I am scheduled to have my sleeve surgery on February 18, 2011, with Dr. Thomas Borland in New Iberia, Louisiana. I am excited, but at times I want to back out and I am sure this is normal for most people. There is no support group that I have found in my area. I weight 230, I am a diabetic and have rheumotoid arthritis. My goal is to get off my medicines, but worried that I will not be able to take them for a period of time. I am so close to cancelling my surgery, but I really want to do this. I have talked to people that has had it and has nothing but good things to same about it. If anyone that has or had diabetes or rheumotoid arthritis before sleeve surgery please help!!

I was on metformin 1000 mg twice a day prior to surgery. My sugar would still spike to 250 at times even with the medication. They had back in July double my dosage. I weighed basically the same as you, 232 lbs. Prior to surgery working with my pcp, I had a week liquid diet-very low carb. I closely monitered my sugar several times a day and did not take any pills during that week. In the hospital, they did give me one shot of insulin due to iv fluids. Since I have come home my sugars have been in the normal range with 120 after a meal. I am still keeping things very low carb to keep losing weight consistently. I will be checking with my pcp next month for my A1C which I am hoping they will have me in a normal range. Good luck. I never would have been able to stop my pills without surgery and most likely in the future would have been taking shots.

I am 2 weeks post op and all is find (28lb down, with a few problems like hiccups and incision itches. I was like you, wondering if I was doing the right thing, having a important part of my body removed for good. Wondering how I got in the situation. You know all the self petty stuff. One this is normal and two all the negative feeling will go away in time as the new you progresses.

Like you also, I am a diabetic post op blood sugar is approx 118 - pre-op was +180, blood pressure is improving almost daily, will be completely off cholesterol drugs also.

I am in Houston and have my first support group meeting next week. One thing you may want to do is start your own support group. Ask your doctor office to contact some of the patients that had the sleeve surgery to contact you, or post it on the WEB. You can not contact them because of HIPPA privacy stuff. You will be surprised how many patients will contact you.

Yow will be just fine!

Please let me know how you are doing.

Lash44

Hi there, I do know what you are going through a bit. I just had mine 5 days ago and the closer it got the more I wondered if I was diong the right thing. I am not diabetic, but it is the number one reason I went through with it because I saw it in my future, both mother, father, maternal and paternal grandmothers have diabetes. My mother had a stroke in 2001 and has been in a nursing home ever since, she was only 47 at the time. I was 223 the day of surgery due to pre op diet. I orginally hung around 231. I kept wondering can I do this myself. I don't regret it yet, things are going well. Tough time the first two days, but I think that would be with most surgeries. Each day gets so much better, after first two days. It is a life changing thing, I felt really mentally prepared from taking my time and researching throughout the whole process, I didn't rush it like some do. You still have a couple of weeks. I might be worried about taking meds too. To my suprise they gave me pills to take, stool softener and Nexium. With the hopes that I won't need nexium eventually anymore. I thought we couldn't have pills, thus the chewable Vitamins. I don't know what to say, it is such a personal decision, you might need to just read more on here, or go to YouTube and view testimonies. I did that a few days out and it got me more pumped up that I was in fact doing the right thing. It is inspiring.

Good luck you and I feel what you are going through.

I am scheduled to have my sleeve surgery on February 18, 2011, with Dr. Thomas Borland in New Iberia, Louisiana. I am excited, but at times I want to back out and I am sure this is normal for most people. There is no support group that I have found in my area. I weight 230, I am a diabetic and have rheumotoid arthritis. My goal is to get off my medicines, but worried that I will not be able to take them for a period of time. I am so close to cancelling my surgery, but I really want to do this. I have talked to people that has had it and has nothing but good things to same about it. If anyone that has or had diabetes or rheumotoid arthritis before sleeve surgery please help!!

I was on metformin 1000 mg twice a day prior to surgery. My sugar would still spike to 250 at times even with the medication. They had back in July double my dosage. I weighed basically the same as you, 232 lbs. Prior to surgery working with my pcp, I had a week liquid diet-very low carb. I closely monitered my sugar several times a day and did not take any pills during that week. In the hospital, they did give me one shot of insulin due to iv fluids. Since I have come home my sugars have been in the normal range with 120 after a meal. I am still keeping things very low carb to keep losing weight consistently. I will be checking with my pcp next month for my A1C which I am hoping they will have me in a normal range. Good luck. I never would have been able to stop my pills without surgery and most likely in the future would have been taking shots.

That is exactly what I am hoping for, to get off meds. I am on Janumet twice a day and I do have a call into my internist. Great to hear that you are not taking any pills. Well I will keep you updated after my surgery on Feb. 18th, and you do the same. You did make me feel alot better. Thanks!

I am 2 weeks post op and all is find (28lb down, with a few problems like hiccups and incision itches. I was like you, wondering if I was doing the right thing, having a important part of my body removed for good. Wondering how I got in the situation. You know all the self petty stuff. One this is normal and two all the negative feeling will go away in time as the new you progresses.

Like you also, I am a diabetic post op blood sugar is approx 118 - pre-op was +180, blood pressure is improving almost daily, will be completely off cholesterol drugs also.

I am in Houston and have my first support group meeting next week. One thing you may want to do is start your own support group. Ask your doctor office to contact some of the patients that had the sleeve surgery to contact you, or post it on the WEB. You can not contact them because of HIPPA privacy stuff. You will be surprised how many patients will contact you.

Yow will be just fine!

Please let me know how you are doing.

Lash44

Thanks for the encouragement. It sounds like you are doing great. I will definitely keep you updated post-op. Keep up the good work!

