Anyone else out there post op experiencing and increase of depression and/or anxiety?

I already had issues with the 2 before surgery and while most of the time post op I have been really optimistic and upbeat (mostly due to feeling so much better being 40lbs lighter) sometimes my mood just drops. I've had to increase my anxiety meds (doctor's orders). I know part of my anxiety is that I can no longer eat to soothe my stress.

I just seem to be overcome by loneliness sometimes...I'm fairly certain this is just a personal issue but I wanted to check in and see if anyone else has had similar post op experience.:cool::eek:

I will say that I went and sometimes still go through a mourning phase of some foods.. the holidays were tough because I literally went around and smelled everything that I couldn't eat. My problem comes from me wanting to stress eat and then I can't so I need another outlet... crying for stupid reasons and or being a complete biotch... and it was tied to my emotional eating.

Hi Candi:

I opted for the biotch thing instead of depression. I got especially biotchy if somebody was eating alot of things that I couldn't have. I think it takes some getting used to not turning to food for comfort.

Best wishes for your success.

Sue

Totally feel for you Panda, I am not experiencing depression, but bad stress and anxiety. it is a stressful period in my life with so many extra changes, just applying to grad school and looking for work and dealing with family. And I can't eat anymore to calm down or relax. I end up crying or going for a walk just release the stress.

Its amazing how much we relied on food to deal with emotional issues.

hi, candie yes i also had depression think about we lost one of our best friends food and better yet it never talked back . focus on other outlets and keep taking your medication . good luck deb c

you are definetly not alone!!! I have had some real issues with mourning a loss of my major comfort and hobby....but that sadness reminds i have done the right thing, because i definelty relied on food way too much.

i also have alot of "omg what have i done to myself" feelings, but i am sure that will get better once i'm not in pain, and once I have adjusted to all this...hang in there! we are all in this together.

I can certainly relate to the feelings of depression and anxiety. I was on Wellbutrin and Paxil (for 15 years) prior to surgery. I stopped most of my meds because I was afraid they were going to get stuck. I went through a lot of anxiety, but I have to say that I seem to be over-coming it. As the weight is coming off the depression and anxiety is going away. I hope this works for you too. Good luck and best wishes:happy:

Well I have had it all-depression, anxiety/stress, fear of unknown and failure. My mood swings. One day I am happy,the next i am depressed and on the verge of tears and the next i am mad as hell and then the boredom kicks in. Some of this was going on before the band. I think I am just more aware of it now because don't (or rather trying to not) have food as a comfort.

Wow! I am the same way! One minute Im happy the next Im crying. I have been on depression medications before but I really don't want to go back on them because I think I just need to actually deal with my emotions instead of masking them with drugs. I just feel very alone and I had a fight with my husband last night and lets just say I slept on the couch.

Another issue that has not been mentioned, and was brought up a couple of years ago at my seminar, is the hormonal effect of weight loss.

Fat cells harbor estrogen. When we begin losing large amounts of weight quickly, it dumps it into our systems, and all of the other hormones have to work double time to try to balance. It is similar to PMS.

Once your weight loss slows, or gets steadier, your hormones will adjust, and the moodiness will lessen. By the same token, you will adjust and the mourning of the foods will lessen.

Point being, there is a factual cause to the mood swings, the cravings....all the fun stuff.

Hang in there, it does get better. But it might mean in the meantime you may have to work with your Dr, to manage meds you already take to get them to an optimal level.

Kat

Seajules, wow how did you get off Paxil? I have been taking it for 12 years and can't get off of it bec of the side effects! I would love to know your secret. I hope you dont mind sharing.

It has helped me but I originally started taking it bec of panic attacks eleven days after I gave birth and my mom was staying with me and died in front of me. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Oh my gosh, my sister stayed with me for 3 nights after surgery, and when she left I cried and cried and cried......I don't know why, but it was like I am all alone, no one cares etc. I know this is abig deal for me[being banded] but everyone else has a life also. I have been dealing with depression and panic attacks for 20+ years. I am still on my meds. but feel a sense of sorrow at my loss[?]. I want others to be interested in my weight loss but, at the same time, I feel pressured to lose, a certain amount each week. I lost 30lbs. on the pre-surgery diet[4 weeks]+ 11 more in the 2 weeks since my banding. So 41lbs. total is not bad, but I go to get weighed tomorrow and fear a sense of doom. I know that I cannot keep lossing 5lbs. each week, sure would be nice though. I go next week for my first fill, What is it like?

Hi Scruffy............I have been on antidepressants since 1984:smile2: and have had some pretty huge ups and downs, Loss of my first husband and daughter back in1983 and 1986, but have been blessed with a new husband and 2 great kids. My only explanation is faith, wonderful family support and the belief that my weight problems cause my depression and not the other way around. I can't explain why I am doing so well off my meds I just thank the good lord above and hope that it continues. Support has got to be the number one way to make all of this work. Keep your support close and go to support meetings when ever you can. My doctor hosts a support group every Wednesday and I rearranged my work schedule to make sure I am there. This program has to be one of the top priorities in my life. Please keep coming back to LBT and keep talking. You can e-mail me anytime....sea.jules@comcast.net. The more people I speak to the better for me toooo. Hang in there.

Seajules, wow how did you get off Paxil? I have been taking it for 12 years and can't get off of it bec of the side effects! I would love to know your secret. I hope you dont mind sharing.

It has helped me but I originally started taking it bec of panic attacks eleven days after I gave birth and my mom was staying with me and died in front of me. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Hi Scruffy,

I am a 'seasoned' antidepressant user. :-(

I went through the horrendous withdrawal from Paxil. What I can suggest to you is to have some Omega 3-6-9 supplements, and sloooooooooooooowly reduce your dosage...a tiny, tiny fraction every week.

Another thing to do is to add another antidepressant to hopefully alleviate the withdrawal symptoms from paxil.

Did you experience withdrawal symptoms such as electrical shocks in your head, dizziness, nausea, basically feeling really sick?

There was a huge class-action lawsuit a few years back...patients who were not told by the mfr of the horrendous withdrawal they would go through should they decide to discontinue the med.

There are other ideas that I haven't mentioned..it's been a while...I would highly recommend you google 'paxil withdrawal' or 'paxil side effects'. There is also a good website I think is called Ask a Patient: Medicine Ratings and Health Care Opinions. There is a section where people report their side effects for meds.

Here are some good websites that may help:

benzo.org.uk : Dependence on Antidepressants & Halting SSRIs by Dr David Healy MD, FRCPsych

Quitpaxil: paxil withdrawal advice

Tips to Reduce Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal from paroxetine can be severe, warns FDA -- Tonks 324 (7332): 260 -- BMJ

HTH :smile: It can be done.

Bert 99 & Seajules, thanks for the information on Paxil, I do suffer from the side effects mentioned. I will check out the website you recommended Bert. Thanks ladies.

I am not a person who has had problems in the past with anxiety and depression, and I can tell you that though I don't think its the surgery, I'd definitely say that losing food as a coping mechanism sent me crashing. In counseling now, and on meds, and doing much, much better.

I think of it like this...for 40 years I used food to keep my emotions from swinging to one extreme or another, and now without that "packing", I've got to learn how to swing gently. Hence the therapy!