Happy, HEALTHY new year to all my fellow WLS and diabetic buddies out there!  Keep the faith, keep working hard at your health goals and remember that we can understand and support each other when things are good and not so good.

Thank you to all of you who have been encouraging to me along the way.  It's been 15 months since my RNY - I have lost 80 pounds and am within 10 pounds of my lowest adult weight (which was 25 years ago).  It's been such a blessing. 

I plan to order my insulin pump tomorrow and am looking forward to that transition in the weeks to come.  I invite you all to check in with how you are doing. 

Happy New Year!

Yes, please talk to your doctor.  I love my regular endocrinologist, and still see him.  He always thought I didn't "fit" a Type 2 somehow, but never ordered the test.  It took someone with fresh eyes to suggest that I get them.  When I freaked out a bit over thinking I was a Type 2 for 22 years and really wasn't, I think the doctors were a little perplexed - like, what's the big deal?  So, you are on insulin and will remain on it?  But it was precisely so that I could manage my expectations and also research what type of surgery would be best for me in the long run.

At that point, I was considering DS to improve chances of managing diabetes, but it wouldn't have mattered.  I already have osteopenia also, so didn't want to have any type of surgery that would impede my calcium absorption any further.  I have RNY - very happy with it and the results.

Yes, that a1c has to come down for your own health sake.  You will feel like a different person if you can achieve that.  It's clear you need better insulin management as well - sounds like you are not using enough insulin to match your needs at all. 

I have a great diabetic educator who has helped me revamp my insulin routine and get myself on a much better matched routine.  He does a LOT of work via Skype, so your location is not a big deal.  If interested, message me.  I'll request to add you to my list now so that we can keep in touch.

Know that you are not alone.  And think about your goals - no matter what type you are, you've had it too long, I think, to see it resolve.  But you certainly CAN work on better control - that's a lot more reasonable goal.  Don't give up, Susan!

Terry

Susan: Are they sure you have Type 2 and not a late onset Type 1 (like what I have)?  There are several blood tests you can have done to find out.  Basically, you can have a GAD-65 and an antibody test.  Although this article is from the UK, it discusses the tests:

http://www.locallada.swan.ac.uk/faq.html

I only mention this because I thought, and was told, that I had Type 2 for about 22 years.  When I first got serious about having surgery a few years ago, I happened upon an endocrine consult who suggested I have these tests.  My test results actually contradicted each other, and then I asked for a c-peptide, which would tell me about my insulin production.  (I had a 0.1 c-peptide or basically almost ZERO insulin production.)

Surprise surprise - I was NOT Type 2, but rather Type 1.5 or LADA.  It did not change a lot of the treatment that I was on at that point, but it certainly did help to set some very appropriate goals for having surgery.  When I first started looking into surgery about 10 years ago, it was to reverse Type 2 diabetes.  Once I realized that was not what I had (and fumed about it for a while), I still went ahead with the surgery anyway.  It has made a significant difference in the amount of insulin that I use and my overall control.  And I am getting ready to start on a pump soon.  But, I am glad that I knew BEFORE having surgery that my diabetes could not be resolved since I didn't have hardly any insulin production and wasn't going to. 

Have you had a c-peptide drawn?  At a minimum, that will tell you if and how much insulin you are producing on your own.  If you aren't producing any, then you likely don't have Type 2 (which is characterized by normal to high insulin production, but the body isn't able to use it).

I hope this helps.  I can certainly feel your level of frustration and understand it.  Also, if you have been diabetic for more than about 10 years (I have been for 26 years), the surgery will not be effective in resolving Type 2 diabetes.  Most of the literature shows that it's only effective for those with shorter term disease.

Please keep in touch - and see about getting some additional testing if you haven't already had it.

I have LADA, which is a late onset Type 1 diabetes with some insulin resistance thrown in (like Type 2).  So, although I initially investigated surgery as a way to address my diabetes, it quickly became evident that, as a Type 1, there was nothing that would resolve it.  However, I have gotten fairly good results with the insulin resistance part and substantially decreased my medicine and my insulin doses with the weight loss.

Why type of diabetes do you have?  Are you using insulin?

The body can convert proteins into sugars. Also - since your body is used to run on high sugar - it may still use stored sugars. 

You may need still some insulin for time being.