Depression Meds??

Hello everyone, My question this time is, has anyone been on a depression med and not taken it since surgery? I was on Effexor XR before surgery and because it is an XR I can no longer take this med. I know there is regular Effexor, but it never helped before, when I took it. I do not want to go back on another one only because I have tried alot of them and most of them did not work. But I think I am driving my own self crazy not taking one... So does anyone have advice of what I should do? Feeling down and depressed Christie : ' (

First of all, congratulations on your new life! I'm really excited for you! I'm also very curious about this, because I take this medicine too, and no one said anything about me not being able to take it. I use it in combination w/wellbutrin, and I put both meds on all my med lists, and no one said it would be a problem afterwards. My surgery is on the 2nd, so I guess now is a good time to find out, huh?! Has the dr. prescribing it given you any suggestions? I have an appt. w/my dr. the day before my surgery, so if he offers me any suggestions, I'll let you know. Keep me posted, and good luck!! P.S. I know it's hard when you stop taking meds, so be careful. And remember all you have to look forward to on your new and exciting journey whenever you get down, until you can get this resolved. I'm new to this forum, but frm all I've read, everyone here is so sincerely helpful and caring (and you, too!). A support system can do so much to help you when you're feeling down!! Hugs, Bertie

Hello again! Okay this is some confusion had I known this I would have taken my meds a long time ago. Some seem to think when you mention XR it is in a tablet form not capsule. This is why everyone say's you can not take it. But being in capsule I found out from the pharmacist still waitin to hear from Dr. Peter's that you can open the capsule to take it only on these conditions: DO NOT TAKE WITH WATER. WATER BREAKS IT DOWN. I take 225mg. so I take 3 (75 mg) So what they told me to do was take 1 CAPSULES WITH 1 TSP. APPLESAUCE so if you take more than one capsule do it that way for each of them. Hope this helps Roberta I know it does for me!!!! Christie~6 days post op

Thanks Christie, I really appreciate it! How's everything going besides that? Any problems so far? Bertie

Hi Christie, Well, I know that the drug named Wellbutrin XL worked for me 2 yrs ago. Somehow it was working as a anti-depressant and a food depressant and I did lose weight. I know that I will probably need a depression med after my WLS but I know it wont be Wellbutrin. Contact your physician and see what they advise. Hopefully you're feel better

I was on effexor (capsules) too. After surgery I started to break open the capsule and take it in applesauce. It was so bad that I just stopped it on my own. I remember Brett told me to call my PCP immediately. I did, she said that she was concerned that I stopped it like that because of the side effects. I had the effects, but I thought it was due to the surgery. It was nightmares! I was posting my most bizarre dreams and thinking it had something to do with the surgery. So I detoxed myself without even knowing it. I wondered if I'd need it after surgery, but I was feeling better as the weight was coming off so I just didn't persue taking it again. Most of my long-term depression issues were weight related. Some issues are not weight related, like the murder of my closest friend of many years in 2002, but I am still not taking the meds. Hope this helps. Dianne