Re: PLEASE HELP...Questions about hypoglycemia, liver problems, and revision of DS

[Guest guest]

I am hypoglycemic and always felt a bit of it. Seemed to get worse after the DS

but it runs in my family and I know what to do to control it. You mentioned your

liver and that confused me. How does the live have anything to do with your

blood sugar problem? Not trying to be rude- I am actually wanting to learn about

you and what is happening with you.

Take care,

 

Vicki

 **** and Vicki Plough ****

Subject: PLEASE HELP...Questions about hypoglycemia,

liver problems, and revision of DS

To: DS_Friends_Keshishian

Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008, 8:14 PM

I'm 8 months post-op and have just found out that I'm hypoglycemic.

I've done everything, ate everything and took every supplement I was

supposed to (I've lost over 110 lbs). Now, I may have to have a

partial revision if my labs come back saying there is a problem with my

liver.

Have any of you had this happen to you or do you know anyone that had

this happen to? What kind of complications were there (if any)? How

long was the recovery? Does insurance cover this kind of thing (I have

Medi-Cal)?

I have to do something because I just don't feel well and I don't want

to live like this. However, I'm really nervous about having another

surgery.

Thank you so much for any help you can give me,

[Guest guest]

You're not being rude at all Vicky! I appreciate your question.

First of all, I feel I should tell you (well, everyone) that I was

posting for a good friend who doesn't have access to the internet and

is uncomfortable with releasing her name. I am very concerned for my

friend since she is so upset about what's happening to her. Her

stress level is through the roof.

She has never been diagnosed with hypoglycemia before. Based on her

symptoms (dizziness, excessive sweating, confusion, fatique, and

passing out among just a few things) she was diagnosed with it. She

actually became so disoriented that she bumped into some things

before she actually passed out. She had some tests done but they are

not back yet. She was told that if her liver has been affected by her

glucose problem then the malabsorption part of her surgery has to be

revised.

I don't know (and neither does she yet) how it's all connected. I do

know that if a person takes in more glucose than the body needs then

the body stores that extra glucose in the liver. What I really don't

understand is if a big part of DS surgery is malabsorption, than how

is all this glucose getting stored in the liver? Shouldn't it be

mostly shooting through her system? Hopefully, her doctor will be

able to thoroughly explain this to her.

If she is told that she does have to have a revision, than it will

most likely have to happen very soon. This doesn't really give her

time to learn more about this, absorb all the information, and make

a decision. I'm trying to find out as much information as I can

about all of this to help her. The stress of not understanding what

is happening to her is making her situtation even worse.

How do you control your hypoglycemia? Is it just through watching

what you eat or medication, both? Right now, she checks her glucose

levels and if it's too low she eats something. Sometimes she takes a

glucose pill.

I really want to help ease her mind somewhat even if it's only

helping her to understand more about what's happening to her. I knew

that this was the best place to go for help. I'm a WLS patient

myself (I had a gastric bypass by Dr. Vierra in Monterey, CA) and

have been to this group before for info about WLS in general before I

had my surgery. In fact, before she had her DS surgery, I told her

about some things that I learned here.

Any information you have would be helpful. Also, when I learn more

about the connection between blood sugar and the liver, I will let

you know.

Thanks again for posting Vicki,

>

>

> Subject: PLEASE HELP...Questions about

hypoglycemia, liver problems, and revision of DS

> To: DS_Friends_Keshishian

> Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008, 8:14 PM

>

>

>

>

>

>

> I'm 8 months post-op and have just found out that I'm hypoglycemic.

> I've done everything, ate everything and took every supplement I

was

> supposed to (I've lost over 110 lbs). Now, I may have to have a

> partial revision if my labs come back saying there is a problem

with my

> liver.

>

> Have any of you had this happen to you or do you know anyone that

had

> this happen to? What kind of complications were there (if any)? How

> long was the recovery? Does insurance cover this kind of thing (I

have

> Medi-Cal)?

>

> I have to do something because I just don't feel well and I don't

want

> to live like this. However, I'm really nervous about having another

> surgery.

