Question:
I need to get back on an anti-depressant--looking for guidance.
Hi all. Well, it's been about 4 months and 68 lbs since my surgery and I've fallen in a big, black hole. Prior to surgery, I'd been on anti-depressants for about 16 years. After surgery, I tell myself I quit taking them because I was afraid to swallow them and crushing them made me gag. The real reason is because I wanted to live a good life without relying on a pill each day to make me whole & bearable. I was doing SO GOOD, too, I was sure I could finally do it--life and everything about it was so good, I thought for sure I was "cured". But, I was wrong. For the past couple of weeks, I'm so crabby & moody I can't even stand myself. My kids & hubby throw it in my face that I'm not taking my medicine, and it makes me hate them. I kept trying to prove them wrong, but there is no denying it. About all the good I've felt since surgery is gone out the window. I don't care about anything I do or say, and not that I'm contemplating suicide, but I feel like being dead might not be too bad. Then, add selfishness to the mix--I keep outgrowing my clothes and now when I'm naked I look like a big saggy, baggy elephant. I can't stop crying. I was on Zoloft, but it seemed to be loosing it's effectiveness toward the end, so I think I'd like to try something new. I'm sure my Dr. will have suggestions of what he'd like to put me on, but do any of you have any post-op suggestions that I may discuss with him? I'd like something fast acting, that doesn't cause headaches or "sexual side effects". I want to feel good, so I can start enjoying my new life again. And so my family can start enjoying me again. I wish I could bottle up whatever kept me going since surgery, because that was better than any anti-depressant I've ever taken. Thank you for listening. Audra, Open RNY 8-7-03, -68, 248/180/140 — jellybean0605 (posted on November 30, 2003)
November 30, 2003
Hi Audra,
Don't feel bad about taking anti-depressants, after all it is a chemical
imbalance and not something we can just overcome on our own. I have been
taking mine all along. I broke my Zoloft in half in the beginning and now
take them whole. I have been on them 14 years and went short periods of
time off them, but always have to go back on them. Just look at it as if it
were blood pressure meds or something like that. We can't help that the
imbalance is there, we can only treat it with meds. Good luck, Linda
— kkubinski99
November 30, 2003
Hi Audra,
My name is Maria and I'm going on my 19th month since surgery. My surgery
date was May 13,2002. My weight at surgery was 308lbs and I was on 17
different meds per day. Two of them were for depression. I was taken off
one and still had to take celexa. For the last 2 months that has been
changed to Lexapro. My Doctor says it is the cleanest anti-depressant
available meaning it has the least side affects. Every one is different and
not all meds work the same for all. I have noticed feeling better in some
areas. Depression is an illness like diabetes, low thyroid, arthrites, PCOS
all of which I still take medications for. So just remember it does make a
difference and the difference is good, then we can enjoy all our weight
loss benefits to the full.
Take care and best wishes
Maria
— Maria H.
November 30, 2003
You know, it's kinda funny you should post this right now. I have been
doing a lot of reflection about my own mental state the last few days. I
have had people tell me for years that they thought I was depressed, but I
always just kind of blew it off. I thought that because I was so heavy,
and felt so bad, that it was only natural that I should be depressed.Now
that I have lost 165# and am mere pounds away from goal, had my tummy tuck,
and all the other stuff on the road we travel with this surgery, I
realize... I am still depressed. It came as quite a shock to me to realize
this. My wife takes Prozac, and told me that I should try 1 for a day and
see if it made a difference. All I can say is -wow-. It was like someone
peeled the film away from my reality and this heavy burden was suddenly
lifted. It was such a drastic change that I have come to the conclusion
that I may really need medication for this (something I had always denied
before). So I guess the moral to all this is this: sometimes mother nature
needs some help. Don't feel less of a person if you need to take advantage
of some of the wonderful miracles that modern medicine can offer. I have
denied it for years, but tomorrow morning I am going to go and see my PCP
and see about DOING something about it. I don't know why I never noticed it
before, but I think I have been depressed since I was about 17. It has led
me to drugs, cigarette addiction, food addiction, etc... If you need the
help, get the help, because the one thing that can torpedo your wonderful
decision to take control of your life with WLS is being depressed. It
simply isn't worth it. As far as the baggy skin goes, same thing here, but
after having my belt lipectomy, I look really good now. It is amazing what
a good plastic surgeon can do!
Take care, and do what you need to do to be healthy, both mentally and
physically.
— Greg P.
November 30, 2003
Audra, I'm sorry to hear you are not feeling yourself. All I can say is
get thee to the doctor now!. The longer you let this go the longer it will
take to get settled down again. If Zoloft was working then it just might
be that you need a larger dose. There are other good products too but
rather than start over it might make sense to go back to the same one.
<p>I have been on Celexa for about 4-5 years. About 2 months ago I
finally realized my depression had arisen again. I could not deal with
things the same way I used to. I was short with people and sort of a
basketcase. I got help by seeing my counselor, psychiatrist and Dr.
