I need your help please
I have always gotten great advice on here and I am in need of some serious help. I am dealing with emotional eating the last 2 weeks. I had depression before my surgery and was taking prozac for the last 7 years. I stopped taking them the week before surgery, I felt I was strong for a new beginning especially with my new journey with wls. The last 2 weeks I have been so depressed and I can't figure out why or what is going on. All I know is that I have cheated BIG time the last 2 weeks. Eating has gotten out of hand and I am so afraid of stretching my stomach and failing at my surgery. I tell myself I gotta do it and I will do it. How do I get back on track? How do I know if my stomach has stretched? I NEED HELP. Please yell scream do whatever it takes to help me get back on track!!
Pam,
First off with the rapid weight loss you are releasing hormones into the system estrogen is in fat cells. So to fall into depression is not bad thing but you recognize there is a problem you may have to back on meds. I just went back on Lexapro after being off it 2 years since surgery. I too was emotional eating you have to nip it now.
Go back to basics do the pouch test do liquids then soft foods to help you get back on track . You have invested too much to go back now.
So call your doctor get back on meds and when you want to eat do something else color in a coloring book, write in a journal ,go sing in the shower, come on OH and vent to us.
You can do this!
First off with the rapid weight loss you are releasing hormones into the system estrogen is in fat cells. So to fall into depression is not bad thing but you recognize there is a problem you may have to back on meds. I just went back on Lexapro after being off it 2 years since surgery. I too was emotional eating you have to nip it now.
Go back to basics do the pouch test do liquids then soft foods to help you get back on track . You have invested too much to go back now.
So call your doctor get back on meds and when you want to eat do something else color in a coloring book, write in a journal ,go sing in the shower, come on OH and vent to us.
You can do this!
thank you Beth, I am scared to go back on the depression pill because that is when I started to gain all my weight. I heard about the pouch test and thought about doing that. I have come along way and dont want to go back to the unhealthy fat depressed person I was. I just have no motivation, no energy and I feel like hiding....I know calling the doctor is probably my answer.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
I agree with Beth 100% - step 1 admitting that you need the meds. Step 2 - call the Dr tomorrow and get them! I found that I needed the MORE post op because I couldn't drown my sorrows in food - I had to confront my emotions head on and that lead to panic attacks.
I was on lexapro for a while and switched to wellbutrin when I was trying to get pregnant. I have now had to wean myself off of them because I can't take them and breastfeed. WE'll see how that goes - if it gets bad I will just have to make the choice to give my baby formula and a happy Momma instead of a anxious, depressed one who can breastfeed.
To get back on track get back to basics - I start a thread every morning for everyone who wants to post their menus for the day. It helps to hold us accountable and also makes us plan in advance.
You can do it!
Liz
I was on lexapro for a while and switched to wellbutrin when I was trying to get pregnant. I have now had to wean myself off of them because I can't take them and breastfeed. WE'll see how that goes - if it gets bad I will just have to make the choice to give my baby formula and a happy Momma instead of a anxious, depressed one who can breastfeed.
To get back on track get back to basics - I start a thread every morning for everyone who wants to post their menus for the day. It helps to hold us accountable and also makes us plan in advance.
You can do it!
Liz
Please do not self medicate yourself. It is in your best interest to take your meds but now, you may need to taper back on.
Meds of those kinds should NEVER be stopped abruptly. Call your doc, let them know how long you have been off and discuss your meds with them.
Depression can be serious. It's not just something you can always just "fix" by yourself. There are chemicals produced that not all people have enough of. It's nothing you can control or change. The medicine helps that.
If you were not prodicing insulin, you would take your meds, right? Depression is just as important.
I don't mean to get on a soap box, but I am a HUGE advocate of people following and maintaining their depression meds and being compliant. Everyone else can address the eating part, I want to stress that you should NEVER go off meds by yourself!
Meds of those kinds should NEVER be stopped abruptly. Call your doc, let them know how long you have been off and discuss your meds with them.
Depression can be serious. It's not just something you can always just "fix" by yourself. There are chemicals produced that not all people have enough of. It's nothing you can control or change. The medicine helps that.
If you were not prodicing insulin, you would take your meds, right? Depression is just as important.
