Question:
How slow will I loose?

I take between 300 and 400 units of insulin each day and also take actos every morning. I take lantis morning and night 160 units total and novolog 60 units 3x a day plus a sliding scale. How fast do you think I'll lose? I have gained 30 lbs since my endocrinologist put me on this huge amount of insulin in April 2003. Now my surgeon wants me to loose those 30 lbs before he does my surgery. How is that possible? It's not my fault that my pancreas sucks so bad. Opinions please. Thanks, Claire    — gramof3 (posted on July 20, 2003)

July 20, 2003
My husband was on 90 units of insulin and mega doses of other meds. Everytime they added a med he gained 20 - 30 lbs. You really have a hard times losing weight when you are on that type of med. After his surgery, he left the hospital with no insulin and is on only 2 pills a day now. I don't know with your dose so much higher, how you'll do, but I do think you will have no problem losing the weight. Don't get discouraged. As your weight comes down so should your meds.
   — Yvonne G.

July 20, 2003
It might be good to speak to your endocrinologist and see if loosing 30 is possible and have that doc speak to the surgeon and see if you can get a pass on the loosing 30 pounds. Not all surgeons require a weight loss. I, too, was taking a lot of insulin presurgery. I did NOT leave the hospital off insulin but I was able to get off it in the first three months, it took six months before I was off the oral stuff also. My A1C at 9 months was 4.9 (Yeah!!!) I tell you this so you are not disappointed if you still have to take insulin after surgery. It will get better. Good luck and talk to your docs.
   — Sunny S.