tommaney

I know this was addressed under the "Lapband Strugglers" thread, but I wanted to start a discussion about anyone's experience wih their past/present psych meds. How do you feel your experience with weight loss (before or after the lapband) has tied in? How to you deal with the side effects (if you have them)? I've taken a few different medications with different results. Paxil and Trazadone worked for a time but I gained about a pound a month while I was on that combo. The doctors warned me about that. That was especially frustrating because I purposefully increased my activity level to compensate, and the emotional blunting with Paxil was dramatic. Prozac didn't have the gaining side effect, but not the mood elevating side effect either! Finally, Wellbutrin, which I took for 3 years, was my most successful med. I was in an emotional place where I was motivated to be more active and, at the same time, it allowed me to at least maintain my weight. How's everyone else doing with theirs? Finding the right med can be such a harrowing journey, I wanted to put forth a place in this forum to reach out for help and validation. Also, please note that I am not purporting that psych meds that cause weight gain are some kind of blanket excuse for struggling with weight loss. I regret I have to make that explicit. Psych meds are one factor that can make it tougher for some than others, and this is a place to discuss those experiences.

This subject came up on the Self-Esteem thread, but I thought it would be good as a separate brainstorm thread! Here are some of the things I've thought of and read from other posters: --Wardroble check! Try wearing brighter colors and see if it makes a difference in how you present yourself throughout the day. --Eye contact :rolleyes2: As often as you interact with another person--grocery store, any transaction--make a mental note to look up, look him/her in the eye, and smile. Even a "thank you" or "have a good day" might add some brightness to their heart and yours. --Posture :rolleyes2: Check yourself every so often to see if you're sitting up straight. Sometimes your thoughts follow your body experience, so it stands to reason that raising yourself up to adjust and breathe may uplift your attitude. Note that these things may be useful to try even if you are feeling low. I've heard the eye contact/wardroble suggestions in a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy class. It's all based on the premise that if you act well, you will be well. I hope there are more ideas out there to add to the list!

Hello to my fellow Adult Children of Alcoholics.... First I just want to say that it's really difficult to speak or write about how my parents' alcohol dependency is impacting my life. I've started to write this thread so many times and quit because the denial and defeatism is such a strong part of me. So strong, in fact, that it took me 10 minutes sitting here just to type "my parents' alcohol dependency"! I wanted to start a discussion on how our eating habits were (and still are) influenced by the drug/alcohol dependent in our lives. For me, food was the singular comfort in a life where I only saw my parents sober for a precious couple of hours a day--after they got home from work. For the past year I've had to live with them again. My dad was in recovery after almost dying in detox a couple of years ago but he has recently starting drinking again (I started finding the hidden vodka and wine stowed away in closets and the garage). My mom has never stopped. It's so difficult to watch them wasting away. Anyhow, my lapband journey has been slow, and I've been mentally avoiding how living in this house has made the journey harder. God willing, I will be able to move out in the next month or so. You know what the worst thought is? They love me more than anything. They paid for this surgery and supported me. But all the money and love in the world won't make them sober. Sorry I don't have a clear question for the thread. I just wanted to send this out unto the internet void and listen for others.

Hi Zoomomma--I'm remembering back when I was taking the Wellbutrin and I think you're going to be ok. I had to take some chunky anti-biotics right after surgery and I was able to do that alright. Just like Nanook said, warm beverages like tea can be relaxing and helpful! If you are going to crush the Wellbutrin, double check with your dr. or your pharmacist would know too. I know that the extended release Wellbutrin is compromised if crushed, so that's no good. But, if you're on the older Wellbutrin it might be fine.

Hi Nanook...Sorry I've been absent for so long :tongue: There's been a lot going on. I just wanted to say that I think it's quite natural to know you're not alone in your circumstances, no matter how many times you post to ask. I've gotten to know you over these past months through your posts and pm's, and I think you've got a handle on your situation. Like the other poster said, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. What's best for you may be totally unique compared to anyone at LBT!

My doctor just put me on Aldactone/Generic:Spironolactone for my facial hair growth. 200mg a day for 6 months then reduced to 100 mg a day. I'm also taking the Norinnyl birth control pill. Has this worked well for anyone out there? As it is a diuretic, the only thing it's been doing so far is making me pee like Seabiscuit. I've done those laser hair removal treatments for almost 2 years now--worked on the armpits but not the facial hair (sigh).

