Question:
Are there any good studies which show that this surgery helps diabetes?

I want to fight the insurance companies and I need data from studies. Do you know of any?    — Penny H. (posted on June 16, 1999)

June 16, 1999
I'm not sure of any studies, but you may want to search the net under State Health Department Studies ... you may also want to check with the Diabetes Accociation, they would know. I was taken off of insulin 2 weeks prior to my WLS, because I was going on Medifast and my doc knew I would not need it. He told me to test myself and if it got over a certain number, give myself a shot. That was the 10th of October 1997, I have not given myself a shot yet. Two months after the surgery I was no longer considered a diabetic ... my A1C3 test had gone from a 13 down to a 6.7 within 3 months. If there has not been a study, there needs to be. Good Luck! Mary Anne
   — Mary Anne M.

June 16, 1999
This surgery basically "cures" diabetes not helps it. My surgeon said he has had only 2 or 3 people NOT get off all meds and insulin after losing the weight. They have known for years and years that weight loss "cures" diabetes but getting people to lose weight is impossible. (without this surgery in my case)You could ask a surgeon to put that in writing as far as a study, I have not seen one but I am sure the documentation is out there it, may not be on the internet though...
   — JAN C.

June 16, 1999
I don't know about studies, but I do know that I was a Type 2 diabetic for over 4 years when I had my surgery and that I no longer have to take medication. I know that my blood sugar measures betwen 80 and 90 at all times now. Rich Terry mailto:richatsurgilite#hotmail.com
   — Richard T.

June 17, 1999
I am a diabetic and had my surgery done on 6/1/99.There are several good studies that show this surgery is of great benefit to diabetics. You can do a Medline searchand find some of these. For some reason the surgery increases insulin sensitivity almost immediately.
   — Linda L.

June 17, 1999
Penny, I too am a diabetic. The main reason I started checking out this surgery was because of an article I read on the National Institute of Health web page - I don't know for sure what the web address is, but you can do a search for NIH and find it. But they had a major research paper about the benefits of this surgery for diabetics. I would start there, while doing my research I found other articles in different areas of the net. Good luck.
   — Janet C.

June 18, 1999
I have no studies to prove the issue. In my own case, I was a Type II diabetic. I produced insulin but not enough to take care of a 300 lb body. I had RNY surgery resulting in the loss of 150 lbs. I am stable at 153 lbs and had my surgery in 1995 and now am no longer diabetic. My blood sugar stabalized within three months of my surgery. Occasionally my blood sugar goes the other way and drops causing the typical symptons of hypoglycemia. I think this only happens two or three times a year now. Good luck to you in your quest! Let us hear from you.
   — Peggy W.

June 25, 1999
The answer to your question is yes. WLS can "cure" Type II diabetes. The best study confirming this fact comes from the East Carolina U.School of Medicine, authored by Pories, WJ et al. "Who would have thought it? An operation proves to be the most effective therapy for adult-onset diabetes mellitus?" in the Annals of Surgery 222:339,1995. I hope this helps and is entitled
   — Helmut S.