Poll about mental health and WLS

 Did you suffer from depression before you had WLS? Yes, for at least 20 years.

Did you suffer from any other mental disorders, and if so, if you’re comfortable answering, what were they?  Anxiety, PTSD and Agoraphobia

Were you on psychotropic medication before surgery? Yes

Did you expect your mental health to improve after surgery? No

Did your mental health improve after surgery?  And if so, can you briefly say how it improved?  My anxiety has improved, partially because I cut out caffiene, but it isn't completely gone.  I didn't expect my depression to improve based on my reactions after my first surgery.  I was at my lowest when I had my revision.  In the previous 2 years before that I hardly left my house and it was a struggle just to take a shower.  I believe it worse made worse by my vitamin deficiencies.  I became very apathetic and didn't care about anything.  I never wore make up, didn't care about what I was wearing, didn't care about my health or taking care of myself.

Did your mental health get worse after surgery?  If so, can you briefly say how?  It stayed the same for a long time, which was pretty bad in itself.

If you were on meds before surgery, did you seem to have trouble absorbing them after surgery?  Did you have to change them after surgery in some way?  I did change  my medication and I am unsure how I am absorbing them.  The depression is better in that I can leave the house and take a shower and less apathetic but still not doing real good.

Has your surgeon seemed on the ball when it comes to keeping an eye on your mental health and addressing any problems? I don't discuss things with him.

How about your psychiatrist or whoever prescribes your meds and treats your mental health conditions? Have they seemed on the ball?  I was finally able to see someone who took my insurance and he seems on the ball except he is always nagging me about exercising.  I know it is good for me but I have never been one to enjoy it and my energy level is still pretty low.  Sometimes I get tired going up and down the stairs.

Did you suffer from depression before you had WLS?
Yes as a teenager.
Did you suffer from any other mental disorders, and if so, if you're comfortable answering, what were they?
Anxiety

Were you on psychotropic medication before surgery?
Yes

Did you expect your mental health to improve after surgery?
I thought my anxiety would get better after my health improved.

Did your mental health improve after surgery?  And if so, can you briefly say how it improved?
Anxiety is still the same. I am dealing with severe depression.

If you were on meds before surgery, did you seem to have trouble absorbing them after surgery?  Did you have to change them after surgery in some way?
My PCP upped my anti depressant and is thinking about changing it if it doesn't. She is going to talk with my therapist about it.

Has your surgeon seemed on the ball when it comes to keeping an eye on your mental health and addressing any problems?
I don't talk about it with my surgeon. I could if I didn't have my PCP and therapist dealing with it.

How about your psychiatrist or whoever prescribes your meds and treats your mental health conditions?  Have they seemed on the ball?
Yes very much so. They are both very proactive.

Did you suffer from depression before you had WLS?

I developed PPD, coupled with an anxiety disorder,  after the birth of my second daughter. (She's 12 now.) I went on a low to mid-level dose of Prozac (40mg), which successfully treated both. I tapered off after about 3-4 years, and didn't need anything again until I was admitted to UC Berkeley and hit a mood crash about my third semester, when I was put back on an anti-anxiety/antidepressant medication (Cymbalta) , which I loved. Less fuzziness than Prozac, less effect on mood, more welcome effect on flattening out the constant grinding anxiety in the background that was wearing me down and making me feel hopeless.

I stayed on the Cymbalta right up through surgery, but it's time released, and really messed with my pouch. (It had messed with my stomach pre-op too, but I had just decided to live with that, since otherwise it was such a good mental fit for me.)  My doctor tried me on Effexor afterward. Nice, but made it too hard to... uhhhh... wait, what were we talking about?

Then lost my medical coverage in December, and went on MediCal, which won't pay for Cymbalta. I was taking nothing for about three months and bottomed out so bad, so hard that I was walking around close to tears at any given moment of the day. So my new, MediCal-approved doctor put me back on Prozac. A little unfocused, kind of unnaturally optimistic, I mean I look at my situation in life objectively right now and think wow, I'm pretty much screwed to the wall here, but  say, isn't that just a great looking sunset?

