bipolar questions

Happy Birthday.  You will feel like a new woman.  I just had my four year check-up with my surgeon today.  We discussed what I have been doing wrong, and how I can make changes to my diet to bring me back to the beginning, like four years ago.

Trish

I have Bipolar 1, PTSD, Anxiety, and a double depression diagnosis.
I've actually improved since surgery. I don't feel as hopeless, down, depressed, I'm more comfortable thus making me less anxious. I get down sometimes but have noticed a huge improvement since surgery.  I have my moments, but I'm not as manic or anxious as I was before. My meds stayed the same, a few got lowered in dosage and I tolerate them fine. It is important to have a therapist or support person you can confide in when things get stressful. It's really important to address any and all issues you have with food, emotional eating, stress eating...
If you keep these issues in check it helps better your outcome.
At first I was irritated that my eating had changed so much, but after a while I've adjusted and don't miss most of the crap I used to eat. I just had it in my mind that I was going to change my life and do whatever it took  to be healthier no matter how much I didn't like it. The positive changes far outweigh any food that I may miss.

Hi, I am bipolar and was very successful losing 110 pounds after my RNY.  Everything was great until I had a new stressor added to my life, and I went a bit manic.  That in itself caused a lot of problems and I ended up on new meds, but gaining weight fast.  I was able to stop it after I had gained 50 pounds back by having the band over bypass.  I have not been as successful as I had hoped.  But, that is just me.  So many things happened in my life over the past 9 years, but I am still down 60!!!  That's a positive to look at...

My meds have me under control for the most part.  I keep trying to work which is just stupid, but I can't help it.  I do get disability, but I'd like to earn some of it myself, too.  Jobs are hard, though.  No matter how simple it may seem, I can always find some way to stress in it.  That's neither here nor there...  anyway, you are probably wondering if it is worth it.

I am glad I had the surgery, even though I am still struggling.  If I hadn't, I'd be 60 pounds heavier and probably more, more stressed out than ever, and as unhealthy as they get.  For me, for a while I missed the food...  but, it has come full circle and I don't really miss it anymore...  my problem is making the right choices, getting my butt up to exercise, and stopping when I have had enough.  Self-discipline and impulse-control are not two terms that go together with bipolar very well...  I used to have so much energy!!!  Everything now takes a concentrated effort, I just need to choose to do it.

In other words...  Bipolar makes it HARD!!!  Harder than I think for the average person...  but, it does not make it impossible.  I haven't given up yet!!!  And yes, it takes a while to get the meds down...  but, you get there!!!

Best wishes,