A Medical Miracle

[Bob Cowan]

I'm just so thrilled about this, I have to tell anyone who will listen.

About 6 months ago, I met a woman who was in pretty bad shape. Early 40's, overweight despite diet and exercise, uncontrolled diabetes with complications despite multiple medications and injections, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. She was taking about 12 medications a day, including 4 insulin injections per day.

She also has a terrible family history - nobody in her family has lived past the age of 60. They all die of heart attacks and strokes.

Her future looked very bleak. She was looking forward to 15-20 years of dwindling health and an early death. She's only in her early 40's.

When I met her, we set up a plan to try and improve her various issues. Different meds, bigger doses, etc. But I knew that we couldn't make much of a difference in the final outcome this way. At best, we could improve her final years a little bit. Sad to think of for some one so young.

My ultimate goal was to get her to a bariatric surgeon, who could perform a gastric bypass. I was positive that would make a significant improvement in her life. And I was hoping for a bit more.

As you would expect, the insurance company didn't want to approve it. We had to argue back and forth a bit, and I had a few tricks up my sleeve. We finally got it approved, she had jumped through all the proper hoops, and made all the right choices. She went under the knife 4 weeks ago, and I saw her yesterday.

Within 24 hours of surgery...... her diabetes is cured! Cured! Can you believe it? After years of uncontrolled diabetes, it's cured! Gone. Finished. Banished forever! In one day! I'm so excited about this! Her diabetes is cured (I can't stop saying that). Cured! Woo Hoo!

But, it gets better. She has lost almost 20 pounds in 4 weeks. Her hypertension is..... wait for it.... Cured! Resolved! Gone! Her blood pressure is now 117/64, with no medications!

Her current medication count is...... 2! Only 2! And I think we're going to stop one of them in a few months.

5 weeks ago her odds of surviving more than 2 decades were almost zero. Now they are excellent. I believe we have added 15-20 healthy years to her future. She looks better. She feels better. She is happier. She is healthier. She's thrilled. And I'm thrilled. I want to shout this from the roof tops.

Do you know anyone like her? Are you like her? What are you waiting for?

Did I mention that her diabetes is cured?

[lmmargheritis]

I have a Co worker that is getting close to the same fate. I am always on him to look into the gastric bypass or Lap band ( not sure if they are the same ). He is close to 350 lbs. His knees are pretty close to shot, diabetes, sleep apnea and early signs of depression.

We talk about it every week and I am always bringing him articles to read. Today he tells me that he's afraid that he will loose the ability to do the one thing that brings him happiness, eating. He also asked me how I would feel if he went under the knife and did not make it. As this would be my fault.

I really feel for the guy. He has helped me in the past and he is the kindest soul. My wife can't get enough of his laugh.

I shared with him many stories about the instant cure of diabetes and endless examples of drastic health improvements.

I know that it's up to him but it's really sad to see him going down hill soo fast.

[geoffav]

Awesome Bob. Hahaha, cured is GOOD.

Man do I need to drop about 25-40 pounds. It's so dang hard to do.

[Michael Everson]

Do Drs. understand how the bypass fixes all these problems? I saw a special on 60 minutes about this. They literally could shut the diabetes on and odd in mice by connecting and disconnecting the bypass. Incredible stuff.
mike

[NHolds]

I am assuming you are talking about Type 2 Diabetes...?

[CraigS]

Bob that is fantastic news! For the non-docs here, what exactly is a gastric bypass?

[rockpool]

A gastric bypass replumbs your stomach and intestine so you get nauseous if you eat more than a small amount.

So, instead of just eating less because you choose to, you eat less because your stomach is smaller and if you eat too much, you'll vomit.

please correct me if I got something wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_bypass_surgery

[dallas_]

Bob, that's awesome.

Thanks for sharing.

I don't know much about diabetes. How do you determine if it's cured? Is it a measure of blood sugar levels or something?

[PhoneGuy]

It is always refreshing to read good news, thanks for sharing Bob. I will reciprocate in my own little way.

I have a great family physician that I follow his instructions to the tee. Without getting into to much detail, a few years ago I had some similar medical issues and after many tests (some very very unpleasant ones) come to find out that after changing my diet and personal habits all medical problems are 100% gone, living a much healthier happy life, discovered this group of guys who build FFR cars, decided I wanted to take on the challenge and soon I will be driving down the road in my newly built FFR Roadster.

[first time builder]

Way to go Phone guy !!!!

[Zulu]

That is awesome and good for you sticking with it.

This is the second time I heard of diabetes being cured so suddenly......

