From the LapSF newsletter.

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Many people can't imagine becoming depressed AFTER losing weight. However, depression can occur after weight loss surgery or when undergoing any time of major lifestyle change. Possible causes of depression after WLS may include:

- Mourning the loss of food for comfort. If food has always been your "friend" or something you depended on when feeling sad, stressed or lonely, saying "goodbye" can be difficult.

- Mourning the loss of pre-operative lifestyle. For example, feeling left out while socializing, participating in holiday rituals, or when dining in restaurants.

- Reactions from others. Relationships with loved ones can change or become strained. Reactions to weight loss may be negative or jealous, or otherwise unsupportive friends/family may resort to "sabotage." Positive reactions or increased attention from others can lead to feelings of discomfort, vulnerability, or resentment.

- Having unrealistic expectations. For example, thinking that everything will get better after surgery or that your emotional eating or other disordered eating habits will simply disappear.

- Hormonal changes. For some women, estrogen is released while fat is burned to make energy. This release of estrogen may cause mood swings.

- Body image discrepancies. After rapid weight loss, you do not recognize yourself or lose a sense of self. You may experience a loss of identity between the inner and outer you.

The postoperative blues typically occur during the first few weeks or months after surgery and subside over time. However, if you find that your symptoms are worsening or are beginning to interfere with your relationships, work, or daily functioning, it is time to seek help from a medical professional.

I am depressed cuz I miss food so much. it provided so much comfort. now it is painful even to drink and disgusting to keep hearing this gurgling sound all the time.

also my sexual drive is way increasing and I am still the same single girl which is not nice feeling by any means. I am sorry for mentioning this. I dont mean to sabotage anyone but after surgery is not that easy.

I am depressed cuz I miss food so much. it provided so much comfort. now it is painful even to drink and disgusting to keep hearing this gurgling sound all the time.

also my sexual drive is way increasing and I am still the same single girl which is not nice feeling by any means. I am sorry for mentioning this. I dont mean to sabotage anyone but after surgery is not that easy.

Wow, that is wild. . . depressed cuz you miss food? I have never found food a comfort, more of a bloating experience. . . I don't have any favorite foods, nor do I have craving for it. . . guys I finally understand what you all mean by Head Hunger though. . . one evening after dinner, I was sitting there and said, ummm i would like something to eat, but what? I asked myself if I was truly hungry, no I wasn't, I said out loud. . .this must be head hunger. . . so I just got some Water and was happy. . .Sweetie, can you focus on something different, like if you start feeling depressed because of food, can you go shop or for a walk or read, drink water, get a pedicure. . . something just to divert your mind from those thoughts? I hope this didn't come across as being mean. . . the internet doesn't show concern very well does it???? Good luck!

You need to re-focus on the positive side. Come on girl, pull up your big girl panties.

Instead of being disgusted with the gurgling sounds your stomach is making, think- hey, my brand new tiny tumm is talking to me, getting reaquainted with my brain. I am gonna get myself outta the way and let them talk to each other. Think I will turn up the music while they talk.

Sex drive on the up swing? and you think this is a bad thing? How old are you--I mean how young? Crimminey, sex drive on the up swing is a good thing, it is a perk of this surgery that I did not know could happen. Along with the better bladder. I love these extra little perks. Now how to deal with the sex drive in a positive way, being as you are single. (you are not the only single girl in the world) Exercize. Yup exercize, it burns off all kinds of energy. Good and bad. Get creative. Paint, draw, write, sculpt,scrapbook, clean your closets. Seriously, when you use your creative side, a passion comes out that takes over and the sex drive goes there and kind of redirects.

Think of this as a class you are taking. You are learning a little each day. It will all be revealed in the course of a semester. or two.

Comfort, comfort yourself with pampering. Long hot baths. Manicures, pedicures. If on a tight budget give yourself the Mani,pedi. go get movies, comedy's, from your library. Great old movies and have hot soup/broth instead of what you used to eat. Setup "dates" for yourself to have a time to read, walk in a new place. I go to a different park once a week and read a bit and walk a bit. I am near the ocean so I walked a pier and saw some dolphin it was so cool. I would have never done that before. BTW people fish from thoes piers and catch the littlest fish and eat them! um not for me. Looks like they are eating bait fish. lol. anyway, nature is a great distraction and uplifting experience. Even in bad weather.

Try some of this, see how you feel.

