I REALLY hate PCOS...I feel defeated...

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,637]

I'm so upset. In the last 9 days I've gained 9 pounds!!! Nothing has changed with my diet and workouts. I take my Vitamins like I'm supposed to. I never cheat on my diet, I work out 5 days a week. So I called my dietician and after we went over everything she said "remember when I told you that having pcos would cause you problems with weight loss? Well here it is. If you remember, you lost 100 pounds on Keto and then the weight just started coming back no matter what you did? It looks like it's happening again." I literally started to cry, because nothing I did stopped the weight from coming back. I asked if I could do a pouch reset and maybe reverse it now and she said "you certainly can try, but you aren't gaining because of over eating or cheating on your diet. You're gaining because of a hormonal imbalance that seems to like you being fat". I don't know what to do. I had such high hopes that the surgery and weight loss would help improve the pcos, but it looks like, once again, it's out to sabotage me. I guess it's not enough that it caused me to have 10 miscarriages through the years, or need fertility meds to have my daughter, or never be able to get pregnant again after her. Now it won't let me lose weight and keep it off. I feel so defeated. All my hard work and once again, it's all for nothing.

[kcuster83 1,504]

This might be a stupid question but can't your OBGYN prescribe hormonal replacements to help balance it out?

Or, if you can't have kids is a hysterectomy an option? I know it's invasive, but then your hormones would be replaced my monitored therapy and be more stable?

Don't give up, it might be fluctuation as your body readjusts too. Or, temporary.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,637]

37 minutes ago, kcuster83 said:

This might be a stupid question but can't your OBGYN prescribe hormonal replacements to help balance it out?

Or, if you can't have kids is a hysterectomy an option? I know it's invasive, but then your hormones would be replaced my monitored therapy and be more stable?

Don't give up, it might be fluctuation as your body readjusts too. Or, temporary.

They won't do a hysterectomy because there's no medical reason for it. I asked. I also asked about hrt but my insurance won't cover it and it's really expensive out of pocket.

[kcuster83 1,504]

24 minutes ago, SleeveDiva2022 said:

They won't do a hysterectomy because there's no medical reason for it. I asked. I also asked about hrt but my insurance won't cover it and it's really expensive out of pocket.

SMH American insurance blows! I can't even get myself going!

Sorry, well like I said don't give up!

If nothing else you will still be healthier!

[Queen ApisM 427]

Not to be alarmist, but are you sure it is real weight gain and not something causing you to gain Water? I had this happen a number of years ago, where I was legitimately NOT eating enough to gain fat, but the scale was increasing. I was dealing with a heart issue at the time, and the weight gain was from that. I had to get on diuretics until my heart was in a better place.

Again, not trying to be alarmist in any way, just throwing out that maybe something else is going on and it's not the PCOS. Perhaps you've become more salt sensitive? During the timeframe I noted above, I really had to become aggressive about cutting salt. Not so much anymore, but at that time it was like pouring gasoline onto a fire. It's just usually weight gain of that kind is water weight, unless you are gorging on food day in and day out.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,637]

55 minutes ago, Queen ApisM said:

Not to be alarmist, but are you sure it is real weight gain and not something causing you to gain Water? I had this happen a number of years ago, where I was legitimately NOT eating enough to gain fat, but the scale was increasing. I was dealing with a heart issue at the time, and the weight gain was from that. I had to get on diuretics until my heart was in a better place.

Again, not trying to be alarmist in any way, just throwing out that maybe something else is going on and it's not the PCOS. Perhaps you've become more salt sensitive? During the timeframe I noted above, I really had to become aggressive about cutting salt. Not so much anymore, but at that time it was like pouring gasoline onto a fire. It's just usually weight gain of that kind is Water weight, unless you are gorging on food day in and day out.

I'll look into it. I don't think anything is wrong with my heart but it never hurts to check.

[Spinoza 1,411]

I am so sorry to hear you're dealing with this @SleeveDiva2022

You know you can't have gained 9lbs of fat in 9 days based on your calorie intake so this has to be Water weight and/or a completely overloaded bowel, and/or using different scales, or whatever.

Hormones may well have a part to play but, if so, monitor your weight over a complete menstrual cycle (or two or three) and then decide what's going on.

I do totally get the despair that a gain like that will induce but I hope it's a temporary blip for you. You have done amazingly well so far.

Anyway - long story short - you got this.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Spinoza
I can't spell!!

