Diabetes and the sleeve surgery

[Grommie]

Does diabetes go away with the sleeve surgery? I heard that it goes away immediately with the bypass surgery. It should also go away with the sleeve based on what you are eating, protein and veggies. I am a couple of weeks away from my last dietician appointment and want to know what people have experienced. I take very expensive diabetic medicine and was hoping that I can eliminate that expense after surgery. Also, they are like horse pills. They would fill up my entire stomach after surgery.

 

[ThunderWoman]

I think it is very individual based on your personal chemistry and how well you follow the dietary restrictions, but there is a very good possibility T2 diabetes complications will either go into remission or be greatly reduced, which could mean you can either lessen or stop taking medication entirely, but there is no hard and fast rule so you will need to keep a close eye on your levels after surgery so your doctor can determine what new course of action to take. I also have T2 diabetes and am hopeful my sleeve surgery will help me in this way as well. However some people are unable to get off medication completely, it really depends on how severe your diabetes is and how your body reacts to the change in food intake and how it processes nutrients. Your doctor will want to be testing for those things and looking carefully at your physical and chemical changes post op so you can find out the right plan for you, but it IS possible

 

[ThunderWoman]

I will add now that I am 12 days post op, I AM able to get the big metformin pill down with a bit of protein shake just fine, I had to learn to take pills with less liquid but the thickness of the shake coats the pill and it goes down much easier than with water for me.

 

[Brenda2010]

I will add now that I am 12 days post op, I AM able to get the big metformin pill down with a bit of protein shake just fine, I had to learn to take pills with less liquid but the thickness of the shake coats the pill and it goes down much easier than with water for me.

How goes the recovery TW? Am I remembering correctly that you're already back to work and everything?

 

[ThunderWoman]

Yes! I have been back to work full time since last Tuesday, it's going well! I am definitely getting tired of the protein drinks just because of the repetition, but i don't start soft food until Wednesday. But then i can finally taste some different things! I do get pretty tired in the evenings, i think the day catches up with me quickly now but it makes sense as my body is reprogramming where to get fuel from with such a caloric deficiency. It is not as bad as I thought it would be and I have good mental clarity so far which i am thankful for as I am starting my new job next week and really can't afford a brain fog right now. Been making my protein and water goals consistently now for a few days so I am sure that is helping. I've lost about 25 pounds since the pre-op diet began so that is good, I am not sure if I see it yet or not but I figure i won't really notice until maybe about 50 pounds which is my first goal and I am well on my way there. The incision wounds are still irritating and itchy, i think i had contact dermatitis from the tape they used but even so they are healing up pretty well and hydro-cortisone helps with the itch.

On the emotional front, I had my first moment on Saturday of "Why did I do this to myself???", but my husband talked me through it and I resolved to push it out of my mind and choose to walk forward because there is no going back, so why dwell on it. I was just missing food a lot, and missing chewing, and over-obsessing about recipes my stomach is NOT ready for yet because right about now I would give my left eye for a piece of grilled chicken, lol

 

[Brenda2010]

Yes! I have been back to work full time since last Tuesday, it's going well! I am definitely getting tired of the protein drinks just because of the repetition, but i don't start soft food until Wednesday. But then i can finally taste some different things! I do get pretty tired in the evenings, i think the day catches up with me quickly now but it makes sense as my body is reprogramming where to get fuel from with such a caloric deficiency. It is not as bad as I thought it would be and I have good mental clarity so far which i am thankful for as I am starting my new job next week and really can't afford a brain fog right now. Been making my protein and water goals consistently now for a few days so I am sure that is helping. I've lost about 25 pounds since the pre-op diet began so that is good, I am not sure if I see it yet or not but I figure i won't really notice until maybe about 50 pounds which is my first goal and I am well on my way there. The incision wounds are still irritating and itchy, i think i had contact dermatitis from the tape they used but even so they are healing up pretty well and hydro-cortisone helps with the itch.

On the emotional front, I had my first moment on Saturday of "Why did I do this to myself???", but my husband talked me through it and I resolved to push it out of my mind and choose to walk forward because there is no going back, so why dwell on it. I was just missing food a lot, and missing chewing, and over-obsessing about recipes my stomach is NOT ready for yet because right about now I would give my left eye for a piece of grilled chicken, lol

That's great, I'm really glad to hear you're doing so well. Your husband sounds like a great supporter too. That's good you get to move on to soft foods Wed, variety always helps. Good luck with the new job, talk about new start all-around. Congrats on the 25 lbs too!!!

 

[AnnieLuv]

Today I am 10weeks post op from bypass with gallbladder removal. I was on 3 500mg metformin a day pre surgery. In the hospital my sugars went high around 200 so they gave me insulin shots. Once I went home, my blood sugars fell to 100-150 so I reduced down to one metformin 500 mg pill per day. I was at that for two weeks and at my 2 week check up they told me to stop all metformin. My sugars now range from 100-130. I think that's a little high but am following drs orders. It was nice to not have to crush up those pills they are so nasty going down!

 

[missdarmitage]

I will add now that I am 12 days post op, I AM able to get the big metformin pill down with a bit of protein shake just fine, I had to learn to take pills with less liquid but the thickness of the shake coats the pill and it goes down much easier than with water for me.

I had not even thought about the fact that taking pills would be done with less water! Love the tip here because that may be necessary for me too!

