Bariatric surgery and a possible cure.

[Sweet enough]

Hi
I've recently decided I've had enough of diabetes. I don't like it and it doesnt like me. I'm asking my Doctor to refer me to a bariactric surgeon in the hope of a curing my T2. Weight loss will be a secondry effect for me, but will of course be benificial and make my life better.

My Dr is very old fashioned and conventional. He wouldnt agree to referring me if he thought I was looking for a diabetes cure. He doesnt seem to believe in anything that wasnt taught to him at uni or is outside his own experience so I will have to ask on the premise of the other benifits of bariatric surgery. If this sounds dishonest or dishonerable then I apologise but one does what one must. I will be changing Drs should he refuse to refer me.

I'm in remission from kidney cancer and had my right kidney removed in 2008, and have enough to worry about without spending the rest of my life fighting the possible complications of diabetes.

I know I have to make a big lifestyle change and that surgery may not be a magic bullet and neither will the following months be overly pleasent.

at 6ft 1" and 19st 3 lb my BMI comes in at 35.55. My co-morbidity claim is of course diabetes. According to NICE guidelines I am within the requirements. (although being a kidney cancer patient I know NICE often dont live up to their name) My cholestrol levels are high and my triglycerines are very high due I'm told to genetics.
I also suffer from intermitant claudication, which is a circulation problem brought on by high cholestrol levels over time (arterial furring) This means I cannot exercise by walking for very long without fatigue in calf and leg muscles. All should be helped massivly by bariatrics
O.K. so thats me!
I'm pretty determined to make this happen-

First step. I have an appointment with the Dr on the 25th February where I will ask for referral to a bariatric surgeon.
I
I'll keep you informed about how I get along.

 

[Sweet enough]

For anyone interested!
I have my surgery ( sleeve gastrectomy ) on the 14th of Jan.

My Dr wasn't impressed at my suggestion of having Bariatric surgery on the NHS so I have funded myself via the magic of the credit card. The cost is £8500. I'm not sure I can afford to pay it back but I know for a fact I can't afford to go blind/die of diabetic complications.
I'm 6ft1 and just over 19 stone My diabetes is progressing.

I have now have complications. My last HBA1C was 8.5 and I was diagnosed with early Retinopathy in December. I was so shocked at reading the letter I put it down picked up the phone and immediately booked myself in for the sleeve.

Sounds a lot of money but over the years I have spent much more than that on cigarettes and beer, unhealthy fast food without a thought.

It seems a fair price for life and to preserve my eyesight ( and possibly life) by putting my diabetes into remission.

I'm hoping that even if the sleeve doesn't resolve the diabetes in its own right, then the inevitable weight loss will help control some or all of the co-morbidities that go hand in hand with DB.

So surgery planned for one week today. I lost 5lb last week on a strict no carb no fat pre op diet. I expect about the same for next week. During this time my blood sugars and my general well being have vastly improved. I'm immensely excited at the thought of waking up on my first day toward resolution. I'm not going into surgery lightly and don't expect miracles - just a push start toward becoming non diabetic via the surgery -with the weight loss as a back up plan!
I'm a little scared at the thought of more surgery, but not as scared as I am of going blind.

I'll let you know how it goes. I have a months worth of pre op blood sugar measurements (with anti DB meds) in my meter ( some pretty high) and will measure twice a day from the day of surgery ( no meds) to compare results.

I'm on Januvia at night and 2x1g Metformin during the day. I will be stopping these meds the day before surgery ( which is incidentally Friday the 13th!)

 

[viviennem]

All I can say, Sweet enough, is "good luck"! You are much braver than I am, but then you've had more health problems than I have, too.

I hope your private medical team are giving you all the proper counselling etc, though I'm sure you're wise enough to make sure you get that. Friday 13th is my lucky day, so maybe it will work for you too.

Let us know how you get on.

Viv 8)

 

[ladyfingers]

Good luck I hope everything goes well for you. Please let me know how you get on.

 

[borofergie]

My Dr wasn't impressed at my suggestion of having Bariatric surgery on the NHS so I have funded myself via the magic of the credit card. The cost is £8500. I'm not sure I can afford to pay it back but I know for a fact I can't afford to go blind/die of diabetic complications.
I'm 6ft1 and just over 19 stone My diabetes is progressing.

Wow, good luck. I'm not surprised that the NHS wouldn't pay for your surgery with a BMI of just over 35. (I'm 6ft2 and 18.5 st, down from 22.2 st pre-diagnosis, and I've never felt healthier or fitter).

Racking up credit card debts that you can't afford to pay back is very, very, extreme, but I can't say that I disagree with your logic if you think that it is the only way that you can get your diabetes under control

Good luck Sweet Enough. Make sure that you make this work.

 

[viv1969]

Good luck.
I hope for your sake that the long term outcome is the "cure all" that you appear to believe it to be.

 

[Patch]

Best of luck to you - hope it all goes well!!!