Did you suffer from any other mental disorders, and if so, if you’re comfortable answering, what were they?

The first time, about ten years agao, the anxiety attacks that came with my PPD centered on driving; in the early stages I'd have panic attacks in the fastlane of the freeway, which eventually spread out to driving under a wide variety of conditions - at night, on busy streets, etc. The Prozac wiped all that out completely, and also let me take a step back and look at my life objectively, which in turn led to an immediate and very necessary divorce. For which I thank you, Mr. Lilly.

Did you expect your mental health to improve after surgery?

Can't say that I did... the two don't seem connected to me, as I have always, always been overweight, but the depression didn't show up until my mid to late 30's, and came and went with medication.

Did your mental health improve after surgery?  And if so, can you briefly say how it improved?

Mmmm, no, not really. But again, in my mind the two issues were not connected.

Did your mental health get worse after surgery?  If so, can you briefly say how?

I was struggling before, playing medication/health insurance  Wheel of Fortune.  That didn't change. (Dammit, I want my Cymbalta back.)

Good Poll idea, Kelly...don't know how to do the cut and paste thing...but here are my answers.

1.  Yes, I suffered on and off (mostly on) with depression for @ 10 years before surgery.
2.  Also suffered anxiety and diagnosed with "traumatic grief disorder".
3.  I was off all psyche meds for a year before surgery.
4.  I did expect some improvement as I had believed that most of my self- esteem issues concerned my weight...kind of naive looking back at the big picture.
5.  Did NOT improve.
6.  My depression is back with a vengence.  Have been spiraling down for over two months (I am 4.5 months post-op) and am too depressed to make any decision about getting help..just trying to get by day to day.
7.  No meds before surgery.
8.  Surgeon  doesn't know.
9.  Saw my PCP last week and mentioned it to her...probably understated it.  She was more concerned about my sleeping issues and put me on Xanax for that and then said to call if I ever thought I needed to go back on antidepressants...scared to go back on, scared not to...never expected to feel this way after surgery. 

BTW, I have done pretty well surgery-wise.  I have lost 55 lbs and am only 25 lbs from my goal at 4.5 months.  I take all my vitamins and protein religiously and follow all of the other rules exactly like I am supposed to.  I avoid sugar and fats and carbs (not good ones) and eat clean and mindfully, but it is almost like I have forgotten why I even wanted the surgery..I am definately not enjoying my results like I should be...it just doesn't really seem to matter that much...depression sucks!

Did you suffer from depression before you had WLS?
yes

Did you suffer from any other mental disorders, and if so, if you're comfortable answering, what were they?
no

Were you on psychotropic medication before surgery?
no

Did you expect your mental health to improve after surgery?
yes

Did your mental health improve after surgery? And if so, can you briefly say how it improved?
yes, I am more happier and have less mood swings.

Did your mental health get worse after surgery? If so, can you briefly say how?
no

If you were on meds before surgery, did you seem to have trouble absorbing them after surgery? Did you have to change them after surgery in some way?
no meds

Has your surgeon seemed on the ball when it comes to keeping an eye on your mental health and addressing any problems?
hasn't been a need.

How about your psychiatrist or whoever prescribes your meds and treats your mental health conditions? Have they seemed on the ball

Did you suffer from depression before you had WLS?

nope

Did you suffer from any other mental disorders, and if so, if you’re comfortable answering, what were they?

none

Were you on psychotropic medication before surgery?

no

Did you expect your mental health to improve after surgery?

no

Did your mental health improve after surgery?  And if so, can you briefly say how it improved?

no

Did your mental health get worse after surgery?  If so, can you briefly say how?

I think I'm more eating disordered than I was pre-op

If you were on meds before surgery, did you seem to have trouble absorbing them after surgery?  Did you have to change them after surgery in some way?

no meds

Has your surgeon seemed on the ball when it comes to keeping an eye on your mental health and addressing any problems?

