[TX_BABE3502]

Hi Ladies:

After reading alot of the posts, it seems as though there is an equal amount of doctors telling us (women with weight issues due to PCOS) that we should lose weight and some that don't. After everything I have researched and read and read and read some more, I can't help but think that maybe there is some truth to not only controlling the weight, but controlling the insulin resistance created because of what we eat. I was wondering if anyone here TTC has had any success with the lap-band procedure before starting any kind of treatment. I personally weigh 226 lbs. and could stand to lose weight. I am an active person, I walk quite a few times a week and joined the gym, and it seems pointless. I am certainly not looking for a quick weight loss solution, just some input from people that may be in this position. I have been TTC for quite some time now, and it seems as if my weight keeps going up and up and up. Our only reason for not conceiving is b/c I don't ovulate.

Sorry for the long post...Any input is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[wantbebe3]

I too HAD pcos and a variety of things that related to my infertility according to lots of ob docs and a variety of RE's i had a hard time accepting the fact that my "weight" was an issue as there are tonnnns of overweight people in the world that seem to get pg perfectly fine. After battling my weight for a long time and the upsets of all the 's i used to get i had gastric bypass in June 2005. Unfortunately a year after my surgery i wasnt able to get pg still for some reason and i went back to RE and she gave me injections and all that good stuff and i am currently with twins!!! I have been VERRRRRRy successful with my surgery and i am down 130 pounds. I say if you are considering weight loss surgery go for it!!!! Good luck and i hope what ever you decide to do it ends positively

[AnnRN]

I have heard good things in general about that surgery, but don't know in relation to fertility specifically.

I, too, am overweight. My RE never said anything to me about losing weight, but I had read a lot about it. After my last cancelled cycle I spoke to my nurse there. I asked her if she thought I would have a better chance with IVF if I lost some weight first. She said that they do not accept donor eggs from women with a BMI over 30. She suggested that I try to get below 30, but that I didn't need to stress too much about it.

At the time of my last cancellation my BMI was between 31 & 32. Currently I am following a low carb diet and have lost 8 pounds (started on 3/25/07). Because of the hyperinsulinemia, from my research, low carb is the way to go with PCOS.

I plan on continuing on my diet until July and then heading back to my RE for IVF. I hope that I will be close to a BMI of 25 by then.

Even though it is hard for us to hear, I do think that weight definitely affects our fertility more than we know. It sucks and I know some women get pregnant when they are heavy, but we have more than that against us.

Are you taking Metformin? That is supposed to help with weight loss, though it hasn't really helped me.

If you do go ahead with the surgery, please keep us informed! I would be really interested to know how you do with it.

[midsouthrei]

Originally Posted by AnnRN

I have heard good things in general about that surgery, but don't know in relation to fertility specifically.

I, too, am overweight. My RE never said anything to me about losing weight, but I had read a lot about it. After my last cancelled cycle I spoke to my nurse there. I asked her if she thought I would have a better chance with IVF if I lost some weight first. She said that they do not accept donor eggs from women with a BMI over 30. She suggested that I try to get below 30, but that I didn't need to stress too much about it.

At the time of my last cancellation my BMI was between 31 & 32. Currently I am following a low carb diet and have lost 8 pounds (started on 3/25/07). Because of the hyperinsulinemia, from my research, low carb is the way to go with PCOS.

I plan on continuing on my diet until July and then heading back to my RE for IVF. I hope that I will be close to a BMI of 25 by then.

Even though it is hard for us to hear, I do think that weight definitely affects our fertility more than we know. It sucks and I know some women get pregnant when they are heavy, but we have more than that against us.

Are you taking Metformin? That is supposed to help with weight loss, though it hasn't really helped me.

If you do go ahead with the surgery, please keep us informed! I would be really interested to know how you do with it.

I too am overweight and have read all the articles and had myself convinced my infertility was due to my weight, so in March I joined Biggest Loser Club Online and am doing the low carb diet because I read that with PCOS low carb is the best diet choice. There is a section of the club that is called "Wanting to be Mommies" and it is a thread for women who are battling weightloss along with infertility. I have found the ladies on the site to be very helpful. My BMI is 37.3 (I am 5'2" and weight 204lbs). My RE has not said anything about my weight but with all that I have read, I too wonder if it would not be beneficial (especially as expensive as IVF is and I have no infertility insurance) to first lose some of the weight, get below a BMI of 30 and then start trying?

Let me know if you guys find out anything else on the topic. I have another month before I meet with my RE on my laproscopic follow-up so I am going to take that month (if I can ever heal from the surgery and stop bleeding) to lose some weight and walk every day. Can't walk yet, because of the lap last week, but I hope to be getting back to my normal self soon.

Best wishes,
Kayla

[KuddleyGal]

I too have PCOS and on metaformin, and my dr. whom I love so much said it would be in my best interest to loose weight because he said that there is a greater chance of m/c overweight. So Im trying hard.
I too just started a low carb diet my PCP put me on.
I am going to check out the Biggest Loser Club website, sounds interesting.
I have thought really hard about the whole WLS but I know some say you have to weight a year or two before getting pg. But I haven't researched it myself.

Its so frusterating...

[Wendy]

With the gastric bypass, you do need to weight a minimum of a year before getting pg so that your body can adjust to receiving its nutrients in a different way, and so that you have time to heal from the surgery. I have not heard anything yet about the lapband having the save restriction, and I have not yet researched it. (It's on my to-do list this month actually.)

[wannabigbabybelly]

I'm overweight (a lot more than you, too embarassed to share the actual number).

