Anyone dealing with Mental Illness and Surgery?

[Stacyann81 31]

Hi,

I suffer from major depressive disorder; PTSD; and Social phobia. It seems like dealing with these issues while trying to lose weight makes it much harder (especially the depression) I'm trying to walk and stick to my diet plan but it feels like I'm doing this while carrying a 100 pound rock over my head (if that makes sense). Anyone out there that can relate? Any veterans out there that know if it gets better or easier after surgery?

[joatsaint 2,814]

I'm 15 months post-op and I think I'm undiagnosed with depression - felt depressed for years. Some days I could care less about exercising and weight loss, and other days I feel great and want to get out there and walk, walk, walk. I can only say that this new way of eating and exercising has become a habit and I keep on doing it because the old way was slowly killing me. It does get a bit easier as the weight comes off. I don't like to exercise, but I do miss it when I'm not able to get out and walk.

[PuraVida37 715]

I don't have those problems currently, but I've experienced depression, but I have to tell you that I am so much happier and much less worrisome than before my surgery. I am finally focusing on me for the first time in many many years, and I have so much more energy and feel better (especially with lots of exercise--I never EVER thought I would love to exercise, but it makes me happy!). I wish you the best of luck and suggest that you make going to a bariatric support group a priority in your life. It will help you in many ways!!

[jamilyne 102668 1,207]

I'm not a veteran with wls, but I am with depression. I know that dark cloud that looms! It took a lot of work and the right doctor for me to overcome my depression. A quite a bit of weight that I had to lose came with that depression. Wls doesn't take that away, but me losing weight has helped me with a lot of issues, emotionally & physically.

My suggestion is to talk to your psychiatrist and see about going to counseling if you aren't already in counseling. If you are - discuss the problems you are having right now. Some counselors want to go through your whole life from the beginning, tell the counselor that you want to go through what is bothering you right now. Ask for some steps on how to relieve stresses in your life.

Please be good to yourself - get enough sleep, exercise, do things that make you happy. You'll get over this hump! Take good care and keep us informed on how you are doing !

[ElyQuint 446]

Bipolar here. While its a wild ride while your chemistry and your brain adjust to this massive shift of habits, it is eventually a force for positive change! Much happier, much more even tempered and socially confident. Preparation, full self awareness and strategy planning.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

I would think that losing weight would make you feel good about yourself. Once I lost all my weight I was not depressed anymore. I still have anxiety at times but nothing like it used to be.

[Margie14 31]

Hi Stacy!

I've battled the depression bug most of my life. I grew up with a war vet that had PSTD and I think he passed it on to us kids. As far as social phobia, I'll just bet most of us who carry around a lot of weight have some form of that. I think it goes with the territory. Society is very cruel to larger people. We are the last great prejudice. I've been in certain department stores and the workers and shoppers all give that same "what's she doing here" look. Plus, being a very tall female doesn't help. Let's just say I stand out in a crowd so I don't do crowds. I also go walking at night around 9 to avoid everyone. I plan on walking in the day light by this summer. I'm also tired of relatives getting on the latest diet topic every time I am around. I have a niece that likes to pinch the skin on her 110 lb. frame and state how she shouldn't eat because she is getting fat, and then give me one of those bitch smiles(just love that one) every time we have a family gathering. I have lately avoided them as well.

I personally am looking forward to the day I can go to a store, try on regular clothes, and not be noticed in a negative way. That in itself will help the social phobia. I do know there is a period after surgery where your body kind of wants to shut down and depression can set in. I am going to keep a close watch on that. If it happens I'm going straight to the doctor and getting back on antidepressants. You will do fine. Just focus on your personal goal and when the negative thought monster creeps in, tell yourself how far you have come and where you plan to be by,...say...this summer! You are going to do this. This can be a real game changer for us. Just keep in contact with your doctor if you start to feel like you can't handle it anymore. Also, take a lot of pictures of your progress. I really believe that when you see where you where and how far you have come it will give you motivation and good feelings. That 100 pound rock will go after surgery. I thought I was going to die over the liquid/clear diet (even had a dream I was eating pizza and could literally smell and taste it), now I have to force feed myself. Eating will become about keeping healthy, and not an obsession. Even thought I'm newly sleeved I don't obsess over food anymore (at all) except that maybe I can have something tasty in six weeks or so. For now eating is...eeewwwwyuck!(but I'm only 4 days out) Prior to surgery I would eat and obsess about my next meal. I think most of us self medicate all of life's garbage with food. It's a friend that is hard to give up. I think if you look at these boards and youtube posters you will see that most (98%) have no regrets and the great majority state they wish they would have done it sooner. You have already started with a healthy weight loss, keep up the good work! As someone on this board stated to me when I was balking over the clear pre op diet....You can do this! You must do this!

