Question:
long term post ops help

I had my rny in 6/01, I used to weigh 247 and am now at 147. I am up to this from 137. I have a hard time staying on the diet now that I can eat anything and not dump...Just need a few words of encouragment from some post ops. A few helpful words would be great. How about being deppressed, I am on prozac now and wasnt before I lost the weight, are alot of post ops deppressed? Why would we be?? After all the weight we lost.    — Lisa J. (posted on April 13, 2005)

April 13, 2005
I couldn't say whether or not a lot of post-ops are depressed. I'm not. Of course, I am only 4 mths post-op. I can see some people getting depressed if their weight loss didn't meet their expectations. However, I think that sometimes psychiatric meds are over-prescribed. My Surgeon prescribed Zoloft to me the day I left the hospital to help with the obsessive compulsive eating behavior. I didn't take it. You may really need your Prozac, so don't let what I say affect your decision to be compliant with your therapist, psychiatrist or medical physician. I would never claim to be more knowledgeable than your doctors or therapist. However, I work in the medical field. I think that people are very trusting in their Doctors and Therapists and run out and fill prescriptions without questioning anything. I think it's wise to ask questions, to research the drug being prescribed and to make the best decision for you after checking everything out and getting your questions answered thoroughly. Some antidepressants cause increase in appetite. Some cause your metabolism to slow down. Some cause weight gain. From what I hear weight gain is normal after you have plateaud. You have to find a happy medium and consult your Dr or Dietician at the bariatric center your surgeon is associated with and get some advice on what to eat and how to get your weight under control again. Don't be hard on yourself. You have lost 100 lbs! That's wonderful! Sometimes a little exercise will help with depression more than anything else. Go for a walk or engage in some type of physical activity on a regular basis and see if that doesn't help. Good luck to you! I wish you the best! Feel free to email me anytime!
   — csanchez1111

April 13, 2005
I am only 3 weeks out, so I am answering your question based upon my work in the mental health field. Although obesity can make us unhappy with our bodies, have health problems and be shunned by society, it can also provide some very important psychological functions such as protection from dealing with intimacy, protecting our bodies from threat of harm (padding), providing eating outlets for feelings we don't or can't deal with, etc, among many others. Sometimes, unconsciously, the protection is more important to us than our new slim bodies and we become anxious and even depressed without our armor. Hope this doesn't sound like psychobable, because it really is true. Because of these unconscious motives, for some people, it's a good idea to consider therapy. Each person is different and medication depends upon that particular person in their situation. If you have any questions or want to ask me anything else, please feel free to e-mail me. Best, Carol
   — Carol H.

April 13, 2005
I'm 3.5 years out, at 147 from 135ish. There is a big difference with those 10 pounds, isn't there? I would love to get back down to about 140, but honestly, I'm pretty happy where I am at. I also have a hard time staying on any 'diet'. I'm looking at it this way...I'm making small changes here and there and eventually the 10lbs will go away or they just wont. I'm exersizing more, I'm sure that will help. But the biggest thing I'm doing is cutting back on what I eat just a little. I can eat quite a bit now, quite a bit past full if I let myself. With me, I think I've lost sight of the fact that I had this surgery. Food doesn't scare me anymore. So I'm trying to remember that I'm not normal. That I have to eat small, chew more, and that cookies and chips are SCARY. It's not easy, but every little bit helps.<br><br>Depression. I am not depressed, but have been pre-op. However, I can see how one easily could be depressed at 3 and 4 years out. Especially if you have regained a little. It's hard for me to remember being fat, it was so long ago. Add to that, the elation of being skinny is gone as well. It's like the normal we all craved is here, and it's just so.....normal. :) Well, that's my deep thought of the day, I hope all works out for you! Rebecca
   — RebeccaP

April 13, 2005
It's time to join the Grad list. No guarantee that you'll get the rest of the wt off, but there's also the trick of maintaining the loss you have achieved. There is a lot of combined long term experience on this list and I'd recommend it in conjunction with this site and any local lists you use. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG
   — vitalady

April 13, 2005
I understand what you are feeling I had my surgery 2.5 years ago I am at 175 down from 270. This is not goal but I was comfortable with it. My mother has recently passed away and I seem to be comforting with food. I have gained 10lbs in the past 2 weeks. This is a horrible feeling but I can't control it. I need that magic pill but don't know what it is.
   — tturner

