Lynnette43

Hi! I'm new to this sight and highly considering VSG. I am wondering if there are people out there you are insulin dependent diabetics (specifically pump users) who have had or are considering this surgery. If so, how has it affected you diabetes and insulin requirements.

Hi Wendy! WOW! I think I could have written your post! I am also a Type 1 diabetic since the age of 13, I am now 45. I never really had a problem with my weight through high school and college....sure I could have lost a few pounds, but not obese. I too went on an insulin pump (and I LOVE it) in the mid 1990's thinking that it would be a way to loose weight.....after years of being on a strict schedule of insulin injections and meal times, I could finally, after 15 +/- years, skip a meal if I wasn't hungry. Unfortunately, it also meant that I could eat whatever and whenever I wanted. That along with two very high-risk pregnancies I gained a ton of weight. Through all of this, my insulin requirements kept creeping up. Before my surgery on May 12, 2010, I was taking an average of 140 units in a 24 hour period....my basal rate was 2.5 per hour alone! I too had high blood pressure, and retinopathy (laser surgery to both eyes in 1990....no problems since). My surgeon wasn't quite sure how to deal with my insulin pump and insulin requirements before/after surgery, so my internist and I worked close together. I continued to wear my pump right up until I was in the operating room, and my pump was restarted in the recovery room. It did take some time to figure out basal rates, and low blood sugars were a big scare. How was I going to treat a low blood sugar?? In the past, I would grab a candy bar, a dish of ice cream, whatever was close by, and usually eat enough for a small Army, causing my blood sugar to spike and then I'd have to treat a high....starting a viscous cycle of highs and lows. What I did learn since surgery is that those glucose tabs really do work and I really didn't need a candy bar and 5 Cookies to bring my blood sugar up. Since my surgery, I have lost 111 pounds, my insulin requirements have dropped tremendously. My current basal rate is .9 per hour and I take an average of 30 units in a 24 hour period. My blood pressure is normal, without medication. It was one of the smartest decisions I have ever made....wish I could have done this years ago. Good luck with your surgery! Lynnette

YAY!!! A pumper who's considering VSG!!! There aren't too many of us out there! Sorry it's taken me so long to get back with you....I don't visit this site very often, since they changed the format it loads really slow for me. Don't be stressed....you are doing the right thing by researching all you can, talking to people and belonging to this forum! My first choice was also the lap band, and then my surgeon talked to me about VSG. I was pretty much sold from word one. I had a co-worker that had the lab band done, and her weight loss was very slow, and she was able to eat just about anything. Four months post op and she was eating a Burger King Whopper and fries for lunch....what was that going to accomplish?? Plus the thought of a foreign object in my body and going back for all those fills didn't excite me too much. Of course, with VSG, there is the fact that once they remove approximately 85 percent of your stomach, it is not reversible. Being a diabetic on a pump and having VSG is a little difficult....at first. When I went in for my surgery, they had me remove my pump, but I was able to re-insert a new infusion set in post-op. I was taking a basal rate of 2.8 every hour. After surgery I was taking a basal rate of .2 every hour (quite the change). My basal stayed relatively low during post-op and the first two weeks post-op, due to the limited calories and carbs I was consuming. As my diet increased, my basal went up. I am currently on a 1.0 basal rate every hour, which I am trying to get lower...just gotta get off my lazy butt and exercise some more. I was really scared about how to treat a low blood sugar. I mean, seriously you can no longer consume an entire candy bar or a big bowl of ice cream...I soon learned that a glucose tab or two would bring my blood sugar back up if needed, which I had always been told, but cake, Cookies, ice cream, etc all sounded sooooo much better!! Now that I am 6 months post op...and down 90 pounds!! There truly isn't anything I haven't been able to eat (okay, breads and pastas just don't work for me, but I don't crave them either).....just not very much of it. I was truly dreading the holiday's because of the food. We just celebrated Thanksgiving here, which is a day set aside to see just how much food you can stuff yourself with, and I handled it just fine. I still had Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, squash, pumpkin pie....just very very very small amounts (i.e. a tablespoon of this....a tablespoon of that)...my 3 year old nephew had more on his plate than I did...LOL!! Being diabetic, we know what it's like not being able to eat like other people...then we got a pump, and we were able to eat more like normal people...kinda a rule breaker, at least it was for me. There are no rule breakers with VSG. You will suffer the consequences if you break the rules. Eat too fast or too much....you will vomit, trust me. Drink while you are eating.....you will vomit. While these things are annoying, they are perfectly controllable. Would I do it (VSG) again.....in a heartbeat! The fact that I am satisfied with small quantities of food and feeling 100 percent better than I have felt in years is sooooo worth it. Feel free to ask me ANY questions you might have, and I'll do my best to share my experience's with you. You might want to send to my email (I check that all the time) gl_ladd@yahoo.com. Good luck in your decision! Lynnette

