Cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes run strong in my family, and I'm considering lap band surgery as a way to reduce my risk of these illnesses. I've read many people no longer need meds for hypertension or diabetes, and that many people's cholesterol and triglycerides improve. I already have metabolic syndrome and take several medications which are only somewhat effective to protect my cardiovascular system.

Has anyone experienced improvements to their cardiovascular system or blood sugar? I don't have type II diabetes (yet, but I'm pretty likely to develop it down the road), but I've read 80-90% of people get their blood sugar under control with this medical tool. I also read 80% of people can quit their hypertension meds.

Any arguments against this (people who still had diabetes, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, hypertension, etc) even after the surgery?

I've been banded just over six months. I was a borderline diabetic before, but my blood sugar is totally normal now. I was on two meds for high blood pressure before, now I'm on one, and working at being on none. My cholesterol was medium to high before - now it's normal. My blood tests were all moderately high before -- now everything is in the Normal range.

If you see trouble in your future, I'd vote for having the surgery. You have plenty of better health to gain from it, and nothing to lose but health risk. Go for it.

Dave

I've been banded just over six months. I was a borderline diabetic before, but my blood sugar is totally normal now. I was on two meds for high blood pressure before, now I'm on one, and working at being on none. My cholesterol was medium to high before - now it's normal. My blood tests were all moderately high before -- now everything is in the Normal range.

If you see trouble in your future, I'd vote for having the surgery. You have plenty of better health to gain from it, and nothing to lose but health risk. Go for it.

Dave

You lost 96 pounds in 6 months? Congrats, that is really good. That is about what I need to lose, close to 100 pounds. My BMI is about 41 but I am a mesomorph, so I think losing 100 pounds or so would do me a lot of good. I've read it is more waist size than BMI and bodyweight that plays a major role in your health risks. My waist is about 51", and I know from personal experience that about every 5 pounds I lose causes about an inch to shrink from my waist. And getting one's waist down to the mid/low 30s is supposedly ideal for a persons health since it is the fat in the abdomen that screws your health up. So I'd probably only need to lose 70-80 pounds to get from a 51" to a 35" or so.

I'm very technical.

I've heard blood sugar tends to go to normal even before you start losing weight with bariatric surgery. I don't have diabetes now but due to genetics and my body shape I am all but guaranteed to develop it someday (on my dads side of the family he has it, all his siblings and both his parents have it or had it).

You're right about waist size. I was on the verge of all the same things you're concerned about. My waist was also 51" when I started this journey. Now it's about 34" and all my health issues are under control.

Well, I got cancer! However, my doc believes the tumour was already there, over five years before it was diagnosed, and in hindsight, I certainly had symptoms very very soon after being banded, which I put down to change in diet and which my general doctor also agreed with - so in a way the band prevented me seeking medical attention at a stage where a small tumour could have been removed during a colonoscopy instead of much bigger surgery. However, that said, my colorectal surgeon remarks over and over again how much easier it is to opeate on a thinner patient, the radiation therapy was more accurately targeted meaning I suffered none of the truly awful side effects that can occur due to collateral damage to surrounding tissue. My bowel resection was laparascopic because I was thin enough for this to possible and there was a lot of room for my surgeon to work to create a pouch once he removed my rectum, meaning that I can have my ileostomy reversed in a few weeks aand not have to have a bag forever. When it IS reversed, the lesser pressure of a load of fat in the abdomen, coupled wity my fit physical condition *may* mean that regaining bowel function iis easier for me. Whilst I've had the ileostomy and a bag, I havent had skin issues or leaking issues like others do because I have a hard, flat stomach which is a good surface for the bag to stick to, it doesnt pull free due to getting bent and wrinkled when my stomach folds over on itself like it would if it were fatter.

I got over the big surgery very very quickly too and ran ten days later. So the moral of the story is that if you have to get something awful like cancer, it can be a lot easier if you're not weighed down by a heap of extra weight and health problems. And you know, this may sound very shallow but its meant a lot to me that whilst i've had to go through some very invasive and personal exams and treatments (every man and his dog has been up my rear end in the last 12 months), I feel comfortable with my body. I am not cringing with embarrassment at having to disrobe, wondering if everyone is gagging at the sight of my huge flabby ass. I had to have radiation treatment daily where I lay on a table with my bare butt up in the air, whilst two young guys (very hot young guys I might add) drew on me with textas andn positioned me for the radiation. That was pretty embarrassing but it would have been exruciating in my fat days when I would have died of shame. Going through cancer treatment and feeling good about yourself is very hard, when you feel sick, tired and depressed and it really helps to keep you positive when you feel you can go out every day not looking like a sick or dying person.

On a day to day basis, I'm 43 years old and I can teach gymnastics to little kids whilst I'm waiting to return to work because I'm physically capable of doing stuff like handstands and cartwheels and forward rolls. Couldnt do that when I was fat. My blood pressure sits at about 100 on 50, my pulse rate is 48 or so, and I live a lifestyle that I'm sure can do the maximum possible to help prevent this cancer recurring (given I most likely have a strong genetic tendency due to family history).

I was able to stop my blood pressure med.

I'm a fairly young guy...but the last couple months before my surgery, I started to notice an increase in my blood pressure.

In my late teens, I was very athletic and RARELY had a BP of over 115/75 but recently my BP has been steady around ~140/80. I know this is not SUPER high, but it is high enough to warrant medical intervention.

The cardiologist I saw before my surgery recommended that I be put on a beta blocker to lower my BP (those damn beta receptors!) but I asked to wait until a couple months after surgery.

Fortunately, my blood pressure is slowly decreasing since my surgery and I already have stopped feeling the rare palpitations I used to get.

Obesity does and will kill.

