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.

Nikki, thanks so much for opening up like that. I'm with you. xx

Wow, I have felt the same way off and on since surgery. Just brushed it off though, I guess I thought everyone felt that way at one time or another...I too hope to be able to enjoy food one day, just not as much as I used to!

Thanks for keeping up posted Lan2k and Nikki, I know that you both have been big inspirations for me since I first got here...and you both look amazing!!!

I hope things even out for all of us soon, it would be nice to feel good on the inside as well as on the outside!!

Interesting responses, thanks for sharing that!

I think that my tie to food has never been as emotional as most. I DO, sometimes, eat to soothe myself emotionally, but it's usually due to anxiety, and my anxiety is almost ALL body-centered. In other words, my anxiety is based upon feelings of impending death or sickness. I'm hoping that losing the weight will make a lot of that go away so that I don't NEED to soothe the anxiety with food. Other than that, I don't really have an emotional connection to food. I definitely overeat (or I wouldn't be obese), and I definitely eat too fast, but I rarely care too much about food on an emotional level. As long as it's not something that repulses me, I don't really care much what I'm eating or WHEN I'm eating; my girlfriend has commented that in some ways I'm like a camel: I can eat a VAST quantity of food and then go without for many hours. And yes, I know that that will have to change after surgery.

So, I suspect that my depression will improve after surgery, since my main reason for anxiety (fear that I'm going to die unexpectedly due to some hidden illness, usually exacerbated by obesity) will be gone. Also, sleep is so important, and I know for a fact that almost all of my actual depression was intimately tied to my sleep.

Thanks again for sharing.

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.

That's so interesting, I had a constant nagging alive and kicking libido pre surgery and since my VSG it's gone! It's like I've no feelings whatsoever. It feels as though it was removed along with my stomach! I wonder if it will ever return.

yes i was very depressed for 3 days since my surgury i dont know what ot expect is it pain or gas or what ? did i do the wrong thing by having the sleeve done ? i hope i can find many people who can guide me what to expect the first couple of weeks i am home for 1 day since hospital and afaid which is pain which is air and so on what can i drink hot cold why i have a bit diareah

can some one guide me through some first week resurances?

thks

yes i was very depressed for 3 days since my surgury i dont know what ot expect is it pain or gas or what ? did i do the wrong thing by having the sleeve done ? i hope i can find many people who can guide me what to expect the first couple of weeks i am home for 1 day since hospital and afaid which is pain which is air and so on what can i drink hot cold why i have a bit diareah

can some one guide me through some first week resurances?

thks

It sounds to me as though your depression is based upon your fear of the unfamiliar feelings that the change in your anatomy is producing. The pains be they from gas or inflammation, swelling, incision healing, can also be scary, but (barring any kind of complication), will subside. Diarrhea is expected since you are not able to eat solid food only Clear liquids. As things progress you will not be in so much physical discomfort. Slowly you will come to adjust to a new way of drinking and eating, and your bowel movements will eventually regulate. Be patient and understand that you have just undergone major surgery and as you heal much of the pain that you are feeling will subside. I suggest that you just focus on keeping yourself hydrated first and foremost by sipping, warm or cold or both which ever feels better going down. Walk as much as possible and get ample rest. Stay connected and let us know how it goes.

Great posts! I wish eveyone well. I think I am lucky that this forum is enough for me. I never identified myself as obese. I was thin my whole life until I hit 46 and then went through metabolic syndrome. My blood pressure went up, bad cholesterol, angina....my whole body went nutso. I had quintuple bypass, three stents, etc, and i gained 10 lbs a year after that. whether i dieted or not. So, I just kept on buying bigger and nicer clothes and never looked at myself, and therefore always thought of the me as before. And now, i see myself getting back to the old me. Kinda weird.

yes i was very depressed for 3 days since my surgury i dont know what ot expect is it pain or gas or what ? did i do the wrong thing by having the sleeve done ? i hope i can find many people who can guide me what to expect the first couple of weeks i am home for 1 day since hospital and afaid which is pain which is air and so on what can i drink hot cold why i have a bit diareah

can some one guide me through some first week resurances?

thks

Hang in there Roxtic

I felt the same way and I have heard from many others that they experienced depression directly after surgery too.

I promise it gets better.

hugs!!

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.

This line from your post really hit home with me and may be my biggest emotional problem after surgery. Even though I'm confident about my decision to have this surgery, it does seem crazy to have to cut my freakin stomach out to be able to lose weight. I mean, why can't I do this the normal way! I feel kind of crazy sometimes thinking about this and I feel like people would think I'm crazy if they found out. I don't plan to tell most people the specifics of my WLS, but I'll still know I had my stomach cut out and it will still be wierd. I'm praying that I'll be able to adjust quickly to all of this stuff post-op, but if not I'll just have to deal with it. 30 years of obesity is damn well enough and I'm ready for a better lifestyle!

I already live with constant self-evaluation because I've been dealing with what turned out to be bipolar disorder since I was fourteen (diagnosed when I was 23). After reading and replying to and getting responses from all of you out here, I'm seriously considering arranging some pre-emptive therapy sessions (if I can find a therapist who specializes in post-WLS locally--living in the buttcrack of nowhere makes some things difficult). I've been rock-solid stable for five years. I want this surgery, and I am soooo not going to do this and then end up crashing into a debilitating depression!

