Heightened suicide risk after weight-loss surgery

You do realize, since you're aware of my situation, that my issue is not connected to WLS?

You have just offended most of this board.  That was lovely.

Just FYI, this is information I would have killed for pre-op. I wouldn't see it as being scared. I would have been prepared for the month I had a few back where I was on here begging for help, literally unable to function due to my depression.

Shame on you Beth for trying to give people a heads up. Didn't you know its better to go in blind?!

Oh look I can do annoying emoticons and be a sarcastic ***** too

Are you pre-op?

Have I scared you sufficiently? 

(**Please note, it is not my intention to scare anyone for any reason.  It is my intention to share information.   My personal issue I write about for documentation, I share to find peers  (I've found 135) and is not connected to weight loss surgery.  If/when it IS connected, so what?)

But, if you're "scared?"

Good.

That means, you're at least CONSIDERING what MIGHT BE.  Who cares if anything is "rare" - **** happens!  You cannot live your life in fear of WHAT might be.  You should not be listening to people on the internet who've had various outcomes, either, expecting your results to be just as swell, or any better, or any worse.

You are individual, and will have individual results.

I post information that I find, that article?  Was a study, via Reuters, and obviously it is a big enough issue to warrant a STUDY.  Patients are KILLING THEMSELVES. 

What would you say if your sister/mom had RNY and offed herself 3 years later after reaching goal weight? 

Would you feel differently?  Would you ask people not to post about it? 

Or would you be passing along preventative information about the subject, hoping to STOP ANOTHER  PERSON FROM DYING?

There are FAR too many who don't, and come crying back months later, "Nobody told me that this would happen!  Why doesn't anyone mention ______________, __________________ and _________________________?"

Many people feel the way you do -- pre-op.  I did.  I was untouchable.  Now, I am real.

Just wait.

UGH.   I feel anything but untouchable.  I have very realistic ideas of what to expect post-op.  I know all the challenges I face and what is ahead.  I have done all of the research, asked all of the questions, and done it over and over again. I have educated my husband and made sure that he understands what to expect.  I am not going in to this surgery to look pretty, I am going in to this surgery to live.  I have co-morbidities. 

And, for the record, I have a sister who is very, very ill. She has attempted suicide more times than I can count, and she is slowly killing herself now because she has swallowed whole bottles of Tylenol, od'd on insulin, and does not follow her doctors' directions for her diabetic diet. Her pancreas and liver are shot and she is a ticking time bomb, constantly in and out of the ER with infections and constant pain.  She did not have WLS. 

And, I don't live my life in fear of what might happen, been there, done that, learned my lesson long ago.  I just don't want to see others on here make the same mistake.  The numbers speak for themselves.  These awful, tragic complications that are often mentioned here on OH are possible, but not probable.

Possible means they must be discussed.

 You have a suicidal family member and you don't realize that puts you at a higher risk for depression and suicidal tendencies?

I am perfectly, painfully well aware of that fact.  Been there myself, too.  Mental illness is often heredetary, and unfortunately runs rampid in my mother's family.   There is nothing that I don't know about mental illness.  It is a tragic, real, and physical illness.  It may occur in the brain, but it affects many parts of the body, and every aspect of your life.

However, I find it irresponsible to throw a newspaper article on here with a title such as that, and not explain your opinion or concerns about it, if you're going to be the one who posts it.  It's like it was just thrown out there to provoke.

Who knows, maybe I am wrong, maybe I am taking it too personally since I have first hand knowledge- although not yet as a WLS patient.
 
But I feel strongly that there are just too many posts on here about rare complications that rarely happen, and then all of a sudden a few days after those posts you see a bunch of people writing "oh do you think I have this, do you think I have that", only because of those posts, in my opinion.  

Amy,

I have a doctorate in psychology and am a licensed professional counselor with years of practice experience, and there is still a lot I don't know about mental illness. I have never met anyone who knew everything - if they did then they would know how to stop it.

That said, keep in mind that while this board is very helpful for pre-ops (I am one of them), it is also a support board for people who have had the surgery. They come here to post about the things that are happening to them (frequently bad, since people with problems are more likely to post), and things that they have seen and want to share to help others. Yes, some of this stuff can be scary. However, it is life. While suicide doesn't happen to everyone, each person it affects is one too many. Education can help us to combat this issue, just as it does with other mental issues. We should never be ashamed or afraid to speak about these issues.

Tonia

Tonia,

Thank you.

I am afraid that too many peers hide.

I've had an AWFUL few weeks, and haven't posted about it much, even though my issues are most likely WLS related.... partly because there are those who want to condemn and jump on folks who might scare the newbies. No mattter that the likely cause of my issues are 100% preventable with knowlege and education.

If tales of woe pre-op scare a pre-op into being a non-op.... GOOD.... because if you can't handle the possible consequences, you shouldn't have the surgery!