I had this surgery first and foremost to resolve my diabetes. I became diabetic after receiving huge doses of steroids closely followed by medication that had diabetes as a side effect. I had no pre diabetic period, I went from nothing to diabetic in the course of a few weeks after starting the new drug.

The drug was to help with my arthritis. I was given the choice of stopping the drug and the diabetes would go. But I needed the drug to remain mobile so I didn't have a choice. But diabetes on top of my existing condition that needed additional management just pushed me towards depression.

So I spent a year looking into the sleeve as a way of putting my diabetes into remission - that was my hope. But after my last tests, I have now been told that my doc wants to take me off the diabetic register completely (we have one in Scotland, where every health professional knows about your condition). My numbers have been consistently low and, as she told me, my random sugars are lower that most people's including hers!

So apart from putting my arthritis into remission and losing weight since being sleeved, I have now achieved my health goal of no diabetes. Heard yesterday but been a bit dazed - can't quite believe it but am sooooo happy :-)))

Wow that's fantastic well done! I have arthritis in both knees, one is particularly painful and I need surgery on it. I opted for sleeve surgery due to the pain in my knee and mobility problems, I wasn't expecting these problems at 47 yrs of age especially as I had previously been very active but damaged it at a Rosemary Conley exercise class and haven't been able to exercise since I really hoping weight loss will help do you think it stopped the arthritis?

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! It sounds like you've had so much success and this particular success is massive....life-changing!!! Congratulations to you and keep up the good work!!!

This is so encouraging to me. I, too, am counting on my upcoming sleeve to resolve pre-diabetes issues and get me off of multiple meds. My weight and my numbers have been going in the wrong direction for years. It is interesting that this forum reaches to Endinburgh, Scotland. One of my paternal ancestors, Godfrey McCulloch (hence the username Miss Mac) was executed there in 1697 - the last person in Scotland to be executed on the iron maiden. Well, that's the murdering horse-thieving McCullochs. Thank goodness we had some Presbyterians on the other side of Luce Bay to balance out the family Karma. Recently, my youngest brother had some DNA work done, and the results take us straight back to ancient stone builders on the Orkney Islands. Resolving health issues and losing at least 110 pounds would enable me to travel from Chicago to my ancient homeland. Right now I can't even walk around the block. Congratulations on your results. I needed to hear what you had to say.

That's amazing!!

Musiclover, no one can explain why my arthritis is in remission, the only explanation is the sleeve. I was on 25mg of methotrexate and 50mg of Enbrel a week. Post surgery, my consultant stopped the metho completely; he only wanted me to start the Enbrel in case the arthritis came back. We are discussing in Jan reducing it to a single injection a week. So, all I can say is that I had severe arthritis that was only being managed with two drugs in tandem and all that has changed :-)

Miss Mac, omg, what a family history!!! If you need any further incentive to lose weight, keep the thought of a trip to Scotland to the front of your mind - you would love it. Let me know when you are coming :-)))) As for the sleeve, our bodies all react differently to it, but I couldn't be happier at my outcome. I hope you get the results you want when the time comes.

Before I made the decision in August to do the vertical sleeve, I was afraid I would have to give my travel funds to my daughter or a niece because I struggle to walk even around the house. But I think now, with my sleeve coming up after I finish this 12 week program in early November, I am going to add Scotland to my bucket list. And, thanks to the surgery, I will be given the gift of a much bigger bucket! My passport is good until 2019. I've never gone anywhere with it, but I was a federal employee at the time, and they were giving them away like candy at work. Well, I had to apply and pay, but I had it like within a week! One of the places I want to see in Scotland is Cardoness Castle, the original McCulloch homestead for my lowland border clan McCullochs. And I would want to wonder over to Hadrian's Wall on the English border. My understanding is that Hadrian gave up on trying to take Scotland because the border clans (My People LOL) were too fierce, so he built the wall to keep the McCullochs, McDonalds, McDougals, Ross's, Munroes, and Gordons out of England.

All that to say this.....I am expecting the sleeve to give me a new lease on life. I know the recovery will be challenging, but I have to take the risk. And by the way, my last name has morphed to McCullough because we spent our Scottish Plantation years near Dunluce Castle in County Antrim, Ireland from 1609-1726.....then off to America. Family history stirs a fire in me because I strongly believe that we need to know whose shoulders we stand on. Since retiring early last year, my genealogy project has helped occupy my stroke recovery time and fill my days. I knew we were Scottish, but I had no idea we were THAT Scottish. So, how do we sleevers contact each other individually?

Awesome news!

MissMac, my family also have connections with Co Antrim - half of them come from there! It's a small world! Hope all is well with you :-)

Hey, Ms. Indigo in Scotland. I am hanging in there. My surgeons visit is coming up fast on the 24th. As for County Antrim, my Scots-Irish McCulloughs were in the area around Randalstown, Barony of Toome. They hopped a boat to America in 1736.

Good for you!

Awesome job...cheers to a healthier and a skinnier you!!

Thanks! I love my new look but I love my much improved health even more :-)))

Miss Mac, the 24th will be here before you know it - and then the adventure begins.... Sounds as if you are from a bunch of intrepid explorers - your surgery is the modern day equivalent lol!