Georgen. The end result was increasing my Celexa. We are thinking that I
ended up malabsorbing some of it because I had been on the previous dose
for 3-4 years with excellent control of my depression. I tried a 20mg
increase but that started giving me headaches so I cut it back to a 10mg
increase. Celexa works well for me and I don't notice any unpleasant side
effects. If you cannot get to your doctor soon then personally I would
start back on the Zoloft to get something started.
<p>Unfortunately WLS is not the cure all for everything wrong in our
bodies. I know that my depression had almost nothing to do with my weight.
I could never have gone down this path without my medical support team
there and that includes my depression meds. It will take time to find the
right dose and medicine for you but you will feel better. I'll be at
support group tomorrow night if you will be there, otherwise please feel
free to give me a call just to chat. I know this is a tough time and I'd
like to help any way I can! You can be the happy Audra again, trust me.
<p>You also might consider some counseling to help you through some
of the things you are experiencing. While losing lots of weight is a
wonderful thing and can bring many things to the surface that we never
realized were there. Keep in touch! Chris
— zoedogcbr
November 30, 2003
Audra, Audra, Audra. Don't we wish we did not have a chemical imbalance in
our brains causing us to have persistant depression. What you had post op
was tons of hormones being released from the fat that helped offset the
depression. I am so glad you realize what you have to do. Unfortunately
getting the right meds is trial and error. I am now on Lexapro but we all
respond diffeently and they all take a few weeks for full effect. Go to a
shrink that specializes in these drugs. Not for therapy (which is
expensive,) but just for prescribing. Good luck.
— faybay
November 30, 2003
Audra, I have been there, I'm only 3 weeks post op, but I didn't stop my
effexor, cause I knew how I would be, I use to be on paxil but the
effectiveness was gone, when my dr switched me to effexor, it was great, I
can take 2 a day but I was taking 1 a day, but since surgery and the mood
fluctuations I take 2 just in case so I don't flip out...lol
It would be nice to not have to take a medicine to control our bodies, that
was the hardest for me to accept, but you survived the surgery, your body
changing and it's looking for that zoloft that use to be there..lol, go to
your dr get back on it, hey got a thought, something quick acting is xanax,
I take them when needed, and that might help you out until you can get your
other in your system good, my hubby and son never let me forget to keep
them both filled, bless their hearts...Good Luck dear
Darla
— STHNDARLIN
December 2, 2003
Audra,
I took (and still take) Prozac for depression. 2 weeks post op, my doc told
me I could start it again, just take it with a teaspoon of applesause
instead of water. Works great for me!
— Beth B.
December 4, 2003
Please be sure that whatever medication you try it is NOT time-release,
sustained-release, or extended-release. If you take one of these it may not
be absorbed correctly. This may mean that you'll have to take the pills
more times per day, but at least it will be effective! Good luck finding
the right anti-depressant!
— ctyst
December 4, 2003
Do talk to your doctor. Remember, though, that what works for one person,
may not do anything for another. My husband had lap RNY 4/03. He was so
crabby after surgery we thought we we going to have to make him sleep in
the car! I got him to talk to the doctor, who put him on Wellbutrin SR
(sustained release). I was skeptical about how well it would , or would
not, work as it is "sustained release". Well, he tolerated it
once a day, but when it was bumped to twice a day, he began having side
effects, so he was switched to XL (extended release) once a day. It works
great for him. The point is - whatever the doctor says to try - try it and
see what happens, even if it is sustained or extended release!
— koogy
December 4, 2003
Hi Audra - like everyone else says, more often than not, depression is
CHEMICAL - so not something that you have control over, and it might have
nothing at all to do with obesity - so, I agree with everyone else - time
for meds. If it's any consoluation, I've been on anti-depressants for
years. Depression is very strong in my family (including some suicides and
suicide attempts), so we've all come to be very pragmatic about being
treated. It's not some kind of failure on our part to take medication for
it, although I certainly understand that feeling. Also, one interesting
tell-tale thing that I noticed about myself. If I was OFF of the
anti-depressants, and felt that I needed to go back on them (or had family
members tell me that they thought I should), and I reacted emotionally to
that, THAT reaction (i.e., the negative emotional reaction to the
suggestion of going back on anti-depressants) was a big red flad that I did
indeed need to start them again. Once on the medication, I can again think
clearly; it just helps keep me on an even keel. Also, regarding the sexual
side effects - this is unfortunatly very common with all antidepressants,
although the only way to tell if you will have that kind of side effect
with a particular medication is to try that med. All that aside, though -
do this for yourself - you just had major surgery to make your life better.
Open the door to allowing yourself to be as healthy - emotionally as well
as physically - as you have the potential to be. Please go see your doc,
and let us know how you're doing.
— johanniter
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