Gastric Bypass May Improve Diabetes Quickly
Gastric Bypass Surgery: Risks vs. Benefits
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) considers gastric bypass surgery an option for severely overweight people with type 2 diabetes who have BMIs of 35 or more, but less than half of patients with the disease are that heavy.
Late last month, the International Diabetes Federation, which represents more than 200 diabetes groups across the globe, called for weight loss surgery to be considered a treatment for type 2 diabetes in certain patients with BMIs as low as 30.
ADA Vice President for Clinical Affairs Sue Kirkman, MD, says while benefits of surgery appear to clearly outweigh the risks for patients who are morbidly obese and are not helped by other treatments, this is not so clear for other patients.
“Like all surgeries there are risks,” she tells WebMD. “The risks are the same no matter what the BMI, but the benefits of surgery may not be as great for patients with lower BMIs.”
The study, which appears in the journal Science Translational Medicine, was funded by the ADA, the National Institutes of Health, and the drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline.
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
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