As a mental health counselor, I have quite a bit of experience treating depression. It is true that there are all kinds of physical, emotional, mental, and social changes that accompany this surgery--and all those things could contribute to depression. However, depression is generally the symptom of a deficit in the production of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin. There are many things that can contribute to this, but an important thing to consider for people who have drastically changed their diets, is that the production of serotonin is directly linked to carbohydrate intake. Depression, difficulty sleeping, and irritability are common and well-documented side effects of low carb diets.

I've been a little concerned about the emphasis on drastically restricting carbohydrate intake after VSG. While this may accelerate weight loss, it may also be a factor in the depression that some sleevers are experiencing.

I was informed that serotonin is also produced in the stomach. I don't know if this is valid as one doctor told me it is true and another said it was not the case. Post surgery I HAD to have medical mental health intervention because my mental state flipped and the depression I felt was enveloping me. The SSRI's made things worse, both Wellbutrin and Zoloft heightened my anxiety and increased my repulsion towards food. Even drinking became somewhat revolting. I had success with a SNRI (Remeron) taken before bed. Almost immediately I felt "normal" again. I desired food and eating was actually easier (although I had to be cautious not to over eat and hurt myself). My weight loss continued but at a slower pace. After around 2.5 months I stopped the Remeron and my desire for eating also decreased but not completely. My weight loss increased and I dropped around 10 lbs in 3 weeks. My eating has seemed to stabalize. I only take .5mgs of Klonopin when needed for anxiety and it seems I'm stabalizing emotionally as well.

As a mental health counselor, I have quite a bit of experience treating depression. It is true that there are all kinds of physical, emotional, mental, and social changes that accompany this surgery--and all those things could contribute to depression. However, depression is generally the symptom of a deficit in the production of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin. There are many things that can contribute to this, but an important thing to consider for people who have drastically changed their diets, is that the production of serotonin is directly linked to carbohydrate intake. Depression, difficulty sleeping, and irritability are common and well-documented side effects of low carb diets.

I've been a little concerned about the emphasis on drastically restricting carbohydrate intake after VSG. While this may accelerate weight loss, it may also be a factor in the depression that some sleevers are experiencing.

Interesting take on the whole carb thing, and I think it makes a good deal of sense. I grew up a strict ovo-lacto vegetarian. Everybody I knew was either LOV, or strict vegan (religious thing). Everything I've ever known about eating a healthy diet was centered around low-fat, high-carb, high-Fiber food combinations to create whole Proteins (Beans and rice; :tongue_smilie:legumes such as lentils, and grains like barley and buckwheat, and on and on). The emphasis on healthy living was so strong that I actually remember attending church services where the sermon was about the evils of eating meat, consuming alcohol, and any source of caffeine, and what it would do to you.

So far, I can't seem to kick the carb habit, or at least the automatic mental process of pairing foods to create balanced meals that are, of course, high-carb. It seriously sucks being diabetic with that kind of background, let me say! My reaction to eating something high in carbs is more like serious annoyance, and, "Crap, all that health stuff I got hammered into my head, and I had to go and get diabetes and now I have to try to convince myself that the nutritionist isn't full of crap on the whole 'eating meat' thing." I guess some kinds of indoctrination go deeper than others, because I'm still not totally convinced after all this time that vegetarianism (if one includes sufficient sources of protein) is at all a bad idea. There're always dairy products and eggs, after all...or at least I'd like to try to maintain that pleasant fantasy for a couple more weeks, anyhow! :001_tongue::laugh0::001_smile:

I was informed that serotonin is also produced in the stomach. I don't know if this is valid as one doctor told me it is true and another said it was not the case. Post surgery I HAD to have medical mental health intervention because my mental state flipped and the depression I felt was enveloping me. The SSRI's made things worse, both Wellbutrin and Zoloft heightened my anxiety and increased my repulsion towards food. Even drinking became somewhat revolting. I had success with a SNRI (Remeron) taken before bed. Almost immediately I felt "normal" again. I desired food and eating was actually easier (although I had to be cautious not to over eat and hurt myself). My weight loss continued but at a slower pace. After around 2.5 months I stopped the Remeron and my desire for eating also decreased but not completely. My weight loss increased and I dropped around 10 lbs in 3 weeks. My eating has seemed to stabalize. I only take .5mgs of Klonopin when needed for anxiety and it seems I'm stabalizing emotionally as well.

Wellbutrin and Paxil both have very common side-effects of nausea, among other things. I've been on both, and I still take Wellbutrin. It stands to reason that it might make you feel sick after something as drastic as bariatric surgery. Although, since I have no expertise other than personal experience, YMMV. Glad you're doing better, though, especially with the depression. Nothing worse than being convinced there's nothing remotely attractive or likeable about yourself--I've been there more times than I care to admit.

Here is a thought. Think of the sleeve as getting a tool to assist you in loosing weight. Instead of negative thinking. Just because I need help in losing weight for good, does not mean I am weak or what ever you want to lable it. I lost weight lots of times the "normal" way. I cannot keep it off. Weight loss and re-gain is diastarious for my heart. I just refuse to beat myself up for needing help to solve a long term health problem. Just my take on the whole WLS process.

Very intersting the carb~depression link. I did not realize that carbs could effect mental health. Mine is good, so dam happy to be loosing weight I guess. I truly wish the best for anyone suffering with depression. Miserable deal. Do what ever you need to do to get yourself well.