Christine... I am soooo happy that I choose VSG. Not only have I been able to lose 85 pounds since May 12th, but I have gotten control of my blood sugars! I too have been an insulin dependent diabetic for over 30 years....happy to say that the only complication I have had, to date, is a small retinal hemorrhage about 20 years ago that was corrected with laser surgery to both eyes. Lucky, I know! I love my pump, and have been using a Medtronic pump for approximately 15 years....I thought that would help me loose weight since I no longer had to eat...if I wanted to skip a meal, or go light on carbs, I could. Unfortunately, it did the reverse. If I wanted a cookie or piece of cake, all I had to to was bolus...and pack on the pounds. I was taking approximately 130 units of Humolog in a 24 hour period prior to surgery. Today I take an average of 30...just depends on how may carbs I eat during the day. Thanks for the info on obesityhelp.com...I will check it out. If you have any questions for me...please don't hesitate to email me at gl_ladd@yahoo.com.

Hi Everyone! I found a GREAT website for tracking what we eat. It is LIVESTRONG.COM - Health, Fitness, Lifestyle | LIVESTRONG.COM, and there is an application called "My Plate". You simply enter what you have eaten, and it does all the calculations for you! It's definitely worth a try!!

:biggrin2:Just a question regarding B-12. I'm sure they told me, but I can't remember ....why can't we take the pill form of B-12? I don't want the injections, and I don't like the taste of the sub-lingual....but I keep taking them :scared0:

Hi all! I am one month out, and am having a difficult time getting in my Protein. My surgeon wants me to get in 70 - 80grams/day, and I'm lucky to get in 30! I no longer like the Protein shakes...loved them pre-op, can't stand them now. A good friend of mine game me some liquid Protein from GNC to mix in my Water (adding a little crystal light), but the smell from the liquid protein makes it hard to get down. I'm having some chicken, fish, Peanut Butter, string cheese and spreadable swiss on a few saltines, but I know I'm not coming any where close. Any suggestions??

I was amazed at how quickly I was able to go back to work. I had my VSG on May 12th, my one week check up on May 19th, and returned to work full time on May 20th. Granted, I have an office job, so that makes it a little easier. My surgeon did give me a 15# weight limit until I see him on June 2nd. Since my job deals with sitting at a desk and doing a lot of data entry, I just made an attempt every hour our so to get up and take a 5 - 10 minute walk (of course, I had this okayed with my boss) and I think this really helped me in my recover and healing process. For me, getting back to my routine helped me stay focused. Sure, I was tired when I got home....but it felt so good to be productive!

I too am 5 days out and was wondering about the swollen belly! It's getting better each day, but WOW, I never expected that. Did everybody gain weight after surgery?? I, like an idiot, asked to get on the scales before I left the hospital. The nurses all told me that I didn't want to....but I insisted. Heck, I'd been on a pre-op diet for 2 weeks and clear, no carb fluids since the day before surgery, certainly I should weigh less...right! I gained 12 pounds!!!! I know it makes sense with all the fluids and swelling, but seriously. I haven't weight myself since, but I plan on doing it tonight.

