Has AIC (Diabetic lowered/got normal nos) totally gone after sleeve surgery ?

[shirleyjohn001 13]

Hi,

I'm new to this. I was recently diagonsed with Type2 diabetic and my A1C was 8 and now I'm on metamorphin 500mg once a day and my doc told me to take a blood preasure medicine, though my preasure was normal, but said that you need to coz preasure meds need to be taken when diabetic.

I would like to please know if anybody who has had the sleeve surgery, been able to totally be diabetic free and off meds. Has the A1C become normal and if so, how long would it be, before you see results. I am extremely worried, coz both my parents are diabetic and my parents have been insulin dependent for a few decades, so I dont know if it is genetic and will ever go away.

How long is it advisable to take time off work ? coz I dont have leave since I just started a new job. My job is not very hectic coz I have a desk job and do my work in the computer all day.

I do not have my surgery date yet and dont know what to expect, though this website has been extremely helpful to get more insight or knowledge into what to expect and what not to.

Any response, would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[JamieLogical 8,726]

I found this article, which might be of some help:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141106082038.htm

[MrsSugarbabe 727]

Welcome to BP!! You'll find a lot of encouragement and information here.

As a diabetic, I was told to discontinue my Metformin (500 mg. 2x/day) prior to surgery, and have not gone back on it. Pre-surgery & on Metformin, my A1C maintained around 5.8 on average - managed with food, exercise, and Metformin. Post-surgery, my A1C as of mid-February was 5.7 - now managed with food & exercise only. Also, my blood pressure medication has been discontinued since just before surgery. We're keeping an eye on it because my diastolic pressure runs a little high due to me having diastolic dysfunction.

Good luck on your journey!!

[CanyonBaby 1,852]

Every person will have their different results, so I can't tell you yes or no. My own experience is this: diabetic on Victoza pre-surgery. Stopped meds prior to surgery once my fasting number went below 100 three times in a row. NEVER yet went back on them. I am diligent about my plan, and PLAN to stay in remission, but there is no guarantee. This was the number one reason why I had the surgery. The weight loss is a BONUS!

The numbers go down gradually after the surgery, so don't expect it to be gone immediately. And the A1C test covers months of cell activity, so if your test was, say 2 months BEFORE you started your pre-op diet and had your surgery and your post-op plan, it will include all of that in it. You will need to have it tested again after at least 3 months from your surgery date to read a correct test with just your post-op plan. That will be the true result of IF your diabetes is going into, and staying in, remission. You will need to always be tested, as well. Genetics plays a strong role in diabetes, but it is not the only contributing factor. Staying diligently on your post-op plan will be essential to get and stay diabetes-free, but again, there are no guarantees. Good luck to you!

[une nouvelle vie 327]

Let me tell you, prior to deciding to have my surgery my diabetes wasn't well controlled. Why? I ate pretty much whatever I wanted and took my metformin only most of the time. Once I started preparing for the surgery and eating better, I was able to cut back my metformin a lot (I was on the highest dose my doc could give me). I'm ashamed to tell you but before I decided to have surgery, my A1C was up to 10. TEN! It was part of what made me decide to have surgery.

My surgeon took me off my diabetic medication the day of surgery. I was nervous but I tested my blood sugar twice a day and it was always good. At about 4 months after surgery I has bloodwork done and my A1C was 4.5 and I haven't taken any meds.

I'm sure everyone's results vary, but it resolved my situation for me.

[Reddrobin 24]

Hi, I had my surgery in June. I was insulin dependent. Since surgery I have been off all meds for diabetes. I watch what I eat and while I have not lost the amount of weight I was hoping to I exercise daily by either walking or taking a Zumba class six days a week. This helps to keep my A1C in check. Good luck to you

[shirleyjohn001 13]

I am so thankful and grateful for each one of you who has responded to my questions.

The only reason I am doing this surgery is because I am diagonosed diabetic and have seen my dad go through so much of health complications and both my parent being diabetic, heart patients, blood preasure.....etc, it just freaked me out to see whats my future like, if I dont do something about it. I too am ashamed to say that I pretty much eat what I like knowing, that I am diabetic and take metamorphin. I have not yet started my food journal, coz I am scared to write down all the stuff I eat, though not that bad.coz I dont eat any white stuff like white bread, white Pasta as I have replaced them with brown rice/brown Pasta. I am hoping to start my food journal and I pray and hope that I make healthy choices.

The food intake measurements that I'd seen at the nutrionist, just blew my mind and keeps me wondering, if people are really satisfied with that amount of food ? coz its so little. And I keep wondering ti quantity will ever be satisfying..

