Question:
Am I the only one who feels like this?

I am 5 months post op I went from 263 lbs. to 185 lbs. I'm experiencing some depression that this is all too good to be true. Bottom line, I'm afraid that this is it and soon I'll start gaining my weight back again. I heard from too many people that wls is only temporary and we do gain our weight back. Reality is starting to hit me. I've hit the plateaus and they always seem to hit when I increase my exercise. I weigh myself only once a month sometimes I wait longer due to the let down. I am at my wits end! I seem to be getting enough protein and water, so what else can be going on? I mentally feel that this is it for me and I've already lost the battle! Please Help!    — Adele S. (posted on December 3, 2002)

December 2, 2002
Let me start by saying that I am not a physician. I am a mental health professional. I am also a WLS post-op. Your feelings are exactly what hit me at about 2 months. "I am going to be the one person this totally doesn't work for. Even though I am doing everything right and losing weight like a maniac, I am going to fail." I'm not sure why we do that, but those thoughts are so common to post-ops! Just keep doing the things you know to be correct and follow your doctors' orders. If you do those things, the surgery will work. Those who fail long-term are not following orders! How can you have already lost the battle when you have lost 80 pounds in 5 months?!? Also, I would talk to whoever prescribed Prozac for bi-polar. To my knowledge it is not, and never has been a medication for bi-polar! Depression/anxiety - yes. THAT may be your problem.
   — Scarlett A.

December 2, 2002
Hi, I am a therapist and want you to know what you are experienceing is normal. NORMAL! Post op depression hits many of us starting around 3 months post op. Can you get in and talk to a counselor?? Have you thought about trying an SSRI/antidepressant? Never forget what its like to be obese and never stand by while someone else is treated badly. Good luck in your journey!
   — k r.

December 3, 2002
hi adele :) just letting you know that you are not alone. what you are going through is very normal. the depression and the "is it over" and "will i gain it back" anxiety. i find i ask the "is it over" question of myself quite a bit and then ill take a step back and realize i asked that of myself 20 lbs ago. its still coming off. at a much slower pace but still coming off! thats what i try to focus on and my success thus far so when i feel im getting depressed i try to focus on my progess ive already made and that seems to help put a smile on my face. as far as the fear of gaining back, i worry about this too. i reflect on pre op pictures of myself to keep me in check and am reminded of that very dark place i never want to return to. when i look at those pictures, i see someone that was smiling on the outside but dying on the inside, i never want to go back to that. if i have to, ill have pre op pictures of me blown up to 8 by 10s and plaster them all over the fridge if i have to. i wish you the best of luck, hang in there kiddo :)
   — carrie M.

December 3, 2002
I too go thru bouts of depression. My surgery was a disaster. My surgeon made tons of mistakes, leaks everywhere. Bile & bowel running thru my insides. Was in a coma for 3 wks. Woke to find I went thru 6 surgeries within that 3 wk period. My insides were screwed up for over a yr. Could not eat or drink ANYTHING for 14 mths. I had to hook up to a nutrition bag each nite. Finally at 14 mths my new surgeon went back in and fixed me. So I am now both 18 mos postop and 4 mos postop. I went thru depression 3 mos out of each. After my original surgery I lost 50#'s in 3 mos. Then I had to plateau for the next 11 mths cause my body would not heal with me loosing and my nutrition bag was high in cal's. After my final (7th) surgery, I was finally a true gastric bypass patient. But now I was preop at a much lower weight. My weight came off really fast at first, and I am just now plateauing for the first time since my final surgery. In fact I gained a couple #'s last week. I have approx 20#'s to go yet and I am exercising. But I also know that some of my weight gain and plateauing is muscle gain. I was sick for a long time and could not exercise. I am now gaining some muscle weight so you also may be gaining some muscle weight and that is a good thing. You want to be tone. And as for loosing the battle, that is the depression speaking. Seek out some help for that. I'm also on antidepressants and actually need an adjustment to mine cause they are not working as well as preop. And are you going to support group? Good luck to you and keep up the good work. You have a great weight loss so far.
   — Karla K.