I'm almost never seeing my surgeon. Too far away, too much effort

How about your psychiatrist or whoever prescribes your meds and treats your mental health conditions?  Have they seemed on the ball?

no psychiatrist

Did you suffer from depression before you had WLS?

as a teen yes.. but due to the mental questions for my job with my TS clearance I NEVER owned it afterwards persay. My parents put me in a psych ward as a teen

Did you suffer from any other mental disorders, and if so, if you're comfortable answering, what were they?

not sure

Were you on psychotropic medication before surgery?

no

Did you expect your mental health to improve after surgery?

didnt really have any issues...past HS

Did your mental health improve after surgery? And if so, can you briefly say how it improved?

not really

Did your mental health get worse after surgery? If so, can you briefly say how?

yes became bulimic, supposed anxiety

If you were on meds before surgery, did you seem to have trouble absorbing them after surgery? Did you have to change them after surgery in some way?

no meds

Has your surgeon seemed on the ball when it comes to keeping an eye on your mental health and addressing any problems?

in the beginning yes and wanted me to go into a eating disorder home for a while but I fought against it due to my job

How about your psychiatrist or whoever prescribes your meds and treats your mental health conditions? Have they seemed on the ball?


never seen one outside of the one mysurgeon brought in

My answers are probably going to be pretty boring, but here they are:

Did you suffer from depression before you had WLS?  No.  I have, at times, suffered from situational depression, (ie., when my mother died, when my brother died, when my in-laws both died), but never from ongoing depression. 

Did you suffer from any other mental disorders, and if so, if you’re comfortable answering, what were they?  Some folks might think I'm a wee bit nutty, but I've never actually been diagnosed as such. 

Were you on psychotropic medication before surgery?  No

Did you expect your mental health to improve after surgery?  Absolutely.

Did your mental health improve after surgery?  And if so, can you briefly say how it improved?  Yes, it improved.  I felt so much more alive, joyful, and more positive. 

Did your mental health get worse after surgery?  If so, can you briefly say how?  No.

If you were on meds before surgery, did you seem to have trouble absorbing them after surgery?  Did you have to change them after surgery in some way?  Was not on any meds.

Has your surgeon seemed on the ball when it comes to keeping an eye on your mental health and addressing any problems?  N/A

How about your psychiatrist or whoever prescribes your meds and treats your mental health conditions?  Have they seemed on the ball?  N/A

Did you suffer from depression before you had WLS?  Yes.

Did you suffer from any other mental disorders, and if so, if you’re comfortable answering, what were they?  No.

Were you on psychotropic medication before surgery?  Yes.

Did you expect your mental health to improve after surgery?  Yes.

Did your mental health improve after surgery?  And if so, can you briefly say how it improved?  I'm still early out so I still have hopes for the future!

Did your mental health get worse after surgery?  If so, can you briefly say how?  Yes.  There has been so much go on in my life since surgery, I can't really place the blame for my current issues on the surgery.  I'm in a rough patch right now.  

If you were on meds before surgery, did you seem to have trouble absorbing them after surgery?  Did you have to change them after surgery in some way?  I haven't had meds changed yet but I think they need to be.  I don't think absorbing them is the problem but my doc will decide how to deal.  

Has your surgeon seemed on the ball when it comes to keeping an eye on your mental health and addressing any problems?  He's not too concerned.  I see my PCP and pychiatrist.  

How about your psychiatrist or whoever prescribes your meds and treats your mental health conditions?  Have they seemed on the ball?  I haven't been on the ball about getting in to see him since the surgery.  We'll see how things go when I do.  

1) Yes
2) Bi-Polar 1 since I was 15 (I am now 56)
3) Yes-Depakote & Paxil
4) Never thought about it but it is the same (taking good medication for the last 7 years after 34 years of trial and error)
5) Stayed the same (see #4 above)
6) No
7) No problem absorbing but since I weigh less the dosage was decreased
8) Bariatric surgeon has me fill out a mental health survey at each visit to determine my state of mind
9) Psychiatrist monitors my medication every 4 months