Let's talk about sex baby..........

I am now 10 weeks out and I'm not sure if anyone else has experienced this....but damn my sex drive is a little crazy!!

Regardless of which procedure you choose, there are going to be hormonal changes.  I have definitely experienced this.  I have moments, when I just cry, for no apparent reason.  But I have also had an increase in my sex drive.

"In a 2012 study published in Science Daily researches found that fertility did not increase but libido (sex drive) increased"

When you are overweight your body produces more estrogen. When you lose weight, the estrogen is decreased and the testosterone to estrogen ratio is increased. Testosterone is linked to higher energy and sex drive.

There was a study in 2010 that found that 70% of women who had WLS reported improvement in sex.  The study reported that there was an improvement in sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm and overall satisfaction.

Now, some of this is hormonal, but let's face it, when you drop a ton of weight, you feel more attractive.  And, we all know that confidence is sexy.  So if you are feeling better about yourself, your confidence has increased, you will start to receive attention from people that you never thought you would receive attention from.  This is certain to have a part in an increased drive.

I did a great deal of research before surgery, but I sure didn't think to research sex after weight loss surgery. I have always been comfortable in my skin and been a pretty confident person, but I definitely look in the mirror and see positive changes that I like and am becoming more and more comfortable in my own skin.  I always assumed it would improve because my body would be smaller which would open up more variety in positions, etc.

Anyway......just another layer of complexity to this life changing decision!

My body is my sabotager! (WARNING, discussion of a woman's monthly cycle and anatomy)

I have polycystic ovarian syndrome.  What is that you ask?

"Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a problem in which a woman's hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with your periods and make it difficult to get pregnant. PCOS also may cause unwanted changes in the way you look. If it isn't treated, over time it can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease" 

Resource: http://www.webmd.com/women/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview

Sooooo.........when I get my monthly cycle, it is so heavy that I can't keep a tampon in.  I also get crazy food cravings (which explains my desperate desire for salty and sweet foods at the moment.)

Tuesday night is Aqua Boot Camp night......which means seeing my dear body has betrayed me, with a lovely gift from mother nature, I won't be able to go.....This means, I will have to adjust my work out plan for tonight.  I feel pretty gross.....I will do something active for at least an hour!


Anyway, back to PCOS. There are a few things you can do to help control the symptoms of PCOS.  There is NO cure! I am on a birth control pill that has a high dose of the hormones and I am on 1500mg of Metformin a day.  The other fun part about PCOS is, unwanted facial hair and acne.

1.  Losing weight may be all you need to help with they symptoms.  Just a small amount of weight loss can help balance your hormones.
2. Eating a balanced diet.
3. Regular exercise
4. If you smoke, QUIT!
5. Hormone Therapy

 I did some reading about PCOS and WLS.  There are some doctor's that actually recommend WLS for PCOS patients that are unable to control the symptoms with medication.  Because PCOS causes hormonal imbalances, it can lead to other metabolic issues.  WLS, helps a patient lose weight, which as I mentioned helps the hormones balance out. 

So here is hoping that after the surgery, and the weight comes off quicker, that I will find some relief with the cramps and flow!

Now, off to eat some yogurt and pretend it is a juicy cheeseburger with fries!

Oh, baby baby......no baby baby

So...those of you who know me, know I love children, especially the little ones.  BUT, at 43, getting pregnant is not something I want. I currently take LoSeasonique (helps with my Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and of course the no baby thing!) AND I require condoms for the sexually transmitted disease concerns. 

I knew that WLS can improve fertility, but I never thought about having to re-consider the type of birth control I use after surgery. 

One of the reasons I chose Vertical Gastric Sleeve over Gastric Bypass was because I was really concerned about mal-absorption.  I know there is still a possibility with the sleeve, but was told it was less of an issue. 

According to http://www.laparoscopic.md/bariatric/surgery/birth-control:

Malabsorbtive bariatric procedures have the potential to decrease the efficacy of oral medications by limiting the amount of active agent that can be absorbed via the digestive tract; an effect that can be exacerbated by postoperative gastrointestinal disturbances such as vomiting or diarrhea. Combined oral contraceptive pills may therefore be contraindicated for an extended period postoperatively in those undergoing malabsorbtive procedures.

 So.....I have added an appointment with my GYN to discuss options.

Seriously,  my head is spinning from all of this information.  UGH!!!!!!!