I am so nervous and scared that I have no words to say because I have been healthy all my life, and I dont take a single medicine/tablet upto date, other that the one I just started metamorphin and the BP medicine and dont know if I am making the right decision to do the sleeve surgery. And if there would be complications after my surgery, when I had none to begin with. I am excited though but scared too!!!! I am excited that my diabetic will hopefully God willing will go away and I will loose my weight, which I have been struggling for 17years now, after the birth of my first child

[JamieLogical 8,726]

@@shirleyjohn001 There's a difference between mental and physical "satisfaction" when it comes to food. In all honesty, food does not satisfy me the way it used to. I don't derive pleasure out of eating one or two slices of pizza the way I did out of eating an entire pizza. Early on, it was frustrating and depressing that I couldn't achieve that contentedly full feeling I once had. But I have adapted to it now and mentally don't crave that sensation the way I did before. My point is, it will be a change and you may go through a mourning period, but you adjust to your new normal and all of the other improvements in your health and lifestyle MORE than make up for it.

[Kindle 8,667]

Ditto to what @@JamieLogical said. No, I am not satisfied with the tiny portions I can eat. Yes, I achieve physical and nutritional satisfaction, but not the emotional pleasure I had chowing down on a 2000-3000 calorie meal. But that is part of WLS. I had to find other non-food ways of satisfying my emotional and mental "hunger". It's the hardest part of surgery, but entirely necessary in order to be successful long term. The physical part will fail without the mental part.

[lark60 431]

I was on Avandamet before the sleeve procedure and my diabetes was under control with my A1c at 6.4. Now almost 2 years out I just had my follow up labs and my A1c is 5.7, I stopped the avandamet before the surgery and started taking metformin daily after starting back on solid foods (at about 3 months post surgery). I hope to get off this when I get to my ideal weight. If I need the medication, I am happy to take it since the alternative is the complications of diabetes.

I am off all blood pressure medication!

Funny thing is that I take more pills now (all the blasted vitamins) than before the surgery.

[shirleyjohn001 13]

In fact I don’t take any other medications other than the metaphormin and 1 BP medicine, though, my pressure is normal, but my doc told me that I have to take the BP med because I am taking the diabetic medicine.

I was told by the nutritionist in my last visit last week that I have to take so many medicines for Vitamins and Calcium and ......which I will not get from my regular food intake. And the cost that was told is almost $175 per month for my Vitamins, which I feel is extremely expensive. It just blew me out for the cost. I was thinking, the idea for doing the surgery was to get away with my diabetes so that I can avoid more complications down the road, coz I know how much this disease can damage our body, since I saw my dad battling this disease.

Would it so much for the vitamins per month? If not, how much should I expect as the cost for the vitamins, so that I can financially plan ahead more wisely.

Can somebody tell me, will I be able to do my normal functions the day you finish the surgery? Or what should I expect before the surgery and what to expect after the surgery. ? Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas would be very helpful, so me to prepare both physically and mentally. I have not yet met the surgeon and physiatrist yet, and hoping to meet them this month.

My hope is that my A1C comes to normal and I am diabetic free which is my prayer!

[4MRB4PHOTO 3,900]

I was taking Metformin (1000mg 2x's/day) up to 2 weeks before my surgery last year.

I had type-2 diabetes (for 2 years).

Since the surgery and my weight loss/exercise, I have not had to take any medicine for my blood glucose, my pre/post glucose meal readings have been normal as have my A1C readings (the last three were in the upper 4's, the highest reading I ever had was in the low 6's).

My endocrinologist told me that I no longer have to see him.

I will continue to check my glucose readings but on a less regular basis.

I can't promise that this will happen for you (hopefully it will), but at the very least you should see a dramatic change in your glucose levels as you lose weight and exercise more.

Edited April 13, 2015 by 4MRB4PHOTO

[JamieLogical 8,726]

@@shirleyjohn001 Vitamins are definitely pricey, but $175 per month seems high. I probably spend more like $100 per month. It probably depends on the brands. If your nutritionist is pushing a specific brand, some of those bariatric brands are pricey. The only bariatric branded Vitamin I'm still taking is my Vitaleph Bariatric Multivitamin, which costs me $100 for a 4 month supply. Everything else I take, I buy at the grocery store or off Amazon. And I take a lot more than a lot of people do. My nutritionist requires Multivitamin, Calcium +D3, probiotic, and liquid B12. I take a lot of others on top of those.

Also, for at least the first couple of months post op, you will need to be on a PPI (like Prilosec) to reduce acid production. You may have to be on that for life (like me) or you may be able to wean off of it after the first couple of months.

I don't really know what you mean by "normal functions" the day after surgery. You will spend at least one night in a hospital/clinic. And most doctors recommend two weeks off of work, though many people do manage to go back after one week if they have a desk job.

[kathysleeve 38]

I was not pre diabetic before surgery at 282.

Now that I have lost 84 pounds I have tested as pre diabetic.

How weird is that. What do those of you with high sugar do to combat this?

[CanyonBaby 1,852]

@@kathysleeve

One thing to remember is WHEN your A1C test was taken, as it contains 3 to 4 months of cell history. So, if you had it taken a month, 2 or 3 PRIOR to your surgery, it will contain that history, which is NOT going to show you the surgery results until 3 to 4 month AFTER your surgery. To see how well the surgery helped the diabetes numbers, have the A1C take again 3-4 months after your surgery. If your PCP is like mine, they should be having you do the A1C every 3 months for diabetes. Good luck to you!