Mental Health
Bipolar Post-Op: my experiences
I hope this group becomes active again. There are a lot of people with mental illness who get bariatric surgery. With meds and depressions one of the many huge contributors to weight gain, a group like this is needed.
I recently responded to a question about Bipolar Disorder and Bariatric Surgery and wanted to share part of it with this group.
I have Bipolar Disorder and am 7 weeks post-op for the Roux En Y. Here are some of my experiences thus far with BP and gastric bypass (which may differ from anyone else's and I am NOT a doctor so please discuss EVERYTHING with your pdoc):
1) DOCTOR: Include your psych doc in all planning pre and post op - talk about what may happen and what is happening. Be sure you are able to call him/her or someone if things get rough.
2) MOODS: Be prepared for some mood swings. My doc said first 2 weeks may cause them but everyone is different and mine started at week 3. The main reason...
3) PSYCH MEDS: You may not be able to swallow all your meds on a normal schedule for the first 4-6 weeks. ** Discuss liquid, dissolvable, and chewable versions of your meds and have them on hand before surgery. ** Buy a good pill cutter for those not available in smaller or easier forms. ** Keep doc informed of missed meds and any other trouble. ** Have doc give you a run down of an order to take your meds (most important ones first in case you cannot get them all in). I messed up with Lamictal because I didn't know it needs to remain in system every day or it is useless - discuss things like that with doc.
4) DON'T PANIC: I know that seems hard in the midst of the ride but as my mom always told me, "this too shall pass." Don't get mad at yourself because your meds and the schedule of taking them changes in first month or two. I missed meds like crazy somedays and got down on myself - it only makes you feel worse.
5) POSITIVE BP CHANGES: As I went along my pdoc was able to cut most of my meds way down because of many reasons: I had more energy, was less depressed, got more exercise, and the pouch is small and dissolves pills differently after surgery.
And as I said, this is just my experience and yours may be different (feel I have to state that for safety sake).
Would love to hear other's experiences. I am new here so I haven't had the chance to read everything or even fill out my About Me section.
Wishing you all good health!
I recently responded to a question about Bipolar Disorder and Bariatric Surgery and wanted to share part of it with this group.
I have Bipolar Disorder and am 7 weeks post-op for the Roux En Y. Here are some of my experiences thus far with BP and gastric bypass (which may differ from anyone else's and I am NOT a doctor so please discuss EVERYTHING with your pdoc):
1) DOCTOR: Include your psych doc in all planning pre and post op - talk about what may happen and what is happening. Be sure you are able to call him/her or someone if things get rough.
2) MOODS: Be prepared for some mood swings. My doc said first 2 weeks may cause them but everyone is different and mine started at week 3. The main reason...
3) PSYCH MEDS: You may not be able to swallow all your meds on a normal schedule for the first 4-6 weeks. ** Discuss liquid, dissolvable, and chewable versions of your meds and have them on hand before surgery. ** Buy a good pill cutter for those not available in smaller or easier forms. ** Keep doc informed of missed meds and any other trouble. ** Have doc give you a run down of an order to take your meds (most important ones first in case you cannot get them all in). I messed up with Lamictal because I didn't know it needs to remain in system every day or it is useless - discuss things like that with doc.
4) DON'T PANIC: I know that seems hard in the midst of the ride but as my mom always told me, "this too shall pass." Don't get mad at yourself because your meds and the schedule of taking them changes in first month or two. I missed meds like crazy somedays and got down on myself - it only makes you feel worse.
5) POSITIVE BP CHANGES: As I went along my pdoc was able to cut most of my meds way down because of many reasons: I had more energy, was less depressed, got more exercise, and the pouch is small and dissolves pills differently after surgery.
And as I said, this is just my experience and yours may be different (feel I have to state that for safety sake).
Would love to hear other's experiences. I am new here so I haven't had the chance to read everything or even fill out my About Me section.
Wishing you all good health!
hi!
I hope we get more active too! not quite sure how to do that, so any ideas . . .
i echo everything you say. i'd add that you really need to get the surgeon on the right page BEFORE your surgery about what meds are absolutely necessary while you're still in the hospital. i was off klonopin for 3 days, along with everything else and got really bad gastrointestinal symptoms as a result. up all night the second night -- awful. finally had a resourceful and kind friend go down to nurses' station and basically yell at them and voila: meds. felt better almost as soon as i got the klonopin in and actually slept a little before i went home -- to immodium and more sleep!
i'm finally going down on my meds, which is great. almost off geodon which i really want to ditch since it's an antipsychotic and can cause involuntary movement when you use it for too long. i think zoloft is next -- taking 300 mgs right now, which is insane.
losing the weight has definitely made my mood better b/c i just feel better about myself. i've been very open about getting the surgery at work and so i have a really substantial support system and still get nice feedback 14 mos after surgery, which is also good for the mood!
thanks for this post -- really important. now to reel somemore folks in here -- ideas?!?!?
I hope we get more active too! not quite sure how to do that, so any ideas . . .
i echo everything you say. i'd add that you really need to get the surgeon on the right page BEFORE your surgery about what meds are absolutely necessary while you're still in the hospital. i was off klonopin for 3 days, along with everything else and got really bad gastrointestinal symptoms as a result. up all night the second night -- awful. finally had a resourceful and kind friend go down to nurses' station and basically yell at them and voila: meds. felt better almost as soon as i got the klonopin in and actually slept a little before i went home -- to immodium and more sleep!
i'm finally going down on my meds, which is great. almost off geodon which i really want to ditch since it's an antipsychotic and can cause involuntary movement when you use it for too long. i think zoloft is next -- taking 300 mgs right now, which is insane.
losing the weight has definitely made my mood better b/c i just feel better about myself. i've been very open about getting the surgery at work and so i have a really substantial support system and still get nice feedback 14 mos after surgery, which is also good for the mood!
thanks for this post -- really important. now to reel somemore folks in here -- ideas?!?!?
Ann 
I had my RnY surgery in Oct 2010. I did great for 8 months. The typical mood swing during the second month because I couldn't eat what everyone else was etc but then that went away. I was a lucky one I guess cause I have been able to eat just about anything with no problems. With that said...after 8 months I stalled. I got depressed, on sick leave from work and I still am today. At 19 months out I have gained from my lowest (I never lost all I needed) about 20 lbs. I have NEVER been a binge eater but I am now and it is on sweet carbs. I have had to up my meds and continue to adjust them. I need to see a therapist but I just can't afford it.
On some levels I wish my surgery left me a with a stricter pouch that forced me to limit what I have ate. When I eat certain things, things that I am supposed to eat, I can feel my pouch work for the most part. But when I am not behaving it is like I am my old self. I hate it. I am trying to find the motivation to kick this emotional bing eating in the behind before I totally destroy my pouch but I just don't know how. Well, that is my story. In this case, mental illness wins.
On some levels I wish my surgery left me a with a stricter pouch that forced me to limit what I have ate. When I eat certain things, things that I am supposed to eat, I can feel my pouch work for the most part. But when I am not behaving it is like I am my old self. I hate it. I am trying to find the motivation to kick this emotional bing eating in the behind before I totally destroy my pouch but I just don't know how. Well, that is my story. In this case, mental illness wins.
