Question:
How to control blood sugar levels after surgery?

   — Toby2 (posted on April 29, 2008)

April 29, 2008
My diabetes was gone and no insulin needed on second day after surgery...4 years later sugar is controlled still with diet alone! No more sugar problems... Good luck
   — .Anita R.

April 29, 2008
Anita assume that you are having a RNY. Looking at your profile you are NOT TELLING US WHAT YOU ARE HAVING NOR DO YOU STATE IN YOUR QUESTION. iN A rny SURGERY, YOU STOMACH IS MOVED AND REPLACED WITH A POUCH MADE FROM THE TOP TISSUE OF YOU STOMACH AND THE SECOND PART OF THE SMALL INTESTINE. tHE FIRST PART OF THE SMALL INTESTINE IS STILL CONECTED TO YOUR STOMACH, AND IT CARRIES STOMACH ACID TO THE LAST THIRD OF YOUR SMALL INTESTINE TO HELP DEDIGESTION. nO FOOD GOES THROUGH IT SO THAT ELIMINATES DIABITIES. SOME GO HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL AND NEVER TAKE A PILL AGAIN, OTHER LIKE MYSELFT THAT HAD TYPE TWO FOR 25 YEARS TAKE A LITTLE ONGER, AND USUALLY AFTRER A MONTH ARE OFF ALL DIEBITIC DRUGS FOR GOOD. LAB BANDS DO NOT REMOVE THE FIRST PART OF THE SMALL INTESTINE FROM THE FOOD PATH, SO THEY DO NOT CURE DIABITIES. YOU MIGHT HAVE A REDUCTION IN THE DRUGS YOU TAKE, BUT IT WILL NOT CURE YOUE ON DAY ONE. EST OF SUCCESS TO YOU.IF YOU HAVE DIABITIES TYPE II AND LOW BLOOD SUGAR, THERE IS SOME BALANCING TO DO TO KEEP STABLE WITH A RNY. I AM 62 YEARS OLD AND HAD MY SURGERY IN DECEMBER. I NOW HAVE A A1C OF 5.6 WHICH IS NON-DIABETIC.
   — William (Bill) wmil

April 29, 2008
I did not need anything after surgery but 6 months it went crazy, had to do 3 unit 3x aday now I am off I do with diet and exercise.
   — carman

April 29, 2008
My sugars slowly dropped until 3 weeks after surgery when I was down to taking only ONE pill of Glucovance 5/500. On that LAST day my blood sugar dropped down to 53 POINTS! I started to get the shakes and the sweats and decided to check my sugars because I USED to be hypoglycemic before I was diabetic. I KNEW that feeling. PRIOR to the surgery, I was taking 70 to 80 units of 70/30 insulin with an occasional booster shot of REGULAR insulin when my sugar would creep above 200. I was taking FOUR pills of Glucovance 5/500 daily. Three weeks later I was OFF of ALL of my diabetes medications. I am NOW in the range of HIGH NORMAL after meals. I range from 114 to 140 usually. The only time I have trouble is when I CHEAT and eat more CARBS than I am supposed to. THEN all I have to do is GO FOR A WALK. My blood sugar will LOWER ITSELF! My nutritionist recommends for ME, not more than 15 to 30 carbs per meal. As long as I do not exceed THAT I am fine.
   — hubarlow

April 29, 2008
I was on 4 shots a day and oral meds and then went on an insulin pump and oral meds instead. I stopped oral meds about 2 months before surgery and the insulin pump a week before surgery and have never looked back. I am now a diabetic controlled with diet and exercise. I am so grateful to wls. I had an open RNY.
   — Brenda R.

April 29, 2008
I was on the pump before surgery for a number of years and now almost a month after surgery I still am on the pump but the amount of insulin I use has decreased quite a bit. I went from going thru 200 units of insulin in 3 days to 50 units. To me that's awesome. I'm a little different than most people that have diabetes. I'm type 1 and it's no longer juvenile diabetes it can come at any age.
   — Danielle T.

April 29, 2008
Most WLS patients diabetes is cured or at the very least very much improved immediately after surgery. Your surgeon should give you very specific discharge instructions regarding checking your accuchecks and managing your blood sugars. You might also want to check with your endocrinologist before and after surgery as well to keep a very close eye on it. It is very common post-operatively for patients blood sugars to go a little low as you are taking in very little in the way of calories, especially carbs. On the other hand, the stress of the surgery itself can cause others sugars to go a little high, hence the need to check your accucheck frequently. Be sure your family members know how to check it as well as you will be tired and/or medicated from the pain medicine. If you are unsure- call your doctor's office- even if it is after hours, there has to be someone on call who will call you back. Good luck to you, Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic

April 30, 2008
I was discharged on the second day after RNY off of all my diabetes medication (including shots). My sugars now hover around 100 regardless of when I take them. I feel like a new person with tons of energy with the diabetes in remission.
   — ShirleyF