Pre and Post Op Diabetic Concerns

Hello all those hystersisters that are out there. I can't post this into the post op area because I haven't had my surgery yet. My surgery is on December 4, 2006 and I have one week to my full hysterectomy.

I have a huge concern about controlling my diabetes after I have the surgery. I currently swim 4 days a week faithfully and my sugar levels are starting to level out.

I have been reading the threads and suggestions and I see I can do little afterwards but walk. I am extremely concerned that the small walks will not keep my sugar levels down. What do I do to control the sugar levels then?

I have spent the better part of the year getting my levels down and now with this surgery I am freaking out because it sounds like I can do nothing but let them go. I do not accept this answer. There's got to be something I can do to maintain the good levels I have been accomplishing through swimming and diet.

Are there any other diabetics out there that may know the answer?

Here's a for anyone that can offer suggestions.

Are there any swimmers out there that know when they could hit the pool again and tell me how they felt?

My workout consists of 2 warm-up laps of breast, 2 kicks of every stroke, 2 pulls of every stroke, 2 full strokes of every stroke, and for cool down 2 side stroke, 2 reverse breatstroke and 2 head up freestyle for those times I get a chance to snorkel and swim in the ocean (not too often, but keeping in practice .)

Anyhow will this be too much after I get back to the pool when I am told I am allowed to?

Thanks

Hi there! You didn't mention whether or not you take any medication for your diabetes. I'm insulin dependent, so I take insulin. I did find it was more difficult to control my blood sugar after the surgery for awhile. My doctor said that this is normal and due to the fact that our bodies produce cortisol (a stress hormone) due to the trauma of surgery. Cortisol makes your blood sugar go higher. My doctor said that I should just be patient and it would get better with time. He was also more concerned with my blood sugar going too low, than it being high for a couple of weeks.

By the way, congrats on doing such a great job controlling your blood sugar. That is fabulous, I know that it is difficult to do!

If you are not insulin dependent perhaps your doctor could prescribe a medication to help while you are recovering, like Metformin or Avandia. As far as getting back into workouts or swimming, my doc told me that I was not " allowed " to do ANYTHING for 4 weeks. Only small walks and nothing more. But after reading posts on here for weeks it seems the "after surgery" instructions are as individual as we are .. LOL.. Best of luck to you!

I am on Metformin and I really didn't have that big of a problem after my last surgery back in March. I also know that I didn't take my meds for several days after my surgery cause I just wasn't eating much. I was just too nauseous. I would talk to your doctor about it. Either your surgeon or the doctor that you see for your diabetes. I would also ask about when you can get back in the pool. I'm not a swimmer, so I am no help to you, but I do want to be able to get back into the gym as soon as my doc says it's ok! I do know that I am not allowed to drive for at least 2 weeks. Good luck!