Bariatric Surgery for Diabetes
You may have heard that bariatric surgery is being touted as a cure for type 2 diabetes. If you’re diabetic, or know someone who is, you may be taking a harder look at the surgery and whether you should have it.
As many of you already know, my husband is a type 2 diabetic. We’re not considering surgery for him. His doctor hasn’t brought it up as a possibility, but we’re both against surgery unless it’s a last resort. Neither of us are health professionals, but we do have some specific reasons for our decision.
First, I think you have to be careful of the media. Stories tend to get exaggerated, and this may be no exception. Anyway, we all know not to get our health advice from the media (including blogs!) anyway, right?
Second, remember that the REAL benefit isn’t the surgery, it’s the side effect of weight loss. So, it stands to reason that if you can lose weight without the surgery, you get the benefits without the surgery risk. I know… sometimes that’s a lot easier said than done.
I have a prejudice against jumping to surgery. My preference is to try the least invasive, drastic approach first. Surgery is risky (obviously), so it’s something to be considered carefully. Even more of a concern is the fact that doctors still aren’t sure of the long term risks of bariatric surgery.
If you’re considering it, I’d suggest you talk to more than one doctor. Find out what ALL your options are and what the risks are. Nothing is a silver bullet, and decisions like this have to be made carefully. You’ll be asked to make huge lifestyle changes before and after the surgery, so ask yourself if you should try to make those types of changes in order to AVOID the surgery first.
Finally, be sure you find a doctor who is experienced in the surgery. Ask how many your doctor has done and his track record. This isn’t a time to be shy about asking questions.
Here are some links for further reading.
and more Bariatric Surgery Risks
Preparation for Weight Loss Surgery
What to Expect from Bariatric Surgery
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