Wondering if anyone else has experienced changes in their countenance since surgery. Following my Sleeve surgery I think I'm doing great. It is very exhilarating and I am so grateful for this tool and all that it is doing for me, BUT, without the comfort of the foods I used to love there for me as I deal with life;s stresses..I have found myself, more tired and I definitely have a shorter fuse. I'm way more irritable than usual, and I am especially disappointed with myself when I am not as patient as I could be with my little ones I'm learning new coping mechanisms, such as exercising (which is the best mood lifter ever), but it's not an instant cure that I can just take. It makes perfect sense when I think about all that my body is going through and the adjustment not just in what I eat, but that entire relationship with food that has now been minimized from BFF for all occasions to daily sustenance. I religiously work out for at least 45mins daily and religiously take all my Vitamins. I think I'm doing okay with Protein but getting enough Water remains a challenge. Anyhow...just reaching out to see if anyone else has experienced mood changes and how you coup with them!

Edited January 11, 201610 yr by ellie123

Fat stores hormones like estrogen in great quantities. As you lose fat, the stored hormones are released back into your bloodstream. That in turn means you're constantly dealing with a flood of hormones and will feel irritable, angry, weepy, depressed and joyful - sometimes in rapid succession. This will likely be an ongoing issue until you stop losing weight.

I would just advise you to be aware of the possibility of having a hair trigger/easily to set off, do your best to remind yourself when you are feeling angry/sad that most likely it's just hormones, and take some deep breaths and try to get control of yourself. And also advise close family or friends that you likely will have some pretty wild mood swings and hope to not subject them to too much crazy.

I am also loving exercising as a means to deal with the mood swings and am feeling better when I get out and do an hour or two of something a bit strenuous.

Edited January 11, 201610 yr by FrankiesGirl

Thank you so much @@FrankiesGirl! And congratulations on your astounding weight loss! What you said makes a lot of sense. I've heard of fat storing hormones and that would explain my mood swings. And don't even get me started on how intense the mood thing gets once a month! OMG!!! It's like the hormones all get drunk on steroids and do whatever the heck they please with me. Well, knowing this and understanding it, is half the battle, because then I can be more objective with how I'm feeling and try to reassure myself that on a clearer head, sans hormones, things are much better than they seem at the time. All in all not such a big price to pay for a new lease on life and the hope of a healthier future

Edited January 11, 201610 yr by ellie123

I was a complete b**ch for a couple of weeks and was shocked my husband decided to stay lol.

At lot of people go through this. It's seems par for the course.

Congrats on the surgery

Heard a song on TV the other day called "Prozac" ...

Goes a little something like this... ( to the tune of Smelly Cat from Friends )

Prozac ... oh Prozac ...

What have you done to me?

I no longer feel the need ...

to be such a big ole "B" !

Prozac oh Prozac ....

Made me laugh and wonder ... "what was my GP's ph# again?"

Irritable? Always. But I was before surgery, so what's new?

But no, seriously... like others have said, as you lose weight, your hormones go bananas for awhile. And like you mentioned, it takes adjusting to figure out how to deal with life stress without the old crutch of emotional eating. I recommend seeing a therapist, at least for a while until you get on an even keel and fully integrate your new healthy habits into your life. I have a session this morning, in fact!

The fat storing hormones thing is real. The good news is, it's only temporary, since eventually you won't be losing fat so quickly anymore.

One thing I have also noticed about myself post-op is that I get "hangry" if I go more than about three hours without eating. I don't necessarily feel hunger like I did pre-op, but if I don't eat regularly, I start to get super irritable without realizing it. My husband and I went on vacation with my parents and my mom started carrying around turkey sticks in her purse and forcing me to eat them when the hangry started happening. It was very obvious while we were on vacation, because we weren't in our normal routine and I wasn't eating on my usual schedule. But I have noticed it other times as well, when I get busy and lose track of time and don't eat when I should.

Awesome response,thank you so much @@FrankiesGirl! Had to wait to get to a computer to answer. Congratulations on your weight loss! Makes perfect sense and I've heard of this Fat/hormone connection before but I'm having such a hard time finding more information about it online. I'm hanging in there! I called my docs office about it, and they said drink more Water to flush out the hormones and toxins that are burning away with the fat...hmmm...I do seriously struggle with water intake. It hurts to chug, and I get so busy at work...

