Psychiatric problems

I have never posted here before and I have a few questions. I have gone through the whole program at UMASS in Worcester annd have been assigned Dr. Cherniak as a surgeon. My problem is my stupidity. I take a fairly large number of psychiatric medications and was under the mistaken opinion that I would have to be off meds for the surgery. This is back in August. I weaned myself off most of my meds- then crashed and burned. I wound up with a fairly extensive hospital stay, at UMASS. My main problem is severe, chronic depression which had been adequately controlled. In the hospital, meds didn't do the trick. I had to have ECT. This is the only thing that has helped me in the past for severe bouts of depression and I was suicidal. Well, I'm pretty well back to baseline and having maintenance ECT. My question is, I will be seeing a doctor in behavioral medicine for followup and to judge if I can continue on with the program. I feel fine now and I've spent almost 3 years fighting to get this surgery and have lost the required weight, had sleep studies and procurred a CPAP machine. I feel ready. How do I convince Dr. Kaplan I'm ready?

Hi Karen, I have Dr. Perugini in Worcester and am having surgery January 1st. You need to convince the psych doctors not the MD. He just gets told that youare cleared he doesnt clear you himself. The only thing I would be concerned with is the fact that depression can come back 100 times worse after this surgery because of the missing outlet (food). I would consider staying on your meds and making sure that you are followed closely after so your not a danger to yourself. I hope all goes well Brandy

Hi Brandy, Thank you for the reply. Dr. Kaplan is actually the behavioral medicine doctor who has to clear me before I get the go ahead from the surgeon. I've been through every other component of the program. Dr. Kaplan is conferring with my psych doctors. I see him again on November 29th. I am praying all goes well. My weight is a big factor in my depression. Eating just makes me depressed because I know it contributes to my weight. I already have 3 cases of CIB and am drinking that for breakfast and lunch. I've lost 25 pounds. I do drink and eat enough to stay well nourished. By the way, it was nice to hear that you are married to a firefighter. My husband's father was a firefighter until he retired and my husband was a Samaritan and EMT until he was injured. He now is a professional web designer and we are starting a web based pet shoppe. I hope everything goes well with your surgery in January. I'll be thinking of you. Karen

Hi Karen. I had my surgery last April. The only concern to have about your medications after the surgery is whether or not they can be crushed or given as liquid. Just after your surgery, pills must be cut up or crushed, and if you take any long acting meds, that could be problematic. The best thing to do is bring it up now, and if they needed to swap your meds around, it can be done prior to surgery. Things that can't be crushed include Depakote ER, Eskalith, and any medication with a SR, or ER to name a few. Good luck, Dr Czerniak is awesome! You are in good hands!

Hi Karen. I have never posted but want to tell you that you're in for a shock when the weight comes way down. I found myself in a true identity crisis. I didn't know a "thin me" and really had some real problems with it. I didn't miss being fat. Rather I didn't know who I was thin. I didn't feel the same. Didn't take things the same way, cared about things differently and about some formerly important issues not at all. I was laughed at by my wife when I tried to explain this to her. I am now a 34 old guy who actually gets stares from women, and that makes me laugh but it happens everywhere I go. I am ridiculously confident now but am unhappy and confused. I'll work it out but my point to you is to be aware that your depression may impact your recovery and I don't mean physical recovery. I say go for it, but be informed. There is way more to this surgery than the surgeons know. Derek Canavan