Hi there, I do know what you are going through a bit. I just had mine 5 days ago and the closer it got the more I wondered if I was diong the right thing. I am not diabetic, but it is the number one reason I went through with it because I saw it in my future, both mother, father, maternal and paternal grandmothers have diabetes. My mother had a stroke in 2001 and has been in a nursing home ever since, she was only 47 at the time. I was 223 the day of surgery due to pre op diet. I orginally hung around 231. I kept wondering can I do this myself. I don't regret it yet, things are going well. Tough time the first two days, but I think that would be with most surgeries. Each day gets so much better, after first two days. It is a life changing thing, I felt really mentally prepared from taking my time and researching throughout the whole process, I didn't rush it like some do. You still have a couple of weeks. I might be worried about taking meds too. To my suprise they gave me pills to take, stool softener and Nexium. With the hopes that I won't need nexium eventually anymore. I thought we couldn't have pills, thus the chewable Vitamins. I don't know what to say, it is such a personal decision, you might need to just read more on here, or go to YouTube and view testimonies. I did that a few days out and it got me more pumped up that I was in fact doing the right thing. It is inspiring.

Good luck you and I feel what you are going through.

I have watched the You Tube testimonies and they are very inspiring. Glad to know that it is normal to feel like this pre-op. I know its the right thing to do and I really want it. Seems like you are doing great, keep up the good work and I will keep you updated and you do the same!

Hey there,

I am diabetic. I was taking two types of insulin (3 injections per day - total of 70 units per day) and Metformin 1000 mg, 2 times a day. My blood sugar numbers were out of control - often over 200, never lower than 165. I also had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, with triglycerides off the chart, and hypothyroidism.

Since surgery (8 weeks as of yesterday), I've stopped taking Metformin, blood pressure meds, and am down to one injection of insulin. I just had blood drawn yesterday and look forward to hearing my numbers. My blood sugar levels have been below 130 since the 2nd week and my blood pressure has been within normal limits for the past 7 weeks. The only medications I'm currently taking are for my thyroid and gastritis of the esophagus.

I was anxious before surgery but I've never had buyer's remorse - even during the most difficult first days. I'm really doing well and am thrilled with the results.

I hope you do what is right for you. Good Luck!

Wow Bloomin, that is incredible.

I am scheduled to have my sleeve surgery on February 18, 2011, with Dr. Thomas Borland in New Iberia, Louisiana. I am excited, but at times I want to back out and I am sure this is normal for most people. There is no support group that I have found in my area. I weight 230, I am a diabetic and have rheumotoid arthritis. My goal is to get off my medicines, but worried that I will not be able to take them for a period of time. I am so close to cancelling my surgery, but I really want to do this. I have talked to people that has had it and has nothing but good things to same about it. If anyone that has or had diabetes or rheumotoid arthritis before sleeve surgery please help!!

My co morbilities alone are what I used to rationalize with my doubting before the surgery. I knew I had to get healthy if I wanted to be around for my Grandbabies and be able to enjoy them!

I have bulged disks in my lower back and I was in pain on a daily basis, I have a knee with no cartilage and full of arthritis, I had high blood pressure, borderline diabetes and high cholesterol.

I am no longer on metformin nor any of the 5 blood pressure meds. While my back and knee will never be "normal" I am no longer in daily pain with them. One other thing I have noticed is my immune system is STRONG! I have not caught any of the colds that my coworkers are sharing and my husband just went through influenza and I did not get that either. I used to get every single illness around me!

Hey there,

I am diabetic. I was taking two types of insulin (3 injections per day - total of 70 units per day) and Metformin 1000 mg, 2 times a day. My blood sugar numbers were out of control - often over 200, never lower than 165. I also had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, with triglycerides off the chart, and hypothyroidism.

Since surgery (8 weeks as of yesterday), I've stopped taking Metformin, blood pressure meds, and am down to one injection of insulin. I just had blood drawn yesterday and look forward to hearing my numbers. My blood sugar levels have been below 130 since the 2nd week and my blood pressure has been within normal limits for the past 7 weeks. The only medications I'm currently taking are for my thyroid and gastritis of the esophagus.

I was anxious before surgery but I've never had buyer's remorse - even during the most difficult first days. I'm really doing well and am thrilled with the results.

I hope you do what is right for you. Good Luck!

That is awesome Bloomin, that is very encouraging. As I said I am scheduled for February 18th and lately have not been having any doubts, after listening to all of you. Keep up the good work and I will update after my surgery.

You need to do what is right for you but I will tell you I know how you feel. I went in for my sleeve surgery last Thursday. I went into the hospital at 8 but my surgery was not until 10:30. I had too much time to think. When they took me into pre-op, I started to second guess myself and had visions of running out of the hospital (I spent 8 months preparing and researching). I just prayed for strength and kept reminding myself of all the reasons why the surgery my sense. Well, here I am 10 days later and even though it is early on, I can say I know this was the best/right choice for me. I am healing rapidly and ate my first solid/pureed food this morning with no issues. You need to weigh the quality of your life and health as it is against what is will be. I have no regrets. I will you well!

I am scheduled to have my sleeve surgery on February 18, 2011, with Dr. Thomas Borland in New Iberia, Louisiana. I am excited, but at times I want to back out and I am sure this is normal for most people. There is no support group that I have found in my area. I weight 230, I am a diabetic and have rheumotoid arthritis. My goal is to get off my medicines, but worried that I will not be able to take them for a period of time. I am so close to cancelling my surgery, but I really want to do this. I have talked to people that has had it and has nothing but good things to same about it. If anyone that has or had diabetes or rheumotoid arthritis before sleeve surgery please help!!