 

[missdarmitage]

I've lost about 25 pounds since the pre-op diet began so that is good, I am not sure if I see it yet or not but I figure i won't really notice until maybe about 50 pounds which is my first goal and I am well on my way there.

Since my highest weight in December of last year, I have lost 50 lbs... unfortunately, I don't see it myself. There are times I catch a glimpse of it as I look in the mirror, but to me, I look like I always have. I am trying to let the facts lead me when my eyes are failing me. My clothes don't fit. All the scales have not gotten smarter than me and banded together to fool me into thinking I have lost weight. And people that see me and comment on it are not also in the same conspiracy as the scales. Eventually my eyes will catch up with what everyone else is seeing but for now, I'm relying on the facts lol.

AND CONGRATS ON 25 LBS!!!!!

 

[ThunderWoman]

Since my highest weight in December of last year, I have lost 50 lbs... unfortunately, I don't see it myself. There are times I catch a glimpse of it as I look in the mirror, but to me, I look like I always have. I am trying to let the facts lead me when my eyes are failing me. My clothes don't fit. All the scales have not gotten smarter than me and banded together to fool me into thinking I have lost weight. And people that see me and comment on it are not also in the same conspiracy as the scales. Eventually my eyes will catch up with what everyone else is seeing but for now, I'm relying on the facts lol.

AND CONGRATS ON 25 LBS!!!!!

Thanks! I resonate with the body image thing: I have been overweight my entire adult life and even when i thought i was fat when i was younger (oh to be that 'fat' again) I have always seen myself the same way. My brain is going to have a lot of trouble registering the difference, probably for a long while. Self image is a really hard thing to alter: I am definitely working on it weight loss or not because being thin will not fix the me inside. I have to learn to love myself in whatever condition I am currently in. I have mistreated the body I was given for too long, lied to myself about my worth for too long, and it is time to walk out of the shadows, stop giving myself excuses for not grabbing what I truly want out of this life, and forgive myself for past mistakes and poor choices.
Each day is a new chance for a better choice. There is no 'wagon' to fall off of if you look at it more like a path: a side step to the left or right occasionally does not mean you will not make it to the end, just that it may take a while longer. One foot in front of the other.

 

[honeysgirl]

Does diabetes go away with the sleeve surgery? I heard that it goes away immediately with the bypass surgery. It should also go away with the sleeve based on what you are eating, protein and veggies. I am a couple of weeks away from my last dietician appointment and want to know what people have experienced. I take very expensive diabetic medicine and was hoping that I can eliminate that expense after surgery. Also, they are like horse pills. They would fill up my entire stomach after surgery.

It is very individual. I am a month out and I am still taking medication. At the moment just one medicine and I was on 5 before the surgery and off BP meds.
My doctor told me (surgeon and endocrinologist) that I would most likely take some sort of diabetes medicine even if I weighed 90lbs. It's just the type of Type 2 diabetes that i have, not your typical T2 diabetic(lucky me).

 

[Brenda2010]

Today I am 10weeks post op from bypass with gallbladder removal. I was on 3 500mg metformin a day pre surgery. In the hospital my sugars went high around 200 so they gave me insulin shots. Once I went home, my blood sugars fell to 100-150 so I reduced down to one metformin 500 mg pill per day. I was at that for two weeks and at my 2 week check up they told me to stop all metformin. My sugars now range from 100-130. I think that's a little high but am following drs orders. It was nice to not have to crush up those pills they are so nasty going down!

Congratulations! Getting the green light to go off Metformin is huge, I'm so happy for you.

 

[Brenda2010]

It is very individual. I am a month out and I am still taking medication. At the moment just one medicine and I was on 5 before the surgery and off BP meds.
My doctor told me (surgeon and endocrinologist) that I would most likely take some sort of diabetes medicine even if I weighed 90lbs. It's just the type of Type 2 diabetes that i have, not your typical T2 diabetic(lucky me).

That's awesome that you've gone from 5 meds to 1. Stinks that you likely need medication for the rest of your life but sounds like it's much improved.

 

[Brenda2010]

Since my highest weight in December of last year, I have lost 50 lbs... unfortunately, I don't see it myself. There are times I catch a glimpse of it as I look in the mirror, but to me, I look like I always have. I am trying to let the facts lead me when my eyes are failing me. My clothes don't fit. All the scales have not gotten smarter than me and banded together to fool me into thinking I have lost weight. And people that see me and comment on it are not also in the same conspiracy as the scales. Eventually my eyes will catch up with what everyone else is seeing but for now, I'm relying on the facts lol.

Thanks! I resonate with the body image thing: I have been overweight my entire adult life and even when i thought i was fat when i was younger (oh to be that 'fat' again) I have always seen myself the same way. My brain is going to have a lot of trouble registering the difference, probably for a long while.

I'm totally with you ladies. Intellectually, I know the scale is down 108 lbs, people comment all the time but I'm struggling to actually see it myself. It's very difficult to overcome a lifetime of negative self image.

Here's to our mind's eye catching up to our shrinking bodies!

 

[Brenda2010]

Since my highest weight in December of last year, I have lost 50 lbs...

And congratulations on 50 pounds, huge milestone girlie!

 

[Grommie]

Thank you ladies for all of your responses. Yesterday I got a surgery date of October 9th. I am going to message my doctor and ask him about all of my medications. My dietician told me that the medication after surgery cannot be any bigger than an M & M. I would be glad to go back on Metforman because the medication is free vs $1,000 every 3 months that I am paying now.