I can't believe how great it feels to see the opinions of people in exactly the same situation as me and to hear such positive things like PCOS reducing and diabetes being reversed!

I got banded to get healthy, reverse my diabetes and try for a family. I felt so alone though once I'd had it done, as there isn't the same amount of support here - or rather if there is, I didn't know about it! God bless Google for sending me here!

Mx

Hey Laurend!
Did Metformin bother you immediately after you began taking it? I've been taking the Actos plus Metformin pill since Monday and I've not had any problems. I've also dropped 3 lbs since Monday, which is a big relief because it has been over a month since I lost anything. I'm hoping this medicine had helped me get past my plateau.

I noticed a reaction to it fairly quickly. It really sucked. This is probably way more information than you wanted, but I had very unpredictable diarrhea the entire time I was on it. It's really one of the things that pushed me into having Lap Band surgery. I knew that if I didn't lose weight, I'd be stuck on that crap forever. Talk about motivation!

ok, reading through all of these threads has been a REAL eye opener for me.

let me give you guys a little bit of history and you all can see if i am correct in thinking i may have pcos:

-i am 25
-at 14 i was diagnosed with endometrioses, i have had some cysts removed from my uterus and ovaries, and i have had 3 lap surgeries for endometrioses.
-at 15 i suffered from amenhorrea (no period) due to eating disorder
-at 17 i suffered from amenhorrea again for a year, for no apparant reason
-at 18, i magically got pregnant even though i did not have a period and doctors were saying that i would likely not be able to get pregnant.
-after my son was born, i started my periods immediately, despite nursing, and they were very irregular, by the time my son was 1 1/2, i was having a period every 9 days, or every time i had sex, whichever came first
-at 21 changed birth control, got more regular and gained 60 lbs in 2 months. got acne for the first time in my life. absolutely could not lose weight. kept gaining. had leep on my cervix for stage 1 cancer cells (not hpv).
-25, i am now 100 lbs overweight, have acne terribly, cramp like crazy, pass clots a lot, have hair growing everywhere. i already have a mustache and lots of chin hairs, and the hair on my arms is getting thicker..and i hate hair. the hair on my scalp is thinning and i have terrible dandruff. and now i have gone three months without a period.


i have had my thyroid checked every single time i go to the doctor, it seems. i suffer from terrible migraines, mood swings, (i'm a total bitch a lot), and i'm tired all the time. i know a lot of this is weight related, but here is the kicker.

i was banded in october, and i have lost a total of 2 lbs.

i think i have PCOS!!!!!!

oh, i forgot to mention also, that i was recently diagnosed with insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol (a year ago on the blood pressure and cholesterol).

Bandster_1007: Definitely sounds like a lot of the PCOS symptoms...with the exception of how on earth you got pregnant without trying! lol. Miraculous little baby you must have. :) Have you ever discussed PCOS with your doctor? When I was diagnosed back in 2000, a lot of doctors refused to acknowledge PCOS. Today it seems to have gotten more recognition, so hopefully you have a good doctor that can help you get the treatment you need.

As for not losing much weight yet...are you sticking to the recommendations of low fat, sugar free stuff? I'm new to this banding thing...just had my surgery on the 7th. I had an appt with my surgeon today and brought up PCOS. She has many PCOS patients and said that when they follow the recommendations, they lose at the same rate as everyone else. Of course, every body is different. But maybe if you speak with your doctor you can get a plan of action. Because many people seem to think that drugs like Metformin aid in their weight loss.
PS....I'm originally from Little Rock!!!!! Woo Pig Sooie!

woo pig sooie!! haha..i don't really follow football, but i always wear my razorback shirt on game day..dumb i know..lol..

yes, i have been following my doctor's rules, but he says i'm smaller than most of his patients, so it is taking more time for the band to tighten around my stomach. after my first fill i could eat 4 pieces of pizza, some cheese sticks, and a drink. so..i didn't even believe that i was banded. he said that i had barely any fat around my stomach (the fat pad)..i have a good hip waist ratio..if you use my natural waist...lol.

i'm starting to lose now that i have restriction....so..hopefully it will keep up.

I was about to edit my response to ask about fills...ha.

SO yeah, if you got another fill and are feeling more restriction, hopefully you'll be back on track. It seems to be quite the trial and error situation when it comes to these fills. And some docs are more aggressive than others. Either way, I hope the latest fill works for you and you start losing!

As for gameday attire...not dumb at all. We are a prideful state when it comes to our Razorbacks. I'm glad to hear that even if you don't follow the sports, at least you dress the part. lol. Gamedays...that's when I miss home the most! Especially, tailgating at War Memorial. :)

Good luck to you!! Keep us posted if you go to your OB/GYN and get any sort of official PCOS confirmation.

where did you grow up in arkansas?

yeah..my baby is a miracle baby..not so much anymore..HE IS 7 TODAY!!! I'm kind of glad i got pregnant by accident because i don't know that i would have one otherwise.

I always say I grew up in Little Rock, but technically we lived in Benton. But I went to school in LR/NLR so it's all the same to me. What about you? Do you like your doctor there? I'm only familiar with Dr. Luttrell there.

Happy Birthday to your Miracle Baby!!

yeah..dr wellborn has been doing it longer than dr lutrell (i think)....i know he had done way more than dr. lutrell. i think dr wellborn has done 1100 now and he has had one death, and one slippage (the slippage was not his patient, but he still claims it..he did not "install" the band). so..imho he has had 0 slippage.

he is very understanding..i love him..i wish he did all of my fills...

he has a cute young resident too...he's good..just started..don't like him doing my fills though because i don't like him looking at my gut hanging over my pants..lol...

Bandster_1007, has your doctor evaluated you for Cushing's syndrome/disease? Cushing's and PCOS share a LOT of symptoms, but Cushing's is extremely severe. If he/she hasn't yet, ask your gyno/pcp to do a complete hormone profile, including cortisol levels. That should not only give a definitive answer as to whether you have PCOS, but also either rule out or confirm Cushing's.

Maybe I'll be one of few that don't have a problem with it. Can't hurt to hope.

I was tested for Cushing's disease before I was banded. It really is amazing how close in relation the symptoms are. My cortisol level came back normal. See, I have most of the side effects of PCOS, but I DO have a regular cylcle (which has been regular for about 3 years now), and it has been confirmed that I DON'T have any cysts on my ovaries. That's why I thought I may have cushings.

Bandster_1007, it's always a good idea to have a full hormonal work up done if you are having problems. I finally went to an Endocrinologist and found out that I have more than just PCOS related hormone problems.

How is everyone. Well, I talked to my doctor about metformin yesterday. I took it some time back and had a lot of stomach problems with it. Looking back, the stomach problems seemed to be worse when I ate fried, greasy foods. So...... since my eating habits have changed greatly I decided to give it another try. I am on my 2nd day and so far so good!!
I am also doing the Atkins induction and I have dropped 7 pounds in the last 5 days!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!

Renewedhope, I have been on Actos plus Metformin for a week and a half now and I haven't had any problems either. I hope you are able to continue taking it and Congrats on the weight loss!!!