Fat stores hormones like estrogen in great quantities. As you lose fat, the stored hormones are released back into your bloodstream. That in turn means you're constantly dealing with a flood of hormones and will feel irritable, angry, weepy, depressed and joyful - sometimes in rapid succession. This will likely be an ongoing issue until you stop losing weight.

I would just advise you to be aware of the possibility of having a hair trigger/easily to set off, do your best to remind yourself when you are feeling angry/sad that most likely it's just hormones, and take some deep breaths and try to get control of yourself. And also advise close family or friends that you likely will have some pretty wild mood swings and hope to not subject them to too much crazy.

I am also loving exercising as a means to deal with the mood swings and am feeling better when I get out and do an hour or two of something a bit strenuous.

Thanks for the response and congratulations on your REMARKABLE loss! WOW, that's amazing what you have achieved. That's how I feel sometimes, a total "B" and I can see myself from the side and I can't seem to stop myself from snapping. But being aware of it and knowing I am not alone helps take the edge off.

I was a complete b**ch for a couple of weeks and was shocked my husband decided to stay lol.

At lot of people go through this. It's seems par for the course.

Congrats on the surgery

WOW @@lauraellen80, you have lost a ton of weight, so obviously you know what you are doing here! Thank you for the advise and reassurance! I saw a therapist before surgery, but felt like he could not relate and I quickly realized that for me...BPals is awesome therapy. You veterans at this know what you are doing and are going through it, so there is no one else that can quite understand and reassure like you do. So thank you! Just knowing it happens and it's normal helps a lot! Good luck!

Irritable? Always. But I was before surgery, so what's new?

But no, seriously... like others have said, as you lose weight, your hormones go bananas for awhile. And like you mentioned, it takes adjusting to figure out how to deal with life stress without the old crutch of emotional eating. I recommend seeing a therapist, at least for a while until you get on an even keel and fully integrate your new healthy habits into your life. I have a session this morning, in fact!

@@JamieLogical you are absolutely right! I have noticed that irritability manifests itself worse at hunger times. Maybe that's my body's new way of saying feed me? Very insightful! Maybe I need to eat more regularly. I love the way your Ticker breaks out your weight loss by month! Very encouraging to see that like me some months are better than others and it's all normal and all good and all eventually adds up to a good chunk of weight lost! Bravo!

The fat storing hormones thing is real. The good news is, it's only temporary, since eventually you won't be losing fat so quickly anymore.

One thing I have also noticed about myself post-op is that I get "hangry" if I go more than about three hours without eating. I don't necessarily feel hunger like I did pre-op, but if I don't eat regularly, I start to get super irritable without realizing it. My husband and I went on vacation with my parents and my mom started carrying around turkey sticks in her purse and forcing me to eat them when the hangry started happening. It was very obvious while we were on vacation, because we weren't in our normal routine and I wasn't eating on my usual schedule. But I have noticed it other times as well, when I get busy and lose track of time and don't eat when I should.

WOW @@lauraellen80, you have lost a ton of weight, so obviously you know what you are doing here! Thank you for the advise and reassurance! I saw a therapist before surgery, but felt like he could not relate and I quickly realized that for me...BPals is awesome therapy. You veterans at this know what you are doing and are going through it, so there is no one else that can quite understand and reassure like you do. So thank you! Just knowing it happens and it's normal helps a lot! Good luck!

It's great that you are finding the support you need here. But also don't be afraid to "shop around" for a therapist! It's almost like dating--you have to find one you "click" with. I had to go through several therapists before finding one that really works for me. I seriously saw one woman who suggested that to get over my body image and food issues, I should watch the video for "All About That Bass." Also, I don't personally feel comfortable with talking to a male therapist. I'm the same about gynecologists.

ROTFL I literally burst out in a meeting!! OMG, I can't control myself! All about that BASE!!!!!???? How in the world did she tie that in? I have always wondered what that song lyrics meant. Now I just have to know!

Okay read the lyrics lolol...pretty self explanatory. I always thought she was saying no TROUBLE, but it's "No Treble" you learn something new every day...

Okay read the lyrics lolol...pretty self explanatory. I always thought she was saying no TROUBLE, but it's "No Treble" you learn something new every day...

Yeah... the lyrics are... relevant... kinda...? But to consider that an effective strategy to overcome lifelong issues... I was just gobsmacked. Also the fact that it's crappy music offended me, but that's beside the point. I was so shell-shocked at that point that I went ahead and scheduled my next appointment, but I called the office and cancelled it later and never went back. My next therapist was horrified when I told her about it and was embarrassed on behalf of her profession!

With good reason! OMG!