Hiya Julia!

Sorry I took forever to reply, I don't always have access to the internet. :)

Congrats on your surgery and your success with it! Happy Surgiversary!

Oh yeah, I remember reading about the weightloss helping with some ladies being able to concieve, so that's a bit of a spirit-lifter. I'm so sorry that it wasn't the case with you. That's so sweet that you and your hubby have been together since 15! Way to go guys!

I've also heard of Clomid, will definetly look into it if I need it in the future. Good luck and I wish you the best! Im glad to hear you turned your mindset positive- that's very important! =)

Long or easy road, it'all be worth it. Don't ever ever ever ever give up and best of luck to you and your hubby! Don't forget me when it's time to share those baby pics! ;)

Nice meeting you too and thank you!

Hey there,
           I found out I had PCOS when I was 16 I believe.  I will be turning 25 the end of this year and March will be my one year surgiversary from RNY.  I have been lurking around the Post Op Pregnancy forum and you will see ALOT of women on there that have not been able to concieve for years.  Then after surgery they concieve at the drop of a hat.  Then you also see women whom have had surgery and are still struggling to get pregnant.  I was hoping I would be the one that after surgery I would be Mrs Fertile Myrtle.  But no luck THUS far.  Hubby and I have been together since I was 15 and we never really did anything to prevent pregnancy (sad I know).  After my surgery about 6 months out I was naughty and stopped using any forms of BC.  I think that I might need help concieving so I got my Doc to prescribe me Clomid.  Hopefully one of the rounds will work.  I would loveeeeeeeeeeeeeee a baby .  Pretty much for the last 5 years or so I have told myself that I will NEVER be able to get pregnant.  It never made it easier for myself thinking that.  But then after surgery I got all optimistic and refused to think that any longer.  I am not sure that this will be an easy process, it might be, but it also might be a loooooooong hard road.  I guess we will soon find out.  Anyway......... it's nice meeting you.  And welcome!  JULIA

If my only choices were RNY and Band, due to what insurance will cover, I'd do RNY. Why? Because of the malabsorption--it helps fight the insulin resistance. PCOS is a metabolic problem, and RNY is a metabolic solution, not just a restrictive/portion control surgery.

If it were me, I'd have a VSG over a lapband. (I realize you said insurance doesn't cover VSG for you--but I'm telling what I would do regardless of insurance coverage--in other words, which surgery I think is better regardless of how it is paid for). Lap band doesn't have any kind of metabolic/hunger curbing advantage. Even though VSG is restrictive only, it lessens hunger significantly in a metabolic way--the band does not do that.

FWIW, I started out wanting a band, then RNY. At that time I only knew about those 2 surgeries. When I found out about VSG I seriously considered it. I also asked my surgeon about DS (he does do them, but rarely) but he didn't like it for my situation so that was the end of that.

I admit that insurance did enter into my decision. RNY was covered, but I don't think VSG would have been covered, at least not without a fight, and I didn't think I had the patience for that. I think it was actually good that I decided to go with RNY instead of VSG because the additional metabolic advantage of the malabsorption.

I think DS is also an alternative that is worthy of a serious look.

But honestly, I do think that RNY is better for PCOS patients than band--if those are your two choices, I would go with the RNY. (The band concerns me--too many stories of band problems, or just so-so weight loss--of course, there are many people that are happy with their bands and do extremely well.)

PCOS is a difficult syndrome to be diagnosed with and it's not just cut & dry if you have x symptoms you have it and if you don't have all those then you don't.  What blood test did they do?  Was it a FSH/LH ratio?  Because really all that does is comfirm that you're not ovulating.  It does sound like you could still have PCOS.  Did they do an ovarian ultrasound to check for cysts?  With the rare periods & facial hair it sounds like you definitely have a hormonal imbalance (the facial hair is caused by too much testosterone).  Have you been checked for insulin resistance as well?  It's quite common with women who have PCOS.  Have your doc run a fasting insulin level...not a fasting glucose level...they are two totally different tests.


There are also 4-5 main types of PCOS.  Check out www.soulcysters.com it's an information/support website for women with PCOS and it has very detailed info on what is/isn't PCOS.  Good luck!

So, in June 2008, my obgyn explained to me that I have PCOS. I have never had a normal period (sometimes I only have 4/year unless regulated with birth control), and I have slight facial hair growth. My weight has always been an issue...so when she told me about PCOS, I felt that I finally had a name to associate with my symptoms. But, I've recently had alot of blood work done so that I can get approved for wls. One of the tests was to determine whether I had PCOS and it was negative...so now I'm confused. Does anyone know what this means?
~Crystal