
May 16, 2003
Weight and Weight Loss
Question from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA:
I have type 1 diabetes diagnosed 12 years ago along with hypothyroidism, and I am 50 pounds overweight. I exercise regularly and eat at least 1300 calories a day, but I have not lost any weight in six months so I am considering liposuction. Is liposuction safe for people with type 1 diabetes?
Answer:
Not necessarily. Although I have not recently seen a published series describing how patients with type�1 diabetes fare with liposuction, I would be concerned about the risk of infection. In addition, depending on which areas were treated, you may lose areas for insulin injection. I would recommend your blood sugars be tightly controlled prior to such a procedure. You would need to discuss this thoroughly with your physicians caring for you.
JTL