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Diabetes

If you are considering weight loss surgery to help control your diabetes, chances are you already know a great deal about this disease.  Whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, whether you know your diabetes to be genetically caused, age-related, of autoimmune origin, or related to diet and weight, you are probably also aware of the possible complications that may threaten your health and even your life.

Bariatric surgery has emerged as an effective and realistic treatment option for obesity-related diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes. This type of surgery is usually considered for obese diabetics with a Body Mass Index over 35. After surgery, the patient’s insulin sensitivity increases, requirements for injected insulin are reduced, and he or she responds better to oral medication. Successful weight-loss surgery followed by changes towards a healthy lifestyle can cause the condition to go into remission.

Though both the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and the Lap-Band procedures offer positive results for weight reduction and remission of diabetes, RYGB seems to be slightly preferable. Bariatric procedures of the bypass type also help by stimulating the secretion of gut hormones that increase insulin secretion and sensitivity. Improved blood sugar control often occurs in bariatric patients even before major weight is lost.

Surgical treatment has been shown to be most effective in patients with recent onset of diabetes, i.e., less than five years. Proper diet, oral medication, and a substantial plus durable weight loss through surgery can often lead to diabetes remission in relatively young and fit diabetics.