SueSue

Do you feel it is harder for diabetics to lose weight? My lapband doctor has said it will be. He is very concerned that I am still on insulin and I am not losing anymore.

Hello Everyone, TerriDoodle told me about your site so I thought I would drop a line to you all. I was banded Sept. 25 2007. I lost quite well at first (42)_but not in the last several months and I have gained 4 lbs. I don't think I have given up. I just seem to have lost my way for a bit.

It has been awhile since I visited this site. I am failing. I have lost only 39 lbs. in 15 months and I lost that the first 6. I have not lost anything in months and have actually gained a few the last several months. I am doing everything wrong and do not know how to stop it. I am a diabetic and my body screams for food. I am still on insulin. I don't know what to do. I have been depressed all week and cannot seem to get myself to care.

Thanks. It helps to know someone else is experiencing the same thing. I think I am tight enough, in fact I think that is what caused this problem for me. When I got my last fill I could not eat much of anything so I turned to soft foods. It is funny how hard I will try to find something to eat. Anyway, I discovered also that if I felt that uncomfortable feeling after a few bites, sometimes the first bite, I could wait about 5 minutes and the feeling went away so I would eat more. I also started taking my food with me when we left a restaurant. I would then finish it over an hours time. What bad habits I developed.

Terry, I hope you get this. My email went down. This Windows Vista has caused us so many problems. We still have the same email. Kellco@conwaycorp.net in case you no longer have it. I have tried the new email you gave me but it came back undeliverable. SueSue

Hello D. Watkins, Thank you for taking the time to help all of us and for reading our posts. Today I went for my 4th fill and asked what kind of band I have for the third time. They did not have it written down. I was told by one of the employees that it would hold 500 ccs. Second time she has told me that. I said to her, I want to know what kind I have and the size please. The doctor came in and I asked him. He said I had an AP band. He looked at my records and saw it was not written down so he proceeded to tell me it was an AP small. Then he said even though I was not one of his bigger patients I had a lot of fat around my stomach which is usually related to heart disease and diabeties. I am a diabetic. Did he mean to say that I had the larger AP band? I have 8.3 ccs at the present time. I had 7.5 before today and had no restriction.

Are you on any type of diabetic medicine? If not, I would mention this to your doctor and when you are feeling dizzy check your blood sugar levels and see if they are too low. When mine are low my legs feel shaky.

I have never understood why restaurants would object to anyone wanting to order off the child's menu. I know some do but do not get it. I was a waitress and an owner of a restaurant and it never was a problem for anyone to order off the child's menu for me.

I had my surgery by Dr. Wellborn also. How cool is that? I think the staff and Dr. Wellborn are great too. I love the way he made me feel like it was not my fault that I gained this weight. He talked about the difference in people and how their bodies work. He is very caring and I love the way his wife gets right back with you no matter what time of day. I emailed her late at night not expecting a reply. It was not an emergency yet she emailed me back at 10;30. When I had my last fill Dr. Wellborn told me to call him no matter what time and he would unfill me if it was too tight. I walked out thinking WOW. I felt better knowing though that I did not have to suffer all night if I was too tight. I am so thankful to all these doctors that are doing this surgery to help us lose weight.

I Peronsally do not want food brought to me, like candy and sweets. I do not want to be asked if I lost weight. Believe me everyone will know when I do. I like I am proud of you like someone mentioned. I would like, Lets go for a walk honey, when the weather is nice. Those are few I can think of at the moment.

I loved food too. It was my whole life. i was worried about the amount I would be able to eat also. Wasn't sure I wanted to give it up but......I was diabetic and killing myself slowly with my eating habits so I got the band. I am happy to say my love for food is still here but it is different. I still enjoy eating, I still look forward to eating, but it doesn't control me anymore. I control it. It is so much more fun now.

I have a question that I do not think is a repeat but if it is somewhere on this board I apoligize. I understand how the band is placed but I do not understand how food can go into the pouch and lay over the stoma but can get stuck at times. I am not getting full so I assume my stoma is open too much. However, I do get food stuck often. Two to Four times a week at least. I have never gotten full yet. I am a little over 4 months out, 3 fills so far, 7.5 cc's in a larger band that I have yet to find out the size. Also, does the food stay in the small pouch until the stomach turns it into a liquid then proceeds to the larger stomach? I am so sorry if this has been answered.

I have not read all the responses so maybe someone suggested this. Get a voice activated recorder. They are not expensive. Tape him. After he approaches you next time show him the tape recorder when he is finished and has trapped himself. Now tell him how uncomfortable he has made you and if he stops you from advancing in this business you will have to bring out the tape recorder and let his bosses hear it.