Hey that's great--I hope your fill goes smoothly! I also really like that Sutter clinic just off of 80 in Fairfield; it's nice to go someplace brand new :blushing: ....just try not to hang out outside and breath in the smokey air--it's been so bad lately. Best wishes!

Ginny...are there any online groups or forums for Bulimia specifically you can join to help support you? LBT of course is definitely here for you--as you can see there's even a place for those that have been debanded. I worry about more than just the throwing part that endangers the band and your health. If you find yourself doing the binging part as well, then overeating can cause obstructions, damage to your esophagus--the list goes on. No matter what you do, please know that you seem to be a very brave person who really is seeking health--physical and mental. You had the courage to acknowledge the disorder (a feat in itself), seek therapy, and even undertake the daunting task of telling others about it. There are countless others who have struggled and not been able to do the things you've already done. There is hope for you, and I wish you the very best.

What do you think about a subforum dedicated to mental health issues and how they are integrated with our lapband experiences? There's been a good thread on discussing medications & weightloss (LapBand strugglers area) and I thought we could probably expand on that. I've just noticed that so many of us struggle with depression, anxiety, bipolar, and panic disorders (just to name a few). Discussing and offering support to each other might illuminate our struggles and help us understand the totality of our experience with weight loss (and gain!). If there's already something that covers this adequately, please redirect me! Thanks.

Jeez--I can't believe you were criticized for asking! Is there an Anti-Fellatio board I've never seen? Brush your shoulder off Froggi because you are in good company. And by that, I mean me. I'd be curious. So there. As for me, it's a consistency thing. I don't even like the way yogurt feels in my mouth, let alone something more....viscous? Anyhow, good luck with that, lady. Don't hurt yourself. :embaressed_smile:

I don't do the protein shakes at all--my doctor prefers his patients getting their protein through their diet.

I have Schizo-Friendia...I hear positive voices all the time telling me "you can do it!" Won't be takin' that one to therapy, no way.

Froggi...can we make you feel better by having a sexxxxy party a la Family Guy? I'll bring the Captain's hat and bikinnis!

My 4 fills have gone exactly that way. Twice by fluoro, twice without. My Dr. did one stick which only hurt when he said the words "little pinch!" He found my port even though I have an usually deep port that is angled in an odd way. Then, he helped me sit up and I drank Water till it started backing up in my throat a bit. I totally freak looking at needles to I never once looked down, only ahead/at my water bottle/at my doctor. He was also intently listening to me drink because it was hard for me to tell if water was backing up or if I had swallowed air. You're the first one I've noticed that had the same fill process as me! THanks for posting and good luck!

I pm'd you, Kat : ) I'm sorry if my post was tangential as well.

From what I know, Kat, there is a diagnosis of Substance-Induced Depression, which includes medications and legal/illegal drugs. It is also extremely common for people to "medicate" their depression with drugs. This is a red flag especially when looking into teen depression, which can symptomatically look different than how it presents in adults. When care providers are doing differential diagnosis for Major Depressive Disorder, one of the criteria is to refer a person to a physician to rule out medical conditions and drug use. This helps with separating mood disorders and substance-related mood disorders. But, they are still psychological diagnoses. I'm sorry if that was confusing. Regarding your two friends, it's true that those with mood/anxiety disorders in the family put them more at risk, but it's not a surefire predictor. It's also true that you can have no history of mood disorders in the fam and still develop clinical symptoms. Like Jachut is describing, I think the drama mamas will always be out there, seemingly thriving on misery and having unrealistic expectations. An interesting question to ask about some people is this: is this person recreating the drama he/she experienced in the past? There are plenty of people that have perfectly "average" childhoods that love emotional roller coasters, but there are also others that hop on that coaster willingly (perhaps unconsciously) because it is familiar. It's home. Anxiety, depression, abuse are thus produced again and again, through the generations, because it's his/her foundational model of relationships. My personal experience has been discovering that of the children of alcoholics that do show codependent behaviors as adults, they often choose partners and behave in ways that emulate the dynamics of their original, unstable alcoholic homes. That is, unless they break the cycle with insight and therapeutic support! There are also the more rare cases of actual, clinical personality disorders (e.g. Borderline, Histrionic, Narcisisstic, and many more). In the case of those with Borderline diagnoses, it can be very sad because medication will often often not impact the depression--it's a chronic emptiness of self. The term depression is indeed bandied about pretty liberally! So there is a difference between depressed mood and full blown clinical depression, which is a constellation of symptoms.

