Specialists Call for Gastric Surgery to Be Standard Diabetes Treatment

I recently completed a bariatric weight loss programme at my local diabetic unit. I lost 4 stone in 24 weeks on the Milk Programme. I know not everyone is able to tolerate it but it worked for me. I'd far rather this than to have surgery. After years of being unable to exercise & with worsening bloods I now swim up to 4 times per week & I walk 2 or 3 times per week too. 

I met the endocrinologist when my diabetes went out of control when I had steroids to treat ms. It's been life changing & life enhancing. 

I was offered a gastic band, but turned it down, I wasn"t overweight enough!It was offered coz I have a few comorbiditys! I looked into it & went to the imformation eveing,& saw the surgon, but decided it wasn"t for me, My GP arrgeed! but hosptail drs hassled me about it! It is not the magic answer! It should only be as a last resort! Education is the key & having councling or CBT is a far better option! It is up to the person concred & they have to make the right desion for them! Anyone thinking about it needs to be fully informed so they can do what is right for them.

Weight does seem important for about half of diabetes 2 patients, least we forget it is normally age related and thin people do suffer from this disease. My brother had the surgery and had an unpleasant side effects, he has remained insulin controlled diabetic. As for me as diabetic 2 patient who developed throat cancer and survived. The treatment caused a massive weight loss leading to my diabetes moving from insulin controlled to diet controlled. So clearly two examples in one family showing the usefulness of losing weight in at least one case.

What I would like to see is more effort to resolve the condition before it develops the disease in our young people. Simple low cost monitoring and encouragement to help people would be a better investment than treating after development of disease!

Of course losing weight helps, I have been losing weight & my sugars are much better  I have also had my meds changed, I have two other factors that caused my diabeties, I have POCS & both my mum & my auntie( who are sisters) have it!So it winds me up when the drs just blame my weight! 

Bariatric surgent isn't always the answer as that in itself can create other health problems as in my sisters case.  She was very overweight and type 2 diabetic and she did lose a massive amount of weight.  However years down the line she now has iron and vitamin deficiencies despite a sensible diet as well as other complications and a limited diet of food she can eat.  She now suffers from other health conditions needing medication as well as her diabetes returning.  So Bariatric surgery isn't the best option for everyone who's diabetic.  I am diabetic and overweight but not heavy enough to warrant surgery nor would I have it anyway.  I am losing weight slowly and will continue to lose more as I am doing now.  

I know many people who have had more health problems as a result of having Bariatric surgery! One being loads of excess skin, having to pay thousands to have it removed! only for it to get infected! My friend has put weight on even after having a gastric sleve!  she said she is always hungry & can hardly eat anything other wise she has really bad indigestion! I was offered it but turned it down! I gave it alot of thought, went to the information eveing & saw the surgen! But i knew it wasn"t for me, I got alot of stick for it from my sugren & hepotoist, he said your fat & all your health problems are of your own making go away! he was so rude, I did complant about him but was persaured not to make it offical! now I would! having Bariatic is huge desion & I had the right to say no! so don"t be bullied into it, if you know it"s not what you want! 

For a lot of usI think counselling to discover why we overeat would be useful 

Hi, My husband is type 2 diabetic and is on insulin and meds and has the condition under control. His blood readings are good, between 5 - 8. My question is, can the condition be reversed? When will the medical profession say to him that he no longer needs insulin or tablets?  Thanks, Ann

Hi Bellabee,

Depends whether your husband is overweight and that weight was the reason for the development of the disease. Weight loss can reduce the effects of diabetes, I myself moved from insulin dependency to diet control through massive weight loss. Several times I have reduced weight to avoid insulin dependency in my early years of diagnoses. Yet my brother had weight reduction surgery and remained insulin dependent. So it is possible and the bonus is that you can return to a normal driving licence instead of the three year review with the threat of withdrawing of licence off your husband's back. 

Hi, well that is certainly good news, at the diabetes clinic he was not given any encouragement at all in regards to halting the condition. When I asked if it can be reversed, they said it is almost impossible. She had only seen one patient who had.

The type 2 was brought on from carrying too much weight. He has also been through a major op to remove the prostrate, it was very large and cancer was found. Since the op he has lost about 10kg and is hoping to get cycling again now.

Thanks very much for your response.

Ann.