CNBC New Story, RNY & Cleveland Clinic Cardiology

I am a day trader.  I trade stocks during the day which means my TV is pretty much business channels 24/7...especially during market hours beginning at 3 am when the Asian & European Markets are open

Anyway...I was watching CNBC & Brian Sullivan did a story on RNY Gastric Bypass.  He interviewed Dr. Nissan (I couldn't see the spelling of his name).  The story was very exciting because the interview dealt with a Cardiology Convention taking place right now in Chicago and the "buzz" about RNY and diabetes. 

Now we already know that in many cases RNY resolves or greatly impacts type II diabetes.  But what made this interview so impacting was this:  The Cleveland Clinic conducted a study with diabetics.  In the study they had 2 groups...one received conventional treatment with medication, but the other received gastric bypass.  BUT THIS IS THE CLINCHER.  They performed RNY on people as little as 30 to  60 pounds overweight.  The results were 75% of those receiving bypass had their diabetes resolved.

He went on to say this will revolutionize the way diabetes is treated which means the threshold for qualifying will be greatly reduced from the 100 pounds plus needed to lose to qualify.

dOf course the anchors argued that is not fair to thin, healthy Americans who will now be forced to pay higher premiums for the increased surgeries performed.  But the Doctor, who was so gracious in how he presented his case, said doctors are there to help people who need help.  He said the insurance companies will save much more over the long run because the long term cost for treating diabetes is much more costly then gastric bypass.

So....the exciting thing was he was a cardiologist advocating for this who was  not a bariatric surgeon.  The weight requirement in the study was so much lower.  In fact I wondered what those who were only 30 pounds overweight will look like.

I hope this translates to all overweight/obese who desire to have this life altering surgery.  I have not had a chance to google the story or go to CNBC, but I will.  Perhaps someone is reading this who knows someone, or perhaps that is you, who wants surgery, needs surgery but does not meet  the necessary weight requirement.  The Doctor was so compassionate.  When they tried to pull him into the political discussion, he handled it with such finesse.  It was short, so I am anxious to read more about this.

This is based on the STAMPEDE I study study from Cleveland Clinic studying RNY in diabetics. Published in this weeks New England journal. Phlip R Schauer, the head of bariatric surgery, is going to be on all the major networks. Supposed to be on some morning show tomorrow I forget which one. Should be on local Cleveland radio as they interviewed him, too. Try WTAM 1100 for radio. Station reaches 38 states and half of Canada if you can't wait for the evening news. Dr. Nissen is a cardiologist who is the head of Cardivascular. Is a co-author of the heart 411 book which I recommend.

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me the info.  I was so excited once I realized what the top was.  He was great.  I genuinely enjoyed listening to him, and he was the perfect spokesperson.  I sincerely hope this in one more step in changing society's opinion regarding WLS and attitudes towards the obese in general.

Thanks for the book recommendation.  I would like to read it.  My high blood pressure resolved for one year then returned at one year post op.  I am once again on meds, and my mother died from a heart attack.  My husband was commenting during the interview with Dr. Nissen he does not understand why I have high blood pressure and cholesterol nearing 200, but my HDL is very good.  The way we eat and exercise I would have thought it would be far lower.

Wow, that is really interesting.

I'm curious about a number of things.  I'm wondering if patients that are only 30 pounds overweight have problems getting enough calories so they don't end up really underweight?  It seems like it would be hard to keep from losing a lot more than 30 pounds after this surgery.

But then I wonder if doctors could make the pouch larger than they typicaly do, if people don't need to  lose much weight, and if they can bypass a smaller amount of small intestine.  I don't know exactly what it is about RNY that fixes diabetes.  It's not just that patients lose weight, right?  but something changes metabolically?

Those were the same questions I was asking as I was listening to the interview.  They had only a few minutes and only covered the diabetes aspect.  Like you, I would imagine the pouch would have to be made larger and the bypass not as significant.   They did not address the reasons diabetes is impacted.  Dr. Nissan said the Conference members were very excited at the findings.  Today is the first day Obama's health care mandate is being argued before the Supreme Court, so the timing was interesting, and the doctor was not going to be pulled into the politics of it all.

 I saw this and it also noted that RNY had a larger percentage of lower or remission than band patients.
(A fellow trader.)

I love it.... I wonder how many more there are of us out there on OH.  Thanks for that additional info.  I did not hear the comment about the band.  Did they try the band too?  I missed that.  That must have been when my husband and I were talking about my high blood pressure.  Do you trade for yourself or a company? 

I wish I could remember the percentages but it was a considerable percentage over the band. I am still on a small amount of insulin but so much less and no Lantus anymore. My blood pressure is down so much that I don't take the meds. It may be border line at times and I do check it regularly.

I owned my own business for 50years and when we retired I had to keep in touch with our assets so my trading is for our retirement income. Previously I designed GW paper, social notes, fragrances, books, and addicted to that control. Much of my weight gain was by spending too much time on business and putting myself last. Probably more than you wanted to hear.

What an interesting life you have had.  I enjoyed you sharing  it.  Running a business takes so much dedication, and I would imagine most of your time too.  .  I understand the control issue - especially when it comes to our money.  No one will watch it better than we.  Is trading something you have done for many years or something you began doing once you retired?  That must have been a huge life style change once you retired after owning your busines for so many years.