At 21 I gained 100 lbs.  yep like it happened overnight.  A dear friend of mine suggested I look into this and I did.  Based on the rapid weight gain and some “issues” I saw a OBGYN and was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  Though I felt miserable with the sudden weight gain I at least knew I wasn’t crazy because I wasn’t eating everything in sight and the weight was coming on like there was no tomorrow.

Over the years I tried many types of “Therapies” for the PCOS to help lose the weight including being part of a study on women who have PCOS at Cedars Sinai Hospital.  During that study I ate barely any carbs at all and in the 12 weeks lost under five pounds.  Seriously.

I was asked to see and Endocrinologist.  She was blunt and honest and told me that women with my condition have had the symptoms reversed if they had Gastric Bypass.  My first reaction was a bit of shame and fear.  I don’t know how I drove home that day because I was crying hysterically like a child not getting the toy they wanted at Toys R Us.

I did the footwork, I had the surgery, and my insurance approved it right away because of the PCOS.

I lost the 100 lbs.

I felt great….for a bit.

I was told I had to take supplements the rest of my life since I no longer had the first two feet of my intestines.  I really believed I was different.  Maybe because I didn’t overeat, maybe because I just always think I’m different but I was wrong.

I began to malnourish.  I took supplements like they told me to and I got better.

In 2009  I got pregnant with Liam.  I was beyond thrilled.  My health declined.  During my pregnancy I was under the care of a cardiologist because my heart shrank a little.  I also became severely anemic and have not gotten any better to the point where now my kidneys are being effected.  It seemed being pregnant altered my body yet again.

I don’t tell you this to have your sympathy.  I know there are many others out there with worse things going on. I tell this story in the event someone actually reads this with PCOS and may have this going on that they know they’re not alone.

Yesterday I had my first iron infusion.  I’ve been trying liquid vitamins to see if they’d absorb better but I was told they aren’t.  My long term iron being at 5 is a sign of that.  I was in so much fear about yesterday because usually these are only done for people with cancer or kidney failure and it’s a treatment where 1 in 100 people have a bad reaction.  They explained I really needed the iron and would this way every six months to a year.  I survived the procedure yesterday and today my body aches but I hear it will only be this way for a couple of days.  In two weeks I find out if my levels have gone up and I know they will.  It may not be perfect, I may need another infusion as they’ve warned but I’m getting better!

I never realized that there would be so many issues to fix another issue.  The PCOS is under control but my body isn’t happy with not having a way to absorb my nutrients right.  I know some people have the gastric bypass and they’re fine and I’m not one of those people and it’s OK.  I have healthcare and great doctors and still I’d rather have these iron infusions instead of being morbidly obese and possibly dead before 40 which is what I was told could happen because of the PCOS and what it was doing to my body.

I’m looking forward to not being cold all the time or tired or having my hair fall out.  Within two weeks they say I’ll feel like a new person.  They say my obsession to eat ice will leave.  Is it wrong I don’t want that to be so?  I love ice. The doctor says I love ice because I’m anemic.  I think he may prove me wrong as doctors seem to prove me wrong often.

Today I realize there are positive and negatives to everything.  I am able to jog and do ballet.  These were not a option before the gastric bypass.  I also have to have my iron given to me through an IV.  Though it’s not ideal and it’s time consuming it’s not everyday and it will help me enjoy the life I love so much more!  I’m grateful for my life today and though it’s not perfect it is mine and I wouldn’t trade it for anything and I hope my experiences will help others with PCOS who have had or will be having Gastric Bypass.