Question:
Who decided when you no longer need any insulin?

Who decides when you no longer need Insuline...Surgeon or PCP? and how can you generally tell..by low blood sugars?    — TerryS (posted on September 10, 2003)

September 10, 2003
While I was in the hospital after my WLS, my blood sugars were very high, but that seem to be the normal, due to the stress that your body was under, they gave me my insulin shots while I was in the hospital. Before I left the hospital, my surgeon told me that if my blood sugar went above 150, that I was suppose to take 15 units of insulin. I had to take insulin the first day that I was home from the hospital, then my blood sugars stayed below 150, so I have not had to take any insulin. I am 5 weeks post-op today. It seems the farther out I get post-op the lower my sugar numbers are. The first two weeks they ran about 140 to 150, now they are running 130 to 140. It would be unfair to do a A1C now, since the A1C is a 3 month record of your blood sugar numbers and it would have the high numbers from the surgery. I am hoping that when I can do a 3 month blood sugar, my numbers will be very good. At my appt with my surgeon I told him about not having to take insulin and he said that is a miracle that sometimes happens with this surgery. The reason I think that they used 150 as the cut off number, is if you take insulin at 150 it might drop your blood sugar numbers to low. I monitor very closely, I take my sugar numbers twice daily.
   — cindy

September 10, 2003
While I was in the hospital after my WLS, my blood sugars were very high, but that seem to be the normal, due to the stress that your body was under, they gave me my insulin shots while I was in the hospital. Before I left the hospital, my surgeon told me that if my blood sugar went above 150, that I was suppose to take 15 units of insulin. I had to take insulin the first day that I was home from the hospital, then my blood sugars stayed below 150, so I have not had to take any insulin. I am 5 weeks post-op today. It seems the farther out I get post-op the lower my sugar numbers are. The first two weeks they ran about 140 to 150, now they are running 130 to 140. It would be unfair to do a A1C now, since the A1C is a 3 month record of your blood sugar numbers and it would have the high numbers from the surgery. I am hoping that when I can do a 3 month blood sugar, my numbers will be very good. At my appt with my surgeon I told him about not having to take insulin and he said that is a miracle that sometimes happens with this surgery. The reason I think that they used 150 as the cut off number, is if you take insulin at 150 it might drop your blood sugar numbers to low. I monitor very closely, I take my sugar numbers twice daily.
   — cindy

September 10, 2003
While I was in the hospital after my WLS, my blood sugars were very high, but that seem to be the normal, due to the stress that your body was under, they gave me my insulin shots while I was in the hospital. Before I left the hospital, my surgeon told me that if my blood sugar went above 150, that I was suppose to take 15 units of insulin. I had to take insulin the first day that I was home from the hospital, then my blood sugars stayed below 150, so I have not had to take any insulin. I am 5 weeks post-op today. It seems the farther out I get post-op the lower my sugar numbers are. The first two weeks they ran about 140 to 150, now they are running 130 to 140. It would be unfair to do a A1C now, since the A1C is a 3 month record of your blood sugar numbers and it would have the high numbers from the surgery. I am hoping that when I can do a 3 month blood sugar, my numbers will be very good. At my appt with my surgeon I told him about not having to take insulin and he said that is a miracle that sometimes happens with this surgery. The reason I think that they used 150 as the cut off number, is if you take insulin at 150 it might drop your blood sugar numbers to low. I monitor very closely, I take my sugar numbers twice daily.
   — cindy

September 10, 2003
<font color="007000" face="tahoma">Terry... I am not on insulin, but I would think that who ever put you on the insulin (whether it be your PCP or a specialist) they should be the ones to test you and decide if you no longer need it. Good Luck! <I>~~Wendy D, RNY 4/23/03, -93 lbs~~</I></font>
   — Wendy D P.

September 10, 2003
For all my comorb treatments, my surgeon referred me back to my PCP who had prescribed the medications to begin with. It was the PCP who took me off my diabetes medication, and then, shortly after, my high blood pressure med.
   — Vespa R.

September 11, 2003
I've had the same question! I had surgery on 9/3/03, was home by 9/6/03 and took myself off the insulin by 9/8/03! I HAD to! I was so weak, and shaky and sweaty all the time that Monday, and my BS was 51 the first time and 55 the 2nd. time! I now monitor my BS twice daily and it remains at about 60-80, and I haven't had insulin since Monday the 8th. UNBELIEVABLE!
   — Bob M.