2.5 Weeks Post-Op Hibernation Syndrome

This is an update from my previous post where I was overcome with anxiety.  Yesterday morning, I took myself to the ER for fluids.  They also gave me some lorazepam which really helped with the anxiety.  Just when I started to feel better, the pain was going away....BAM!  I hit a brick wall!  What?  What is this?  I feel like a ball of anxiety, crying at any little old thing, and just wanted to curl up and disappear. 

I cruised the internet for this and ran across several interesting sites which talk about something called "Hibernation Syndrome."

HIBERNATION SYNDROME (From _Karen on obesityhelp)

After WLS, you may be feeling tired and become depressed. When you are several weeks post op, and are either on a liquid diet or you are eating many fewer calories than you were pre op, this depression and inactivity can become more pronounced.

All you want to do is sleep, you may have crying spells, you may begin to believe that the surgery was a mistake, or you may think 'what in the world have I done to myself?

All these feelings are completely normal and, to a certain extent, are to be expected. The low number of calories you are eating produces what many of us call the 'hibernation syndrome' and your depression and feelings of despair,are a direct result.

During the weeks immediately following surgery, our body starts to notice that we are not taking in enough calories. It doesn't know we've had WLS, or that it's the year 2000. Our body is missing food, thinks this is a famine, and struggles to conserve our energy. The human body reacts like it always has in a famine; it makes us depressed--so we don't have the motivation to do anything, and it makes us tired--so we don't have the energy to do anything. In this way, we will conserve as many calories as possible and remain alive.

You can see the practical value of this as our bodies have been living through famines, snowstorms, and other periods of unstable food supply for centuries.

This stage can last several weeks. Our discomfort is compounded as we are, at this same time, trying to recover from major surgery, adopt new eating habits, and deal with a liquid or soft diet. To get out of this stage, our body has to say to itself 'gee, this famine is lasting a bit too long. If I keep conserving my energy with inactivity, I will starve to death. I'd better use my last store of energy (the remaining fat and muscles in our body) to hunt up some food'. At this point, our body will switch from getting energy from food, to getting energy from our fat (and muscle too if we don't eat enough protein) and that is what we want.

In order to deal with this difficult transition period, tell yourself that you're right on track; this is exactly what is normal and to be expected.

Tell yourself that, in a few weeks, this will pass, and you will feel like a completely new person. We all seem to turn the corner about 4-6 weeks post op. Then, your mood will lighten and, with your weight loss starting to add up, you'll feel more positive and have a better outlook on life. Just keep telling yourself that you will not always feel this way! You WILL be back to feeling like your old self. Just give it time!

Good explanation and let me add that hormones are stored in fat and as we begenning to break down fat cells rapidly,the hormones flood out bloodstream to be taken out. That can also cause crying,anger,depression,and anxiety. hang in there and just make sure you are getting PLENTY of fluids and eating protein as you can.

 

GL

Can I ask how much walking you have been doing?  We all know exercise is good for depression and by your point I was ramping up from two to three miles a day.  All through this I found that making myself get out of the house and walk solved a host of issues and reminded me that I am in control of this journey...

Thanks for the article. While I don't have anxiety or depression I have the rest of the symptoms. And walking doesn't alwaus help. I was more exhausted yesterday after a walk than before. I just have no energy and I'm a month out. My doc suggested I add other supplements to see of it helps.

My point was that the sleeve was just the first step in changing how our minds work.  We need to be constantly active in how we are going to lose weight.  We were passive in gaining weight --passengers along for the ride.  Don't accept syndromes and stalls.  You should immediately say " I'm not going to let that be me.  What can I do?"  You have to fight this and change your mindset from a victim to a fighter.  It might sound like tough love but you have already taken the biggest step.  Use it to change your body , heart, and soul.

Thanks so much for this! I have been struggling with slow weight loss and I've been chalking up to my own failure but I am eating 600 calories a day when before I probably ate 2000+ a day, why aren't the pounds just melting away!!  I am only 3 weeks out and I lose/gain the same two pounds every other day.  It's driving me nuts!  I look forward to when my body wakes up and realizes what's going on and starts burning all this fat!

I'm so glad you posted this. This is exactly what happened to me, and I wish I'd known this beforehand. And, the desperate feeling did lift at around week five.

Well dang!! I wish I'd been told about this beforehand, too. It was exactly what happened to me. I am usually a very optimistic person and I was so low until about the 6th week. Then it was like the sun came out.

Thanks for posting!