WORRIED

I AM GOING TO SEE THE DR ABOUT WLS JUST FOR THE FACT I AM AN OUT OF CONTROL DIABETIC AND NEED SOME CONTROL. MY BMI IS 36. NOT SURE WHAT TO EXPECT AS IN WL OR EXTRA SKIN. ANY ONE HAVE ANY ADVICE

Hello,
I am glad you are going to talk to a wls doc. Diabetes is not something to mess around with. Except for my husband, I guess. I try to lead him to wise choices but he won't have any part of it. He can't figure out why his blood glucose is so high. Hmmmmm could it be the Easy Mac and a sandwich for lunch followed by not one but two pudding cups? Well, I digress.

Getting back to your questions, There is no way of knowing if you will have extra skin or not. It depends upon genetics, skin elasticity, time in the sun, age, etc. Your BMI is pretty much like I started with, I was 35.6. Yeah I have some baggy skin but I am 62, spent years in the sun, and I am a very fair blonde (gray). I don't have nearly as much as many people because I started with a low BMI. The thing is ask your self "?Which is worse? Losing weight and having some extra skin or having your diabetes taking years off your life and causing organ damage?"

If the extra skin causes skin rashes, or other problems, your insurance may cover plastics. It has to be well documented, though. I don't have problems due to my skin so I would have to self pay. If it was very important to me I would save for it. It isn't a big deal to me because my bikini days were long past anyway and mine can be hidden with a one piece swim suit. Not knowing how you carry your weight I can't advise you. Just know that I feel much better about myself thinner and try to ignore the rest. I attempt to buy clothing that flatters.

WLS should only be considered as a last resort and for me getting healty and being able to do things I haven"t done in year is reward enough. Looking good in my clothes is a sweet bonus.

I have to honestly say that I worry when people are more concerned about extra skin and hair loss than they are about the changed they need to make and the work they need to do to have a future.

If you are an uncontrolled diabetic and someone offered you a magic pill that would get it all under control but you would end up with lots of extra skin and half bald. Would you do it? Would you turn it down because your appearance is more important to you than your life?

No i'm not saying WLS is a magic pill. I am not even saying it will cure diabetes. I just don't see how fear of loose skin is an issue when your health is involved.

For the record I have HUGE amounts of extra skin. My boobs are definately suffering from golf ball in a tube sock syndrome. I went from 450 lbs and a triple D, down to 183 lbs and a 26 c.

I wish you the best of luck. If you decide to get surgery I hope you get the best results possible. Just please do research and make sure you are doing it for the right reasons before you do it. Please!

I am sorry if this sounds harsh. I really don't mean it to. I just worry when it seems like someone is more concerned about excess skin than getting healthier.

Research the duodenal switch due to it's sucess with curing Type  Two Diabetes.  CURED even before coming out of the hospital (before the weight is even lost.)

They do the switch part of the DS in Europe on non-overweight people to cure TTD.

You have a GREAT surgeon who actually does the DS so you are lucky.

~Becky

I too urge you to look into the DS/duodenal switch. 98+% of diabetics who get the DS achieve total remission of their diabetes, many before leaving the hospital post-op.