Question:
Depression and Anxiety Post op

I have been on an anti anxiety/anti-depressant for over 2yrs now. I have been reading about possible anxiety attacks and depression after surgery, has anyone been on meds before surgery for this and did it prevent those "mental issues", or is it worse for us? Am I going to need something stronger?    — crazym68 (posted on January 22, 2006)

January 22, 2006
I can't tell you about post op, but I do know some about anti depressants and the surgery. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with Bi Polar and I have done some research on the effects the surgery may have on my disorder. I know that some issues may arise, like anger or troubles coping with the changes. One thing you may want to do is speak with your surgeon and also stay in contact with a good therapist before and after your surgery. It is very important that you have a therapist that knows now and can recognise any changes that may occur in you. Hope that helped some! =]
   — kristine76

January 22, 2006
Hi Marina! I'm only 12 days post op, so you may want advice from someone with alittle more post op time, but I have been on anti depressants for many years. It didn't prevent me from getting the surgery and so far there haven't been any problems taking my meds or their effectiveness. I've actually thought of asking the doctor if I could cut back! I have a much better and more optimistic view of life now. I just hope it continues! Best of Luck to you! Lisa
   — Lisa Michelle

January 23, 2006
I take WElbutrin, and am a year out. I had a slight amount of depression after surgery - it is a major life change! I am still on the medication, and doing fine. I had hoped to get off it, but that is not happening yet.
   — Novashannon

January 23, 2006
I am 4-1/2 years post-op from Open RNY, and almost 3 years post-op from bowel obstruction surgery, and have been on anit depressants for the better part of the last 18 years, I have changed types and dosages as needed but have been with the same psychiatrist since 1989 so he knows my history. In those 18 years I have been through a lot, including getting sober from alcohol abuse, it's been 15 years since my last drink. I also got married this past summer, for the first time, at age 50! And I also became a full-time mom (for the first time) to my husband's 15 year old daughter with Down Syndrome, 8 months prior to our marriage. So, lots of changes and challenges, overall my depression and anxiety issues have improved greatly since my RNY 6/21/01, but I have accepted the fact that I may be one of those people who may have to be on anti-depressants for the rest of my life. It keeps me at a place where I feel "normal" and I have not been plagued by any episodes of debilitating depression since my surgery. My dose did have to be increased shortly after surgery, then we were able to go back down with it. At the time of surgery I was taking 150 mg. of Effexor and 300 mg. of Wellbutrin every day and Xanax as needed. I now take 200 mg. of Wellbutrin, 60 mg. of Cymbalta and .5 mg. Xanax every morning. I know this is a long answer but I hope it helps, you may need to be on anti-depressants after surgery, and maybe not, it depends on your chemistry, and the issues associated with your depression. I wish you well and encourage you to stay in close touch with the prescibing Dr. following surgery so you can make changes in meds as your body changes. Good luck, it's a great, exciting, challenging ride you are about to embark on. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any other questions. Blessings! Anita
   — ALF

January 23, 2006
Hi. I was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety/depression at age 27. I am 36 years old now and about 5 1/2 months post op, lap. RNY. As many people with mental health issues, my meds would work for, on average, about 2 or 3 years then needed to be adjusted or changed. Prior to my WLS (weight loss surgery) I had been taking Wellbutrin XL and it was working great. After I got home from surgery, I went through a few days of mourning the loss of food. At that point I realized how much I depended on food for comfort. I was on a liquid diet so I didn't have food anymore to watch TV with or to get when I was bored, happy, sad or whatever... I worked through that by journaling and a lot of soul searching. I think that happens to most people after WLS. It was after a few weeks to a month after WLS that I started to think that the Wellbutrin wasn't working like it did before my WLS. At first I thought it was going through major surgery but then I became depressed and negative more and at that point I mentioned it to my psychiatrist. He increased my dosage and told me to call him in a week if my symptoms didn't improve. I called him and he switched me to Paxil. Within a week I was feeling so much better. It has been a few months and I still am feeling 'balanced' on Paxil. As for one post I read in the past week about having panic attacks and depression after WLS, I would suggest seeing a psychiatrist immediately. My advise to you is after you have WLS you might go through the missing food thing in the first week or so but if you feel like your medicine isn't working liked it used to after a few weeks post op then get with your psychiatrist right away. Our chemicals are constantly changing in our bodies and that effects our brain chemisty. Everyone is different too. It is good that you are aware that you need to monitor your meds after surgery. Good luck with your journey. My profile has some of the issues I went through on it. Smiles, Jenna. RNY 8/2/05. 260 down to 148! I love WLS!
   — jstatkus

January 23, 2006
Marina, I have bipolar disorder for 1 1/2 years prior to surgery. I am 2 yrs. out this month. Someone else recommended a good therapist. ABSOLUTELY! Feel free to read my page - it has a lot of good, detailed information regarding my struggles. My surgery went VERY well. I did not need to change medications until about 6 months out. I have been on Effexor, Lamictal and Trileptal since before surgery. At 6 mos. out - my therapist and I realized I needed a different dose, as I was cycling again - although this may have had nothing to do with the weight loss or surgery. Unfortunately, there just isn't much research on mental illness and weight related mental illness (gastric bypass included). My pdoc & I just winged it and kept a close eye on it. Good luck and feel free to e-mail with questions.
   — BarbieCarroll

January 24, 2006
My depression got worse. The Welbutrin SR (time release) would no longer work. Had to switch to Welbutrin (regular not SR) and also take Prozac. I think it is common to have depression after wls... however my depression really got worse. No time release anti depressants!
   — Danmark

January 25, 2006
Nearly six years ago, when I had my surgery, I was on a boatload of antidepressants. I was off of them while in the hospital, but the minute I got home, I felt the dire need to get back on them, so I did. About 3 or 4 mos down the road, I started feeling like a walking zombie. Couldn't for the life of me figure out what was going on with me. A lightbulb came on over my head, and I realized with my decreasing weight, I was going to need less of certain things. The main culprit was Trazadone, which I took 800 mgs nightly....a huge dose. So, I started cutting back on the with my psychiatrist's blessing of course, and found I was becoming more alert, and more myself. Eventually, I got completely off of it. Since then, I've had to up my Celexa to 60 mgs, and I take Remeron at bedtime, and that's where I've been for the past 5 years. I am a lifer on the meds, and it took me a long time to accept that fact, as I felt I could probably get off them totally if I could ever lose all the weight. I did, but didn't. That is, I lost the weight, but am still on medication, and realize I always will be. I didn't want to risk the complications of going down the drain post op, so I immediately started up with my anti d's...I felt they were the most important med for me to be on post op. YMMV.
   — Statuesque

February 17, 2006
My depression and anxiety got really bad after wls. And I needed to change from the time release to regular meds.
   — Danmark

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