Mourning the loss of food: I miss my Mom, but she would come back and kick my butt if she saw me wallowing in depression about loosing her. You have the power to change how you feel. Come on, try! You are getting on the loosers bench with me and I want a funny teammate. If not funny at least interesting Okay?

If you do try and your depression is still continuing, then it is time to get some professional help. I really want you healthy and happy, so what ever it takes--do it.

thank you so much for the post on the reading materials. I love you!

I want a increased sex drive!!!!

Steph 123: Thank you sooo much for posting these reading resources. I love you! Helpful angel is what you are.

Find a therapist you can talk to, and one that has experience dealing with bariatric patients. Talk to several before you decide.

Here are some additional resources that might help:

The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life after Bariatric Surgery

* RECOMMENDED

by Cynthia L. Alexander, PsyD

Dr. Alexander discusses many of the difficulties a bariatric patient is likely to encounter and some realistic and practical

strategies for dealing with them. Most people go into bariatric surgery full of motivation and hope, only to find day-to-day

postoperative existence more stressful than they imagined. Here are the psychological tricks of the trade to help make

your own journey a successful one.

Exodus from Obesity: The Guide to Long-Term Success after Weight Loss Surgery

* RECOMMENDED

by Paula F. Peck, RN

Paula Peck provides the information, encouragement and guidelines for maintaining long-term success after weight loss

surgery. Ms. Peck has been a Registered Nurse for over 30 years and personally has experienced a weight loss of more

than 175 pounds twice in her life: Once unsuccessfully from "white-knuckle" dieting, and once successfully from weight

loss surgery 5 years ago. Ms. Peck interweaves intelligent discussion with humorous stories about herself and individuals

that have faced diet after diet and ultimately chose the gastric bypass procedure.

The Success Habits of Weight-Loss Surgery Patients by Colleen M. Cook

Colleen Cook, a weight-loss surgery patient since 1995, has taken the real-world experiences of thousands of weight-

loss surgery patients and condensed them into the principles you'll find in this book. These time and people tested

principles are the results of years of research of long-term weight loss surgery patients. They work regardless of the

particular type of weight-loss surgery you may have had.

Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies by Marina S. Kurian, Barbara Thompson, Brian K. Davidson

A guide to weight loss surgery ? before, during, and after. This compassionate guide helps you determine whether you

qualify and gives you the scoop on selecting the best center and surgical team, understanding today's different

procedures, and achieving the best results. You also get tips on eating properly post-op and preparing appetizing meals,

as well as easing back into your day-to-day life.

Before and After: Living and Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery by Susan Maria Leach

In addition to more than 100 recipes in this book, there are ideas to help a post-op cook stay on the path and adapt

his/her own recipes. Includes tips for eating out and cooking during the holidays. There is an introduction to Protein,

sugar, and carbohydrates for those who are post gastric bypass surgery, as well as a list of sources for special foods and

ingredients.

Eating Well After Weight Reduction Surgery by Patt Levine

The author has created 125 recipes that contain no added sugar, are very low in fat, and get their carbohydrates almost

exclusively from fruits and vegetables. Each recipe includes specific guidelines for preparation of the dish for every stage

of the eating programs for Lap-Band, gastric bypass, and Duodenal Switch patients, as well as suggestions for sharing

meals with those who have not gone through gastric surgery.

Recipes for Life After Weight-Loss Surgery: Delicious Dishes for Nourishing the New You

by Margaret Furtado, MS, RD, LD/N, and Lynette Schultz, Chef, LCRP, RT

Margaret Furtado and Lynette Schultz have a combination of almost 40 years experience in clinical nutrition and the

culinary arts. Together, they will help you navigate your way through the sometimes turbulent waters after your weight

loss surgery, and will provide you with general clinical guidelines after your procedure, as well as helpful hints for easing

your transition from surgery to your new, healthy lifestyle. With sections on home entertaining and eating-on-the-run.

Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco (LapSF):

WLS Lifestyles Magazine:

http://www.wlslifestyles.com

American Society of Bariatric Surgeons:

www.asbs.org

you need to re-focus on the positive side. Come on girl, pull up your big girl panties. .....

very well put carolyn!

thanks so much for all your great advice. so I will go for a walk and clean my closet. love you all tons.

Thanks for this list of resources. I am suffering from depression. At first it was severe anxiety but now since I've had my medication changed from xanax to Klonopin the anxiety has significantly diminished. I know I am depressed and will need lots of help to get through this.

