2 years out and gaining

This is my first time on this board. I was sad to see that posts are rarely made, but i thought I would give it a try. I feel very alone in my journey. I had an open RNY exactly 2 years ago and lost 110 pounds. I still am not at goal. I was type 2 diabetic and now my endocrinologists says I am type one. It took me a year to get my a1C levels low enough to have the surgery and now they're the highest they've ever been. As soon as the insulin was increased and the sugars went down, I gained 34 pounds in 6 weeks. My pc told me to join Weigh****chers and see a shrink. I feel very depressed over this. I was told all of my adult life that the diabetes would go away if I lost the weight. So much for that theory. Exercise is very difficult since I have severe nerve damage in both feet. I know I'm venting, but it seems no one who is not diabetic understands my frustration. Do I keep my sugars under control and gain back the weight or ?????????????. Thanks for listening. I'd like to speak with someone who might have a similar situation. Nancy C. Langhorne PA

Hi Nancy,

Let me start with a disclaimer: I am not a doctor and you should not take what I say as medical advice - I am talking from the point of view of someone who has been living with diabetes for 23 years. When a type-2 diabetic is out of control for a very long time, it puts additional strain on the pancreas and it can eventually poop out and stop making any new beta cells, which makes you a type 1 - i.e., you cannot live without insulin. WLS surgery does not always result in complete resolution of diabetes, especially if the person has had diabetes for a long time, unfortunately. Meanwhile, you are presented with the stark truth that higher insulin doses will make it more difficult to lose weight.

The only - and difficult, and controversial - solution I know of is to severely restrict carbohydrate intake. When you do this, you will see a nearly immediate and very dramatic reduction in your BG levels and insulin requirement. It will be easier to control your weight - if not necessarily lose weight - and your sugars. I have done this and know it to be true. I was able to get my a1C levels down to the normal range and cut my insulin requirement by 80% in four weeks, after years of letting my diabetes be out of control because I didn't want to gain more weight. My wake-up call was early non-proliferative retinopathy. I will not pretend it is easy, though.

You might want to read Dr Richard Bernstein's book, "Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution" (he has a website too), and decide for yourself and in cooperation with your medical advisors whether strict carbohydrate control might be an option for you.

Letting your sugars run wildly out of control just isn't an option, unless you want to weigh less, but run the very real risk of losing your feet and your eyesight.

Best of luck - I understand totally.

Rosemary

Thank you so much for your response, Rosemary. What you said makes total sense. I am going to check out the website that you suggested and look into getting the book. I believe that this diet is a viable option for me. Since surgery I have followed the protein first rule, but now I will look for the hidden carbs that I know I overlook. I greatly appreciate the time you took to respond. I don't feel so alone now.

Sincerely,

Nancy

I also had RnY 2.5 years ago and have started gaining six months ago. Diabetes has returned after being gone for over a year. I am now seeking a revision to a DS which I understand will better help get rid of diabetes. This is what I should have had to begin with. Check out the DS forum.  It seems revisions are common from RnY to DS.

Karen- Thank you for your response. It helps to know that I'm not alone. I wish you the best with your next surgery. Take care. Nancy

Hi Nancy    I know your frustration, I am having the same problem I had WLS for my diabetes I thought that if I could loose weight I wouldn't have to take meds I am back on metformin only 500mg 3x a day. I have NO SUGARS hardly any carbs I just started eating fruit because I was afraid of the sugars in the fruit. I try and stay away from all white flour and rice I do eat pasta (dreamfields pasta) it has only 5gm digestible carbs and it doesn't put mu BS up. I am also frustrated Susan

Hi Susan,     Thank you for your response. It is frustrating when you try to improve your health and it seems to backfire. I have now found that I dump on Splenda but not on real sugar. This seems to be a no win situation. I wish you the best in your journey. Hang in there. Nancy

Hi Nancy,  fro day ONE I have been screaming about the weight loose with eah increas of my insulin!   As I ahave developed another nmedical problema that hase required so many meds this past summe MY weightcontinues to grow.....  WLS WILL NOT MAKETHE diabeties goo away... IT IS JUST THAT WE ARE EATING SMALLER MEALS AND SHOULD BE MAKING BETTER FOOD CHOICES...still WHEN YOU BODY USES THE INSULIN BETTER IT ALSO USES THE SUGARS BETTER AND THUS WEIGHT GAIN.    i HAVE ALSOBEEN TOLD THAT PRE- wls THW WEIGHT CARRIED THEN WAS A FALSE ONE AND REPRSENTATIE OF JUSTHOW SICK i HAD BEEN Cab you neet with a bnutritionist>>> Add more protiensand less CArBS of any kind.   When I do this I cann see some weight loss....    Now I amnot sure how to handle thesedamm fat steruiods

Hi- Thank you for writing. I'm sorry that I didn't get your name. Yes, I am limiting carbs and relying more on the protein. It is helping the blood sugar levels. It is the most frustrating thing to undergo surgery for weight loss and the to gain because of insulin. I guess we don't have much of a choice.I do hope your situation improves. It seems one thing leads to another. Take care. Nancy