Prediabetes years after colectomy

I had pre-diabetes in the past as well. I increased my water intake and its back to normal now. I am not sure how much water you drink but increasing water intake with salt added to it may help. I know its definitely helped me along with exercising as well

Thanks for the suggestions. I already drink a lot of water and exercise every day. I haven't tried adding salt to water.

@Mountain Baker posted:

Thanks for the suggestions. I already drink a lot of water and exercise every day. I haven't tried adding salt to water.

How much water do you per day? And how long do you exercise?

Well, add 36 years to anybody, colon or not, and your risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes goes up. I really do not think that the colon is the culprit.

There are 2 main contributors, genetics and lifestyle. Unless you can go back and change your ancestors, that leaves lifestyle as what you can control. Basically, it is weight and portion control of carbohydrates. A lifetime of carb heavy diet sealed my fate. Used to be that the notion of low fact and higher carb diet was healthy. But it is now known that it just stimulates the pancreas until it fizzles. Plus, being overweight makes you insulin resistant. Water and vinegar are not cures. Sure, staying hydrated is great for you, but it really is all about the carbs.

I have type 2 diabetes that occurred long after my colectomy. My brother had it also, but never had a colectomy. My husband has it, also has UC, but still has his colon. His dad had diabetes when he was older.

Jan

Yep, you are right Mountain Baker. There appears to be some level of association. There have been several studies of metadata, and the theory is that it may have something to do with the altered gut microbiome. I suppose you still have to have that genetic predisposition, otherwise the occurrence would be higher. The fact that you and your sister are both prediabetic indicates the genetic component, plus you both have the colectomy in common.

Plus, it is still true that as we age the general population has an increased risk (if predisposed).

So many variables out there. But, you are doing well by maintaining a healthy weight, staying active and eating a balanced diet. Plus, you know you have prediabetes, which is a big help. So many people have no clue until they have full blown diabetes, because they don’t get screened.

Jan

@Mountain Baker posted:

"Research indicates that a colectomy, or surgical removal of the colon, can significantly increase a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes, particularly when the left side of the colon is removed, as this part of the gut plays a role in regulating blood sugar levels by influencing gut bacteria and hormone production;."

Google colectomy and type 2 diabetes and you will find some credible articles. There was a study, at the University of Copenhagen, that showed that people who have had a colectomy are more likely to get type 2 diabetes. I also saw in one article that this is particularly true for older people who have undergone a colectomy.

I'm not a huge carb eater and I am underweight right now. For years I have eaten what my dietitian recently told me is "better than 90% of her patients".  I only went to a dietitian because I need to gain weight. I try to balance fats, proteins and carbs and I grow and cook a lot of my food. I also have a very active lifestyle. I have never eaten a low fat diet because I didn't believe it was healthy. My sister and I are both prediabetic and we both had our colons removed. We have 10 other siblings and I believe that we are the only siblings with prediabetes. I have also read studies that show that vinegar can lower glucose spikes so while it may not be a cure it might help.

Perfect article! In addition to that, dehydration can cause diabetes as well, makes sense with no colon/rectum added in the mix

Um, actually not true. While it is true that dehydration can cause spikes in blood sugar levels, it does not actually cause diabetes, which is a disease where you do not produce enough insulin or have insulin resistance or both. Diabetes that is not controlled can cause dehydration.

Jan