Dear Sleevers,

At this time I am faced with the huge decision of which surgery I should have, and I am about to loose my mind with all the research, advise and conflicting information from every doctor, nurse and medical professional that I talk to. I would love to hear from those of you who have already been thru this as to what you think I should do.

This is my situation: I am a 45 yrs. old woman, I currently weigh 244 lbs, I have been a type 2 diabetic since I was 17, which I completely ignored most of my life while talking care of my Mom, who also had diabetes very bad and ultimately lost her life to complications from it 2 years ago, and my father , whom I lost last year was a double amputee and complete alcoholic, and my ex-husband, whom I took back in when he had a massive heart attack, then suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen before they could get CPR started on him. I changed his diapers, bathed him, fed him, comforted him and fought with him until I got almost completely down myself, then had to let him go to a home when I couldn't take care of him any longer.

In the meantime, my health was paying the price of my neglecting it for so long. I currently have neuropathy in my feet so bad that I have no feeling in them at all and I have to wear braces because I can't lift up my toes to take a step, I have blood vessels bursting in my eyes all the time, requiring laser surgery, etc. just so I can see, and lastly, but most importantly, I have damage to my kidneys which will probably result in a transplant sometime in the future.

This is the whole, entire reason for the bariatric surgery.. It is a last-ditch effort for my to save my kidneys. From what I have read and researched, these surgeries can halt, and sometimes reverse diabetes and kidney disease. What a miracle that would be!

My questions is, which surgery would be best for my specific needs? My kidney doctor initially said unequivocally - the sleeve. He said if I had RNY, that they couldn't give me dialysis in my stomach and the transplant team preferred the sleeve, should I have to have a new kidney. Plus, I only needed to loose 80 lbs. or so. My goal is 160lbs. I was overjoyed with this news, because that is what I've wanted from the beginning. However, my diabetes doctor, and my entire weight loss center, including the surgeon, nurses, psychologist - say definitely RNY because it instantly "cures" the diabetes, therefor stopping any more damage instantly and they don't think I can loose enough weight with the sleeve to stop the diabetes. So then, I began calling my kidney doctor to get him to speak with my surgeon and ultimately decide which surgery they thought was best for me. (You see, I am sooo very afraid of the RNY due to the higher risks and complications). My kidney doctor finally told me that after further research, he thought either surgery would work if I had to have dialysis or a transplant in the future.

So it is back to me to decide my fate. In your experienced opinions, do you think I can loose enough weight with the sleeve to stop my diabetes and save my kidneys? I have a very bad back (I've had 5 back surgeries from a wreck I had in 2000), but still, I am going to the gym and doing weight training 2 - 3 times per week, and I've finally got able to walk 1/2 mile on the treadmill the other 2 - 3 days per week. I am giving this my best shot. Any advise you have for me will be greatly appreciated!

skcross

I'm a nurse, and I would say try the sleeve. It also treats diabetes. Rny will not cure u, no surgery will, if u are not compliant nothing will save your kidneys.

I've been type II for 20 yrs. been on insulin 2 yrs plus metforin. Used to take 4 shots a day 150 units. Now after losing 78 lbs I take 30 units, 2 shots a day plus the same metforin. Endo said I probably have been diabetic too long to completely get off of insulin. I had the sleeve 8 months ago specifically to get off of insulin. Has not worked for me yet but many on the posts have great results. I am 66 yrs old also. Best of luck to you.

I am 59 and a 20 year diabetic. I was on 10mg Glipizide XL 2x a day. Should have been on insulin, but I refused so I was living with 300 blood sugars and a 10.7 A1C. Don't have the problems you have, but I was starting to lose the feeling in my feet and knew I was headed down the path towards amputation.

I am 11 weeks out from sleeve surgery. Lost 44 lbs, halfway to my goal. Right after the surgery, cut my Glipizide to 1/4, blood pressure med to 1/8 what I was taking. My sugars are running 100-130. My A1C is now a 7. Still losing weight so I am hoping to get the A1C down to 6 by my next check.

I am not a doctor, so i can't advise you. But for me the sleeve offered me the best surgery with the fewest side effects and the least amount of downtime.

Have you had any counseling? With all of the tragedies in your life, sounds like you could use some grief counseling.

By the way, you will find the pre-op diet a lot easier if you eliminate sugar and caffeine now. The first few days of the liquid diet is tough enough, without having to go through sugar and caffeine withdrawal too.

Good luck to you!

Thank you all for your advice. I know all of you are all correct. I guess I just wanted to hear that some of you had "cured" your diabetes with the sleeve, for they are telling me there is a 50/50 chance that it might. But they are also telling me that I will have a much harder battle to loose weight if I am still having to take insulin. It works against the surgery. However, they say that if I have the RNY, my diabetes could be cured by the time I leave the hospital. It's a very hard decision. There are so many bad things I hear about RNY, that it literally scares me to death!

And thank you, cindymd, for your concern. No I haven't had any grief counseling. Where I am from, here in Ky, we just go somewhere alone and have a long talk with God, and He is my strength. Plus I do have a great support system at home. I have a fiance' of 5 years and a 20 year old daughter in nursing school to be an RN. Thanks you so much for caring. Bless you!