I originally was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in the summer of 2008. However, I have had chronic pancreatitis since I was 14 and in January of 2009 finally decided to go through with a total pancreatectomy (getting my pancreas removed) and auto-islet cell transplant. If successful, the auto-islet cell transplant would allow my liver to grow islet cells which would create insulin and they could live there instead of my pancreas and I wouldn’t have to be diabetic. However, I waited too long to go through with the surgery (I should have had it 3 or 4 years ago) and they couldn’t salvage enough islet cells (10k when typical is 300-700k… ouch!) so I am now a Type 1 Diabetic.
It is a struggle learning to deal with Type 1. I had a much easier time with Type 2, and even though I was on a stricter diet I didn’t have to deal with insulin shots and hypoglycemia. I have a tough time dealing with the lows, and counting carbs, and am thinking about a pancreas transplant. I cannot get one for a year, so perhaps once I go on the pump and get a CGM (hopefully approved by the end of the month!) I will be stable enough and am able to manage the Diabetes where I won’t have to have another drastic surgery. But only time will tell!
If you want to learn more about the pancreatectomy and auto-islet transplant for chronic pancreatitis (the surgery I underwent), as well as islet cell transplants for Type 1 Diabetics (giving you donor islet cells to make you not Diabetic anymore- currently in experimentation and taking study participants) you can visit http://www.med.umn.edu/diabinst/ and the links are on the main page. My surgeon, Dr. Sutherland is a pioneer in both surgeries and I am grateful to him for everything he has done and is currently doing to make me healthy!
Thank you, Cynthia- I am excited too. They told me 2-3 weeks in the hospital, and 6-8 weeks bedrest. I did 2.5 weeks in the hospital, and about 5 weeks at home (not necessarily bedrest, but I did notice that I fared better with minimal activity then when I was up and about). So I did a little better healing than others because of my age and I’m lean.
