Type 1 diabetes

Hi ladies! Karey, I am so sorry that you were denied by your insurance. I know some insurances, such as my own, will only cover one type of the surgeries offered. I've had friends that had no coverage at all and switched to different insurance, even if only for one year, just to save from having to pay cash for the surgery. I don't understand insurance companies either. Considering, loosing weight and becoming more healthy while loosing many medical problems seems like it would be more cost-effective in the long run for the companies. Duh to them! Welcome Wendy! I myself am excited to see one of us that has had the surgery already. It's great hearing all the info from you considering each of us are only pre-surgery. You will be my inspiration! How was the post-op without your pump? Or did you just go w/out it during surgery? I meet with my endo this Thursday to 'guesstimate' on my post surgery carb intake. I'm still so nervous about getting lows after surgery. I have to say you look great in your pic! Last time I weighed 150 was in junior high school! I gained 50 lbs over two years after going on the pump. Most of my weight gain was in my tummy and butt (figures). But my sugars improved and I felt so much better, let alone not having to inject insulin millions of times. I'll post again after my doctor's apt and let you all know how that goes. Oh, and in case anyone was wondering what I'm doing up at 2:30 am, this is the shift I've been working. 11pm-7am. I wish I was in bed!!!

Karen, Good luck with your endo on Thursday. I took my pump off the morning of surgery and used a sliding scale based on my blood sugar number. I personally preferred to be closer to 200, which I think I was 180, because when I get nervous, which I was extremely, my readings tend to drop. I took my blood monitor to the hospital to test my own blood sugar (I'm a control freak and need to know what my numbers are all the time, especially since I can't tell if my BS is 50 or 250, so knowing made me feel better. Even if I was dopped up on morphine. I would tell the nurses what my readings we're a couple of times a day and the endo would tell them what to give me.....minimal amounts of insulin or dextrose was used. It was very hard by the end to get the numbers within the range they'd like, so fortunately for me, I got to stay in ICU the whole 5 days, being released with my pump and being able to handle myself at home. Like I said, the first 6 wks post is liquid/puree/soft so you'll be having minimal carbs and you're body needs the ones you are supplying it....like saltines, soups, s/f puddings, etc. I only had a few problems with low blood sugar and glucose was fine to correct it. I hear ya on the weight gain, I'm at the weight now (178), which is what I was when I was first dianoised with diabetes i*****its amazing how much weight and stress my body endured b/c of insulin. I said the same thing to my ins. company.......you'll be saving money, less diabetic supplies and now I don't have high cholestrol or sleep apnea....and other medical attention from dr's have all been eliminated. I will always be diabetic and be on thyroid meds (graves disease in 89), but my blood work at 6 months and 1 yr post op look great and my endo and PCP are thrilled. I keep up with 2-3 protein shakes a day and all my vitamins...very important for the rest of my life. Keep fighting the insurance companies......they want you walk away quietly, don't do this for yourself and for your health!! Its a battle that you need to make and figure out whats best for you. Thoughts and prayers, Wendy

Hi Karen!! The day you have your WLS is the day I have my foot operated on.... Best of luck with your surgery and I'll be combing this forum for news from you! I've had to push back all my tests to mid-January as my mom just passed. I figured I could use a little time to de-stress...HA! Like THAT might happen as our only child jsut announced her engagement!! So my emotions AND my blood sugars have done such a swing its' amazing. I am NOT looking forward to my next A1c!! Please stay in touch, Karen!! Hugs, Marie

Hi everyone, I feel so awful it took me so long to post on here. Only excuse is I got sick with a cold and then have been on the run at my last week at work before surgery! I am SOOOOOO sorry! Well, endo apt. went great and so glad I have a supportive doctor. He even wrote me a precription to give to the surgeon and hospital staff regarding my pump. It is to stay in during surgery with 1 unit/ hour and I am to have complete control (with my husband when I'm loopy on drugs) to test myself and adjust as needed with my bolus'. We'll see if that really happens but he even gave me his emergency numbers to call if they don't comply! I'm starting to get nervous and this last week seems like it's been my last meals every day! Had Olive Garden, KFC, McDonald's, you name it. Just wanted to get all the good stuff in before I have to be good food wise on Monday morning. Funny thing is, after all that eating and no other changes, I only have gained 4 pounds since my last official weigh in at the doctor. After all that bad food, too! Doesn't make sense to me! Marie, I am sorry about loosing your mother and I think you did the right thing in waiting. I've been told that even after surgery, depression can hit so even though you have to wait, good for you for not pushing on with your tests. Sounds like you're going to have a busy year with your child's engagement and all the planning with that! Congrats!!! What kind of foot surgery are you having? I will be gone all weekend until Monday afternoon so I can't post again until then. I will check on here before my surgery Tuesday. Hubby and I are going away for the weekend and I don't think we'll be near a computer. Have a great weekend! Karen