Hi latoya79 and Welcome! I too was all for the lap band at first. But then after attending the weight loss seminar at my hospital, doing my research, reading all the posts on this site, and meeting with my surgeon (who was perfectly fine with whichever option I chose...VSG or band) decided that the sleeve was the one for me. I have a co-worker who had the band done. While she hasn't had any problems, I see her struggle with a very slow weight loss, and having to continually go to the doctor for fills. Another thing I did before making my decision was making a list of pros/cons for band vs sleeve. I'm only 5 days post-op, and so far I have no regrets! Good Luck in whichever option you choose.

I was sleeved on May 12th. Ice Chips in post-op are like nectar from the Gods! I never knew how good ice could taste! PS: You may want to take some Blistex or Chapstick with you....my lips got really dried out and cracked. Good Luck! You will do fine!:lol0:

Wow! I am also two days out...sleeved at 11am on Wednesday...YAY ME! And I haven't been experiencing the things you girls are talking about, except for weighing more post-op than pre-op (that was depressing!) My surgeon did a leak test before I even left the operating room. I have some gas, but it is tolerable as long as I get up every hour or so and walk around. I did have to stay two nights, which I am attributing to the fact that I am also an insulin-dependent diabetic. I did have some problems with the narcotic pain killers that were pumped though my IV and keeping my blood pressure up. This kept me from getting up and walking the first night. My meds after surgery are disolvable Priolosec to help with any acid and a liquid form of Vicodin. As long as I keep on schedule, the pain is very managable. I was encourage to start the Popsicle, broth, Jello, Fluid, etc diet early, and have tolerated every thing very well. I have yet to feel hunger. My hubby just made dinner for himself and the kids, and I had some chicken broth and SF Jell-o and am completely satisfied. Never thought I would be able to say that! I haven't experienced hiccups yet, and from the sounds of it I hope I don't. If I hear of anyways to get rid of them, I will be sure to pass it along. Good Luck All!!

Well.....I did it! Surgery was Wednesday morning. Everything has went well so far! I have been walking the halls today....just had a shower, and am now enjoying a little broth and jell-0! It was soooo amazing how good ice chips can taste when you get to pre-op...I thought I was in heaven! I have been treated with so much respect and dignity, way to go Munson Health Care Team! Hopefully I will be able to go home tomorow (Friday):thumbup:

Thanks everyone! Not to pat my own back, but I NEVER thought I would go through with it!! Sure am glad I did. I know know that this was the right decision and I'm going to be so much healthier and happier than I could ever have imagined! Had a little bit of a rough night last night....felt so good all day that I kinda got off my pain med schedule. Whoops! That won't happen again. Looking forward to going home today :-)

I just wanted to finally introduce myself. I have been reading these boards for months now and they have been very helpful. I am finally going to have my sleeve done on May 12th. I am excited and scared all at the same time. I began my 2-week pre-op diet last Wednesday and things have been going really well with it. I was wondering what advise you gals (and guys) could give me to help calm the fears of surgery. I have a TERRIFIC support group which really helps. What should I expect with the surgery, how long in the hospital, what is the pre-op diet REALLY like, how long before returning to an office job, etc. Any advise would be really appreciated!

We'll have to be "sleeve buddies"!:thumbup1:

WOW!!! Thanks for all the advise....it's nice to know that I'm not the only one with the roller coaster emotions. My pre-op diet has really went pretty smoothly. Here is what they have me doing: Breakfast 1 egg and 1 egg white, 1 slice multi-grain bread and 1 fruit choice; Mid-morning Protein Shake; lunch 2oz lean lunch meat, 1 slice low-fat cheese, 1 slice multi-grain bread and 1 sugar free Jello w/fruit cup; Mid-afternoon Protein shake; dinner 4-6oz lean meat, 1-2 cups vegetables, tossed salad with low-fat dressing and 1 starch/carb; Before bed Protein shake. This has been pretty easy for me to follow, since I've been an insulin dependent diabetic for 20 years. I don't mind the Protein shakes, and they have really kept me from being hungry! I made potato salad for the family today.....told my hubby, "I don't know how it's gonna be, I'm not allowed to sample.". Come to find out he told me that it was the best potato salad I'd ever made! Thanks Mary!! Never thought of it as a Mother's Day gift! I think in the 19 years I've been a Mom, this is going to be the BEST one yet!! :-) Ten days and counting.................