. then again.. so that kept going on and on. I am now almost 10 months out 10/13.. and I am not only cured of my PCOS symptoms but I am also 4 weeks pregnant. What can i say about RNY except it has saved my life and given me a new one!

Hychap2009 · 10-10-2009, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hexx2003

Just thought i'd chime in. I had PCOS for 17 years, diagnosed when i was 16. I'd love to share that weight loss surgery.. especially the gastric bypass that re-routes the intestines is a great tool to rid yourself of PCOS. I have researched it and found that because that part of the intestine they remove is the main culprit in absorbing insulin.. thats why you are rid of PCOS and diabetes shortly after surgery. I dont believe the actual weight loss did it.. but the re-routing. I never had periods.. maybe once a year if that.. facial hair, infertility plagued my life. 3 weeks after RNY surgery i got my first non forced period in over a year. Then it occured.. 4 weeks later.. whooo hoo.. then again.. so that kept going on and on. I am now almost 10 months out 10/13.. and I am not only cured of my PCOS symptoms but I am also 4 weeks pregnant. What can i say about RNY except it has saved my life and given me a new one!

I had to smile when I read this post. I'm so happy for you. If your right about the re-routing - as oppose to weight loss, then VSG may not have the same results. A lack of knowledge about my PCOS led to me being childless - ( I have 2 step daughters) I have spent most of my life feeling less of a women. My greatest desire was to have my own family. I'm now past it, just turned 50 so no hopes of conceiving there.

I remember when I was under the fertility clinic about 16 years ago, I tried for IVF OMG, I nearly died. The doctor then told me just lose weight. After the terrible side efferts of undergoing the drug regime for IVF - I had to be in the small percent that had an adverse reaction. My husband would not let me try again. It was too stressful for him.

Knowledge is power.. It could have made all the difference to my life.

Hychap2009 · 11-09-2009, 02:24 PM

I thought I'd just share this with you guys. I asked this question of the Doc. a while back so here is the response. Hope its useful.

Laser hair removal during the period of WLS process.