Recent Posts
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!
I think that makes sense. My insurance covered my WLS (open RNY) because I had a BMI of over 35 with at least one co-morbidity (in my case, insulin-dependent diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, & clinical depression with anxiety & PTSD).
I had to have a psychological evaluation & see a counselor 3 times before my surgery. I was denied twice & then suddenly approved, after about 14 months of trying.
I didn't get approved on the strength of mental health alone, but I think anything that's true that you share with your physician & insurance company can only help you.
In my case, I worked steadily to get approved. I didn't "fight." I made a deal with myself early on that I would go with the flow of the process. It wasn't all polka-dots & moonbeams, but I did use a LOT of cognitive behavioral therapy (which, in itself, takes a lot of time & energy) to choose to remain calm & use my talents (research, writing, & communication in general) to get approved.
I'm still evolving into a healthier person mentally. I attend Overeaters Anonymous meetings because I still deal with wanting to turn to food as a numbing agent.
I wish you all the best on your journey!
Thanks.
May I am 9 years post GBS. I never had any addiction issues of any kind. I went to alcohol rehab 3 years ago..did not work. need help and advise
Hello,
Believe it or not I have exactly the same diagnosis' as yourself...I mean exactly... Well i made it through everyone...the Nut, RN and SW but then she took my file to rounds. The surgeons initially said no way ...and I haven't had a flare up in over two years and not a really bad one for 5 years. I had a very supportive letter from my psychiatrist and then they said maybe. They brought me in to talk to the SW again and they offered me a choice of the surgery or the medical program. I still haven't decided. They are sending me on to the surgeon...I want to try and get the sleeve so my med's absorption isn't as much of an issue. But ultimately my surgeon makes the choice. So now I wait to see him. My psychiatrist is even offering to transfer me to my own hospital for observation after the surgery so any adjustments can be made to the med's. So long story short....I have to make a decision and they are "encouraging" me to do the medical program. It is not a nice place to be in...now i am really torn 
.... What to do, what to do??????
S
Referral Feb 2012, Orientation at Guelph Nov. 29/12, RN, SW and NUT Feb. 13/12, 2nd RN, SW and NUT April 26/13, Dr. Agarwal May 7/13, SW May 22/13. HW 334lbs, CW 269 lbs. Post-op nutrition course August 1/13, Dr. Jules Foute Nelong Sept 9/13, PATTS Oct 9/13, Opti Oct 16/13, Surgery Oct 30/13.
Hi, I am in the same process right now. I take several meds. I am asking the surgeon if I can have the sleeve as it is my understanding it causes less problems with absorption. The problem is that my clinic rarely does the sleeve. Ultimately my surgeon will be making the decision. Also...remember that as you lose the weight your body may not need as much medication as before so it may all work itself out. Good luck and hope everything works out 
Referral Feb 2012, Orientation at Guelph Nov. 29/12, RN, SW and NUT Feb. 13/12, 2nd RN, SW and NUT April 26/13, Dr. Agarwal May 7/13, SW May 22/13. HW 334lbs, CW 269 lbs. Post-op nutrition course August 1/13, Dr. Jules Foute Nelong Sept 9/13, PATTS Oct 9/13, Opti Oct 16/13, Surgery Oct 30/13.
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!
I am so sorry to hear this. Did she have the Roux-en-Y? I don't think people realize just how devastating this is for the loved ones as well. If family and friends were educated on the psychological and behavioral signs and symptoms of malabsorption such as agression, depression, anxiety, insomnia, then perhaps these issues could be caught sooner. There has been focus on the increase in alcoholism, but far less attention paid to the increase in mood disorders. This is very concerning because typically serious mood disorders are usually diagnosed early in life (late teens or early twenties). So to have gastric bypass patients suddenly developing these serious issues should be a huge red flag to surgeons and psychiatrists. Unfortunately, the bariatric field has been eager to place the blame on the patients for developing psychological problems after surgery. Often, they just attribute it to the drastic life changes that can accompany significant weight loss, rather than dig deeper to see what is really causing these problems.
I don't know if you've experienced this, but when my ex-husband was in a treatment facility, in spite of all the information about malabsorption and gastric bypass I provided, I could not get the doctor to even prescribe him a multi-vitamin, much less extra calcium, iron, B-12, Omega-3 fish oil, magnesium.....etc. But they were mighty swift to give him heavy duty mood stabilizers, anti-depressants, and anti-anxiety meds, all of which only temporarily mask the problem.
I am so sorry your daughter is going through this, as well as you and everyone who loves her. My advice is to just keep trying to find knowledgable doctors who are familiar with the behaviorial and psychiatric problems caused by long term malabsorption. For myself, I found a doctor who gives me IV nutrient injections. I do this either once a month or a few times a month depending on how compliant I've been with my supplements. But it is still a constant commitment.
Best wishes to your daughter.
