N_C

Have a doctor's apt. tomorrow. Main reason I am going is I exhibit some of the symptoms of diabetes. I am over weight so if I am that will be one of the main reasons for it. I'm also going to have my cholesteral checked and be tested for high blood pressure.

Truth be told I can pretty much guarantee I'll leave the dr's office diagnosed with both doabetes and high cholesteral. I'll be very surprised if I am not diagnosed with either one. i don't think I have high blood pressure but I want it checked anyway.

This is of my own doing and design. I've no one to blame for this but myself.

I should know for sure by Fri. after the blood work is finished.

Anyone else in the same predicament I am?

How have you dealt with it?

I need suggestions and help. So any positive advice is welcome.

Guest

Well, I am going to say a prayer for you tonight and hope for the best.

PM me when you get some results, and maybe I can help you make a plan for some exercise and get you some articles I have around storage for diabetics who use exercise to control their glucose levels.

I'm not in the same predicament, but it's a good reminder to take care of myself and do the right things to ensure that I won't be in that predicament in my later years.

Good luck, and keep us informed of the results!

Koffee

Kev

I'm fairly young right now, and don't have problems with any of the above yet, but diabetes runs in my family. If you would not posting where those articles on controling glucose levels with exercise I would love to read them.


N_C good luck, maybe it won't be as bad as you think, and you took the first step go the doctor find out what is wrong, then you can work at getting better. Alot better then denying there is a problem.

ZackJones

N_C: I'm in a similar situation: overweight, high BP and Cholesterol. I've exhibited a glucose intolerance in recent blood tests. What the doc told me this means is I'm heading towards diabetes. Unless I'm mistaken you may be diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic. It is possible, by improving your health to get ride of diabetes.

What I have been doing lately is ride, ride and ride some more I've lost some weight and will go back next month for blood work again. Good luck with the doc and let us know how things turn out for you.

Zack

Gordon P

I suspected that I was showing the symptoms of diabetes and went to my doctor for a complete physical examination. About half of my family members have type 2 and one member has type 1 or juvenile diabetes, so I had concern and reason for worry. It turned out that I was perfectly healthy and the symptoms were just coincidence and my doctor assured me that I will probably never develop this decease. Heart decease is also a big concern in my family; almost all the males on my paternal side have died from heart attacks or have high blood pressure. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure at 19 years of age and at 39, I am still controlling it without drugs. Good luck with your appointment and remember that exercise, diet and lifestyle are the three key components to good health.
Regards,
Gordon p

N_C

Update: Went to dr. today, actually the physicians assistent saw me and did the physical, etc., she can do everything except prescribe meds. It was also easier to talk to a female about things then a guy, don't really know why it just was.

Blood pressure is not to high, at least not high enough to cause great concern.

Have not heard yet on blood tests. I was told that if they do not call then things are fine, there are no problems, ( no news is good news). So if I get through tomorrow with out hearing form them then there are no worries regarding, diabetes or high cholesteral. I may not be diabetic, but I don't think I am going to escape the high cholesteral though.

The test they ran are fasting insulin, fasting cholesteral, thyroid and blood sugar.

The P.A. and I also discussed weight loss options. She recommended trying the Atkins diet, or at least partially, meaning don't drop the carbs. as low as the diet prescribes.

She also thinks I am a candidate for a surgical procedure called the gastric band, or lapband. It works on the same principal as the gastric bypass surgery but it is not permanent, meaning it can be removed. There are a lot less complications.

The way the band works is it is place around the area just above the stomach and it is filled with saline solution to reduce the size. Much the same way the permenant bypass surgery does. And as it is needed the band can have saline added or removed from it with a small tube connected to it just under the skin of the abdomine.

I have a information meeting sometime in May to learn more. The meeting is made of people like me and the dr's. that perform all of the gastric surgerys. From there I talk to the surgeon who will perform mine. Then after the insurance approves it I'll have the surgery provided the surgeon says that I'm a good candidate for it.

If it happens it will not be until the end of the summer more then likely. It will take about that long to get everything in order for the surgery to occure.

All I know is I am willing to do this and everything associated with it, (lifestyle & diet counseling, etc.) if it is what it takes to accomplish what I have worked so long and hard at but with no real results.

A few things I have on my side regarding weight loss and my general health is hear disease does not run in my family. And I am still pretty young, 31 yrs old, so I still have time on my hands to head off a heart attack.

Another thing I have going for me is the fact that I do exercise as much as I can. Cycling in the spring and summer and walking in the winter. So in some ways I am not starting from zero. Which is a plus.

The P.A. also thinks that part of my problem may be genetic. Albeit a small part, IMHO. And I told her as such. I don't really want to buy the fact that my own genes help make me fat. Maybe they do.

Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers. I appreciate it. If you do not hear from me about diabetes or high cholesteral then everything regarding that is fine. If there is a problem then I'll certainly post another update.

Again thanks.

cbhungry

Why would she recommend surgery? Is your body mass index above 40? Do have other comorbidities? They have yet to diagnose you with diabetes or high cholesterol.

This surgery still carries with it complications such as injury to the mesentery ( intestinal stuff) and esophageal perforation (poking a hole in the swallowing tube which requires a surgical approach equivalent to open heart surgery to repair). Not to mention idiosyncratic reaction to the anesthesia which is still the number one cause of death in elective surgeries (that's why anesthesiologists have higher malpractice premiums than most cardiac and neurosurgeons.)

A recent article in the annals of surgery described 49 redo surgeries in 625 people.

I definately would not embark on this surgery, as minimally invasive as it sounds because there is no such thing as a safe surgery.... this would be completely elective and there are ways to lose weight without it.

She otherwise sounds like a great PA.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/447511

here is the link to the article in the Annals of Surgery 237(11):10-16 2003.


https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/444393

This link shows that men more than women seem to have higher adverse outcomes from this surgery.

markevans999

the book by Dr. Barry Sears called Enter the Zone is excellent for diet concerning diabetes and high cholesteral. also it's an excellent diet for losing weight and for sports training.

supcom

My prediction is that anyone who manages to attend the meeting will be accepted by a surgeon as a 'good candidate' for the surgery. This kind of procedure is what makes a surgeon's boat payments. For some, it's their bread and butter. The only thing to prevent a surgeon from performing the procedure is if your insurance won't pre-approve you.

Since you state that you are willing to make the diet and lifestyle changes, you should be able to reduce body fat by making a concerted and consistant effort to reduce your fat intake and increase your aerobic excercise output. Since you are already cycling, you are already on the right track.

From your concerns of cholesterol and diabetes and your seeking surgery, it sounds like you could benefit from an examination of your diet. Try keeping a log of what you eat. Minimize the fat content in your diet. Don't go hungry, but don't stuff yourself either.

Ride your bike longer and more often. Try to get at least 30 minutes of good aerobic riding 4 or 5 times per week. Keep it up. Find an alternate excercise in the winter months (bike trainer, treadmill, stairclimber, swimming, etc).

Stay away from fast food restaurants. Stay away from slow food restaurants. Make pizza against your religion. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Drink lots of water.

Ride your bike more. Eat less. Eat smart. It's more fun than surgery.

cbhungry

Markevans999 is right. Dr. Barry Sears is a Ph.D nutritionist from MIT. No complications have been reported with his diet unlike Atkins which has many case reports of kidney stone formation, gallstone formation, interstitial nephritis etc. I know alot of medical doctors at the teaching institution here who recommend the Zone but very few recommend the Atkins (even though he is a collegue, a fellow Md!)

And as Supcom so elegantly and succinctly stated:

N_C

My BMI is above 40 and I'm considered a class 3 among the morbidly obese. Which is the worse class to be in. (I hate being a statistic like this).

I know the surgery can have risks complications. All surgery's do. That's to be expected. But the reason I am choosing this particular method is because it is not permenant and it has a lot less of a chance of complications then the full bypass. Plus when my weight loss goal is met the lapband will then be removed.

I have tried several methods to lose weight. THey either dod not work, or work well enough. I want something done about it before I get to much older and my risk of heart attack increases. Which will happen in the next 2 to 3 years. I'm literally at the end of my rope with dealing with this. I'm growing ever impatient with it and I want something done and done now. Even though the surgery will not happen for another 3 to 4 months from now.

My insurance provider has bene pretty good at approving the lapband procedure. So there should not be to many problems there.

I've made up my mind to go through with it after the insurance approves it. Nothing will change that.

I know that this is not a miracle cure. And it may not work at all. (I've read that some people don't lose a single pound for some reason or another). But right now I feel it is what is best for me. Sorry if I seem selfish with my own health, but don't I have a right to be?. And sorry if I disagree with your advice to not have the procedure done but my mind is made up.

I do thank you & appreciate the advice though.

Guest

You know, I wouldn't take much stock in the BMI anyway. I am considered obese by those same scales, but yet my muscle mass is way high- I do a lot of weightlifting, and it tends to be on the heavy side, especially for upper body.

I pay more attention to bodyfat measurements. Try your local gym and ask if they have a personal trainer that can do a skinfold fat analysis on you. I bet your numbers would change in a right hurry.

If you're interested, send me a PM, and I can go through some stuff with you.

Take care,

Koffee