Newbie Here - Long Introduction

Hello and welcome! Considering your co-morbidities I would say you are making the right decision. I wished you all the success in the world!

Best of luck!

My H had the DS specifically to get rid of his diabetes.  He had retinopathy too.  About 2 weeks post, his vision went back to 20/20 without glasses and about a year later, his ophthalmologist couldn't tell he ever had retinopathy.  He kept his BS under strict control but his opathies kept getting worse.

That seems like almost too much to hope for! Congratulations to your husband, I'd be happy to have results only half that good. I'd honestly settle for freezing the retinopathy where it is; it hadn't occurred to me that my vision might improve, but its nice to know that people have seen that happen.

Teri,

Good luck...

BTW, I am sorry about the retinopathy. I have peripheral neuropathy. I do know that until the last two years I was on the insulin pump, I kept my a1c below 6 which is normal...not normal FOR A DIABETIC but NORMAL! My PN slowly reversed some of the effects...but I still have nerve damage, just not as bad as it was in the late 1990's when I was first diagnosed.

I know endos say below 7 but why must we stay above normal? Normal is below 6 not below 7.

Liz

Liz, I definitely agree with you. There's no reason that diabetics shouldn't aim for normal numbers as well---below 7 just isn't good enough to avoid complications. 

On the flip side, I don't know that normal numbers are possible for everyone, so I think that setting an attainable goal can be important, otherwise people are likely to give up. Maybe that's part of the reasoning. For me, even staying at

Not everyone can...I couldn't the last two years on my pump. But I AIMED for it since my diagnosis in 1997. And for all but the last two years was able to keep it under 6.

MY issue is being told by doctors that 6.8 or 7 was great FOR A DIABETIC...I did not want "for a diabetic", I wanted NORMAL for ANYONE.

Liz

Teri, you have made a great decision, esp given the severity of your diabetes despite your thorough efforts to manage it. The DS has the best cure (yes cure) rate for type 2 diabetes of any bariatric surgery available. Even if you are not cured, your diabetes will be much easier to control, and it should help with your diabetes related complications as well.

Regardless of what your insurance requires for the DS, don't let anyone force you into a different operation. Insurance denials can be successfully appealed, esp with diabetes as severe as yours.

Larra

That's the conclusion that I've come to as well. I won't be pressured into another type of surgery, but I do need to find a way to get insurance to cover it. Hopefully if I am denied due to the BMI restriction it can be appealed like you say. My BMI is close, and I have some serious comorbitities--BCBS has paid so mu*****laims for me this year---they should view the surgery as a bargain! 

Do yourself a favor...google weight loss surgery and porboards.

There are people who have helped others get insurance to pay for the DS.

What I can't understand is BCBS in IL denying it for under a 50 BMI and BCBS TN approving it. UNLESS your employer has added the BMI restriction.

Sounds like a no-brainer!  DS!  DS!  DS!