Kat, Thank you so much. I too love your analogy. I finally understand and for the first time know why I should not drink with meals. I think it also told me I definitly need a fill. I think my food is going through the stoma. I do not chew any differently than before and can eat two hot dogs with the bun and chips. I wish I could see inside my stomach. I have been afraid of having another fill. I have had 3 but I have read some fearful things about not being able to swallow spit, not being able to sleep, horrible feeling in the chest and I guess it scared me so I have been trying to do this without another fill. Thanks Kat again!!

I am on insulin because all the oral medications was not lowering my blood sugars enough. I have been on insulin for about 3 years and it was not working either. Tell your husband I really understand what he is going through. For some of us if you sugars are out of control your body craves food. It is a vicious cycle.

I would love to talk about what we deal with. I asked Alex to put this site up. He was not going to do it at first. Said he did not think enough people would use it. Let's show him we need it and that there are alot of us out here. I am type II, and still taking insulin. I hope to get off it. How about you?

A fasting of 126 is not too bad. Try not to let it get any worse. I have had many fastings of 200 and above. I am working on it.

I was taking huge amount of insulin. 150 units of 70/30 at night, 80 in the morning and 60 of short acting at each meal. I am now down to 25 at each meal, none in the morning or evenig. What a difference in how I feel too. I have lost 31 so I hope the next 31 takes me off the insulin. I also have periodic lows.

How about an area for diabetics? I would enjoy talking to others about the trails of diabetes.

With my doctor if your BMI was below 40 you went to a surgery center and went home after surgery if all was okay. I am 55, diabetic, high blood pressure and I was scared. My blood sugar went up to 416 during surgery so they kept me a few hours longer than originally planned. I wanted to go home mostly because they would not leave me alone to rest. I still felt sleepy and drugged. I had to sit up and they were testing my blood sugar and giving me ice to crunch on. I kept asking to go home. They finally let me when my blood sugar came down and I slept the 25 minute drive home. The sleep was good. When I got home I hit the recliner as they said to sit up to release the gas better. I slept again very nicely sitting up and I never sleep in a recliner. I can't sleep in the car well either but because of the drugs still in my system I slept wonderful. So going home or staying at the hospital...... both are good.

I feel like a failure and I guess I need to talk to people that know what this is like. I have spent 14,000 dollars on this surgery and I am failing. I lost 18 the first two weeks and in the14 weeks after that I have only lost an additional 18. I was at a 31 lb. weight loss but have gained 5 this last 2 weeks. I have diabetes and am still on insulin. I was trying to take less insulin this last 4 months and when I went to get my A!C it was a 9.2 which is awful. Now, I am trying to take more insulin to keep the glucose level down and I have gained 5 lbs. I have tried no carbs and have not been able to stick to it. I want to eat. I cannot fail. The more I think that the more I am scared I will. I woke up last night with very low blood sugar and had to eat to get it back up. I have had 3 fills and have never felt the full feeling after a small amount of food. In fact, I can eat 2 hotdogs with buns and chips.

I have had lots of constipation. I never had this before surgery. I started taking fiber tablets. The fruit kind you chew. It helped. I also feel the need to go often and cannot. Hope this helps. It is uncomfotable.

Thanks everyone. Today is a new day and once again I will try to do well today. I want to quit craving food. I am going to make a tuna wrap on low carb bread for lunch. All your responses helped. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I have 4 including my port.

Coltonwood, I have been on insulin for two years. As I stated before I am very insulin resistent. I don't think doctors knew much about insulin resistent patients and they do not seem to know what to do with me. I was taught how to use the pen. I was also told to start with 5 units and then they left it up to me to judge after that. When I went to the lapband doctor he mentioned a sliding scale and I thought what is that? I came home and looked it up on the Internet. As I said before my biggest problem is controlling the ups and downs and fighting the strong urges for carbs. I woke up the other night with very low sugar. I can tell when I try to stand. My legs are very weak. I had cheese and crackers so I started eating them. I had to lay down to get them down. I was so weak and a little scared. I felt awful. I have had this happen before and the last two times I have had difficulty getting to the kitchen for the food. I went and bought the glucose tablets but they were in my purse so now I will keep them by my bed. When I have a low like that I want to eat and eat. It is hard to stop. I feel a little foolish for coming to all of you. As I said before I have learned a lot about diabetes but my biggest problem is how to not eat the wrong things. I thought the band would control my portions therefore helping the glucose levels. I promise I am not an idiot although I amy sound like one at times :wink2: I know how serious this desease is and yet I eat the wrong things at times. I feel like an alcoholic with food. I think it bigger than just self control.