one month out... depressed and regretting it.
I have had depression for many years, but now its gotten a lot worse. I keep feeling like I shouldnt have done this procedure. I see the weight coming off, but I cant feel any joy that I should be feeling. Im on a lot of medication for my moods but they are short acting and run through my system too quickly. I usually get very depressed in the mornings when I wake up and havent had my pills for awhile. Could this be my hormones adjusting or the loss of a coping mechanism? Has anyone else had regrets or depression after surgery?
I havn't had my surgery yet but I have dealt with depression for years. I would go and talk to your psychiatrist about it and maybe try different meds, it took me a long time to find something that really worked for me, everyone is different. I have had psychiatrists who didn't want to listen to me and try different meds so I switched doctors, you should find someone who is going to listen to what you have to say and give you different options.
I have had depression and been on medications for years. Every case is different but I have an idea how you feel. I had buyers remorse that I couldnt have my none judgeing friend "food" with me post surgery. Weight comes off and I am healthier but I was in a heavy depression until my body adjusted 5 months post surgery. It was not quick or easy. The best thing to do now is what I had to do, accept the consequence of this action. Accept that this is your life now and do the best you can. Tell your docs how you are feeling. Maybe a new med would help but first stop kicking yourself for having life saving surgery and accept what is going on now.
I'm so sorry you're going through this. It will get easier. The first several months are very hard. It's a hard surgery on your body and your mind. You still probably aren't feeling too well physically, and that alone takes a toll on your emotions. And yes, it can also be hormones. They change rapidly as fat cells store hormones, and they all get dumped into your body as the fat cell shrinks. Give yourself time to heal, and as you are able to eat more "real" foods, and exercise more, you'll hopefully start feeling much better!
Lots of great advice from the previous posters. I truly went through withdrawal after my surgery. I realize now that withdrawing from any addiction wreaks havoc on the human body. I'd gone through withdrawal from tobacco & alcohol years ago. Withdrawing from food addiction has been the journey of a lifetime. I'm still on that journey.
I had true depths-of-despair depression about a 2 months after my surgery. I almost "checked out," if you know what I mean. Thank goodness something saved me & I hung on, because now I'm skinny & a completely different person (on the outside, if not 100% on the inside yet).
Life has not become a walk down a primrose path for me just because I've lost 124 pounds. I'm still married to the same guy (THAT'S a miracle) & I still have this brain with all its history, good & bad. But I can see so much clearer now that my body's had a chance to balance out a bit.
I think I had trouble with malabsorption of Zoloft after my surgery. Of course I didn't know it at the time. The crushed pills tasted awful (everything pretty much did for quite awhile after surgery) & I'm sure I skipped a few doses when I was detoxing from the general anesthesia. That really contributed to me going into a downward spiral after surgery. Lack of support from my family was a big obstacle, too.
Check my OH blog for my post-op entries. Be gentle with yourself! I wish you the best of luck!
Please give yourself more time. You are one month out, talk to your surgeon-he/she may want to divide your medicine for depression. you do not say which procedure you had. I dont know if you should be feeling a lot of joy right now-you still have a lot of adjustments to go through. This surgery is not only physical, but emotional, and hormonal as well. I had multiple complications during surgery ( i was in the hospital for 22 days, had 2surgeries-etc.) I have regained a lot of wt and have suffered from depression for years. i do not regret haing my surgery.