[Stacyann81 31]

Thank you to all of you! I currently see a psychologist twice a month and he assures me that my symptoms will improve greatly once I start to lose weight. I am hoping he is right because I feel like a monster now and would love to go outside and not be starred at or laughed at. I'm already on a liquid diet (Protein shakes) and after 10 days I'm just now starting to tolerate it without being super negative and depressed. I have hope for the future for the first time in my life and that scares me a little because it would be devastating to have something go wrong and lose that feeling. I have lost 18 lbs since I started this journey and that is motivating me but I still cry when I see a Carl's Jr. commercial. Here's to leaving it up to fate and not freaking out too much!

[jtickle 295]

I have severe bipolar disorder. If I was not stable, I would have manic episodes from hell. I'm talking about staying awake for 8 days, hallucinations and not eating at all. Fortunately I have not been like that in yrs. My psychiatrist actually wrote my surgeon a letter stating that I can make decisions on WLS myself. The doctor accepted that as my psych evaluation. Which made me very happy. I saved money and I didn't have to take a 400 question test that proves nothing.

[terrydumont46 1,954]

I just came through a bipolar depressed state. my mother died in November and a whole lot of stuff came down. the only real thing in my life was my band and my eating habit. because of health I couldn't exercise so I really depended on healthy eating. but I really struggled with night eating. when that sun went down I was crying and swearing and threw a pity party that rivaled no others. sometimes this pity won but my band kept me from over doing it. thank God for it. now as the cloud lifts and the crying is mostly gone I don't have as many poor me pity parties that requires food to over come. so all in all I think wls will help in the long run. because all it takes is to put a blouse on and its hanging off my shoulder to make me happy I am going through all this. because I know on my own I wouldn't be. I would be just depressed because none of my clothes were fitting and I was going tohave to go up a size. you will realistically have some mental problems with wls. but try and concentrate on the good and uplifting parts of it. I wish you the best of luck.

[parisshel 1,892]

Everybody's said so many great things on this thread. Let me just add a couple more. Physical activity will mimic the benefits of antidepressants (this has been proven) so once you feel comfortable, it would be good to have some physical activity consistently, each and every day. Even if it is done under the cloak of night (if you don't want people to see you) or in the privacy of your home (with a YouTube video or another sort of virtual coach). Start with 30 seconds, if that's manageable for you. If you have to do it seated, just arm lifts for 30 seconds...you'll see you can do it! And build from there.

Secondly, as your weight descends, most of us find our happiness level rises. I know this is true for me. I'm currently in relentless, excruciating pain from slipped disks in my back. I can't get on top of the pain (no NSAIDS or steroid injections with a lapband) so I'm just having to wait things out. But I look in the mirror and just the fact I no longer have my fat face makes me happy despite the pain. And my kids said something to me yesterday that kept me from slipping into a pain-related depression: "Mommy, even in pain, you are the most beautiful mommy of all the mommies."

So my sense is that if your obesity causes you unhappiness, then weight loss will help with that. It can also help break the cycle of social isolation because as you lose weight, become more active, you'll be getting out more and connecting more with others. This connection is so vital to our recovery and continued success.

Edited March 10, 2014 by parisshel

[jamilyne 102668 1,207]

Kids are so sweet!

[kimk1999 450]

I have depression and anxiety. Both have been better since surgery but I'm only 3 months lost op. They still show their ugly head from time to time but it's definitely fewer times. Extra confidence from losing weight helps the depression and exercising seems to take away some of the stress that causes anxiety. You're not alone - You have us and your doctors. Good luck!