Question:
Will the surgery help lower blood sugars enough to prevent diabetes?
I've been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, already have high blood pressure. Am wondering if the surgery will help "cure" either of these in the long run as the weight comes off. I'm looking for a long term solution here. I know diet/exercise is important. I guess in my mind I'm thinking if I can get a boost to get immediate results I could probably handle the rest on my own. I've been agonizing over this decision for three years now and health conditions keep getting worse. Obviously dieting on my own isn't working. — fantum (posted on February 3, 2007)
February 3, 2007
Yes, Thank goodness for that. I am diabetic still not on medication
working on my way to insulin if I had not made the decision for surgery. I
wish you the very best in your journey.
Cira
— Cira S.
February 3, 2007
the surgery worked for me. I no longer have high cholesterol nor do i have
high blood pressure. All of my labs are normal. i sleep much better, no
more back ache when waking in the morning. my ankles dont swell anymore. i
really feel like i did 15 years ago.
good luck
— _blue_
February 3, 2007
I am 18 dates out from surgery and no longer on my diabetes medication or
high blood pressure medication. That was the reason I chose to have the
surgery.
— judyrchrdsn
February 3, 2007
You are never cured of diabetes, but you control it with diet and exercise
PO. You will always have a dianosis of being a diabetic on your medical
charts. I no longer had to take my meds for my blood sugar from the day I
had surgery.
— ChristineB
February 3, 2007
I am 13 dates out from surgery and no longer on my diabetes medication also
i was on insulin 2 kinds a day .. my suger is run 135 ever moring i have
no more bad head achs from it being so high ...this is a life change thing
u have to do for your self ...good luck to u !!!
— Roxanne piligno
February 3, 2007
Hi Helen,
I don't have high anything at this point, but everything in my family
(including obesity) runs in my family - but all of the high this and that
was diagnosed "adult on-set", specifically the diabetes. So...I
have decided to be proactive with my health and never have to deal with the
"possiblity" of it happening to me. My decision was crystal
clear. My surgery is scheduled for 2/15. The decision is yours - good luck!
— jammerz
February 3, 2007
Dr Philip Schauer my surgeon says the cure or fix rate is 90% for those
newly diabetic. Its not 100% because even some thin flooks end up type 2.
Being pre diabetic you have a EXCELLENT chance to do great!
— bob-haller
February 3, 2007
Helen I was diabetic and had to take medication before surgery I no longer
have diabetes and feel great. I still check my blood sugar once a week and
go to the doctor every 3month and have not gotten any high blood sugar it
is normal. so good luck to you I wish you the best. cause I am very happy I
am 1 year post op
— evienicole
February 4, 2007
You are having "weight loss surgery" done for the right reason --
YOUR HEALTH! If you end up with a skinnier, sexier body, that's a big plus
too but that should be a secondary goal for you. ---- I was taken off my
diabetic specific medications immediately after surgery. Also gone are the
medications that took care of some of the negative effects of diabetes on
my body, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol and triglycerides,
etc.. I still consider myself to be a Type II diabetic. The disease is not
"cured" but it is under control through diet, not prescription
medication. ---- My attempts prior to bariatric surgery to control my
diabetes with "proper" diet failed. The surgery has made it easy,
yes -- EASY, for me to maintain a proper diabetic diet over the long haul.
I can even now eat "decadent" things that I was not supposed to
eat in the years before my surgery. That's because I now eat so little of
those things that they are not harmful. For example, I can now enjoy a
cookie or small piece of cake. The difference is that I am now satisfied
with just one sugar laden cookie whereas before I would eat ten cookies and
have a large piece of cake to go along with them. ---- Note that some of
the ill side effects of diabetes are still with me and probably always will
be. Specifically the painful neuropathy (nerve damage to to elevated blood
sugar level) in my feet and hands is still there and has not subsided in
the least. Unless medical science comes up with a "cure" for
neuropathy, it will plague me till I die. At least these conditions are now
stabilized and not getting worse. ---- Since you are
"pre-diabetic", you likely are not yet suffering from neuropathy
in your extremities. If you stick with a "proper" diet after your
bariatric surgery, chances are you will never encounter many of the
ancillary health problems associated with diabetes. And, after all, it's
not the diabetes itself that kills people; it's what long term diabetes
does to the body that is so devastating.
— [Deactivated Member]
February 4, 2007
My advice is to get the surgery now before you do have full blown diabetes.
I have been a diabetic for 17 years and had my RNY 12 weeks ago. I was on
4 high does of meds. Unfortunately, I still have high bs readings and am
on 2 meds, probably going to a third! I am losing weight nicely, 43 lbs
off so far and I feel great but I guess I'm one of the 20% that didn't get
off meds yet. It's frustrating but at least I'm losing and hoping to have
a normal BMI. I exercise regularly also. If you don't have surgery your
health conditions will continue to worsen....take it from me, do it NOW!
Don't wait.
— Sheri A.
February 4, 2007
Helen,
If you are looking to eliminate your pre-diabetes and hypertension, then
please be sure to investigate the BPD/DS.
I had out of control diabetes (on five medications) with blood sugars
getting down into the 20s on the low end, and up into the 300s on the high
end - yet my doctor was afraid that putting me on insulin would bring on
further complicatios that my congestive heart failure couldn't handle. I
also had stroke level hypertension with four medications. I was a mess.
I've been off of all of those meds since just a couple of days after
surgery. The blessing and freedom that has brought is impossible to
adequately express. Of course, losing the extra weight hasn't hurt either!
:)
If you ever want to talk - drop me a note, okay?
Blessings,
dina
— Dina McBride
February 4, 2007
When I was having all my testing done to see if I was able to have surgery
we found out that I was just a type II diabetic. My docotors did not want
to put me on medicines yet b/c they knew once I have surgery and start to
loose weight, my sugar level will go down. Also my blood pressure had gone
from 120/80 to 140/95 for the past three months. I had surgery 1/16. In 1
1/2 week my blood pressure went down to 118/80. I dont know about my surgar
level yet. I go back next week to do my labs. Everywhere I have research
about WLS they said the surgery will help with your diabetes, blood
pressure and other medical problems. So far I have lost 29lbs and tomorrow
makes three weeks. What ever you decide to do good luck.
— barfiep01
February 5, 2007
I was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 33, by the time I was 40 I was
on 120 units of insulin and I had gained over 75 lbs in less than a year on
the insulin. I was off insulin within 3 weeks of surgery. I was off
diabetes pills by 6 months. Now the reality, I still have trouble staying
away from carbs. I didn't reach my goal weight. I have kept off about
100 lbs and go up and down the scale the same 20 lbs over and over again.
I am 5 years post op now, and I am back on one pill (prandin) before meals
to control my blood sugars. Still one pill beats 4 shots daily any day. I
know that despite the fact that I had this surgery, I am responsible for
maintaining my commitment to eat healthy and exercise regularly, when I do
these things, I have much better blood sugars. My blood pressure is
controlled without medications now. Surgery is well worth it, and you are
wise to have it before developing diabetes.
— SARose61
February 11, 2007
I used to take insulin for my diabetes, and now I am off all medication. I
still have to pay attention to not eating too much ssuggar, but it is much
better!
— Novashannon
Click Here to Return