[learn2cook 580]

My guess is that you live somewhere in the US that has particularly bad insurance and health outcomes. You have the power to move. My cousin in NY state was able to get an ablation for her PICOS and it put her into earlier menopause at 40. My coworker in MA is able to stay on the pill every day, year round, no off days. She never has a period. She’s been able to get 75 lbs off and kept it off. There are medical solutions in places that treat women like humans even if you are on Medicaid. You have the power to move, or mobilize voters and change systemic laws. Moving is easier. Honestly bring your whole family, they probably need better health care too! Gitty up to Grandma. Ok seriously, instead of getting sad or giving up, get mad and do something. You deserve good health care!

[Arabesque 7,335]

12 hours ago, SleeveDiva2022 said:

They won't do a hysterectomy because there's no medical reason for it. I asked. I also asked about hrt but my insurance won't cover it and it's really expensive out of pocket.

PCOS isn’t enough of a medical reason?? This is awful. Your insurance sucks the big ones. So sorry.

[SpartanMaker 786]

13 hours ago, SleeveDiva2022 said:

I'm so upset. In the last 9 days I've gained 9 pounds!!!

All right, I know as a guy, I have no experience with PCOS, but I wanted to comment on your statement here. It would be physiologically impossible for you to have gained 9 pounds of fat in 9 days if you're following you plan. Since inflammation is a common side effect of PCOS, and Water retention is correlated with inflammation, I'm guessing you're just retaining water.

I hope you find some relief from you symptoms as you continue to lose. I know it sucks right now, but I'm convinced you will continue to lose weight in the long run.

Think of this as just another stall.

[ShoppGirl 4,886]

I have bipolar disorder and my team warned me that people with it, statistically, do not lose as much weight as those without. Well, they were right, I didn’t, and now at a year and a half out I have started gaining a bit. I completely understand where you are coming from. It just doesn’t seem fair. I try to keep reminding myself that I am still much better off than I was though. Even if I can’t fit into my skinny jeans my knees don’t hurt like they were beginning to before surgery and at the rate I was going (about ten pounds a year) I would be even heavier now with even more pain. Try not to think of it as all for nothing. Your loss you have achieved is definitely something and of you can keep the majority of it off you are still better off now than if you did not have the surgery.

[heatherdbby 70]

i don't understand why your surgeon didn't push you towards bypass instead of sleeve if they thought your PCOS would create problems down the road.

I am so sorry you are going through with it, and even more sorry our health care system sucks especially after what happened this past summer... unfortunately its going to be harder now for you to get a hysterectomy.

There was a list circulating on google, of all the doctors in the US willing to do hysterectomys without hoops, they would just submit to your insurance for approval and I will pray for you that the PCOS issues is enough or that they will atleast put you on something to put you into early menopause to keep it at bay

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,637]

5 hours ago, heatherdbby said:

i don't understand why your surgeon didn't push you towards bypass instead of sleeve if they thought your PCOS would create problems down the road.

I am so sorry you are going through with it, and even more sorry our health care system sucks especially after what happened this past summer... unfortunately its going to be harder now for you to get a hysterectomy.

There was a list circulating on google, of all the doctors in the US willing to do hysterectomys without hoops, they would just submit to your insurance for approval and I will pray for you that the PCOS issues is enough or that they will atleast put you on something to put you into early menopause to keep it at bay

My doctor is ok with it, it's my insurance that won't approve it.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,637]

So I spoke with my PCP and I have an appointment to come in next week because some new and fun things are going on. So I'm noticing pain in my lower abdomen. Happens mostly when I go #2 and I didn't think much of it. Then it started happening at other times, and it would get so bad I couldn't take a full breath. And even the lightest touch on my abdomen would have me in tears. Can last anywhere from 5 minutes to almost an hour, then just goes away. Having nausea when I eat, and sometimes when I don't. She doesn't like the sound of that, so I need to see her and they can do an ultrasound in her office and refer me to yet another specialist if needed. I still have no restriction at all whatsoever, which surprised her. But we're still waiting on the results of my scope, and now this. She said the rapid weight gain and the pain and nausea could be related and she wants to get to the bottom of it.

[heartofmercury 186]

So I spoke with my PCP and I have an appointment to come in next week because some new and fun things are going on. So I'm noticing pain in my lower abdomen. Happens mostly when I go #2 and I didn't think much of it. Then it started happening at other times, and it would get so bad I couldn't take a full breath. And even the lightest touch on my abdomen would have me in tears. Can last anywhere from 5 minutes to almost an hour, then just goes away. Having nausea when I eat, and sometimes when I don't. She doesn't like the sound of that, so I need to see her and they can do an ultrasound in her office and refer me to yet another specialist if needed. I still have no restriction at all whatsoever, which surprised her. But we're still waiting on the results of my scope, and now this. She said the rapid weight gain and the pain and nausea could be related and she wants to get to the bottom of it.

Sending good thoughts your way! I hope they figure it out soon and its nothing major and is easily remedied!