You lost 96 pounds in 6 months? Congrats, that is really good. That is about what I need to lose, close to 100 pounds.

Sure did. And nobody is more surprised or pleased than I am. I owe it to a consistent eating plan (I follow a modified South Beach Diet kind of thing), an hour or so in the gym four or five days a week, a good night's sleep, lots of Water, and trying to stay as active as possible. That's it. I don't binge eat, I don't graze or snack, and I rarely drink alcohol. (Half a glass of beer a time or two a month in a restaurant doesn't count as much alcohol.) If I decide to have a sweet treat, I'll have a bite or two, and stop. I don't have room to eat a whole dessert after a meal, and I don't really have the desire to eat one. And if I do eat something like that, I don't do it often - certainly not like I did pre-surgery.

I feel great, I have a ton of energy, and I look ten years younger. I'm able to do my work much better than before (I'm an IT guy for a large hospital), and I intend to take this as far as is reasonable. The biggest thing my band has given me is my life back again. I was a spectator on the road to an early grave. Now I feel energized, and ready to face the rest of my life head-on. I'm 57, but haven't felt like this since I was in my 30's.

By the numbers, I've reached 66% of my ultimate goal, which is another 49 pounds down from where I am now. I don't expect to get that low. I may stop at 25-30 pounds more, depending on how I look and feel.

Hope this helps,

Dave

I am completely off my blood pressure meds and my thyroid meds have been reduced twice (I will always have to take them in some form because I had a thyroidectomy 12 years ago). In addition, I have arthritis in both knees and, although that will never completely go away, I used to live in constant pain - walking was difficult and stairs were out of the question (I couldn't even get in and out of our pool without assistance). Now, I don't feel pain in my knees when walking, can walk up and down stairs with minimal discomfort and can get in and out of the pool unassisted.

I was at that fork in the road in my life where it was going downhill fast. I was diagnosed as borderline diabetic and my knees were killing me on the stairs...was so stiff at such a relatively young age (52).

I am on a cpap but my breathing is because of my jaw (i have a receding jawline) and the weight made it much worse. I will probably always need one but I had to have the pressure turned up twice because of my increasing weight and i still wasn't getting a good sleep. Now i wake up refreshed. If only I could get rid of my insomnia..but that's another story.

At only 27 lbs lost (including pre-op diet) I am already in much less pain on the stairs, less stiffness and my energy is getting much better. I still have nearly 45lbs to go (i'm super short) but I can already see that I'm going to feel much better afterwards. I am off sugar..only rarely take a small bite. I am off stuff that was just plain bad for me..like diet soda, white bread, white Pasta, etc. Most white stuff is bad news.

I'm still early in the journey but I FEEL so much better already.

yay!

hugs,

DangerKitten

I found out I was borderline diabetic when getting my blood tests done prior to surgery, and a fatty liver. Both problems have been corrected through the weightloss.

Cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes run strong in my family, and I'm considering lap band surgery as a way to reduce my risk of these illnesses. I've read many people no longer need meds for hypertension or diabetes, and that many people's cholesterol and triglycerides improve. I already have metabolic syndrome and take several medications which are only somewhat effective to protect my cardiovascular system.

Has anyone experienced improvements to their cardiovascular system or blood sugar? I don't have type II diabetes (yet, but I'm pretty likely to develop it down the road), but I've read 80-90% of people get their blood sugar under control with this medical tool. I also read 80% of people can quit their hypertension meds.

Any arguments against this (people who still had diabetes, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, hypertension, etc) even after the surgery?

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes six years ago. The oral meds I took for this time contributed to a 20 lb weight gain over those 6 years. In January 2011, my doctor broke the news that my A1C was too high at 8.4%. I was going to have to increase my meds again. After I balked at the idea of more meds, my doctor suggested that I consider lapband. My wife was banded 5 months earlier in Mexico, so we went off to Mexico again, this time to get me banded. In 5 months, I have lost 60lbs, A1C went from 8.4 to 5.8, BP from 120/75 to 95/60, triglycerides from 335 to 133, cholesterol from 180 to 135. I have much more energy now. I can't believe that I may have to figure out how not to loose more weight in the very near future. That will be a great problem to have. My doctor believes that I can go medication free at my next visit in September.

First I feel great since my banding on May 23, 2011. I have lost 23 lbs since May 9th. I have allot more energy and I am riding a bicycle again. Never thought I would. My BP is 116/60, my diabetes meds have been lowered twice. I can bend over and tie my shoes. Small things for some, big things for us.

I was wondering if any others with diabetes have had significant results from banding. I had decided on banding and my surgery is scheduled soon. At my last meeting with my surgeon, he still suggests changing to GB. The higher risks and more drastic changes kept me away from that route, but pushes that for diabetes it is more successful and it really is what has brought me to having surgery done. So, wondering if anyone other diabetics have banded and their experience with it. As some background, I have been on medication for some time now and taking a good amount of insulin for the past 2 years of it. Thanks.

I was wondering if any others with diabetes have had significant results from banding. I had decided on banding and my surgery is scheduled soon. At my last meeting with my surgeon, he still suggests changing to GB. The higher risks and more drastic changes kept me away from that route, but pushes that for diabetes it is more successful and it really is what has brought me to having surgery done. So, wondering if anyone other diabetics have banded and their experience with it. As some background, I have been on medication for some time now and taking a good amount of insulin for the past 2 years of it. Thanks.

I can tell you that before my surgery on May 13th my blood sugars were in the 230-340 range. 6 weeks later and 21 lbs lighter I am now in the 90-120 range and have never hit past 140. I see my endocrinologist next month and hope to take myself off a few meds. I got the lap band mainly for my diabetes and ithas helped tremendously.