Well done

[Bob Cowan]

A gastric bypass removes a portion of the stomach. Actually removes it, and discards it. You eat less because your stomach is a lot smaller. Just like now, if you over eat you'll get nausea and pain. It just happens a lot sooner. The primary goal is weight loss. But, obviously, there are some other health benefits as well. Some people learn to over eat despite the bypass, and they will gain weight. How this effects their previous diabetes isn't known yet. I'v only seen two people who fall into this category, and their diabetes did not return.

Diabetes is diagnosed by monitoring blood sugar levels; fasting, after eating, and glycosolated hemoglobin. Resolution of diabetes means that all those blood sugar levels are normal.

There's a lot of research going on right to discover exactly why this tends to cure diabetes. It was discovered by accident, and doesn't always happen. The research is currently focused on the gastrin parietal cells in the stomach lining. Blocking stimulation of those cells seems to be the key. One study put a tube in the stomach, to allow all ingested foods and drinks to completly bypass the stomach walls. That seemed to produce good results.

AFAIK, there's no research in this area for type 1 diabetes - juvenile onset. That's a completly different animal.

"... he will loose the ability to do the one thing that brings him happiness, eating."

This is a common statement. It is a classic sign of depression in both men and women.

Alcohol is a neurotoxin. It can do a lot of bad things to pretty much every organ system. When was the last time you saw a healthy alcoholic?

Did I mention her diabetes is cured? And her hypertension? Did I mention she'll live a much longer and healthier life? I did? Oh, sorry.

This is pretty exciting stuff!

[Scalded Dog]

Obviously getting drunk on a daily basis is not good for you, but a small amount (1-2 drinks) of beer or wine with dinner is good for you.

[Finallygotit]

Way to go Bob!!! That has to be a fantastic feeling.

So....do you know if her diabetes is cured?

[bhoov128]

Made my day quite a bit brighter for two reasons - one, total turnaround of the future of a woman's health, and two, a physician who repeatedly demonstrates he's genuinely dedicated to helping others. Thanks Bob! Couldn't help but smile at how excited you are about her return to health.

[DealsGapCobra]

Congratulations...what a wonderful gift she has been given.

[Hoosier]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing...

[GWL]

Great story Bob

You have made my day

George

[Jim Gunther]

Bob - That's great news!

I wish (short of transplant) there was a cure for Type1 (Juvenile onset) Diabetes (my baby's had Type 1 for 35 years - She's in good shape but... 35 years...well, you know, I worry...).

I had no knowlege, of ANY INSTANT (or quick) cure for Type -2. I always figgured -once the weight started to fall-off - one would see a gradual but, steady improvement.

[Stinson Pilot]

So what about her diabetes?

Way to go Bob!!

[DARKPT]

I made my doctor pretty happy when I talked to him this morning about eliminating my hypertension meds. I've lost 45 pounds since late May.

No one could convince me to ever start losing weight (I've never even tried before), but I watched a short series on HBO called Weight of the Nation that finally got me moving.

Replacing my wardrobe twice this summer wasn't cheap, but I was happy to spend it.

[Michael Stora]

Type II diabetes often resolves completely within 2 weeks of bariatric surgery--before the patients loose any of the weight. It seems to have something to do with the proximal jejunum (the first 18" or so of the small intestine) playing a role in the disease.

In animal models, it works even if there is no modification of the stomach if only the proximal jejunum is removed. If those modified animals are fed more to maintain the same weight IT STILL RESOLVES DIABETES! They are now studying the effects of transplanting the proximal jejunum back in after a longer section of the ileum. Preliminary assessments are that it still works.

A plastic sleeve (brand name EndoBarrier) to prevent food from touching the proximal jejunum has completed human studies and is approved in some parts of Europe and Latin America as a treatment for Type II Diabetes.



Mike

PS. Bob mentioned gastrin parietal cells in the stomach above, others talk about the jejunum. The guy in the video above talks about bile re-absorption. I think it is still very confusing but suspect we are close to a breakthrough.

PPS. On a personal note, I've got my A1Cs in the low 7s with diet., exercise, and insulin but the increased insulin had caused recent weight gain (which leads to a cycle with more insulin). I am starting a medically supervised diet in the next few weeks (waiting on medical records and may need a few more tests before they let me start). I was diabetic when I was last skinny so I don't know if getting lean again will be enough (it will probably reduce the insulin requirement dramatically). I'd rather wait for a potential diabetes-specific surgery in the future and not modify my stomach as most of my weight gain was after starting insulin several years ago.

[Bob Cowan]

Pretty interesting stuff, Mike. I'v read some of the papers on this research, but that's the first video I'v seen.

BTW, did I mention that her diabetes is cured?