Still SWEET :(

Well I can't get in to to see the Endocrinologist until 1/3.  So I am agarvated about that and more so agarvated that my sugars have been running between 250- 350.  Has everything I have done been in vane?  Am I still going to be cursed with diabtetes?

It is possible unfortunately.  You can't get an appointment until JANUARY...maybe find someone else.  Sorry your levels haven't gone down more.

It is possible you could still have diabetes.  I don't think that means everything you've done has been in vain, though.  Was that the only benefit you wanted from WLS?

The likelihood of being cured of diabetes by WLS depends on many factors.  But the biggest is what your diabetes was like before surgery and whether your pancreas is still capable of producing insulin.  Most Type II diabetics produce plenty of insulin but their cells are insulin resistant.  Oral medication makes your own cells more sensitive to the insulin already produced by your body.  However, after many years of your pancreas producing tons of insulin, the pancreatic cells start to die and eventually even the Type II diabetic does not produce enough insulin, essentially becoming a Type I diabetic.   

After WLS, several things happen.  First, your body converts less sugar to glucose than it did before due to intestinal rerouting, so there is less sugar in the bloodstream with the same amount of food.  Second, as your weight goes down, you need less insulin because you are smaller.  (There may be other reasons as well that I don't know about.)

Therefore, if you are a Type II diabetic who has destroyed their pancreas and you produce none or just a little insulin, you will continue to need to supplement with injected insulin.  The good news is that even if you still need SOME insulin, it will be much less than before.  I, for example, went from taking 60 units of Humalog a day to just 2 or 3 units on some days.  When I eat any carbohydrate -- including the "good" ones like whole wheat bread, potatoes, and oatmeal -- I must still take at least a little insulin. 

If you are a Type II diabetic who was on oral meds and still have plenty of insulin, you will more than likely be eventually "cured" of your diabetes  You many have to continue to take your oral meds for some time after your surgery (even if your doctors told you to initially stop taking them).  However, do NOT let your blood sugar run 250-350 for any length of time.  Don't wait for an appointment -- fax or email your Dr and explain the whole situation so that he or she can evaluate the best med and dose.  The longer you keep control of your sugars, the longer your pancreas will survive.

Good luck to you!

p.s. I have learned this information in bits and pieces from many sources over the years, so please don't take my word for it, please talk to your doctor.  And if anyone thinks I'm wrong on any of the points made above, please let me know!  I'd hate to be giving out inadequate or incomplete info.

I suspect that I will remain diabetic. My A1C hasn't dropped as much as I anticipated since surgery, and while I've been off oral meds for a few months, there is a very real possibility I'll be back on them soon. WLS doesn't guarantee that diabetes will go into remission, although it certainly increases the chances.