Bariatric Surgery and Diabetes

[TromboneAl]

According to this report, on the news last night:

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams: News and videos from the evening broadcast- msnbc.com

bariatric surgery can rapidly "cure" diabetes, even before the weight loss kicks in. The report said that for some, blood sugars can return to normal "within hours of the surgery."

Did I hear it right? If so, there is something completely weird and unexpected going on. You screw around with the stomach, and then a few hours later blood sugars improve?

 

[ERD50]

I heard that, and it didn't make any sense to me. I chalked it up to the level of 'journalism' that exists today, and figured if there is anything to it, we will see it pop up in a more serious format soon.

More and more, I'm finding it useful to let all this 'instant news' age a bit.

-ERD50

 

[Tadpole]

I find it strange that, if significant, this is just being noticed. They have been performing surgery on diabetics for years. You would think that if a great number of these patients had their diabetes "go away", someone would have noticed.

 

[MichaelB]

I don't think this is new. 60 minutes covered it more than a year ago.

 

[haha]

Why limit this to the obese? We should start removing stomachs on any and all T2 diabetics. And T1-s may have to prove that they are exempt from this surgery.

Ha

 

[W2R]

According to this report, on the news last night:

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams: News and videos from the evening broadcast- msnbc.com

bariatric surgery can rapidly "cure" diabetes, even before the weight loss kicks in. The report said that for some, blood sugars can return to normal "within hours of the surgery."

Did I hear it right? If so, there is something completely weird and unexpected going on. You screw around with the stomach, and then a few hours later blood sugars improve?

Well, I am not really sure - - aren't the patients are put on a pretty severe liquid diet once they can eat? Better nutrition might be contributing to the lowering in blood sugar.

 

[REWahoo]

Well, I am not really sure - - aren't the patients are put on a pretty severe liquid diet once they can eat? Better nutrition might be contributing to the lowering in blood sugar.

According to what I heard yesterday on NPR, it goes beyond diet and weight loss:

After the surgery, patients would sometimes get better within hours or days. And when that happens it's clear there's something more going on than just the effects of getting thinner. One theory is that re-arranging the digestive system affects important hormones.

"There appears to be an increased production of special hormones from the intestinal tract and these hormones are known to directly stimulate the pancreas to make more insulin," Schauer said.

Weight-Loss Surgery May Help Treat, Even Reverse, Diabetes : Shots - Health Blog : NPR

 

[W2R]

According to what I heard yesterday on NPR, it goes beyond diet and weight loss:

Weight-Loss Surgery May Help Treat, Even Reverse, Diabetes : Shots - Health Blog : NPR

Oh!!! I see.

Gilda Radner Nevermind - YouTube

 

[bld999]

According to this report, on the news last night:

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams: News and videos from the evening broadcast- msnbc.com

bariatric surgery can rapidly "cure" diabetes, even before the weight loss kicks in. The report said that for some, blood sugars can return to normal "within hours of the surgery."

Did I hear it right? If so, there is something completely weird and unexpected going on. You screw around with the stomach, and then a few hours later blood sugars improve?

Using the term "cure" in this context just means the news agency has it's head someplace it shouldn't be.

 

[TromboneAl]

Maybe when the scalpels come out, the pancreas cells say "These guys are getting serious, we better stop screwing around."

 

[Nords]

A friend had this surgery 6-8 months ago because of Type II diabetes issues.

Now he's not half the man he used to be.

 

[haha]

Jenny Ruhl sheds a dose of reality on this story of DM cures, also highlights conflicts of the principle author of the study.

Diabetes Update: No, WLS Does NOT Cure Diabetes--Study By Doctor with Conflict of Interest

Executive summary: "Don't get your hopes up."

 

[eytonxav]

Jenny Ruhl sheds a dose of reality on this story of DM cures, also highlights conflicts of the principle author of the study.

Diabetes Update: No, WLS Does NOT Cure Diabetes--Study By Doctor with Conflict of Interest

Executive summary: "Don't get your hopes up."

Good article. Also from my perspective, I don't consider A1Cs below 6 to mean no longer diabetic. If that were the case I could declare myself non-diabetic.

 

[Chuckanut]

Alas, the average news reporter is very ignorant on economics, science and religion. In fact, I am not sure what most reporters are knowledgable on. The Blogosphere is even worse.

 

[jclarksnakes]

Jenny Ruhl sheds a dose of reality on this story of DM cures, also highlights conflicts of the principle author of the study.

Diabetes Update: No, WLS Does NOT Cure Diabetes--Study By Doctor with Conflict of Interest

Executive summary: "Don't get your hopes up."

Thanks for posting that link. Good to see that there are two sides to the story. As is usually the case the reality is probably somewhere in between. Unfortunately one side got very big headlines yesterday. We all know that perception is more important than reality.

 

[wolf]

According to this report, on the news last night:

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams: News and videos from the evening broadcast- msnbc.com

bariatric surgery can rapidly "cure" diabetes, even before the weight loss kicks in. The report said that for some, blood sugars can return to normal "within hours of the surgery."

Did I hear it right? If so, there is something completely weird and unexpected going on. You screw around with the stomach, and then a few hours later blood sugars improve?

Yes, this is true. This is not new news. The problem is, Doctors do not know why, the diabetes goes aways after surgery. It just happens.

It is not a cure for all diabetes. I've been a type 2 diabetic for years.
Runs in the family. No one is over weight. Onset was late. My case,
57.

 

[TromboneAl]

Agreed it's sensationalism, but if a few people truly have immediate and lasting improvements after we mess around with their tummies, then we have an interesting new avenue of inquiry to pursue.

 

[jclarksnakes]

Agreed it's sensationalism, but if a few people truly have immediate and lasting improvements after we mess around with their tummies, then we have an interesting new avenue of inquiry to pursue.

Agree 100%.

 

[MikeD]

Alas, the average news reporter is very ignorant on economics, science and religion. In fact, I am not sure what most reporters are knowledgable on. The Blogosphere is even worse.

I have noticed over the years that on any subject in which I am knowledgeable, they report wrong facts. I wonder about the subjects that I am not experienced in.

Mike D.

 

[poorgeezer]

IMO this is a sick and dangerous approach to medicine. Performing "wonder" procedures that "cure" diseases without knowing why. It reminds me of another "wonder cure" the frontal lobotomy.

 

[TromboneAl]

IMO this is a sick and dangerous approach to medicine. Performing "wonder" procedures that "cure" diseases without knowing why. It reminds me of another "wonder cure" the frontal lobotomy.

OTOH we routinely use a number of wonder cures that work in ways we don't understand. Aspirin, for example. Electroconvulsive therapy is another great example.

 

[ERD50]

OTOH we routinely use a number of wonder cures that work in ways we don't understand. Aspirin, for example. Electroconvulsive therapy is another great example.

Yep. I don't understand how gravity works, but I use it (and it uses me) every day.

DW doesn't understand how a microwave or a TV or a telephone works - but she uses those too.

-ERD50