Anti depressants

Hi 

I just have a few things I keep worrying about before my first appt to see the social worker...I am on anti depressants and some of why is my weight..and I sometimes am an emotional eater..but I have recently been but on a new one that is making me less hungry all the time and allowing me time to think of what i should eat good before I just go grab something to eat cause I am starving. I feel I have been doing great I have already lost 6 pounds in a week and a half..I have cut out all pop coffee and junk! Could anyone tell me if the social worker would b ok with that or will I be asked to come back? I have been told not to say I am emotional eater as well don't talk about depression! What should I do??

Hmmm, well I don't have a lot of experience in this from the patient side of things, as I've only had my experience to go through, but I do work in mental health.  I'm wondering why you were coached to not talk about emotional eating or depression?  I certainly admitted to the emotional eating during my psychiatric evaluation - it's the truth for me and for probably a lot of people on this forum as well.  I think the bigger issue is not recognizing or acknowledging when there is an emotional component to one's problems with food. 

If it were me doing the assessment, I would want to know the truth, then want to know how you plan to address your depression without the solace of food?  Have you been in or will you consider therapy?  It sounds like you are compliant with taking medications, which is great. 

Long story short, without knowing the specifics of what your pre-approval program is like, I think its far better to be honest with yourself and with the social worker.

I'm on anti-depressants, under the care of a psychiatrist and a psychologist, before surgery and now.  I was honest about it with the social worker during the mental evaluation.  I think their biggest concern is if you are on meds that you're doing well, which it sounds like you are. I didn't say too much (sometimes I have a tendency to do that), but I answered the questions honestly.

From what I can see on these boards, there are many people on antidepressants. I think they want to know that you are stable and understand what you are getting yourself into.

I hesitate to reply, but here's MHO:

I think the psych is determining if you are in a position to understand the implications of WLS and have the capability of making the changes needed to be successful. That is part of informed consent.  No one has the surgery because they are perfect, so acknowledging your issues and what you are doing to deal with them sounds reasonable.  Really, who isn't an emotional eater.  Would you believe a MO person who came to your office and said she/he was not an emotional eater?  But do you binge and throw-up?? Those are 2 different behaviors.

I was asked to list all the drugs, supplements, etc I was taking, so the depression meds would naturally come up.  WLS usually improves depression, but 4% of people said it made it worse.  That could be something to monitor.   http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/20141003/weight-loss-surge ry-may-not-always-help-with-depression

http://nofusa.org/news/study-bariatric-surgery-improves-depr ession-binge-eating/

I think you should worry less about what not to say and focus on whether or not you are ready.  In order to be ready, you need to show yourself that you can work through depressive episodes and that the emotional eating is under control, as you could seriously injure yourself by binging after surgery.

Also, I have depression and had some suicidal thoughts after surgery.  I was prepared enough to use strategies taught to me in therapy to get me through those episodes.  The initial 5 weeks after surgery was psychologically very difficult for me.  My body was different and it was hard for me emotionally to experience the changes.  Even though they were good changes that made me happy, they were still unfamiliar.  That sense of unfamiliarity was pretty rough on me.

I had binge eating issues previous to surgery, but had a three month streak of no binging prior to surgery, which the hospital found to be acceptable.  I had purchased a book on emotional eating and worked through it with my therapist to learn how to identify and work through those urges to binge.

Best of luck and take care of yourself.

Thank you everyone for your replies....I am going to go with whats right and just go in and tell the truth about me...If it delays me it does...I just want to better myself in all ways!! I am looking to speak to someone before and after surgery about my depression issues and keep everything under control. It was a friend of a friend that is going thru this as well that is a little bit a head of me and went in and was asked to come back cause she said she was an emotional eater but really i think it was more cause she is still eating fast food 4 times a day and has not changed much and didn't know everything needed to know about the surgery.  But I do appreciate hearing from all of you and wish you all luck too with your journeys :) 

I'm glad to see that you've decided to just speak your truth.  If it delays surgery, there is  a good reason for it.  99% of these professionals just want to see you do well.  And they can't  help you do that without knowing your situation.

For the record, I was on psych  meds and seeing a psychiatrist and a psychologist before my surgery.   I'm still seeing them today - a little over seven years later.   And I'm still on several psych meds.  It didn't delay my surgery at all.

Good luck to you - And congrats on being ready to make a new, healthier life for yourself.  =)

Thank you Amy!! :) I do look forward to my new life change! 

I had my psych appointment today.  We had a long talk about medications but mostly the antidepressants I have been taking for at least 25 years. My meds were prescribed by my PCP -- I had never seen a behavior practitioner until today.  She gave me information about the the medications i am on and why/how they work.  The conversation was very positive and the information was very helpful.  

The world is a tough place and dealing with life's challenges is different for everyone.  This process offers an opportunity to learn so much about yourself and how your body and mind work. I believe we get the most out of it when we are open and honest with ourselves and the medical staff that is in place to help us be successful. 

Sounds like the changes you have made are paying off on the scale.  Stay strong and keep up the good work