 

[wildman]

35 days since my Gastric Bypass and I'm feeling great.

I was on 180 units of Humulin a day, Metformin and Gliklizide pre op, now I don't take any of that and my blood sugars are nicely stable below 9mmol all the time.

My blood pressure is coming down, my back pain has gone, my sleep apnoea has gone, and I feel much better.

I'm 6'4" - pre-op I was 23st 5lb - 4st of that was gained in the six months I was on Humulin. I lost a stone of that in the pre-op diet which is designed to shrink the liver, and as of this morning I am 18st 13lb and I'm just beginning to exercise again (albeit gently). Back on the golf course last weekend, it was nice to play a round without feeling out of breath.

It isn't a 'cure' - it 'arrests' the diabetes, and there is no guarantee it will work for everyone.

I went private for my operation - with consultation fees etc, I had no change out of £11,000, but if it continues to work, it is money well spent.

It isn't an operation to go into lightly though - the post-op diet is miserable, some people get bad side effects such as vomiting. Fortunately I've only had that once. A month after the op and I'm able to eat soft-solid food - cottage pie, corned beef hash, that sort of thing, but the pleasure from eating food I used to get has gone - its a difficult feeling to explain, I still get hungry, but a tiny amount of food satisfies that. I'm realistic enough to know that this is life-changing - I'll never again be able to eat some of the food I used to like.

The couple of days post-op are rough. about 36 hours after the op I had manage to struggle to the bathroom at the hospital in a lot of discomfort and thought "what the hell have I done", but by the following day I was able to walk around the ward without too much discomfort.

I've had one weird glucose spike since, but the rest of the time, the glucose levels are pretty stable.

If anyone wants to contact me I'd be more than happy to talk to them about it via email, chat or by telephone - just PM me

Paul

 

[Patch]

Glad to hear it's all going well!

the pleasure from eating food I used to get has gone - its a difficult feeling to explain

Now THIS is interesting - do tell more!

 

[wildman]

As I said, its a weird feeling.

I love my food. I mean, I love to cook and I love good quality food. The taste, the experience, that wonderful feeling of being 'full', which may have something to do with me being diabetic of course, but the truth is I love good food - I have never really eaten much junk food, but my portions sizes have always been generous.

Now, after the gastric bypass, 4/5 weeks on I'm at a stage where I'm beginning to eat solid foods again, but even the mushy food has little appeal.

For example, the other night we had friends round so I cooked some wonderful chilli beef buritos. I figured the minced beef chilli would be soft enough for me to eat. Wrapped in a flour tortilla, smothered in chopped tomato, cheddar and mozzarella - they looked and smelled wonderful.

We sit down to eat. Everyone tells me how great they are, and pre-op I probably woudl have eaten the lot, then some of the left over chilli filling with a flour tortilla, just as one of my friends did.

I managed about four half fork fulls and pretty much played with the food - its a bit like having a permanent 'bug' that makes you lose your appetite. The last time I felt like this was about 15 years ago when I was recovering from a bout of salmonella, I just didn't fancy eating something as simple as a bowl of weetabix.

Today I had about 2/3 of a single weetabix for breakfast - we've taking to referring to it as 'weetabic' in my house rather than the plural.

Lunch today was I'm afraid a microwaveable corned beef hash from Waitrose in the office - its a portion suitable for one, I ate about 1/4 to 1/3 of it.

Not sure what I'll have tonight, maybe an omlette, but a very small one I'm sure.

For the first few weeks I didn't get hungry at all. Now I do, but after a couple of forkfulls I'm satisfied. If you do eat till you are 'full' (which doesn't take much), it can be very uncomfortable, the feeling is now in your chest a little like when you swallow too big a chunk of food and it gets stuck, only you can't wash this feeling down with a glass of water, you have to wait it out, so you soon learn not to eat very much.

What amazes me is how little I have to eat and still function - if I'd tried to eat so little pre-op I'd have been fainting with hunger, but I'm thriving on it, I've never felt so good.

You do have to make sure you drink a lot of water, and milk is good because its full of protein, so if like me you like your latte, it isn't so bad - just make sure you get an insulated mug so your coffee doesn't go cold - I can't drink as quickly as I could.

I am able to drink wine again, but no fizzy drinks. Alcohol is more potent, so absolutely no drinking a glass of wine and driving, strictly for home use from now on.

If you eat too much fat it comes out your rear end soft, a little like being on xenical (Adios)

It sounds horrible, but I'm adapting fast.

Absolutely the best thing I ever did - I feel like I've extended my life by 20 years.

 

[wildman]

Another example...

We had to eat out with the kids the other week at the Ikea restaurant, so I figured the meatballs would be suitably soft.

pre-op, I'd think nothing of the full 20 meatballs and chips, and maybe a bread roll too.

post op, child portion of 5 meatballs and mashed potato. I ate 2 meatballs and a single half-fork-full of mash.

