Results for RNY Type II diabetics

I'm a pre Op for RNY and I'm Type II diabetic. I have a few questions.

1. Did your Type II diabetes resolve with RNY?

2. Was it hard and slow to lose weight after surgery?

3. Were lows a problem for you?

4. What is the probability that diabetes will return in you latter years?

5. Do you know what BMI you were at when diabetes resolved?

6. How long did it take to resolve your diabetes?

Thanks, I know these are a lot of questions but I'm trying to keep myself motivated for this surgery. I'm borderline BMI for the surgery and have been working for 6 months to get everything in line for insurance. Hopefully my surgery will be Mid-Late May.

Best of luck to you!  I am a Type 1.5 diabetic (latent autoimmune diabetes in adults) and have the insulin dependence of type 1 and the insulin resistance of type 2.  I was misdiagnosed as a type 2 for about 24 years, and it was in the pre-surgery process that I found out that I was NOT a type 2.  But, like you, I was pursuing the surgery in hopes of resolving diabetes.

So, I went ahead with RNY anyway because I knew it would improve my health overall.  And that it has CERTAINLY done.  I will be 19 months out from surgery this week.  No, the diabetes did not resolve, but I knew going in that was not something I could have as a goal because of the type of diabetes that I do have. 

So, why do it?  Better health overall.  I'm off all of my oral diabetic meds, on about 30% of the insulin I took previously, off hypertensive and cholesterol meds.  Oh, and then there's this weight loss thing....almost 100 pounds.  I started on insulin in 1987 and gained 100 pounds as a result.  I am within 5 pounds of my lowest adult weight from 1987 at 30 years of age - and now almost 56.  I feel great, I sleep better, I don't get tired as easily, stairs are a breeze, I can run a bit now, even with an arthritic knee....and on and on.  Every. Single, Health. Issue, Is. BETTER. Substantially so,

I hope this helps you a bit.  I know it does not address your issues about diabetes resolution.  Everything I've heard says that the length of time you've been diabetic factors substantially into whether you'll have resolution.  One thing you should think about seriously - even if the diabetes does NOT resolve, it will be GREATLY improved by having and maintaining a more normal weight.  I remember when I first heard that from my doctor, and somehow that didn't seem like a big enough reason to have the surgery.  But, now that I'm on the other side of it, I can tell you that it absolutely IS a huge reason to do it.  I have not one single regret in having the surgery and am thrilled that I did it.  And I thought about it for 9 years.... 

Again, I hope that gives you some additional food for thought and also that others who can speak more directly to your questions can provide them.

Keep us posted please and best of luck to you!

I had RNY about 7 months ago.  I am a lightweight and lost about 60 lbs.  My type II was out of control and did not regulate with any meds.  I switched dr.s when mine kept saying "some people just need more insulin"  I was taking huge amounts at each meal and bedtime.  I stopped taking it when I started gaining weight and was so frustrated that it wasn't working.  My bs was out of control for almost 10 years which was starting to cause me problem with my feet and eye's.  I'm only 40 and knew it was slowly killing me.  My father died at 59 and I didn't want the same thing.  My new endo said RNY was the only option so that's what I did.  My blood sugar is great now but my diabetes is not resolved.  I still take a small dose of insulin before bed but it's nothing compared to what I was taking before.  Last visit he put me back on Metformin in hopes that I could get off the insulin completely.  So no my diabetes did not go away but it is much better.  My feet and legs feel better and my vision is stable and should resolve it's self within a year.  Is it hard to loose weight, not in the begining.  Now that I'm 7 months out and know I can eat most anything I want and not have a problem yes it is but that's my issue not the surgery!  Was it worth it to go through the surgery absolutly!  I went to the zoo yesterday with my family and with 60 lbs gone it was a much better time, I could walk all day if I needed to!  I would recommend RNY to help with diabetes, even if it doesn't resolve it should get better and that makes it worth it to me!

Oh and as far as lows go I didn't have any until I knew I was going to eat something carb filled and tried to adjust my insulin to accomidate it.  Then it would drop in the night but I fixed that and if I would just stop eating carb loaded stuff that wouldn't happen!

Good point about lows that I had forgotten....it was one of the biggest concerns I had about the post-surgery period.  If I dropped, how would I possibly manage it?  I must have asked that question so many times it was crazy.

Here's how it went - did I have lows?  Yes, I had a few of them.  In general, as I mentioned in my previous post, I knew that I would not resolve.  I worked closely with my wonderful endo to go on low doses of insulin after surgery and then adjust from there.  Our goal was to prevent low and we did so fairly well.  I did have an occasional hypoglycemic episode, but it was quickly fixed with some juice - either straight or mixed with water.  I didn't need very much at all - maybe an ounce or two - and I did not have any dumping symptoms either.  So, that part was a LOT more manageable than I thought it would be!

I think it's important to work closely with an endo (or top notch diabetic educator) before and after surgery on these issues.  It's a time when you'll need to be making adjustments with some frequency, so it's good to find someone who is on your team and wants to work with you.  If you don't have that now, I'd ask the bariatric team for a recommendation.  They usually know who the good endocrinologists are who support WLS and get what needs to be done.

I had the sleeve mainly to improve diabetes, type II.   I am 5 months post op and down 66 lbs.   I still have 45 to go.   I was on mega doses of insulin 4 times a day, 150 plus units a day to be precise.  I had been on insulin for 2 years and gained 25 lbs and I knew I had to do something.   Now I take 30 units before I go to bed.  The endo says there is a good chance that I will get off of it in the near future with more weight loss.

have you researched the sleeve?   It is not as invasive as RNY and you do not have dumping.  You absorb more nutrients from what you eat.  May be worth looking into or talking to your doctor about.  

Best of luck to you.

I'm type II, my bs was 300 morning of surgery with an A1c of 10.0.  Now i'm 3 months post op and down to an average bs of 119 and my A1c is 6.9 with NO MEDS! I am a believer that this surgery was my cure. 

1. Did your Type II diabetes resolve with RNY? No

2. Was it hard and slow to lose weight after surgery? No

3. Were lows a problem for you? No

4. What is the probability that diabetes will return in you latter years? 

5. Do you know what BMI you were at when diabetes resolved? It is 28 now and not resolved at 3 yrs out I finally got  A1C of 6.8 last wk my Family Dr finally counts that as a normal reading, I am still taking Metformin 2x dly, mine will prob never resilve, I am 22 lbs from goal

6. How long did it take to resolve your diabetes? for some ppl it resolves as soon as they get close to their goal

1. Did your Type II diabetes resolve with RNY? No

2. Was it hard and slow to lose weight after surgery? No

3. Were lows a problem for you? No

4. What is the probability that diabetes will return in you later years? 50% at five years out.

5. Do you know what BMI you were at when diabetes resolved? Never and I got down to 23 BMI

6. How long did it take to resolve your diabetes? Some people are taken off medicines in the hospital and diabetes never returns.  It is a crap shot.  A 450 pound person who is completely non-compliant with diet and exercise might resolve completely with RNY.  A person who is very compliant might never resolve.

I am only 2 weeks out, but my weight loss has been great!  I was taking 2000!mg of metformin a day, plus another drug, and 36 units of insulin.  Currently I am taking 8 units of insulin and that is all.  I have not experienced any extreme lows yet.