Is It Too Late?

Hello, I've been hanging around on these forums trying to explain my situation. I'm a diabetic and had the band for 5 years. I had it removed 13 months ago due to not losing enough weight, reflux, pain and no change in blood glucose except it's getting higher. I feel like crying b/c I have a small frame and weigh 217 right now. I cant control my diabetes on my own and I've been told that RNY should be my surgery of choice. I'm 60 but still want to remain in my current activities. I suppose I'm just feeling sorry for myself b/c I also have a fear of not getting rid of my diabetes before I have serious complications. I would love to hear from you all. I really need support and feed back.

I know of several folks that had RNY and they no longer had diabetes. My sister was around 60 when she had hers done and she is able to do much more than before surgery. Your activities will increase after you heal (about 6 weeks) and then you can do anything you feel like doing! The band hasn't worked for most people that I know, and the sleeve may not control the diabetes. I'd say go for it!!

I was 40 when I first was diagnosed with diabetes. I was 59 when I had RNY and it did not put my diabetes into remission. That is probably because I waited too long. I have been told the longer a person has had diabetes, the less likely that RNY will put it into remission.

I did lose all of my excess weight with the band. I greatly restrict carbs and eat an Atkins style diet. But the diabetes is still there and still has to be treated with oral medications. Before surgery I was on Lantus and Byletta. Doctors have speculated that those drugs contributed to the diabetes not going into remission.

One doctor told me that it might be because my pancreas is worn out and another said that we could spend thousands of dollars doing extensive testing and maybe find a reason. In the end, though, everyone does not go into remission.

There are people who weigh 400 pounds, get surgery and their diabetes is immediately gone the next day. There are people like me who follow all the rules and the diabetes is still there. One doctor told me that it is like a roll of the dice and sometimes he and his fellow doctors have taken bets on whether or not a person was going to go into remission. I am not sure if he was just pulling my leg with that remark.

There is no guarantee either way. After RNY surgery I did consult with a DS specialist wondering if revising to DS would put the diabetes into remission. He told me that he believed there would be no change. He said that the part of the surgical procedure that "cures" diabetes is the same in both procedures.

Hi White Dove, I have Type 2 Diabetes and underwent gastric bypass surgery as treatment. Diabetes is a life-long disease and there are no cures yet for it (both Type 1 and Type 2). The only thing you can do is to maintain your blood glucose level. The surgery helped but it's accompanied by a complete lifestyle change. At first, I was taking Metformin until there's no symptoms at all and I stopped taking it. I just have to keep eating healthy and work out regularly. I hope this helps. :) Good luck on you journey.

I have type 2 diabetes & had the vsg. I'm on the lowest dose of diabetes medication & am looking to be off of it completely. My Dr. wants me to record my sugar levels b4 & after I eat b4 he'd take me off completely & so far I've been pretty steady. I attribute this to mostly dietary changes, being on a protein forward diet & limiting carbs has helped greatly, but I have a feeling if I go back to a carb heavy diet, the diabetes would get worse.

I'm hoping that once I get to & stay at goal for awhile along with the diet changes that I'll get off the medication completely, but I've had diabetes for several years, so the most I can probably hope for is to put it into remission.

I hope you can get a better handle on this disease, maybe you need different medication? Surgery doesn't always get rid of the disease. Living with diabetes sucks, but it can be controlled, it just might take a little longer to find the right combination (meds, food,etc) to get it controlled & what may have worked in the beginning might have to get changed later, don't beat yourself up about that. The body changes with age & fine tuning your meds is just something that has to be done sometimes.

I wish you well & hope you find what's best for you.

I'm very grateful because I was a Type 2 Diabetic before I had my RNY/Gastric Bypass in 2001. Since the day after my surgery, I have not been on the diabetes meds I was on. I have had my labs taken regularly and haven't had an issue with my A1C since WLS. I believe White Dove said that she had been a diabetic for quite awhile. I had been diagnosed with Type 2 about a year before my surgery so that probably worked in my favor for it to be in remission right after my surgery and until today.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 in April of 2014 after taking metformin for PCOS and insulin resistance for almost 20 years. From April until June I felt sorry for myself as I injected my insulin and monitored my blood sugar all the time. After the pity party, I then took action by going to Penn's WLS information session. Although I only wanted to consider VSG, I was told by 2 of the surgeons that due to my reflux and diabetes, RNY was the best choice. The day of surgery I stopped the metformin and insulin and thankfully, my diabetes is in remission. Frankly, the fear of of it coming back is probably the biggest factor in my staying on the right path. I haven't tested whether or not I dump -- i hope that i do (sounds weird) because it would also help me continue!!

I didn't have Diabetes, but I have listened to many people in my support group who never took Diabetes meds after they left the hospital, including insulin. I am 57 and have no regrets about the surgery....

Thanks a lot everyone, your responses make me feel much better. I've had it for about 15 years and I feel that my Dr. has even given up on me. I know I've been told by him a few times to just do Atkins or join WW. I have done WW several times and I feel it may work during maintenance. Right now I'm ready for change.

Besides surgery you really should listen too your doctor. My brother who is close to your age started doing low carb eating about a month ago because his glucose level hit in the 500s he is now showing at under 100 nearly every day just from the diet change and a small increase in his metformin. You have to eat low carb for the rest of your life if you are going to lose weight and maintain it so you may as well start now. I suggest you go to Atkins.com right now and see what your eating needs to look like. They use the net carb system which subtracts the fiber content from the carbs but most of us who do low carb do total carbs which counts every carb. This is how you will succeed!