>

> Thank you so much for any help you can give me,

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Oh, I forgot to say that my original post was actually her words, I

just typed what she asked me to write.

> >

> > From: suzedj2 <suzedj2@>

> > Subject: PLEASE HELP...Questions about

> hypoglycemia, liver problems, and revision of DS

> > To: DS_Friends_Keshishian

> > Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008, 8:14 PM

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > I'm 8 months post-op and have just found out that I'm

hypoglycemic.

> > I've done everything, ate everything and took every supplement I

> was

> > supposed to (I've lost over 110 lbs). Now, I may have to have a

> > partial revision if my labs come back saying there is a problem

> with my

> > liver.

> >

> > Have any of you had this happen to you or do you know anyone that

> had

> > this happen to? What kind of complications were there (if any)?

How

> > long was the recovery? Does insurance cover this kind of thing (I

> have

> > Medi-Cal)?

> >

> > I have to do something because I just don't feel well and I don't

> want

> > to live like this. However, I'm really nervous about having

another

> > surgery.

> >

> > Thank you so much for any help you can give me,

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi

First thing I want you to do is tell your friend to take a deep

breath and not to panic. She hasn't been diagnosed with some Weird

Disease. It is a common thing. I know MORE non-wls patients with

Hypoglycemia than those who have had wls.

Also...I would bet that her liver enzymes test will come back with

problems at 8 months post-op and 110 lbs lost. LOSING WEIGHT IS HARD

ON THE LIVER. That is why we aren't supposed to drink alcohol during

the weight loss phase. We don't want to ADD stress to our liver.

Dr. K has warned us numerous times that many PCP's will panic when

they see our Liver lab test and want to do an unnecessary liver

biopsy or start yelling " reverse the surgery! " .

I'm not saying that she doesn't or won't need a revision. I'm

saying, she should run the lab result by her wls-surgeon. Plus if

there is a need to slow down weight loss she could possibly just need

to take some enzymes so she absorbs more. Thus giving her body time

to adjust and after the normal 18 month weighloss period she will

start to absorb more naturally.

She should adjust her diet to accommodate the hypoglycemia and see if

this helps her feel better.

To relieve " reactive " hypoglycemia, some health professionals

recommend:

*eating small meals and snacks about every 3 hours

*being physically active

*eating a variety of foods, including meat, poultry, fish, or nonmeat

*sources of protein; starchy foods such as whole-grain bread, rice,

and potatoes; fruits; vegetables; and dairy products

*eating foods high in fiber

*avoiding or limiting foods high in sugar, especially on an empty

stomach.

What you want is to avoid SPIKES and LOWS in your blood-sugar. So

eating small meals often that contain high fiber, complex carbs and

proteins will help to accomplish this. Eating a candy bar will cause

a spike...a low will follow a spike, get it? However if your friend

finds herself in a situation where her blood sugar is crashing a

quick sugar source, like candy or juice may prevent a total crash.

Just follow the sugar with something high fiber or protein as soon as

she is feeling a bit better. Keeping things handy like nuts to snack

on between meals can prevent a crash.

It is important to be under medical care and to diagnose the cause of

the hypoglycemia. After all, you do want to rule out possibilities

like tumors. But don't panic and assume that wls is the blame and

that a reversal is the only solution. There are non-surgical

possibilities.

I hope your friend is feeling better soon. It really is scary when

your world starts to spin out of control and you feel like crap.

Hugs

Jo

[Guest guest]

> Jo, you always amaze me. It's a " right pure honour " to know you.

Thank you Jim.

It's an honor to be honoured by you!

Hugs

Jo

[Guest guest]

> Oh God you had to mention tumors? Have you forgotten I am in this

group?? LMAO

> Vicki

ROTFLMAO....actually Vicki I debated on putting that part in because of

you! I'm giving you a " get out of Cancer " FREE card for life. Hows

that. Now go and enjoy lifes glory with one less thing to worry about.

Hugs

Jo