Question:
Diabetes?

I was just diagnosed with diabetes. I am 2 years post-op and never had a problem with my sugars before surgery. My diet hasnt changed at all. I was windering if anything like this has happened to anybody else? I am in the worst health of my life. HELP!!!    — RUTH HANSON (posted on March 16, 2008)

March 15, 2008
Even skinny people get diabetes. Its a family history thing. Are you at your goal?? do you need to lose more weight to help manage this new condition?? Do you need to get rid of more carbs in your eating?? it isnt a shame to have to take oral meds for diabetes. Keep on track and keep consulting your doctor for more info and help.
   — shalmar

March 16, 2008
Dear Ruth, I had diabeties for 25 years and my doctor and sergeon warned me that RNY surgury would help but not cure. I was told that after surgery I would see my A1C dropp, but as I introduced carbs, it would rise and I would have to loose all my excess weight and have my BMI under 24 to bring that A1c under 6.0 again. I am only 3 months out and off of all diabetic drugs, but I have not started to take any complex carbs yet. My A1C is 5.6. Please do not give up home. It just means that you need to refind your diet and eliminate as many carbs as you can. Diebites is a devistating desease if left to it self. I did not know I had it until problems set in. Take your oral medications and drop the carbs, and talk to your doctor about taking off the balance of your weight. It can be reversed, and you can do it. Remember your RNY surgery gave you a tool and you control how you use that tool. Best of success to you.
   — William (Bill) wmil

March 16, 2008
I got rid of my type II diabetes with weight loss and exercise and keep it completely controlled with diet. My A1C is 5.3... If you are still obese, this could play a part in why you are having trouble now as it mainly affects overweight people. Below is an article about Tpye II diabetes and how it might pertain to you personally. "Thin people can be fat on the inside"....You might be able to link the reason to your diabetes when you read this article. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000313.htm#Causes,%20incidence,%20and%20risk%20factors
   — .Anita R.

March 16, 2008
Ruth -- first and foremost, don't panic. You can fight the weight, but when push comes to shove, you can't fight the genetics. I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes prior to my VBG in April 2000. After my surgery it "went away", but returned in April 2006. Liuke yourself, I hadn't really changed my post-surgery diet or done anything differently. BUT ... I had all kinds of GENETIC indicators to develop diabetes: both my paternal grandmother and my father had diabetes; I had severe gestational diabetes when pregnant with my first son (two shots of insulin a day) but was hypoglycemic with my second, go figure -- and given birth to two babies weighing more than ten pounds. As my family doctor said to me, "It would have been more of a shock if you HADN'T gotten diabetes." Do you have any genetic factors like I've mentioned above? "Getting" diabetes isn't your fault, any more than "getting" cancer would be. My advice would be to 1) listen to your doctor and your diabetes educator about how best to get a handle on regulating your sugars; 2) self-test your blood as often as you are directed to; 3) be active in your own care -- you can reduce your risk of complications (blindness, kidney failure, amputation) by properly managing your condition. And don't (although this is easier said than done) obsess about it. And a bonus, at least for me, in having diabetes was taking Metformin -- goodbye an additional 30 pounds! Although it can be quite overwhelming in the beginning, you can learn to live -- quite successfully -- with diabetes. Be well,
   — Cheryl Denomy