Question:
Are there anyone out there who has had diabetes for 30+ years that can tell me what
they experience after having gastric-by pass and what type of surgery would u recommend? — Margetta (posted on April 30, 2006)
April 30, 2006
I don't know if this can help you, I am a type 1 (juvenile) diabetic for 13
years-and have been on an insulin pump for 8 of those 13 years. I am about
4 weeks post-op and my blood sugars have been great! My problem w/my
sugars and weight were that I LOVED MY CARBS! And with this surgery
(atleast right now), carbs are out! I went from a basal rate of 1.1 units
per hour to 0.7!
— chris123
April 30, 2006
My surgeon says, for type 2s the longer you have been diabetic the less
likely the RNY is a cure. After many years your pancreas burns out from
over production of insulin. But nearly EVERY post op I have ever
communicated with says their diabetes improved remarbly if it didnt go away
completely. Able to exercise more really helps.
— bob-haller
May 1, 2006
I was a type 2 diabetic for 7 years prior to my surgery 10 years ago. I
stopped taking any type of diabetic medications and Insulins shots the
night of the surgery in 1996. I was tested right before I was on the
operation table and my blood sugar level was a 95. My endocronologist run a
diabetic testing on me every year for the 1st 5 years and the average
testing in the beginning was around 85/90while I was loosing the excess
weight. Since I weigh between 160/150 Lbs and I am 5'7" my blood sugar
testing is 65 at a normal range. Now I am tested once a year and I am
careful with what I eat. Not only because I am an ex-diabetic but because
I don't want to gain any weight back and I choose to stay healthy. My MD do
not consider me a diabetic anymore.
I hope I am able to answer your question.
Dani
— Dani96
May 1, 2006
Margretta,
If you want to end diabetes, then please very carefully consider BPD/DS as
a possible surgery for yourself.
There's a great comparison of the different surgeries found here:
http://www.dssurgery.com/generalinformation/comparison.php - just keep in
mind that there are a WHOLE BUNCH of surgeries available. The ASBS web
site is also a great resource - www.asbs.org - a long read, but totally
worth the investment!
I wasn't Type II Diabetic for 30 years. I was for five years prior to my
DS. I do lead a local support group for my surgeon, however, and we've got
several who have had this history prior to their having the DS with Dr.
Baltasar. There are also patients (world-wide) who have gone to Dr.
Baltasar for just the intestinal portion of the DS to eliminate diabetes -
people who are NOT MO - but are severely diabetic.
My story is that I was insulin resistent for quite some time before being
diagnosed as Type II Diabetic. I was started on oral medications
eventually, and as time went on, my Diabetes became more and more severe.
It was to the point that my fasting blood sugars - on four to five
medications daily - were in the high 200s and low 300s. My primary care
physician would not put me on insulin because she and the other members of
my health care team felt it would be a death sentence for me - they didn't
think my heart could handle it. (I was already having little heart
attacks, had stroke level hypertension, congestive heart failure, etc.)
So I had my surgery. The first few days after surgery my blood sugars
skyrocketed up into the 600s and 700s. However, by the time I was 6 days
post-op my blood sugars were completely normal - with no medication
whatsoever, and have been to this day. I will be 3 years 10 months post-op
tomorrow.
If elimination of Type II Diabetes is a driving force for you, then please
research the DS!
If I can answer any questions, let me know, okay?
Blessings,
dina
— Dina McBride
May 1, 2006
note the intestinal bypass portion of the RNY is also being looked at
closely since it too elminates type 2 for non MO people.
— bob-haller
May 1, 2006
I'm a 45-year old Type II diabetic who's had T2D for well over 10 years,
never well-controlled and never very compliant. I chose the duodenal
switch because, unlike the RNY, lap-band, and so on, it has the highest
rate of reversal for T2D of any weight-loss surgery (98.9%).
I was on Actos, glyburide, and metformin on the morning of my DS, and my
blood sugar was still at 388. Now, 4+ months after my DS, I'm off all
three meds and my blood sugar is around 150. Still too high, but vastly
improved and coming down daily.
The longer one's been uncontrolled, the longer it may take for the diabetes
to reverse, but I'm very happy with my results so far. I'm also now very
compliant with restricting carbs, as I wasn't prior to surgery. I consider
the duodenal switch a real miracle.
Oh yeah, and the DS also has the greatest success rates of all forms of WLS
in term of the amount of excess body weight lost and maintained over time.
It's really worth considering.
— Deluzy
May 1, 2006
The RNY cure rate is over 95% but declines markedly the longer someone has
been diabetic. To about 75% for long term type 2s.... Nearly all see major
improvement but do remember there are normal weight type2s. Sadly in life
nothing is perfect:( Your surgeon is best able to give you some numbers
based on your circumstances. If your near cleveland dr philip schauer head
of the obesity center of the cleveland clinic is awesome, ad involved in
lots of research.
— bob-haller
May 1, 2006
The DS has an over 10 year track record of making 98% of type II diabetics,
regardless of how long they were diabetic, EUGLYCEMIC (i.e., NORMAL blood
sugars), holding steady at NORMAL for over 10 years. The intestinal tract
is divided at a different point in the RNY and the DS, and in Europe, the
intestinal part of the DS is being used to cure type II diabetes in people
who are not MO.
— [Deactivated Member]
May 2, 2006
You didn't mention if you we're Type 1 or 2......I've been a Type 1
diabetic for 12 yrs, had RNY 2 yrs ago (March), and on an insulin pump. My
blood sugars have improved, my AIC 6.2, which is consistant to pre-op, but
down from 125 units per day to average of 50 units now. I'm very happy and
always searching for more Type 1'ers, as I don't see too many on OH. If
you are, please check out the Diabetes Form....take care and good luck with
your decision.
— SJWendy
May 2, 2006
My husband had the DS for diabetes only in Spain. He has never looked back
and eats as he pleases. A good friend of ours had the surgery too. He had
been diabetic for over 30yrs. He was on oral meds and over 300 units of
insulin per day. He is now free of diabetes completely.
If you are type 1, surgery may help but you will always be diabetic. If
you are type 2, there is a 98% chance the DS will cure it for you.
— PattyL
August 13, 2006
I have type 1 diabetes for 24 years and had RNY gastric bypass 4/04. I
have lost 100 lbs. give or take a few and had plastics--tummy tuck and
breast lift in 3/06. I have had an insulin pump for 11 years and wore my
pump during the gastric bypass and the plastic surgery. I take a 50% less
insulin than I did before surgery. I have to limit carbs to no more than
30 grams per meal to keep my sugar great after meals but sugars are easier
to control and I exercise more because I feel like moving. I chose the RNY
because I didn't want to have to get adjustments to a lap band and the
surgery center in my area didn't perform BPD. The RNY gave me the
restriction like a lap band does without the extra doctor visits and
'fills' that a band requires. Being short bowel does effect my blood
sugars poorly if I eat too much of the wrong carbs like chips or candy.
It just reminds me to keep in line and my pouch is my best friend. I
wanted to have my surgery locally, that was most important to me.
— tbarclay
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