USC Doctor Recommends Bariatric Surgery for Type 2 Diabetes Cure
University of Southern California Dr. Anne Peters recently released a special report on Medscape entitled, “Bariatric Surgery a ‘Magic Bullet’ for Diabetes?” In her report she concludes that bariatric surgeries such as the Lap Band procedure are “something we need to recommend for our patients.”
As an endocrinologist, Dr. Peters has seen first-hand a large number of patients with severe diabetes who might be excellent candidates for these procedures. Her specialty brings her in contact with those who are most in need of dramatic reversal of their weight and health.
Bariatric Surgery a Tool in the Treatment and Cure of Type 2 Diabetes
One of the patient anecdotes Dr. Peters mentions in her report is the first patient of her career, a severely overweight and diabetic patient who was forced as a result of hospitalization to dramatically adjust his eating habits. This restricted food intake effectively eliminated his diabetes and the need for insulin within two days.
Unfortunately, once discharged from the hospital, his eating habits returned to normal and his diabetes reappeared. But this interaction had a strong effect on Dr. Peters. In her words, “it really impressed me how acute severe caloric restriction could, in essence, treat type 2 diabetes.”
One of the ways doctors can provide their patients with severe caloric restriction in a less easily reversible manner is through bariatric procedures such as Lap Band or gastric bypass. Dr. Peters believes that these treatment options should be used as “tools” in the recovery process, rather than miracle one-time treatments. Long-term follow-ups, exercise and diet programs and constant medical evaluation are crucial for successful improvement of overall health.
Dr. Peters’ overall opinion: “Although I am a big advocate for lifestyle change, many patients can’t do much better. They can’t lose appropriate amounts of weight by their own will or through weight loss programs, or increase their exercise. Therefore, bariatric surgery remains a reasonable option.”
(Editor’s Note: As this article is a Medscape journal article, it may not be accessible through the above link without a Medscape account.)
