Question:
Changes in Blood Sugar
I am 4 month post op WLS for VSG. I am Type 2 diabetic for many years. I was hoping it would go away after surgery. Was told by surgeon he was no concerned about my "number" as I would be eating so little compare to prior WLS. I went off my pill meds. Started to notice my blood sugar numbers were going up again so I have restarted them and blood sugar numbers are still going up. Have increased dosage to 3 times a day instead of 2 times a day and still number are going up. Will see my primary doctor soon for labs. Any advice or help is appreciated. Has this happened to anyone else? — chell1957 (posted on February 1, 2009)
February 1, 2009
I would write down everything I eat or drink so you have record as to what
you are missing that is making blood sugars go up. Diet jello has sugar
-Pasta - rice has sugars- You going to doctor soon this is a good way to
find out if you are missing something you shouldn't be eating or DRINKING
Read you labels. Good luck
— Eneleh
February 1, 2009
I'm not a doctor but it was my understanding that the potential curative
benefit of WLS on type 2 diabetes was from either the RNY gastric bypass or
Duodenal Switch surgeries because of the re-routing of the intestines (aka
the bypass portion). I'm sure there are other types of bypass surgeries,
I'm only naming the two most common. As for your VSG, if you had only a
restrictive procedure without a bypass I don't think you will have the same
effect on your T2 diabetes as with the other surgeries. Hopefully I'm
wrong. Also, I believe it's not always an immediate beneficial effect even
with the malabsorptive surgeries. Again, I'm not in the medical field so
check it out with your doctor. On the brighter side you still did a good
thing for yourself as weight loss can only improve your health and physical
well being. You still could see better numbers with a lower weight. Hang in
there and keep checking those levels.
— Arkin10
February 1, 2009
The reason for Type II diabetes recovery/cure in most gastric by pass
surgeries are directly linked to the small intestines being bypassed.
Weight loss alone aids in remission but not in a cure... Here is an excerpt
from a 60 Minute transcript on Diabetes Cure after RNY "This
spontaneous remission puzzled Italian surgeon Francesco Rubino, now at New
York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. "We wanted to know
what is making diabetes remit. We thought it could have been something to
do with the small bowel," Dr. Rubino says.
So he began performing the bypass on diabetic rats, and realized that when
he disconnected the top of the small intestine, an area called the
duodenum, the diabetes disappeared. Then, he reversed the operation.
When he reattached it, the diabetes came back.
This was a pivotal discovery. By merely blocking food from traveling
through the duodenum, Rubino sent diabetes into remission, proving the
effect was independent from weight loss. This meant diabetes could
essentially be removed with a scalpel. Dr. Rubino says this operation has
been performed on humans. " Full article and video here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/17/60minutes/main4023451.shtml
— .Anita R.
February 1, 2009
I had the VSG on March 2, 2008. On Thanksgiving day, November 27, 2008, I
had to DROP the LAST of my medications because I had suffered a bout of LOW
blood sugar. I had gone from taking two pills of glucovance twice a day,
at 5/500 mg each. I had also been taking 80 units 70/30 insulin daily and
an occasional BOOSTER shot of REGULAR insulin of up to TEN units a day just
to KEEP from having my blood sugar from going over 200 points! That was
NOT having it controlled, it was just to KEEP it from going over 200! In
about EIGHT MONTHS, I went from being an UNCONTROLLED diabetic, to NOT
NEEDING my meds! I have since been teste REGULARLY, and have been off of
my medication since, and I no longer NEED to be on diabetes medication!
The VSG CAN help control diabetes! I am LIVING PROOF! My last test for
the A1-C came up with a level 5 reading. As far as my DOCTOR is concerned,
I am NO LONGER a diabetic! Now, this is not to say that this is going to
work on EVERY person who has the VSG! If you have type ONE diabetes, you
will ALWAYS have diabetes! There may also be OTHER factors involved with
some people that may PREVENT them from recovering from the damage that has
occurred over time, and they may remain a diabetic to SOME degree for the
rest of their life, but I am willing to BET that for MOST people, given
TIME and actual WEIGHT LOSS, the VSG WILL WORK! I have lost 110 POUNDS,
since I have had my surgery! Many doctors are beginning to think that
there is a component to diabetes that the FAT brings. They think that the
FAT causes insulin resistance. Many researchers feel that if you get rid
of the FAT, you get rid of the insulin RESISTANCE, and thus, you get rid of
the DIABETES! ANY form of weight loss will do the job, but you HAVE to
lose the WEIGHT! The closer you GET to a "Normal" weight, the
more likely you are to be "Normal" in your blood sugars WITHOUT
medication. There is no "Magic" to fixing the problem. It is
just a matter of getting rid of the FAT. I hope that this helps to answer
your question, and I hope that this gives you some HOPE. It CAN be done, I
KNOW! It happened for ME. Hang in there. Follow the program. EXERCIZE!
LOSE the WEIGHT! It will most likely happen for you too! Good luck, and
God bless. Hugh
— hubarlow
February 1, 2009
michelle, what you don't say is how your food intake is? What is your
exercise like? How is your weight loss going? Surgery is a great tool, it
it is to be used hand in hand with good eating practices, regular water
drinking and lots of exercise. If you are doing all these things, then you
probably have a physical reason that you and your doctor need to discuss,
if you are not 100% on these items, then keep the commitment you made to
yourself and your doctor when you had surgery. Be careful what you put
into your mouth, drink water even though you don't like it, and exercise
vigorously. Take care, Patricia P.
— Patricia P
February 1, 2009
I haven't had my numbers go back up. Are you following the recommended
diet that was given? Be sure to check with your doctor to find out if you
are doing something different or if this is something that could happen. I
know you must be very upset because I for one thought the idea of not have
having diabetes to be one of the benefits to me having the surgery. Get
some medical advice from your endocrinologist and your surgeon.
— Corina C
February 1, 2009
Thank you every one who has answered. To offer more information, yes I
follow the diet guidelines and eat around 800 calories a day, high protein
and low carb. Which is why since going back on the pill medication, I am
concerned that the blood sugar numbers have not gone down. Prior to surgery
and going off the meds, I had great A1C results all in the low to mid 6's.
On average my blood sugar was around 118 fasting. I have lost 35 LBS sine
my surgery in Oct. 2008. It is very slow going for me. I was told this is
because I am 'a light weight".
— chell1957
February 1, 2009
Agrree with all the above.
One additional thought, as a type 2 diabetic, you may have 'burnt out, or
over-used your pancreas. Therefore there is no more insulin being made by
your body. Insulin is what take care of the sugars/carbohydrates we put in
our body.
This, in effect, 'turns one into' a Type 1-like Diabetic where insulin and
other meds will be necessary.
On the positive side, a healthy lifestyle, meal plan & execise help
keep those sugars at bay. There may be a day when those medications can be
minimal and possibly eliminated. Best of luck to your success in this life
long process. Carolann V.
— cvalent1
February 2, 2009
You might want to do some labs and in particular an A1C to see where you
really are. Remember they do that for diabetics
to see how your glucose levels have been over a 3 month period. A1C should
be 7 or less. Also check with the doctor about what you are eating and how
your body is digesting it even after VSG. You didn't say how much weight
you intially had or needed to lose but I would check everything and go from
there. Good Luck and God Bless,
vinnigirl, retired RN
— vinnigirl
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