Question:
Do I have to get my blood sugar at normal levels before surgery?

My blood sugar was 250 today at drs. and he said that no surgeon would touch me. The dr. put me on a strict diet and told me to lose weight and wanted me to come back in two weeks to see if my sugars were down. Is this really needed? I weigh 265 and am 5'6". I told him that they do surgery on much bigger people than me. I'm confused. Thanks for your help.    — Carol H. (posted on July 10, 1999)

July 10, 1999
It SO depends on your doctor. Our doctor will do us no matter how heavy (as far as I know), having done folks at 700#. But he balks at infections. Then you wait. Otherwise, he does consider it an intervention of sorts. To stop the co-morbidities. Get the weight off NOW.
   — vitalady

July 10, 1999
Your blood sugars seem to be at a rather high level, and it is sometimes dangerous to do any surgery at this time. You do need to bring the blood sugars down before having this or any other surgery.
   — Lisa B.

July 11, 1999
My blood sugars were in the 200's all the time before surgery. The reason I had the surgery was to get them down. My doctor(Mayo) never said anything about getting them down before surgery, because if I could have gotten them down, I may not have had surgery. I think you doctor is a few bricks shy of a load. I have come across a lot of these. Go to someone else......
   — JAN C.