Question:
I have had been reclassified to a type 1 diabetic now so what are my chances now

of success with this gastirc by pass or banding seeing as though I 've have diabetes for the last 30+years?    — Margetta (posted on August 15, 2006)


August 15, 2006
Margetta, this is very interesting. Ihave never heard of being reclasified from Type II to Type I. Who reclassified you? What was the criteria? And why? I am three weeks post op and my sugars are running in the 300's. It isn't from food, I figure it is from stress of healing. Hoping they get better. I am working on my insulin intake slowly. I sure hope they don't reclassify me. I wasn't much help but am interesting you your responses. Have you asked these question of you diabetic doctor of PCP?
   — ccstann

August 15, 2006
in other terms, you've gone from "non-insulin dependent" to "insulin-dependent" diabetes? would this seem to make your chances of getting approved for surgery better with your insurer? have you applied for approval yet? since being diabetic also means having cardiovascular risk, thats 2 comorbidities already, so your insurer may take a closer look and approve you. best of luck.
   — Fluffy W.

August 15, 2006
you ask about success with the surgery, as prev poster suggested, talk to your md, diabetic educator, bariatric surgeon. getting the weight off will improve so many factors: less work on heart, poss decrease insulin resistance, improve lipid profile (decrease chloesterol & triglycerides, improve hdl:ldl ratio) so the bariatric surgery as a tool to help wt loss would improve health, so hopefully your insurer will agree. :)
   — Fluffy W.

August 16, 2006
Marietta- Type 1 diabetes is diagnosed usually by mid- twenties and is identifed as the pancreas not producing any insulin (it also used to be termed IDDM or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Melitas) Type 2 (also used to be called NIDDM - or non-insulin dependent) used to be picked up when a person was over 40- however with the rise in obesity Type 2 is being identified much earlier- also the A1C and Fasting blood glucose used to help identify T2 but in an effort to curb the complications we lowered (thankfully so) the identification points for these tests. Speaking from my experience I would say, basing this on a guess that you are/or have been significantly over weight and past thirty years of age, that you are a type 2 but that your pancreas no longer produces enough insulin to keep your A1C below at least a 7%. More and more T2's are being placed on insulin to gain better glucose control and decrease the risk of complications to the eyes, kidneys, heart, etc. This does not make them a T1. Hope this helps to explain some of your diagnosis. But to your final question please ask your IM or Endocrinologist doctor how they feel about surgery and then ask the surgeon.
   — dabby

August 16, 2006
Margetta, Donna is correct in her answer. Type 1 or 2 is based on your age at the time of diagnosis. Insulin requirements have nothing to do with the classification. I hope you are seeing an endocrinologist and nutrtionist to control your diabetes and prevent many of the life threatening/life ending complications that accompany uncontrolled/poorly controlled diabetes. Good Luck
   — goldroses

August 16, 2006
Sometimes there is simply confusion in the terminology. I was an INSULIN DEPENDENT TYPE II diabetic for over 30 years. This is sometimes mistakenly labeled Type I. I was on over 200 units daily and 3 oral meds prior to RNY. The gastric bypass can completely resolve Type II in MANY patients. My RNY doc didn't think it would completely resolve mine due to the amount of insulin I needed. I was off insulin completely within a week of surgery. I still take oral meds and my diabetes control is very good. This alone should be reason to have the RNY surgery. Banding doesn't effect diabetes the same way according to my surgeon. The explanation was way over my head. Good Luck! Shadow
   — Shadow51

August 16, 2006
Being reclassified to T1 really doesn't make sense. Donna has the best explanation, please see your PCP or better yet an endo. I was diagnoised with T1 diabetes at age 28, had open RNY almost 2 1/2 yrs ago, my insulin levels went from over 150 units a day to averaging about 45-50 units a day. I wish you the best of luck, and hopefully after WLS you'll need less medication and even less insulin! Good Luck!
   — SJWendy

August 16, 2006
If you have been reclassed to a type 1 your dr has determined that your pancrease can no longer produce any amount of insulin on it's own & you are insulin dependent. You can still be successful with WLS. When you lose weight you will be able to lower the dosage of insulin you need to take greatly. I am a type II diabetic but before WLS my body did not produce enough insulin and I was taking a combination of oral meds and insulin 3 times a day. I gained an extra 75 lbs on insulin in just 6 months. By one month post op I was again on only oral medication. 1 pill (prandin) before meals if my readings were above 120 before I ate. At 6 months post op I was a diet controlled diabetic. Unfortunately at 2 years post op and ever since then because I started eating more (and yes some wrong things) and not exercising enough, my readings went back up and I was put back on oral meds and I have been on prandin since then. I'm well controlled with one pill and sometimes I dont have to take it. This is a much better senario than where I was at before my gastric bypass. Perhaps the Type I diagnosis was hasty and after your surgery your dr will see that you are in fact still producing your own insulin. At any rate,diabetes Type I or II is a disease that can be much improved after WLS. I firmly believe that diabetis is with me for life. I always have to be vigilant, try to do the right things, eat healthy and exercise. Gastric Bypass really made these tasks much easier to deal with.
   — SARose61

August 17, 2006
I was insulin-dependent diabetic for about twelveyears vefore having my surgery. Now I take no medication at all for diabetes!! I still have to watch my suagrs and carbs, but no injections!!!! Your diabetes is a comorbidity, and actually increases your chances of getting the surgery approved.
   — Novashannon




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