Hi Karen!! I'm having a heel spur removed from my right heel. I won't be driving until the stitches are removed..so I'm on the couch for at least a week. Right around the same time as my heart attacks, I fractured my heel at the base (round part, I guess) and developed the heel spur. I loved leg presses at the gym and got up to 500 pounds, but levelled off at 360 pounds for 90 reps 3x a week. (yes I was a gym rat...so why I was still fat and couldnt' lose weight is beyond me) I think the presses had a lot to do with my fracture, and once that was healed, the heel spur really became painful. I'm looking forward to walking w/out pain again someday!! Please let us know how you feel pre-op Monday and have a wonderful weekend!!! Marie

Hello, Well, just got home after having all the bloodwork, chest x-ray, etc. done at the hospital (it's 3 hours away for me). Everything's a go for the morning! A little nervous but I think my husband is more so. Marie, good luck on your foot surgery tomorrow. I had a heel spur in my left foot after having knee surgery on my right knee. Doctor said it's because I was compensating for it! The pain in the foot went away but I've lost a little feeling on the bottom. Well worth it and doctor said it could return (the feeling) but better than the pain any day. Take care ladies and I'll let you know in a few days how it goes! Karen

Hi everyone, I'm finally home! Had my surgery last Tuesday and thought I'd be out the next day...not! Had a lot of pain in my chest/ stomach area, which the doctor said was to be expected. Ended up staying until Friday mid-day, my choice. Remember, I live 3 hours away so I wanted to make extra sure I was ok to go home. No complications at all! Just really sore where they poked me and VERY tired all the time!!! I've talked to a friend of mine that had the surgery done in January to ask a lot of questions and boy has she been a life saver! I told her how I can't even watch tv unless it's pre-recorded so I can skip through all the food commercials. I really feel like I'm having a hard time with this. Craving everything I can't eat! You name the fast food place, I've been wanting to eat there! It's awful. I have to mentally just keep telling myself that I am feeling full with all my liquids and it's all just in my head. Blood sugars are doing great! I went from 2.3 units/hr as my basal rate on my pump down to 0.8 while awake and 0.6 at night. I used to give myself 1.0 unit bolus for every 10 grams of carbs but since there are no carbs now, just 0.2 after I've 'eaten' based on what my readings are. Gonna go. Hubby is taking me out for a short 'field trip' to get me out of the house before he goes back to work tomorrow. Hope you're all doing great! Karen

Karen, Sorry this is so late. I am so happy that you came through the surgery without complications and are on the road to recovery. Please keep us updated!! I am now struggling with the choice of RNY vs. paying for Lap Band out of pocket (17,8000). The office can give me a loan through some company but I really don't want to do that. I am so torn. I just wish there were some long term studies on type 1's and RNY. I have 3 months to think about it because I have to have a 3 month supervised diet, excercise and counseling follow up before submitting anything to insurance. So I will be very interested in finding out how you make out. I hope all is still well. Nancy K from CT

Hi Karen!! I'm glad you came through surgery ok! I tried posting from home but it didnt' work for some reason! I'm here at work now! My surgery went well, sugars aren't toooo bad, and now that I'm back to work my foot is a bit sore from walking around a bit too much. How are you doing with your cravings? I've gone off the diet wagon and my cravings are doing me IN! I've decided to give the south beach diet another shot with exercise to see if I can lose anything. If not, then I'll have tried most everything under the sun KNOWING the RNY is my last resort. Hope you're feeling well and your recovery and healing is going better than expected!!! Marie