Starting to think I got the wrong surgery...

As others have noted here, those who have had diabetes for a long time usually take longer to resolve after surgery (though there will always be those outliers *****solve overnight despite being long term diabetics.) My wife was just short of being insulin dependent when she had her DS a few years ago, and it took here the better part of the first year to be off of all of the meds.

I am another who will advise that if the VSG doesn't do the trick for you, then do seriously look into the DS as the next step - the RNY and VSG are too similar in performance to revise from one to the other and expect better results; the DS gives you the best chance at resolving your diabetes (on the order of 98+% for the DS vs. 85ish% for the RNY and VSG.)

Last month at our support group meeting, I was chatting with a gal who is 25+ years out on an RNY and by all measures had been successful - maintaining her loss and no signs of diabetes up until a couple of years ago when the weight came back due to various life stresses (and not the complete regain that is often seen with the RNY, but 50-60% regain) and along with it came her diabetes out of remission. She is now pursuing a revision to a DS to get that back under control again (something that is much easier to do if starting from a VSG, as there are only a handful of surgeons in the US qualified to do the much trickier RNY to DS revision.)

Looks like you are doing pretty darn good to me. I didn't have diabetes however I'm sure you are anxious for it to be gone. Miracles don't happen in a month so just give it some time and stay on track.

Stay positive!

Hey SusieQ! 
I'm sorry you're feeling a bit let down and disappointed. I understand.
I was pre-diabetes before VSG. It was not a real big concern for me, but my blood pressure was and so was my super high cholesterol. Here's how it worked for me:

1. Got off the cholesterol meds even before surgery. The meds, pre op diet and exercise did the trick. Cholesterol has actually gone up a bit since VSG, but is still well within normal limits.

2. Blood glucose levels were down to 88 within 8 hours of VSG and have stayed there ever since.

3. I quit smoking over a year ago. I went on a pre op diet. I started exercisng. NO CHANGE IN BLOOD PRESSURE! It took me 7 months post VSG and was virtually at goal before I could go off the BP meds.

My big goal was to get off the BP meds. I had been on them for such a long time. It was sort of like the thing I wanted most took the longest.

This is such an individual journey. You just vent away to your heart's content. You owe it to yourself. You've done such a great job so far. Big pat on the back! Congrats on your great loss in 4 weeks!

I came off insulin a year after the op.  Now only on Metformin and Sitagliptin with a minimum dose of blood pressure meds.  Don't be disheartened, we each travel our own road.  Diabetes is degenerative, so it all depends on how it has progressed.  Vsg isn't a magic op....  Best of luck with your journey.

This is also why I am having surgery. Diabetes, hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure, joints and such...

My surgeon said that there are comparable results with the VSG as with the RnY but in both cases it depends very much on how long you have had diabetes, how much under control it is, what kinds of meds you take and whether or not it is weight related or genetic. He said that the HBP is not a sure bet with any WLS because that also has genetic factors. Many folks who are not overweight have HBP issues. Same with diabetes - even type II. It is a false assumption that we all eat our way into diabetes. Weight surely impacts it negatively but it is not the CAUSE of diabetes. In many medical journals in fact the discussion now is the reverse - i.e. diabetes causes weight gain.

I am hopeful that since I have only had it for a couple of years and my numbers are not that bad with only 500 mgs of glucophage a day and no insulin, that I will have good results with the VSG. In any case, no RnY for me and probably no DS either although in a pinch I would go for that.

Good luck to you and give yourself some time to adjust. You have been battling diabetes for over 16 years. Let your body have more than a month to 'get it' that it no longer needs to have it!

All the best to you!

I've lost 64 pounds when I combine my pre op and post op weight and I'm still on the same blood pressure medication I was on before the vsg and my blood pressure is high sometimes, so I know what your feeling about your diabetes and next week will be 3 months post op for me. So just hang in there. Plus my weight loss has slowed down a lot too, so just try to stay positive everyones body respond a little different to the vsg

hi!  first, be kind to yourself!  4 weeks is just the beginning, your tummy and the rest of your system are still in the WTF just happened mode, and i know you're doing great!

i had insulin resistance prior to surgery and also took lipitor.  i was actually a ridiculously healthy obese person!  i have gone off the metformin i was taking, but it took a while.  and i didn't have diabestes yet and was controlling the blood sugar witht the med.  i'm still on the lipitor, but i'm pretty resigned to that.

good luck!  give yourself some time (maybe talk to the doc about how long it may take you relative to how long you've been insulin-dependednt.

hang in there baby, and vent away!  this is a good place for it!   (((((hugs)))))

i can totally see where ur frustrated, but like other said... ur still less than 1 month out... ur body still has swelling/inflamation that in itself can cause increased blood sugars... ur headed in the right direction and the more weight u lose the less risk ur at... ur body needs time to adjust...

Congrats on ur loss so far and getting off some of ur meds! Good luck in ur continued loss and getting off the rest of ur meds

I have literally 5 (IN REAL LIFE) RNY friends, and guess what, their Diabetes came back with RNY. Full blown back on insulin, they're at their goal weight or within 20lbs of it. None of them have had regain, one chose RNY with only 90lbs to lose, she lost it in 7 months, by month 10, still on program, she's back on insulin.

DS is the surgery with ONLY cure for diabetes. Even RNY will only put it in remission.

I know it's frustrating, and upsetting just from their experiences, but don't think it's always the surgery type.

Vent away, but don't doubt yourself.

This explains what studies are showing with RNY, losing the pyloric valve and regain with insulin levels spiking after RNY.

http://www.lenoxhillhospital.org/press_releases.aspx?id=2106

Hi, I am  11 weeks out with a much higher starting weight than you.  I've been diabetic for over 15 years.  I had a band for 7 years, Then 3 years after removal I was sleeved. 
 
It's been a bit of a clash of goals for me.  I've been on 3 meds for diabetes (Glucophage, Victoza and prandin).  My 1st month out I was quite miserable, no energy, lethargy, diarrhea and my blood sugar was stiil up.  I actually said to my family "I've made a terrible mistake".  Then I saw my endocrinologist who said "stop the glucophage immediately".  Within days I was better and my blood sugar started dropping.  What a revelation!  It was a whole new world.  This is great, I thought, I think I'll have a piece of fruit.  No effect on blood sugar.  I think I'll try a piece of toast with my egg, still normal blood sugar.  Wow, I simply could not believe it.  Mind you, I wasn't overeating, no binging.  Just dipping my toe into the world of not being glucose challenged. This was month 2.  The unintended consequence was that my weight loss stalled.  So the carbohydrate party ended about 10 days ago and I've started losing again albeit slowly.  I inadvertantly ran out of victoza (mail order delay) over a week ago and I still have normal blood sugar.
So while my diabetes is dramatically improved, I remain carb sensitive in terms of weight management.
Give it some time, it's still early days.  Work with your endocrinologist.  You will get there.