Diabetes Remission?

My wife and I are looking into WLS and both of us were more interested in the sleeve rather than RNY.

My wife's boss told her that she also wanted to do the sleeve procedure, but doctor said she'd do better with the RNY due to her diabetes.

My wife has Type 2 diabetes and I'm just wondering if anyone has had success with having their diabetes go into remission with the sleeve.

My wife's mom has diabetes mellitis.

I was being treated for Type 2 diabetes for about 8 years before having VSG.  I was taking 2000mg of Metformin a day as well as 10mcg of Byetta.  I had pretty good control and had A1c tests between 6.0-7.5 most of the time.   I was taken off all meds the day I went home from surgery.  My A1c has stabilized at 5.4.  I am a diabetic who is in "remission". 

Whether or not someone with diabetes will go into remission depends on several things:  age, how long they've been diabetic, whether or not they are insulin dependent, etc.   Having said that, there are plenty of older insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetics on this forum that have resolved their issues and gotten off all meds.  

Many doctors still see RNY as the "gold standard" for getting people off diabetes medication.  But there is mounting evidence that VSG (as well as DS) does an equally great job at it.  There's a lot of other pros and cons to each surgery that you and your wife will want to research before making your final decision. 

Everyone on hear is happy to answer any questions!  Best of luck to you two 

Edited:   my wife (Tracy D.) actually typed this while she was under MY log-on....you'll know my postings because they'll be shorter and the spelling isn't as good ;-)  

I was on 2,000 mg of metphormine.... Day of surgery I was taken off! I DROPPED to having VERY LOW blood sugar levels. 

At any rate, I am in complete remission. 

Thanks. Quite helpful.  I think we're going to stay with the sleeve.  Wife doesn't like the idea of having intestines rerouted.

I also wonder with the RNY and the rest of the stomach still there if ghrelin is still produced enough to cause the hunger pangs.

That's one of my main reasons for wanting the VSG, is to decrease the ghrelin.

Yes, you will still produce ghrelin full stop since the stomach is not removed in RNY surgery.  It is merely made into a blind pouch separate from the part that is routed to the small intestine. 

my brother had vsg and ditched his type 2 diabetes very quickly.   My doctor says its about 92% rate of remission.  He thinks the sleeve is as good as rny for this.  I would be more concerned about which surgery you can live with for the rest of your life.   vsg is so great.  i was not a diabetic but lost 125 lbs and have maintained that for close to 4 years.   diane

I have been a type ll diabetic since I was 14 so about 28 yrs.  I was on over 300 units total of insulin a day.  Because I have been a diabetic so long there was no guarantee that the RNY would put the diabetes into remission.  The sleeve just seemed like a much better option even if I was still on meds after the weight loss because there are so many less deficiencies and complications.  I am 5 months out and have gone down to 24 units of insulin a day and my blood sugars are much better than before the surgery.  And that is without being able to do any significant exercise.  I still have a ways to go but I think that I will be in remission soon.  So glad I did the VSG.  It has been worth it.  I wish your wife well what ever surgery she ends up having.

My type 2 diabetes was resolved with a sleeve.

I took metformin 1000 mg bid before surgery.  I went off my meds in August 2013, one month post-op.  I was declared to have a normal a1c in October 2013. 

Great to hear all the positive outcomes from having the VSG.  I know my wife would live much better with the VSG and that is all I would have done.

Thanks for all your replies.  I've found this forum very helpful in doing research.