Hi my name is Lois VanGilder and I live in West Virginia. I am 3 months into my 6 months of dieting so my surgery will be in January. I cant decide which surgery I want to have. I think I'd like to have the sleeve done, however my team told me that type 2 diabetes isn't always resolved with this. I like the face that everything is still the way it should be but with a smaller stomach. I really want to get rid of my diabetes. My motivation for having this surgery is to be more healthy and if I have to do the bypass to be more healthy then that's what I'll do. Several of my close friends know other people that had bypass and they feel like it greatly changed their personalities, making them more introverted and depressed. Any thoughts on the subject???? I realize the decision is ultimately mine but I do value other opinions. Help!!!!
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- Thread starter LoisV
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Kim M
Member
Welcome. Regarding the diabetes I know many people that have had the VSG and their diabetes has been resolved. My daughter had the surgery over a year ago and she was on 3 medications for diabetes. She is off all medications with about a 80 pound weight loss. I know her long acting insulin was stopped after surgery and one oral medication. By the time she returned for her post-op visit she was taken off the last one. Bypass or sleeve will hopefully resolve the diabetes. It really depends on your choice and how diligent you are to follow your plan to obtain optimum health. Do your research and decide which you think is best for you. Wishing you all the best.
dancinbr
Member
I know I went for the bypass since at the time it was the "gold standard" for controlling the T2 diabetes immediately.
However, I think as Kim is saying above many people are finding good results with the sleeve too.
Perhaps, this is becoming the new gold standard.
I am not sure.
Talk to your surgeon. When I had my surgery not quite a year ago the surgeon agreed with me to go with the bypass. I don't know the full picture. However, with the bypass the very next day after the surgery I was off all my T2 diabetic meds. I was taking up to 90 units of fast insulin (Novolog) a day along with my Metformin ER.
Understand you are still a T2 diabetic. You can run up the sugar count with sweets, etc., However, with your new diet and better discipline, the numbers are so much better. I wake up each morning with a FBG of 110 usually. My A1C is 5.9 last measure without any meds.
I am now trying Metformin ER again to see if this will appreciably knock down my A1C to the low 5's.
We will see.
Perhaps with more information you can make a better decision.
Ralph
However, I think as Kim is saying above many people are finding good results with the sleeve too.
Perhaps, this is becoming the new gold standard.
I am not sure.
Talk to your surgeon. When I had my surgery not quite a year ago the surgeon agreed with me to go with the bypass. I don't know the full picture. However, with the bypass the very next day after the surgery I was off all my T2 diabetic meds. I was taking up to 90 units of fast insulin (Novolog) a day along with my Metformin ER.
Understand you are still a T2 diabetic. You can run up the sugar count with sweets, etc., However, with your new diet and better discipline, the numbers are so much better. I wake up each morning with a FBG of 110 usually. My A1C is 5.9 last measure without any meds.
I am now trying Metformin ER again to see if this will appreciably knock down my A1C to the low 5's.
We will see.
Perhaps with more information you can make a better decision.
Ralph
Cheyenne
Active Member
Hi Lois!!! WELCOME to the Forum!!!
I the had the RNY Gastric Bypass almost 15 months ago and have lost a great deal of weight and feel SUPER WONDERFUL!!!! I have always been a happy person preferring to see my glass half full rather than half empty. I had the gastric bypass because my weight had gotten out of control and my health was deteriorating. I had a wonderful life, a great husband who passed away 4 years ago, and great kids and grandkids. I had a car accident about 6 yrs ago which made me immobile because my knees were slammed into the dashboard and I broke my elbow. I had been overweight for many years but very active. After the accident I gained another 100 pounds because I sat around a lot because of my knee pain. Even with my problems, I have never been depressed because I enjoy life even sitting watching tv.
I decided to go for the gastric bypass surgery because I had terrible breathing problems, a pulmonary embolism, sleep apnea, my oxygen level were way down, they said I was pre-diabetic because I was insulin resistant according to blood tests even though my sugar levels were still normal. I was on 2 blood pressure medicines and I had heart failure due to lack of oxygen and too much carbon dioxide when I had my pulmonary embolism.
Before surgery I was very excited yet scared. The operation was not very painful at all. I was really surprised, I was a little sore but it wasn't bad at all. I have lost about 197 lb since my highest weight and 168lb since my surgery. I still have weight to loose but I feel so much better, I'm off almost all my medication, I only take medicine for gout in my toe and occasionally a water weight pill, and of course I take my vitamins and minerals. My cardiologist did tests last week and my heart is so much stronger, it's in normal range now and my pre-diabetes is gone, my insulin resistance is gone and I feel like a million bucks! I have had no change in my disposition except to be even happier now that I now can walk in Walmart, the Mall, Petsmart, Petco and many other places that I love to go and feel great! When I see my reflection in the store Windows, I see a normal looking person instead of a huge obese person, and that makes me even happier! If anyone is depressed after having a gastric bypass, then something else is going on in their life. Why would losing weight, getting healthier, feeling wonderful, being able to breathe again, buying new clothes because all your old clothes fall off you, make anyone unhappy and depressed? There are many others on this forum who have had the bypass who are very happy, upbeat people who are super excited about their weight loss, too. The Gastric Bypass saved my life and I thank the good Lord above every day that I had this surgery. I would do it over in a New York second.
Good luck to you,
Cheyenne
hi LoisV. I am 51 have had T2 for more then 20 years . had R-N-Y surgery April 28 2014 I was over 400 lbs taking up to 150 units of insulin before each meal (3x a day). lost 40 lbs before surgery and have lost about 120 lbs after. some days I take no insulin at all or I might take 20 units total for a day .very happy with the outcome . I was told ahead of time since I was diabetic for so long it might not go away completely which I am very happy the results so far. its not a get healthy quick answer it takes hard work and dedication but well worth it . GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CHOICE