Depression after the Gastric Sleeve

[sallyomalley67 77]

Believe it or not, our fat cells release hormones and are known.to cause temporary depression. This too shall pass. Plus mourning our comfort foods and behavior changes where rewards are different from what we are used to. Hang in there. It may be a hormone causing the memory loss. Or thyroid.

[Swampdoggie 477]

I m 7 weeks out and am not depressed (but I do take effexor) However, I tear up at the drop of a hat. I had to get off a country radio station because the sad songs were making me cry. Some commercials do too. What is up with that?!

[BigTink2LilTink 723]

I'm getting about 70 to 80oz of fluids in daily. Maybe increase up to 128+ might help out a bit. And I'll take any and all tips I can get to not feel so down and defeated big time. Today I'm going to go weight myself. First time in about two weeks just to see where I'm at. The weight ins seems to be the only thing cheering me up about this cause I'm losing the weight.

[Chrystee 838]

I'm still pre-op but I went through depression the last few months since about January.. I feel the fog lifting and i'm hoping I don't get depressed after surgery!

[Laureadolce 44]

Got my date, 4/1, and I am excited but wanted to thank you guys for being candid about feeling depressed. I've gotten myself pretty pumped up for the good parts, but dealing with the downsides is when I'm most likely to eat badly. Reading your posts is a good dope slap that it isn't all a happy dance off the scale every day. The skin issues have me most freaked out, but how could these dramatic changes NOT mess with metabolism/mood/ chemistry? And facing things without an edible security blanket? A lot to deal with. BigTink and DownDiva, do you have access to any support services at the surgical center? Or did you travel for your surgery? You can't possibly be the first to have felt this.

[downsizingdiva 459]

I traveled for my surgery, think in going to give it time and maybe see the therapist I had to see for surgery, if it lasts too long I may try an antidepressant, my fiancee is a little worried about me.

[BigTink2LilTink 723]

My doctor does have a support group in place, however it's about 50 miles away from where I live at. So it impossible for me to go there for that support group. I've looked at a few that are more local to me and I'm hopeful that I'll find one here soon. I find comfort in taking things out. It's also nice to know that those whom I'm talking to can relate to what it is that I'm actually going through.

[Wendyfm 494]

I haven't had too much of emotional stuff,or depression. I do have some memory issue,but was thinking it was related to multitasking and work stress. I'm nine months out, so should go away soon. So what I'm saying is that we all seem to be going through this and it will pass.

[Elizabeth21 176]

@@downsizingdiva and @@BigTink2LilTink, I definitely recommend talking to your PCP or a psychatrist (note M.D. not Ph.D.) to see if a prescription of antidepression med will help. I had memory loss issues and this helped. It may be a "chemistry" issue in addition to "attitude."

Good luck!

[Hertsukfem31 50]

Check Ur vit B 12 as my sis had same problem after her band and its cause she had low levels and now she is doing really well again after her injections

[holliwood1980 143]

I have a little depression/moodiness. I also am very forgetful!

[WL WARRIOR 692]

I've been having some memory and brain foginess as well. I did limit my carbs to less than 10 grams a day (many days were less than 5) and my doctor said that it probably has something to do with it. I did my own research and she was right. Carbohydrates are necessary for brain function. I've raised my daily carb intake and have noticed some benefits in thought clarity and memory.

[Andrea Barnes Douglas 25]

I also suffered depression and anxiety.. Invested in some relaxing music and meditation apps found they helped a lot.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I am not sure I was depressed - but i felt "not myself, not quite human" for the first 12 weeks post op. It was sorta strange, like I felt as though I was an observer of my own life, kind of a surreal feeling. Is that depression? I have many theories as to why I felt that way, but it did pass. I would say by around 6 months post op I was becoming... jazzed, excited, happy, astounded even...

My theories of what causes that weird, unsettled feeling:

-Fat acts like a body organ and releases hormones. It is well documented that rapid weight loss releases stored estrogen. Sometiimes that makes people feel very emotional. I felt stupid, couldn't remember things etc

-Many of us probably used food to help "quiet" feelings. Could we perhaps be starting to "feel" some things were weren't used to feeling? how unsettling to wake up one day and realize that you just cannot, under any circumstances continue to live with XXXX in your life that you tolerated for a long time, with the help of a little food to bury your true feelings.

-Wow, it's kind of hard adjusting to the water/food/vitamin schedule. Felt like a freaking full time job. I was so huge nobody could even SEE my weight loss until I had lost about 50#.

So, those early months I was parting ways with a close friend (food and obesity), realizing aspects of my life really sucked and needed to change, spent huge energy on managing my food/water/activity/vitamins etc etc AND I was still HUGELY FAT. That kind of thing could get a girl down if she let it...

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

oh, don't rule out other physical reasons. I am an advocate of low/moderate carb, but if you go crazy low you will forget how to tie your shoes. Seriously, the brain needs some carbs to function well.

There is a reason that bariatric centers of excellence do follow up blood work. If you are low on key nutrients it can make you mentally off. I am not sure what happens when people go out of country and don't have follow up. My blood work has always been great post op and my brain fog/weird feeling did pass.