Melissa:

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Here I am ... late again!! Hope you had a really great birthday and will have a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
Lois La Rose
Milwaukee, WI

Hey Melissa - there was no link in my blog about my having "firm flesh" (http://www.diabetes1.org/blogs/Annas_Blog/TipToe_Through_the_Tulips) or maybe I'm misunderstanding what you were asking me on My Page. It was just something that I'd been told by a few medical folks over the years - that it was something they'd noticed in long term diabetics. That we tend to have "firm flesh" or perhaps I misworded it - and should have been hard flesh? I know many people are shocked when I tell them how much I weigh - as they think I'm small - well at 5'4" I'm 160 lbs - which according to my GP isn't good - but I've always been in this weight range for past 20 years - so figure it's better then going up and down!

You've now got me wanting to do abit of research on it - so I'll have to figure out what key words to use in the search engine to find out more - e.g. long term diabetes firm flesh or someting like that. If you come across something before I do - send it on to me!!!!

Have a great day!!

Hi Melissa,
I just want to tell you that I ' ve read your comment about diabetic complication and the story of your mum.Sorry about that :-( You are so right and I really felt much better after reading that .You know I'm a very ''new'' diabetic and the first thing I think about after getting up in the morning is :when do I get kidney failure or when will I be blind? I am so afraid of these complications...I just can't tell you!!I I want you to know that your comment really cheered me up-although it's sad ...Greetings Saskia

Sounds like we have an extreme amount of stuff in common. Yes I have kids at home, I have a toddler who just turned 4 in March. I also have to older boys that I had as a teenager. Right now I am on a pump using novolog in it. An extreme amount I might add, and fixing to be taking humulog 500. I take glucovance 3 times a day right now also. Meds seems like that is all I ever get to do anymore.
Cathy

hi melissa,
sorry for not getting back to you sooner. i had the full gastric bypass, not the lapband but i can still answer your question. from what my doctor tells me you can reduce or eliminate your diabetic medicine with a lapband. it will take longer because it takes longer to lose weight. which can be good because more of your skin has a chance to go back where it belongs. he also told me that the decision was mine to make because if i didn't think a lapband would work then it wouldn't. that was good for me because i really didn't think the band would work. i have lost 20 pounds in just a little over 1 month. i haven't been on any diabetic medicine since the surgery. if you check out gastric bypass~~the last resort in groups at the top of your page i have kept a journal of my progress. i need to update it, but it's all there untill the surgery.
here are three information sites:
asmbs.org
lapband.com
realizeband.com
there is a lot of information in these three sites. please take your time with making up your mind. it is life changing and isn't for everyone. after my husband left. (he wouldn't allow me to have it done. he wanted me to do it on my own, even though i was just getting bigger instead of smaller) and i could make up my own mind i still took a year to deside on the surgery. even then, if i had decided to not have it done i could have said no on the day of my surgery. with a lapband it can be taken out if you decide you no longer want it, but with the full gastric it's not really reversible. make sure it's your decision, not anyone else's because it's you who have to do the work. if you end up resenting things it won't work.
i ended up with the yo-yo weight loss and going nowhere fast. my hips and knees and feet paid the price. i have three grandchildren that i want to run and play with and i needed to get my life in control in order to do so. my doctor was worried that i might be trying to get my husband back and once he heard me say, if he can't love me as i am then he's not going to love me in a thinner form, he was relieved. it came down to me wanting to life a longer healthier life.
i hope this has helped you and if i can help please let me know.