That book You On A Diet by Dr. Oz gives a good description of several physiological elements of hunger and satiety, including Ghrelin production. It also has illustrations that simplify the physician vocab : ) Even though it just looks like a diet book, Dr. Oz actually addresses WLS at the end--not putting it down but talking about it as a realistic option.

It's true--across the board, pessimism just isn't helpful! As for BII, I have a different evaluation of her situation, and that's alright. I mainly wanted to speak up to submit the reasons why I started the Mental Health subforum to begin with. Regarding your DH, I think your attitude was probably the best thing for him. Anxiety problems can so often be aided by systematically disputing the faulty logic, so not indulging him was very likely quite productive.

Definitely ask the doctor and try to describe the pain as specifically as possible. Is it constant pain or pain that happens when you move a certain way? I experienced the latter for several months after surgery and it finally went away--sometimes it's just a matter of taking a long time to heal.

Jachut, I don't think this needs to be hammered into your head. I think you get it. " the real why you need to tackle is "why do I choose to eat too much in response"? " That's the Why I'm talking about. It can be incredibly helpful to gain insight into the origins of behaviors, but like Jack has mentioned too, that second component of responding with healthy behaviors needs to be sought out. But, to clarify, I am not thinking of instances so trivial as "my lil' bro. ate my birthday cake" or "My cat died when I was four." I'm talking about "My mother sold me for drugs when I was 13 and I was subsequently gang raped multiple times." I've met that person. If that client comes to the realization that she's been overeating to clothe his/herself in a suit of flesh for protection from future violation, that insight can disempower the fear that was driving the behavior. I'm also thinking of serious emotional, physical, sexual, and neglectful abuse that can span decades of someone's life. I'm even talking about clinical diagnoses such as Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar I or II that do not necessarily have past social etiologies--they are proven physiological experiences of chemical imbalances and seizures in the brain. Here's the rub which I think we agree on: At the end of the day, once a person realizes that something somewhere is deeply wrong, he or she needs to get the gumption to seek help. Pursue therapy, seek help to re-write the story of a life that perhaps did not develop with the support it so dearly needed. I put forth the particular example of the drug dependency only because this has been my professional experience to date, definitely not to equate. But the fact is, goals of therapy across theoretic orientations include the pursuit of thoughtful respose as opposed to impulsive reaction. In other words, work out why you're reaching for the KFC and let that knowledge empower you to generate new, healthier options. Again, I think we're basically on the same page. Sorry for all the psych-talk. There are absolutely people for whom the behavior is the paramount issue. That's actually my present experience with the band, but I have been fortunate (and brave) enough to work on that "Why" before I got the band. And yes, let's not tiptoe around each other--leaving room for each other will be quite good. ((Oops--sorry if any of this does not apply to your current #73 post--I was responding to the one that was sent to my email and I didn't realize it was edited till just now))

Did that back-up doctor examine you under fluoro? You know your body best, so please keep on top of asking your doctors about what is going on.

Exactly, Jack. re: Experience has demonstrated that "working" only on "why" without changing the "HOW I got fat" also leads to failure. My experience counseling those with Opiate Dependency (e.g., Heroin, Vicadin) has demonstrated this concept. Clients were sometimes too entrenched in all the "why"s of their addiction to move forward, while others who solely worked on changing environment & behaviors would continuously relapse--even if those relapses occured years apart. I'm not likening all lapbanders to drug addicts; this is a single interpretive lens. Take what you need from it and leave the rest. This is just what I've learned so far in my studies and clinical practice. OH Juli-- That's Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory. I like the self-efficacy concept. In fact, I believe the band has aided me in small steps to build my sense of self-efficacy. The healthier I become and the more I realize that I am able to control parts of my life, the more able I am to take on greater challenges and reap their benefits.