Recent research reveals bariatric surgery can help improve diabetes type 2. Being at a healthy weight can bring your blood sugar levels back to the normal range and you may even need fewer medications. Find out more about bariatric surgery and diabetes type 2.
- Being overweight can make it difficult to control your blood sugar levels with diabetes. Additionally, overweight people are at an increased risk of complications associated with diabetes and obesity such as heart disease and stroke. Bariatric surgery can help you achieve a healthy weight and your blood sugar may get back to a normal range. Weight loss surgery can also improve your overall health since diabetes can damage your eyes, kidneys, heart and nerves. As a result, your doctor may suggest weight loss surgery.
- The two basic types of weight loss surgery are gastric bypass and gastric banding. Both reduce the size of your stomach from about the size of a football to around the size of a golf ball so you eat less and feel full faster. The smaller stomach holds about a half-cup of food while a regular stomach can hold around a quart.
- Gastric bypass is a more invasive type of bariatric surgery. Your stomach is made smaller and bypasses the top of your small intestine. This cuts the calories and nutrients your body is able to absorb after eating. Gastric banding involves the doctor putting an adjustable band around the top part of you stomach to create a small pouch. The surgeon adds saline fluid to tighten and loosen the banding balloon. Banding is less invasive and risky than gastric bypass and can also be reversible.
- Bariatric surgery is typically recommended for people with a BMI of 40 or higher, which is about 80 pounds overweight for women and around 100 pounds overweight for men. People with a BMI of 30 or higher may consider the surgery if they have other weight-related conditions such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart disease and/or arthritis. Certain insurance plans may require you to engage in a 6 to 12 month doctor-approved exercise and diet plan before covering the surgery. This proves you can change your lifestyle and keep the weight off. It is essential to make a lifelong commitment to diet and exercise. Your diet should include low-fat dairy, lean meats and fish, vegetables and fruit and whole grains. Steer clear of sugary, fatty and salty foods. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
- Your doctor will decide if you are a viable candidate for bariatric surgery. You may not be a good candidate if you are a substance abuser, have untreated psychiatric disorders or are obese from an endocrine or metabolic disorder. Other risky factors include heart disease that may make surgery riskier and women who want to get pregnant within 18 months of surgery.
- After recovering from surgery, your meal sizes will shrink significantly. Patients start with a half-cup of food and move up to three-quarters or a whole cup. You have to exercise regularly and eat the proper foods to get the best results from bariatric surgery. If you have not exercised in a long time, start by taking a short walk each day. Use an Omron pedometer to gauge your progress. Go a bit further each day to get the exercise you need to stay health and keep off unwanted pounds.
Bariatric surgery can help people with type 2 diabetes shed extra pounds and maintain healthier blood sugar levels. After surgery, you must develop healthy lifestyle habits including proper diet and exercise. Bariatric surgery can help you ward off health complications, live a more active life and even minimize the need for certain medications.
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