I didn't feel like I was missing out, I didn't feel hungry, just disinterested.

Like I said, its a really weird feeling for someone who loves/loved food so much.

In the meantime, I've taken up golf again with a vengeance, am swimming again (and feeling comfortable with my new slimmer (but a little saggy) body and am getting a lot of reading done, so I'm developing new, healthier passions - I don't need food any more.

 

[alliebee]

in so very pleased its has all gone well for you, as you say a huge life changing experience,
wish I was satisfied with a small amount hey ho :lol:

keep getting well and wishing you a great recovery period

 

[Giblet]

Hi all. Just to put my two penneth in... These days getting funding for surgery is extremely difficult! most pct's wont accept patients with a BMI under 50 and that has to be combined with two co morbidities, not one. some people are telling me that they cannot get funding unless their BMI is 60 plus with co morbidities! I had a two year fight for funding. Croydon PCT changed the rules halfway through my application but i still managed to scrape through. I had High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Glaucoma and lots of other conditions. I weighed 29st 9lbs in september of 2010. I had surgery on 5th July 2011, two years after applying for funding. I now weigh 16st 12lbs. I stopped all diabetic medication on the day of the operation and my latest Hba1c was 5.9 I have stopped taking beta blockers and halved the amount of ACE inhibitors. I no longer take allopurinol for Gout but have to take vitamins calcium and iron for the rest of my life due to the bypass. I am a different person. life has changed completely. I cant say how much this operation has helped me! :thumbup:

 

[pixiejayne]

im 11months post surgery, i had a gastric bypass in april 2013.
ive had diabetes since i was 16, i was 25 at time of surgery,
average hb1ac blood test done a week before my op my hb1ac was 13.8 i had poor control for a long time

i weighed 22st pre surgery, now i weigh 14st
my bmi was 49.8 now its 31.7
i am classed as in remission but remain under gp care
i have lost 8st, gone from dress size 26 to 14

i was taken off byetta day of op (used to inject twice a day) and then off all metformin (X2 a day) 5 weeks post surgery
within 3months of surgery i had an average hb1ac of 9, then it went down to 7 and my latest hb1ac done 10months post surgery is 5.9

i can honestly say its the best thing ive ever done, its not easy at all and its a whole other life compared to my previous life. i dont regret it becasuse for once i feel like i control my diabetes, and not the other way around
yes its not a cure all, i know that. but i was a ticking timebomb before, this surgery saved my life! and im proud to say that


Paul, its a completely different life, and every day it gets easier and just becomes normal for you. hardest thing i struggle with at moment is the 30mins no drink after food rule, i have to clock watch lol.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me

 

[pixiejayne]

Hi all. Just to put my two penneth in... These days getting funding for surgery is extremely difficult! most pct's wont accept patients with a BMI under 50 and that has to be combined with two co morbidities, not one. some people are telling me that they cannot get funding unless their BMI is 60 plus with co morbidities! I had a two year fight for funding. Croydon PCT changed the rules halfway through my application but i still managed to scrape through. I had High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Glaucoma and lots of other conditions. I weighed 29st 9lbs in september of 2010. I had surgery on 5th July 2011, two years after applying for funding. I now weigh 16st 12lbs. I stopped all diabetic medication on the day of the operation and my latest Hba1c was 5.9 I have stopped taking beta blockers and halved the amount of ACE inhibitors. I no longer take allopurinol for Gout but have to take vitamins calcium and iron for the rest of my life due to the bypass. I am a different person. life has changed completely. I cant say how much this operation has helped me! :thumbup:

Cheshire merseyside guidelines are bmi of 40 or above without co morbidities
and 35 or above with co morbiditites

 

[Geordie lass]

I know this post is quite old and I wonder how the initial OP is doing. I had a gastric sleeve in April. I am now 8 weeks post op and never felt better. My T1 diabetes was very uncontrolled prior to my surgery and since having this sleeve surgery my HbA1c is 48 (6.5%). It's never been that low ever. Having this surgery has enabled me to take control of my portion sizes as before surgery they were too big. Since being on insulin I gained 6 stone over the 10 years. I have now lost 4 stone since April and feel fantastic. My basal rate has halved and my bolus units have dropped dramatically. My carb intake averages between 30-50g per day and I feel totally in control of my eating. Food was my comfort and friend prior to surgery, now it is my bodies fuel to keep going. The sleeve is a tool to enable me to be healthier. It is a life long commitment...eating very small meals. At the moment I can only eat a total of 2oz of food at any one time. One mouthful more than this and I bring it back up. This has happened twice and it is not a nice feeling. But having this surgery is worth the cost of eating less and getting my diabetes under control. I wouldn't change this for the world. My taste buds have changed too...I no longer like sweet foods as I did before my surgery...I don't ever feel hungry and I am loving exercise! I never saw this surgery as a cure for my T1 diabetes as I knew being an autoimmune disease that I would always have T1, however, it is now better controlled, which was my goal.