I don't mean to get on a soap box, but I am a HUGE advocate of people following and maintaining their depression meds and being compliant. Everyone else can address the eating part, I want to stress that you should NEVER go off meds by yourself!
When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila & salt and give me a call!
Yup - I have to agree with everyone else. You need to be back on meds. It doesn't make you weak or any less of a successing story with WLS
I know you said you are afraid of weight gain - but the reality is - if you continue with the head hunger eating and emotional eating without going back on meds the outcome will be the same.
Also like Beth said, you might be able to switch things around to find the right one for you.
Oh, and do NOT allow them to give you a time released medication, we don't absorb them properly.
Good luck :)
I know you said you are afraid of weight gain - but the reality is - if you continue with the head hunger eating and emotional eating without going back on meds the outcome will be the same.
Also like Beth said, you might be able to switch things around to find the right one for you.
Oh, and do NOT allow them to give you a time released medication, we don't absorb them properly.
Good luck :)
Instead of complaining that the rosebush has thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses. 
Hi Pam,
I think everyone has given you really good advice. Like you, I stopped abruptly taking anti-depressants after ions of years. Luckily, I have never felt better.
Some suggestions to get back on track are;
do the 5 day pouch test
5daypouchtest.com
Another idea is to start exercising more to get out the stress out.
I agree you should see your doctor and go back on the meds if needed.
Good luck to you.
Geoff
I think everyone has given you really good advice. Like you, I stopped abruptly taking anti-depressants after ions of years. Luckily, I have never felt better.
Some suggestions to get back on track are;
do the 5 day pouch test
5daypouchtest.com
Another idea is to start exercising more to get out the stress out.
I agree you should see your doctor and go back on the meds if needed.
Good luck to you.
Geoff
no need to yell or scream. But I do want you to listen to me and the others. what you are experiencing is NORMAL. The changes in emotions and fluxuations after rapid weight loss are normal. You should contact your doctor and see what anti depressants they can recommend. Lexapro is fine, has little weight gain side effects, I have seen people have good results with wellbutrin too. Being depressed and eating your way through it will cause more weight gain than an antidepressant ever will.
Also just because we have this surgery does not mean we will never over eat, eat over emotions or out of compulsion again. We will. what we need to do is learn from it. What happened? How did you feel? What could you have done differently? It is not all about the food. Our recovery is a whole package. We cannot focus our success or failures soley on our food behaviors and intake.
This brings me to my next point. Do you have a tool kit of things you can use instead of eating when you are stressed or depressed? If you dont then you will eat plain and simple. Part of our work is to learn new ways of coping, they dont just appear because we had the surgery. OH DEAR LORD I WISH THEY DID.
Get into counseling if you are not. See your Dr. for meds. I would suggest reading The Beck Diet Solution, or Anatomy of a Food Addict. If you feel you need to get " back on track" try the pouch test. WELCOME TO ALL THE FUN STUFF LOL. You can do it. I promise.
Also just because we have this surgery does not mean we will never over eat, eat over emotions or out of compulsion again. We will. what we need to do is learn from it. What happened? How did you feel? What could you have done differently? It is not all about the food. Our recovery is a whole package. We cannot focus our success or failures soley on our food behaviors and intake.
This brings me to my next point. Do you have a tool kit of things you can use instead of eating when you are stressed or depressed? If you dont then you will eat plain and simple. Part of our work is to learn new ways of coping, they dont just appear because we had the surgery. OH DEAR LORD I WISH THEY DID.
Get into counseling if you are not. See your Dr. for meds. I would suggest reading The Beck Diet Solution, or Anatomy of a Food Addict. If you feel you need to get " back on track" try the pouch test. WELCOME TO ALL THE FUN STUFF LOL. You can do it. I promise.
Once again thanks to EVERYONE. Great advice and alot of great ideas for me to work with and I will get this problem under control. I have a doctor appt with my family doctor on Friday to discuss my depression issue again. The surgeon who performed my gastric bypass left the week after doing my surgery so all my follow up is by another surgeon and I found myself having a hard time getting comfortable with them. I feel I was just added to her work load and she knows nothing about me except my paperwork. This is why this board has become so comfortable with me, you all have been there and I get more questions answered by you guys. THANKS!!
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