Thanks for this list of resources. I am suffering from depression. At first it was severe anxiety but now since I've had my medication changed from xanax to Klonopin the anxiety has significantly diminished. I know I am depressed and will need lots of help to get through this.

I am on depression medication already, prior to the surgery, and i know will need to go back on it as soon as possible after. Anyone else have experience with this? When I had my band removed in March, I had to gradually step-down my anti-depressants to get them out of my system as much as possible, pre-surgery. That wasn't totally terrible, however, within a month, I had to be back on the medication, I was a big mess. I'm sure losing my band, of which I had lost 78 pounds of the 100 I needed to lose, didn't help. Not being able to revise to a sleeve due to severe erosion also was terrible. So, I had a major compounding of immediate issues, along with the regular "depressive" issues. Ugh.

So anyways, anyone with experience in this regard, I would love to hear it. If you feel uncomfortable talking here in the forum, please PM me. Thanks so much! :thumbup:

Thank you so much for posting this!

I had surgery on 1-28 so tomorrow will be two weeks ago.

I think I am just now snaping out of a "blues funk"

I love this site and I will be checking in often!!

:001_unsure:

I am curious how prevalent depression post-VSG is. I've struggled with depression before, but it's always been tied to sleep deprivation (my sleep apnea is barely treated, but when I got on CPAP, I was able to quit all psych meds).

I wonder how much of it is due to body image changes, and how much of it is due to the (very normal) physiological response to the trauma of surgery?

I am curious how prevalent depression post-VSG is. I've struggled with depression before, but it's always been tied to sleep deprivation (my sleep apnea is barely treated, but when I got on CPAP, I was able to quit all psych meds).

I wonder how much of it is due to body image changes, and how much of it is due to the (very normal) physiological response to the trauma of surgery?

There's a bit of research on this. There's nothing I've ever found about "physiological response" to surgery causing depression. I have found some interesting data on WLS and Suicide recently... of course, now I cannot find it. If/when I do, I'll post. More research is being done on the issue of depression and WLS, which is coming to the forefront.

I believe I found the article on WLS and Depression/Suicide, here (this has been such a wealth of knowledge for me):

Clinical Developments and Metabolic Insights in Total Bariatric Patient Care

Also, Harvard Health has some research about this, but you have to pay for the newsletter.

Edited April 23, 201016 yr by youknowit

I am curious how prevalent depression post-VSG is. I've struggled with depression before, but it's always been tied to sleep deprivation (my sleep apnea is barely treated, but when I got on CPAP, I was able to quit all psych meds).

I wonder how much of it is due to body image changes, and how much of it is due to the (very normal) physiological response to the trauma of surgery?

You make a good point in asking that question. Speaking from my own experience with the "...(very normal physiological response to the trauma of surgery..." I have had previous surgeries, open gallbladder/hospitalized 2.5 weeks, open upper abdominal incisional hernia repair...just a couple of the major surgeries. Emotional recovery from those surgeries was hardly an issue. I did not encounter any depression or anxiety, only the normal aches and pains of physical healing. The VSG was/is a surgery that altered my entire digestive processes or rather my capacity to eat was abruptly and radically changed. For me, one who really had a "love" for food/eating and activities with people associated with it, I was psychologically stunned and became literally terrified at the reality of what I'd done. This manifested with extreme anxiety and fear and an over-all feeling of doom and death. I've been on these message boards for a while pre and post surgery to realize that I am not the norm...although there have been a few people who have confided in me of their own issues with depression, the majority of people posting on these message boards are not encountering depression as a result of their WLS. It's 7 months and I am much better now but still not fully adjusted. I wept yesterday really hard over the fact that I will never again be able to really eat as I sometimes would like to. But I am off the Remeron and I am managing better.

you are not alone lan2k i too still weep even though i feel better, I look better, big improment in quailty of life. i still feel sad many days i trys not to dwell on it but somedays it does get to me. like i know i can't eat like other people i still drink alot of protein shakes just because i don't have room for much food. so i have lost all interest in eating for the most part. i skip alot of things with friends now when it has anything to do wih food just because. i hope that part does pass one day. i have a black or white view on EVERYTHING lol can't seen to find the middle with nothing. exercise has been the best thing though for me i exercise seven days a week it really is like my addiction from food. (once a addict always addict) AND the thing is i don't talk to people about that part because of the negative things that come with people thoughts on wls i don't regret my sleeve at all but im still a little ill at the fact that i had to go though something so drastic to get to a healthy weight.

Edited April 23, 201016 yr by ryansgirl