I had the lap band, lost 80 lbs got my PCOS and IR completely under control, and I have very severe PCOS. My periods came back regular once I lost about 50 lbs, and I even got pregnant by accident (after undergoing years of ferlitiy treatments to get pregnant in the past).

That happened to me!  AND my blood tests also were negative.

But I still had PCOS!  Facial hair, dark patches of skin, irregular periods.  My endocrinologist said that the tests didn't matter, it was my symptoms that meant I had it.  Sometimes it just happens like that.

If a doctor is telling you because you have no cysts that you do not have PCOS - find another doctor.  My blood tests show up negative but my ovaries are loaded with cysts - as someone else said - it's a syndrome so it's a collection of symptoms and no two women are the same.

Good luck!

Ever since I was about 13 Iv been getting Bartholin cysts. (For those that don't know what they are they are located just on the inside of your lower vagina) Anyways.....I used to get them a couple of time's a year. I had 2 marsupes done on it and that would only give me a year or so without one. Anyways...as I got older.....they got worse. I was getting them at one point once a month. The prob was they would only get big enough to "almost" operate again on it. And then they would break on their own. Don't get me wrong....I was glad I only had a few days of pain...and not a few weeks like the 2 just before surgery....but it was still a pain in the ass.....Anyways...I got sick of it. I went to my OBY and I said something has got to be done.  He finally agreed with me..at this point I had way over 50 of them. He  booked me into surgery and removed the gland, so he thinks.He called it a  large mass. He sent if off to make sure it was okay. The lab said they couldn't tell if it was a gland or not due to the fact of having so many cysts it destroyed it. Iv been out of surgery now for about 7 months. And I'm still bleeding down there every so often. I do have PCOS and was wondering if it could be Hidradenitis suppurative?? I only get them in the groin. *touch wood* Anyways.....just wanted to get some more in-site of it all.

take care,

I haven't had my surgery yet but am approved for the DS (waiting for the h pylori to clear up before the date can be set).  Even though I'm considered a 'light weight' I chose the DS specifically because of the lifelong malabsorption that comes with it: the fat malabsorption, the changes in how our bodies deal with insulin and the metabolism boost all from the switch part of the surgery.  For me, food restriction has never been the issue, so these three factors swayed me in that direction....and also because they are life long and (I might be wrong about this) but my understanding is that you eventually adapt to the RNY malabsorption (RNYers please correct me if this is wrong). 

I've been overweight my entire life and only able to lose about 20 to 30lbs at a time and never able to maintain.  After heavily researching the surgeries - the DS made the most sense.  However, I think you could make any choice that is right for you and your body and have success.

good luck