My doctor told me originally that really a 10% weight loss could help out with infertility treatments.

Well, we did round after round of clomid and never came close to ovulating. At that point it was either ovarian drilling or injectables neiher of which my insurance convered. So we decided to just take a break for a while try and loose weight and see if I'd respond better to clomid at a lower weight.

Well a couple years went by and I never lost wieght only gained.

I decided I couldn't put of tryign to conceive anymore and we'd just have to move onto injectables.

Well this is my third cycle on follistim. First cycle I didn't respond very well(to them...for me I thought it was great). I only had one egg but I was able to ovulate, unfortunately I got the flu and had a really high fever in the days around ovulation so it was a .

The second cycle I overstimulateed and they ahd to cancel my cycle.

This third time I'm again not responding right. I either have no responce or way too much.

My doctor says I'm a great canidate for IVF when we feel ready to go that route since I do over respond so easily....so at least we have that as a back up plan.

He also has mentioned the ovarian drillign again. Sayign that will probably work better for me. Sionce the surgery will allow my body to accept the clomid better and with clomid I will most likley only create one good egg instead of a bunch. I remember in my own research it suggested the surgery was only really good for those at an ideal weight. When I asked the doc. about it he said of course even a 10% weight loss of my current weight "could" help out. But that most of the PCOS patients he treats are over weight just as much as i am and they have a great responce to the surgery. So that too gave me hope.

Though I'm not entirely ready to give up on injectabless yet.

This cycle they are taking me REALLLLLLLY slow. I started the meds at the begining of the month. So I've pretty much been on then for 20 days now. In that time I've had 6 u/s and labs....he wants to see me every 2-4 days. i have to say this is already getting VERY old. seeing that my largest follicle was a 9.4 (no where near to ovulating). The problem is that if they increase my dose I'm certian to blast off and develope a BUNCh of follicles, since I already have many smaller eggs not far behind my largest one.

I certianly think follistim is worht a try for you. everyone responds differently. But not responding or over responding is very common with those with PCOS...so I've been told. One month your body might respond perfectly and the next acouple times it might not respond at all.

I wouldn't recommend putting off trying to conceive for too long. It can take a long time to get pregnant and many many treatments.

[KuddleyGal]

Well update, I have lost a little over 15 pounds since I went to my PCP due to my insulin levels. Of course I'm excited about it. But my RE, although he will move forward with the IVF is very concerned about the weight.
Which of course makes me worry as well. If I can prevent failed cycles mainly due to a weight issue of course I would want to not go forward until the weight issue is resolved.
Geez, I don't know.
I am calling tomorrow and inquire about the lap band, since they are not cutting the stomach totally, just restricting it. It would seem like this would be the best surgery to go for especially for ttc.

[TX_BABE3502]

Well ladies... I decided to take matters on to my own hands instead of relying on the internet. (Not that it hasn't helped in the past). I have made an appointment to join a seminar beign held at a hospital in downtown Houston on June 6. This is a dual seminar that talks about a weight loss program with a dietician and the other part is for lap-band and gastric bypass candidates. I hate to go in there with an ulterior motive of only wanting to benefit with a pregnancy instead of the weight loss, but I guess whatever helps...helps! I will come back to post and let you know what I have found. Who knows, maybe this is a solution to it as well.

Here's hoping for a !

[tamtam]

I am and was very overweight. I will say: 325 at my highest. I am now 42 pounds down and still loosing. My help came in the form of metformin. I use that and a relatively low carb approach. I try to stay at 30 carbs per meal, but sometimes that is hard. I really control my sugar intake b/c we pcos/insulin resistant can't have much. A normal person takes 1hr to clear sugar..while we take 4-6hrs. We are special people out there. My husband has the same problem (insulin resistance). He is dealing. He also wants to have the surgery.
As for surgery: I had a friend who did the gastric bypass last year and she died. She developed sepsis only 3 days after surgery. I have been grieving and scared ever since.
I know that either lap or gp you will have to wait 15 months or more to get pg. To make sure that you have a good diet and are medically stable. Also, the docs want to make sure that your body chemistry has returned to normal, b/c hormones go crazy in pregnancy.

I am personally enjoying the effects of the metformin and that I am loosing weight. I am thrilled that I have a bit more energy. I have taken on water aerobics and I am wearing two pant sizes smaller (24 to 20).. I give out this personal info b/c I want you to understand that it is possible to do some of this w/o the lap. I still plan to have the lap surgery to cure the pcos, but I want to have a baby first.

I pray you all get you BFPs. Please contact me also w/ questions, I have researched this area for quite a while before making my choice. One last thing: I love the insulin resistance diet book, it taught me how to eat again.

[alabamacutie]

I too have PCOS, my OB would not run any tests on me until I lost 20lbs. How rude!!! After months and months of frustration with weight loss. I referred myself to a RE. Still trying to loose weight, but RE did not make weight loss the main focus of me trying to conceive.

[Brynnigins]

My husband and I have tried all sorts of infertility treatments for the past 10 years and my RE has told me for years that if I was able to lose 10-20% of my weight it would significantly improve my chances of conceiving.

I finally listened to him and on October 1st I had the lap band surgery. I am down 30 pounds, which is the 10% mark. We have decided that we are going to wait until January to see if I can get to the 20% mark then we are going to start the treatments up again.

Hopefully this time it will take.

Brynn

[KuddleyGal]

Brynn,

how long did your RE said you had to wait before you could begin treatment after having the lap-band?

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[jekjek]

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