• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Weight loss surgery for a Type 1 diabetic

JackoType1

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi,
My names Steve been a type 1 diabetic for 15 years been very well controlled until I got discharged from my local hospital and back to seeing the diabetic nurse at my GP that’s when she changed my Insulin and that’s when my weight gain started dramatically! I have now got to the point where I’m awaiting my operation for weight loss surgery (bypass) and my
Feelings are all over the place due to this not actually being my fault I know most people say this but it’s so true it’s frustrating!! I now feel I don’t have many options left and the operation going to change my life! I play rugby and train 4 times a week also a boxer and go to the gym when I have spare time, 2 young children.
I was hoping someone with type 1 diabetes can speak up if they have gone through this operation and tell me how it’s gone for them (made there diabetes better/worse and any experiences they may have faced along the way) I’m struggling to find any type 1s locally it’s all mainly type 2
please feel free to ask any other questions

Kind regards
Steve
 

Hi Steve - I'm not T1 and haven't had weight loss surgery, but my post will bump your thread back up the lists for visibility as more folks come online during the day.

Have you asked to be referred back to the hospital or to try reverting to your previous insulin regime, if that suited you better?
 
Thank you much appreciated, I should of explained a little better I did get back into the hospital in the end however by this point and recognising the mistakes the nurse made it was too late the insulin I was on prior doesn’t exists anymore or couldn’t get it, then nearly weighing 20st at the age of 18 I’m now 28 and still haven’t been able to manage to get any weight off doesn’t matter the diet or exercise I do he’ll of a lot! It’s very hard to explain because I’m fit but not healthy regarding my diabetes and that’s why there pushing for the bypass operation but as I said I’ve never spoken to a type 1 who’s had it done surly someone has somewhere
 
Hi Steve, I don’t know of any T1s who’ve had it but I do know someone who’s had bariatric surgery. As a result they can only eat very small amounts at any meal so I imagine it could have a transformatory effect on the way you manage diet and insulin. They’ve also said that it affects the levels of vitamins and minerals their body can absorb.
I’m giving you secondhand information so please don’t see it as cold hard fact.
Could you ask for a discussion with hospital team that deal with this kind of surgery and also with their nutritionist and a diabetes expert to discuss the ways it would affect you as a T1?
It may also be useful to ask to be referred to a diabetes consultant who could help you with modern insulins and weight loss before having what is often seen as drastic surgery.
BTW, I’ve heard that muscle’s heavier than fat!
 
Hi and welcome. I am a little surprised about the insulins as there is still a good choice readily available of different types but may be you need something different from those? With regard to diet are you following a low-carb diet? There is still a lot of mis-information around including the NHS that says eating fat is the cause of weight gain - it isn't. The carbs are the main culprit so it is vital for most of us to keep them under control and even when on insulin as a T1 it still avoids weight gain. What is your typical daily carb intake?
 
Have you got yourself into a cycle where you are having more carbs to stop hypos and then more insulin due to high A1C results?

Do you know how to count carbs to work out your own insulin dose?
 
Thinking about this more @JackoType1, it is possible you now have "double diabetes" e.g. Type1 with very high insulin resistance, in other words Type2 as well as Type1. Bariatric surgery has been shown to have good results for Type2, but if you look at the methods people with Type2 have used to lose weight it is very likely they will work for you. You will have to be very careful to monitor your BG and reduce your insulin dose.

Do you know your liver function test results and does your GP consider you to have “fatty liver”? Also do you know your fasting triglycerides levels? (Both of these are a good indication if “a very low carb” diet or ND is likely to work well for you.)
 
Your surgical team and diabetes consultant will be able to tell you the basics but no names.
Have you tried the forums they give us?
 
I agree but OP will have been given a month by month diet to follow and some weight loss target to reach before team agreeing the operation. His dietician and team have to be happy before signed off for op. Which means compliance! Nhs compliance for a type1.
 
OP team must believe he is at benefit of operation for less meds.
OP may have proven the overeating causing excess weight. It may be muscle under fat if OP is insulin resistant?
Too much protein as well as too much everything else too.
Patients have to agree to no alcohol to proceed through for op too.
 
Many people when offered surgery for weight lose, have decided to have “one last go” using “very low carb” or a “very low calorie diet” – some find they no longer need weight lose surgery. Clearly weight lose surgery is a true life saver for lots of people therefore I surport anyone’s choose to go for it once they have considered all the options.
 
Last edited:
Hi. Whilst the OP may have had very good dietary advice, NHS dieticians are notorious for following the traditional 'low-fat' mantra with little regard for carbs. Even the ND focusses on calories rather than carbs which I might challenge as an amateur of course. I know it is changing out there but I think some of us are just x-checking that a low-carb diet has been suggested. For a few it has even been possible to avoid the surgery at all but I have no figures or knowledge on this.
 
Hi,
I have been type 1 since 1966 and have a date for the surgery next month (March 2018) I have struggled for years with my weight going up and down and battling the insulin gain.
I will let you know how i get on.
 
Please that would be great! Are you on instagram or Facebook I’m in a similar boat awaiting surgery ( they said end of March start of April ) hopefully
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…