Question:
Has anyone been on anti-depressants prior to surgery and after?

I'm on 150 mg. of Effexor daily ... is/has anyone been on any anti-depressants before/after WLS?    — [Anonymous] (posted on October 23, 2000)

October 23, 2000
I was on antidepressants for a long time prior to surgery. I had to go off them, slowly prior to surgery cause I was not allowed to take any meds for one wk post op. This created a lot of problems for me emotionally and physically. My moods got erratic and I needed my meds even before I left the hospital. They tried to give them to me crushed up. It made me ill and I refused to take them. When I got home, I developed a very touchy and sensitive pouch. I could not take any meds at all for the first month post op. This left me very unstable emotionally. Not only did I not have my antidepressants but the surgery left me feeling depressed, also. It was a very rough road. As you probably know, it takes antidepressants about 3 wks to start working once you get back on them, again. Not trying to say these things to scare you but this was my experience. Good luck w/ your WLS.
   — kathy S.

October 23, 2000
Hi! I was on 50mg. Zoloft for pain control with my fibromyalgia both before and after surgery. They even crushed it and shot it in through my G-tube while I was in the hospital. So in my case, I never stopped taking it and have had no problems before, during or after WLS. Good Luck!
   — Carla I.

October 23, 2000
I am taking 80mg of Prozac a day. I have taken it for several years. The three days that I was in hospital I didn't take any meds, but began taking the Prozac (minus the capsules which was really nasty tasting)as soon as I got home. Because Prozac has a rather long half-life the three day hiatus had virtually no effect on my mood. My understanding is that some meds like Paxil wash through the system fairly rapidly and can result in larger problems. I suggest that you talk with your prescribing doctor about your concerns.
   — Nanette T.

October 23, 2000
I was on 60 mg of Paxil a day for quite some time. But as soon as I had a surgery date I started to wean myself to a lower dosage. Just the thought of surgery helped to relieve a lot of the situational cause of my depression (knowing that I was going to be thin really was a boost) I took my Paxil the morning of my surgery and I think I got it while in the hopsital. I kept taking it for a couple of months post op and then was completely off. Now there are times that I think I probably could use a dose or ten but am really trying to cope with the feelings and moods instead of going back on the medication. (I have stopped needing all of my medications I used to take so really want to stay off of everything) If I have to take an antidepressant again, I will. But the combination of joy at losing the weight and also the natural endorphins released as I exercise have seemed to aleviate my problems. Be sure that your doctor orders the meds for you while you are in the hospital (but I didn't take a chance and brought a few pills of my own just in case. I know what sudden withdrawal is and it isn't pretty!!!!)
   — Fran B.

October 23, 2000
Hi, I was on Effexor prior to surgery also. I had a very bad experience because I wasn't very informed about the drug. It is not one of those that stays in your system for a long time, and therefore must be taken through the surgery. First of all, if you are taking the capsules, you must get on a prescription of the tablets. The tabs have a much higher absorbption rate and are absorbed in the small intestine and are therefore effective. Try taking the same dosage, but if you are finding yourself still very down, try a higher dose. Keep your physician or psych. informed of your experimentation and consult your pharmacist if you need more information or counseling. I cannot stress enough to try to do this BEFORE surgery. I didn't and since Effexor does not stay in the system, it was like falling off a cliff. Please email me direct if you would like to discuss this more. [email protected] Good luck. Jill
   — Jill C.

October 24, 2000
I was taking Zoloft, 200 mg daily for years before my WLS. I was very concerned about post-op depression, and quizzed my doctors before surgery to make sure I would not be off my medication for more than a few days. After surgery, they gave me the go-ahead to start taking my Zoloft on the third day. Unfortunately, I soon found that my pouch was very sensitive to the zoloft tablets, and every time I took them I was miserable with a stomach ache for a couple hours. Zoloft does not come in liquid form, so I tried smashing the pills and mixing them with applesauce. GAG! The taste was so horrible, I vomited. I finally found that I could eat a couple crackers (well-chewed) then swallow the pills, then eat another cracker, and it helped protect my stomach. I continued taking my medication despite these problems, and never had a wink of post-op depression. Hope you do as well.
   — Lynn K.