Post-Surgical Depression - OK - that why I feel like I do not care about anything,..(long).

I think I know what - beside pain is going on with me. -
I had a total of 5 surgeries in 2009.  And 4 of them from September- December.  No wonder I feel horrible.   I have a such hard recovering from PS (long surgery) and the following may explain why.  Knowing that how I feel may be a residual effect of surgery(ies)  and that - eventually  - one day I may feel better - gives me hope. 
On top of the almost 5 hrs anesthesia - I was on strong painkillers for over a month.  And I liked them.   Now - I am trying to get off them, and I am still in pain, bruised, still hurt, burning and itching all over.  So - beside my body - my mind has been affected.  Here - after PS - at goal - I was suppose to feel like a wonder woman (or I sure hoped for that), when in reality I feel hurt, weepy, tired, depressed, sick, ugly, and fat. And old.  With a smelly BM, gas, and body odor.  So - read the following I found at your own risk - and if you experience things like that - Like me know that probably you are not crazy and that eventually that too shall pass.  

Post-Surgical Depression

The incidence of post-surgical depression is much higher than most people realize, and it’s one area that I believe too often gets glossed over in the “risks and complications of surgery" pep talk given by most surgeons to their patients. It has amazed me in my career to find how many doctors do not warn their patients specifically about this phenomenon.

So let’s examine some of the major contributors to post-surgical depression, most of which are common to any type of surgery:

Effects of General Anesthesia

Did you know that traces of the chemicals used to “put you under" in general anesthesia can remain in your body tissues, affecting you both physically and emotionally, for up to a few weeks? These residual effects can include lethargy and depression, and even bouts of unexplained weepiness or despair. Incidence of these effects seems to increase in proportion to the age of the patient.

Pain Medications

Post surgical pain management usually requires at least a brief period of the patient being on prescription narcotic pain killers. As you may or may not know, most narcotic pain killers are in a class of drugs considered depressants. This does not necessarily mean that they will make you depressed. In layman’s terms, it just means that they tend to slow everything down, much like alcohol, but on a larger scale. Just as people have different emotional reactions to intoxication with alcohol, they also have differing reactions to being on pain meds. Sometimes, these reactions are similar to (and compounded by) those related to the residual effects of general anesthesia, as listed in the paragraph above.

Physical Restrictions Inherent to Recovery

Let’s face it: Almost nobody enjoys being stuck in bed, depending on others for help with basic tasks, being forced to abandon our usual routines and take time out for healing. Feelings of restlessness, boredom, helplessness, and even uselessness are quite common. In addition, the lack of physical activity usually means a short supply of endorphins, which is never a good thing, mood-wise.

Bruised and Battered

In a nutshell, when you look and feel terrible physically, you’re likely to feel terrible emotionally as well. Imagine lying in bed in pain, doped up on medication which makes you feel slightly nauseated… Then you get up and go to the mirror to sneak a peek, and the sight that greets you is a shell of your former self. Besides being creased with pillow marks, you are bruised and swollen, sporting visible stitches reminiscent of Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. It hardly sounds like a recipe for bliss, does it?

 

I understand...I have had 8-10 surgeries in the last 2.5 years...including plastics, and it is hard, especially in the winter...and I am 7 weeks out from my revision and still feel like that--this was my hardest to recover from since it was open...I even had a tt at my lowest band weight, and that was easier...you just want to feel back to normal, but better, I totally get that...(:
Heather

I'm sorry you're feeling overwhelmed =(

Let me preface by saying that I have only had three surgeries. 2 C-sections and a laparoscopic gallbladder removal.

However - I had my first c-section in May '06 and had JUST recovered when I had my gallbladder out in June '06 (not even 4 weeks later). I felt as low as I was right after my section. At square one again. Unable to walk down stairs easily, very restricted diet, no energy AND dealing with a month old newborn and breastfeeding.

I was NOT a happy camper and have been on zoloft since Dec. '06. It helped tremendously after the birth of my daughter, my 2nd section when she ended up in the NICU for a week.

I hope one day I will not need to take them though it will be some time after my WLS to help deal with any depression from THAT.

I'm glad you posted this for everyone! A lot of people don't correlate depression with surgery, but your body goes through SO many changes that I think it's normal.

I couldn't wait for my plastic surgery!  I thought it was like "icing on a cake"...  I'd lost all my weight, reached the goal and the only thing left was the plastics.  I thought that it would be glorious.  WRONG! 

No one in my immediate realm of support had undergone plastics.  They all were striving to have them too at some point in the future, and I think they too viewed it as "the final step in the journey" or "final chapter of the book." 

But after surgery, it was a difficult recovery.  No one had understood what I was going through.  They thought I was on top of the world.  Instead, I was clouded with depression.  And, it lasted for about 4 months.  (Like yourself, I had several surgeries within a year period:  wls, gallbladder removal, scar tissue removed from my wls, and an ERCP to remove a gallstone as well as the plastics... all in just 10 months!)  That was a lot for my body to go through.

The swelling alone was enough to depress the crap out of me..  going into surgery as a size 6 blue jeans, a week after surgery being in my first pair of size 4s, then at nine weeks postop, I was wearing my mother's size 10 dress slacks!!  My gawd that was just terrible on my mental state after having lost 135 lbs...  its just a bad thing for a wls person to experience, and I wasn't prepared for it!

I mentioned it yesterday to someone, but a great website that helped me a lot was MakeMeHeal.com.  They have a forum for each procedure, and you are able to talk with other members who are or have gone through the same procedure.  They steered me along and let me know that what I was experiencing was not an isolated case, and they sure helped me where the Swell Hell was concerned...  

I'm glad you posted this information...  And, since my experience, I've seen others who have had simliar depressive episodes....

Thanks a lot.  I am glad I am not the only one.  And you are right - it feels like we should be on top of the world, and theoretically we know the weight gain and swelling is temporary, but...

Initially I though that I feel so bad because I was in pain - but when the pain is not as bad - it seams that instead of feeling better - I feel worse. 
That when I realized that something is wrong.  But after finding the info - it was like a light at the end of a tunnel - and I hope it is not "a train" coming - but a real opening from the dark place I am now. 
Thanks for sharing.  I will check the site. 

I, too, had multiple surgeries within a very short period of time and was already struggling wiwth depression when I had my TT last January.  I thought that having the TT would help the depression, but when the incision turned necrotic and I had to have a BUNCH of dead tissue cut out and spent 6 months with the giant hole in my belly healing up, the depression got even worse.  I also started losing hair again -- when the hair I lost from the RNY was only about 2 inches long -- despite increasing my protein because I knew I needed it for healing.  More depression.  I had to take anti-depressants for several months alogn with soem counseling.  I hated taking the pills, but I needed them so I took them.

This, too, shall pass... but sometimes medical intervention is necessary.

Lora

Thanks Lora.  It sucks when we work so hard to better ourselfs, and we end up - even for a short (relatively) time in a worst mental state than before.  I sure did not expected that.  I was expecting pain, being tired, but not the deep depression I found myself into.  
Now - since I know what that is coming from - maybe it will be easier to deal with .. (at least there is a hope that it may be just a temporary thing and not me going crazy all together) 

Thanks for sharing.  I will tryto psot that also on the plastic forum - with a link to here.