April 14, 2005
I have battled depression both pre-op and post-op. Thank goodness for pre-and post-op therapy, and a great group of WLS support friends.<br> I have a friend who calls this post-op depression, "all dressed up and nowhere to go." <br> Some focus so hard on the goal of getting approved for WLS, and the anxiety of major surgery itself, plus build up the expecations of how life will be better after surgery. Then what after?!?! It's like the quiet after the storm when getting married ;)<br> I do think about what I have to be successful every day with the WLS tool, but setting long-term goals which do not depend on my weight loss keeps me going day to day.<br> I never expected weight-loss to cure my depression.
   — kultgirl

April 14, 2005
Hi, I know you wanted to hear from the post ops, but I can't help myself--I'm a pre-op busybody! There are so many issues in your short message that I've wanted to address on the message board because it seems that many people expected a miracle and a quick fix for a lifetime of bad habits and self-hate! There's a lot of negativity and complaining when there really should be a lot of celebrating your new lives!!! Gaining ten pounds sucks after such success, but excuse me, you still weigh 150 pounds less than I do!!! Anyway I want to tell you: CONGRATULATIONS for being at 147! Congratulations for accopmlishing something I bet a lot of people never thought you'd do and stick with--including that voice in your head that you probably had to conquer first! Congratulations for making it through pre-op pergatory! Congratulations for having so much courage to change your life! You are brave for taking the step, and now you must be SMART about taking this awesome tool--wls--and make those positive changes in your life! You stated that you had a hard time staying on the diet. You shouldn't be on a diet, because if you couldn't stay on a diet before your surgery, you certainly can't stay on one now--remember? DIETS DON'T WORK!!! WLS was the first step in making changes in how your treat your body. Now you must take the next step, and watch what you eat and exercise. Just because you can eat something without dumping, doesn't mean you should!!!! You have all the power my friend to make the right decisions! When you feel weak, turn to God, not to food. You probably didn't think you were depressed before because the sugars in your system kept your seratonin levels high, so you didn't feel depressed. Many of us with low seratonin levels turn to carbs, alcohol, and amphetamines because they adjust the seratonin, just like your prozac. Many people think depression is just about superficial feelings. For some, it is just a temporary state of mind. But for the rest of us who have had a lifetime of Obesity, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Mental illness--I've had all three throughout my life--maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely challenging, BUT IT CAN BE DONE IF YOU LIVE LIFE MINUTE BY MINUTE AND APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOUR HAVE A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE! Don't spend it worrying about what the scale says. Go outside and have some fun! Now that you can freely move your body without those aches and pains--SHAKE IT SISTER!!! The last thing I want to say, and I'm sorry I didn't check out your profile to find out how old you are--but our bodies change as we get a little older, and well life happens! Your appetite and weight gain could be due to just about anything, including retaining water or even the prozac! Might want to talk to your doctor about the meds your are taking to see if there's anything you need to adjust, besides your thought process. When I was taking one antidepressant, I can't remember the name but it started with a T, I had to ask my doc to take me off because I had such an appetite increase, I couldn't afford to feed myself anymore!!! Anyway, these are the things I am working to ingrain in my brain as I prepare for my surgery, which is supposed to be before April 30th. I hope it helps a little. Ease up on yourself, You are an amazing role model for the rest of us. With much love and many prayers for your CONTINUED success...
   — Patricia R.

April 14, 2005
Hi Lisa. I want to start by saying that you are a SUCCESS! You've done a great job, and have beaten the odds by keeping so much of your excess weight off. I had WLS 2 months after you. It's very typical to have a 10 pound bounce back. I believe more do than don't. I did, and if I work really hard I get it back off, but then along comes a holiday and I work my way back up. Then along comes summer and I work my way back down :-). I use the principles of the South Beach diet to maintain. I've found that it's not how much I eat that keeps my weight down, but WHAT I eat. If I stay away from processed foods (those made with white flour and/or white sugar) I do just fine. I still concentrate on protein, and use some of the pouch rules to keep myself from being hungry, especially with respect to fluids. It was just a trial and error thing to find out what would work for me long term to keep my carb addiction under control. For example, that means for me no carbs in the morning. If I start my day with oatmeal, FORGET IT! I'm starving all day. I'm not skinny, but I have a normal BMI for the first time EVER and it will be four years in August. As to your depression question, I'm on an antidepressant now as well for the first time in my life. Have been for the last year. I think as a pre-op I medicated my depression with food. When I no longer did that, that's when I realized I needed some help. Depression isn't always caused by external situations. My life is great, but I was still depressed. Sometimes it's just our crazy bodies. Thank God for Wellbutrin is all I can say. You are doing FANTASTIC! Don't let 10 pounds get you down... just don't let it go up anymore. Buy the South Beach Diet book and read the first couple of chapters, especially "Why food makes us hungry". The principles really helped me. Remember, we're not cured, we're just trying to keep our disease in remission!
   — mom2jtx3