Beginning the process

[allygator 1]

Hello All! My name is Allison and I live in N.E. Tennessee. I have been thinking about and considering weight loss surgery for a few years, and finally took the plunge and contacted a surgeon to talk about Lap Band. I sent in my patient info yesterday, and they are verifying my insurance (Empire BCBS) to check for coverage. Fingers Crossed!! I am getting largely positive responses from my friends and family about the decision to explore WLS, and feel greatly encouraged by the things I am reading here. I have PCOS and have all the lovely symptoms that go with it along with being morbidly obese. I am going through some major life changes, new career, entering middle age, and am READY to make this change as well.

[peacequeen 434]

Hi Allison,

My name is Karen, I live in central Ky. I'm new to the process too. So far I have called my insurance company and they will pay 80% so I feel pretty good about that. I figured that was where I should begin but I'm still a little lost. I am disabled and qualify for medicare in April so I'm thinking of waiting till then to start with the larger part of the process. I am going to the seminar on Jan 4th thought..just so I can learn more about it and talk to the surgeon. I'm just going to keep educating myself, this seems like a good place to start learning. Anyway, just wanted to say hello and I guess we're off on a journey to change our lives one way or another. Btw...what is PCOS? I'm not too good at decoding acronyms.lol I'm here if you ever need to talk!

God bless!

[JerseyGirl80 12]

Hello All! My name is Allison and I live in N.E. Tennessee. I have been thinking about and considering weight loss surgery for a few years, and finally took the plunge and contacted a surgeon to talk about Lap Band. I sent in my patient info yesterday, and they are verifying my insurance (Empire BCBS) to check for coverage. Fingers Crossed!! I am getting largely positive responses from my friends and family about the decision to explore WLS, and feel greatly encouraged by the things I am reading here. I have PCOS and have all the lovely symptoms that go with it along with being morbidly obese. I am going through some major life changes, new career, entering middle age, and am READY to make this change as well.

Hi Allison,

I'm new here too, I just had my surgery Dec 13th 2010. I also have PCOS and struggle with many of the symptoms as well =( so I feel for you. My endocrinologist is confident that this surgery will help with alot of the issues I'm having due to this frustrating problem. That was my main reason for making my final decision for having this surgery. I'm hoping it will help with any infertility problems I might have in the future as well as the other things that burden me daily.. I got my fingers crossed for you too as you wait for your approval! Good Luck!

[allygator 1]

Hi Allison,

My name is Karen, I live in central Ky. I'm new to the process too. So far I have called my insurance company and they will pay 80% so I feel pretty good about that. I figured that was where I should begin but I'm still a little lost. I am disabled and qualify for medicare in April so I'm thinking of waiting till then to start with the larger part of the process. I am going to the seminar on Jan 4th thought..just so I can learn more about it and talk to the surgeon. I'm just going to keep educating myself, this seems like a good place to start learning. Anyway, just wanted to say hello and I guess we're off on a journey to change our lives one way or another. Btw...what is PCOS? I'm not too good at decoding acronyms.lol I'm here if you ever need to talk!

God bless!

PCOS=Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It is a lovely disorder that is named after a symptom instead of what is actually is, which is basically a hormone imbalance. Essentially, when PCOS-ers eat our bodies make MUCH more insulin than a normal persons would, causing 1. more hunger 2. more fat storage. All this insulin and fat causes an excess of testosterone which opposed to popular theory does NOT drive up the libido but causes things like facial hair, acne, more weight around the middle, skin tags (basically moles) and..hence the name...a failure to ovulate fully which can cause small cysts on the ovaries. I don't have TOM for months at a time then will spot for like 3 weeks unless on some kind of birth control. I currently have an IUD which has triggered a weight gain of about 50 lbs in the last 2 years, not that I was thin before!!!. It is treated with birth control pills for period regulaiton and some diabetes medications, usually metformin, but the only "cure" is weightloss, which because of the insulin stuff is VERY hard...I can restrict eating and workout like a crazy person and lose half of what others around me are. sorry may be TMI but I love to educate women about it because there are so many out there with it, this is an incredibly common syndrome, who don't know anything about it until they start trying to conceive. I was lucky enough to have a surprise baby back in 2004, but many struggle with infertility their entire lives.

[allygator 1]

Good luck Victoria!!! PCOS is a nightmare for me anyway..I can take just about everything but the hair, that's when I freak out!!!! Just haven't been able to get weight off no matter what, and even though I never thoght I would actually have surgery to lose weight, but as I near 300 and have more and more symptoms and aches and pains like someone twice my age I know I have to do this!!

[JerseyGirl80 12]

Good luck Victoria!!! PCOS is a nightmare for me anyway..I can take just about everything but the hair, that's when I freak out!!!! Just haven't been able to get weight off no matter what, and even though I never thoght I would actually have surgery to lose weight, but as I near 300 and have more and more symptoms and aches and pains like someone twice my age I know I have to do this!!

Thank you. Seriously, I really think the hair is worse than the weight for me, that's sad! I've had the worst time losing weight too. I was diagnosed with it almost 2 years ago, I knew for years that it was what was wrong with me, but it took me a while to see a doctor about it. When I told her I was considering the band, she said "that's great because with having PCOS, significant weight loss would be almost impossible to do yourself." My doctor is treating it with metformin and birth control, the combo of those drugs are supposed to do some great things and also help with weightloss, but we will see, I just started with the meds so only time will tell. I was a little over 300 when I started all this, I'm down about 27 pounds so far. I'm hoping with the meds and the band, weight loss will be a little easier.

[peacequeen 434]

Bless your hearts! I had heard of it, I realized when you spelled it all out there for me.lol Thanks for the information, I like to be educated : ) I hope the weight loss will help you be rid of PCOS! Victoria, congrats on your 27 lb loss,,that's awesome! I'll put you both in my prayers!