question

cwalker · June 15, 2011

I have a family member considering VSG and we need to know how many people had VSG and were cured of diabetes type 2? Thank you?

kellyw74 · June 15, 2011

I was taking 1000 mg of metformin daily before my surgery and had blood sugar levels in the high 180's-200 with medication at my highest weight of 280lbs.

I lost 55lbs pre-op with the help of my diet and exercise. One week after surgery, my levels were in the 90's to low 100's and my dr. took me off the metformin. YAY!!

I now monitor my levels once a day, usually in the evening and my sugar runs 90-95 without meds. This surgery totally put me in remission!

It also cured my high blood pressure, as I no longer need those meds either!

Kelly

tntransplant06 · June 15, 2011

Taking 50 units of Insulin every night for 8 years. Off insulin completely 3 days after surgery with normal blood sugars. Diabetes, gone. Doc wasn't sure if I would be off meds completely b/c of how long I've been diabetic and how much insulin I was taking....I succeeded!

cwalker · June 15, 2011

Thank you!!! That is great news for both of you! I think my SIL will do good too.

Youngandwildresa93 · June 15, 2011

i was diabetes free and all insulin and medicine free from the second i got out of surgery. i was diabetic for 2 years and was on 5 shots of insulin a day and oral pills. im 3 months post op and havent taken any medicines since!

apple-saucy · June 15, 2011

I too was on 80units of Insulin at bedtime, and 2000mg of Metformin (1000 am 1000 pm) before surgery. I haven't taken anything since the night before surgery. :-D

kemo46 · June 16, 2011

I was diagnosed with Diabetes about one month before I was to have my surgery. My doctor was going to put me on several medications to control my bood sugar. Since my surgery was coming up, we held off on the medication to see how the surgery and weight loss would affect my blood sugar. My surgery was 5-25-2011 and my blood sugar numbers are now normal. I did not have to go on any Diabetic medication. I think the Diabetes alone is enough of an issue to have the surgery, it seems to have helped many on this forum beat this horrible disease.

cwalker · June 16, 2011

I was diagnosed with Diabetes about one month before I was to have my surgery. My doctor was going to put me on several medications to control my bood sugar. Since my surgery was coming up, we held off on the medication to see how the surgery and weight loss would affect my blood sugar. My surgery was 5-25-2011 and my blood sugar numbers are now normal. I did not have to go on any Diabetic medication. I think the Diabetes alone is enough of an issue to have the surgery, it seems to have helped many on this forum beat this horrible disease.

Thank you! SIL has been a diabetic for 15 yrs and hoping to break free and lose weight too!

cwalker · June 16, 2011

I too was on 80units of Insulin at bedtime, and 2000mg of Metformin (1000 am 1000 pm) before surgery. I haven't taken anything since the night before surgery. :-D

Thanks for responding SIL is hoping fo a cure too! She has a first consult today...keeping fingers crossed!

ybnormal · June 17, 2011

The only two surgeries that guarantee a "cure" are the rny and the DS. IF her diabetes can be controlled by diet, then the VS would work for her. Keep in mind, most patients do low carb after surgery to get the weight off and then keep it off. If this works to control her blood sugars, then yeah, the vs is probably for her.

Keep in mind, I don't have the cool white coat OR the MD behind my name, this was just what I found to be true during my research phase of WLS.

Renee`

apple-saucy · June 17, 2011

Keep in mind though that there really isn't a lot of research IRT the Sleeve yet. So it may turn out that all the types of surgery are comparable WRT curing type 2 diabetes

The only two surgeries that guarantee a "cure" are the rny and the DS. IF her diabetes can be controlled by diet, then the VS would work for her. Keep in mind, most patients do low carb after surgery to get the weight off and then keep it off. If this works to control her blood sugars, then yeah, the vs is probably for her.

Keep in mind, I don't have the cool white coat OR the MD behind my name, this was just what I found to be true during my research phase of WLS.

Renee`

ybnormal · June 18, 2011

Very true apple-saucy and I hope they do more on it. It's kinda ridiculous considering this surgery has been around longer than you or I have, just for different reasons; cancer, ulcers, etc. So I believe the information is there if they'd just release it. I mean, they've known that the rny and ds has cured diabetes but they don't release that information because lets be honest, it would put a lot of people out of business, like endocrinologists. To be fair, they'd just lose a lot of business, but not all. Just pisses me off.

ok, /end rant LOL sorry!

You're right A-S, the data isn't in yet!

Renee`

apple-saucy · June 18, 2011

They also can't call it a cure because frankly it's NOT a cure for everyone. AND not all Type 2 Diabetics are overweight. My Step Mom weighs all of 120lbs and is a type 2 diabetic. So it wouldn't be an appropriate treatment for her at all.

Very true apple-saucy and I hope they do more on it. It's kinda ridiculous considering this surgery has been around longer than you or I have, just for different reasons; cancer, ulcers, etc. So I believe the information is there if they'd just release it. I mean, they've known that the rny and ds has cured diabetes but they don't release that information because lets be honest, it would put a lot of people out of business, like endocrinologists. To be fair, they'd just lose a lot of business, but not all. Just pisses me off.

ok, /end rant LOL sorry!

You're right A-S, the data isn't in yet!

Renee`

ybnormal · June 18, 2011

how right you are. One of my sisters died a very young age due to type 1 diabetes and my other sister is very close to renal failure due to type 2. She also is not a candidate because as you said, her bmi is way to low. There has to be something that they're able to do for patients that diet alone doesn't fix the problem, insulin is having very different results in her body and the rest of the medications they have her on are causing her kidneys to stop functioning. It's very sad, but it doesn't work for everyone, I guess that's the point. Doctors want to call the RNY and DS cures, but in reality, who knows? It may cure some people but in the long run once you're diabetic you always will be and you will need to watch your sugars, that's the bottom line.

I think it was Raine, but maybe someone else that told me even a few months out and being off meds she ate something that spiked her sugars up to 188. Not horrible, but she is not cured either.

Renee`

optimistic · June 18, 2011

I was diagnosed with Diabetes 2 about 6 months before surgery. Was on a minimal medication. After surgery, was on 10 MG of metaformin for 2 weeks, then off of it entirely. Dr. had me record sugars twice a day for the next 2 weeks (they were normal), and now I don't have to even do that anymore. Also went from 3 blood pressure medications to 1; now taking half of that one. Surgery was 6 weeks ago. It really works !!