Quiting Anti-Depressants Post Op?

[bbeeb33 0]

Hi all! I am Day 4 post-op and feeling alright, but I am having a dilemma with my anti-depressants... I haven't taken them for 5 days now due to the surgery. My surgeon said it would be OK to start taking again immediately post-op (a direction I am questioning now, as I'm learning these pills shouldn't be crushed and absorption can change postop.) But honestly, with all the other Vitamins and meds I'm taking I just haven't been able to stomach them (figuratively or literally.) I've taken Wellbutrin and Effexor consistently for a few years now (and have wanted to quit them for almost as long!) Effexor is the biggie here, as I was always warned that withdrawal would be immediate with strong flu-like symptoms within a couple days. And I have missed a few days before and definitely felt it, but now here I am going on 5 days anti-d free with no apparent withdrawal. Also, because my new stomach will absorb medication differently (right?) I'm wondering if I should just... keep not taking them? Has anyone experienced anything like this?

I feel dumb questioning this, because all research I've ever done clearly states anti-ds should not be quit cold turkey... but there isn't any wls-specific research I've found. I feel like my body has changed so much internally that, what if I do more harm than good if I resume taking them now? What if this is actually a good opportunity to quit? I am absolutely going to talk to my doctor about this asap, but hearing your input and experiences would be so helpful, too.

TL;DR Have any of you quit anti-ds immediately post op or have any relevant experiences to share?

[dreamingsmall 1,125]

I don't know you. But right after wls is the worst time to quit. The emotional rollercoaster the depression people encounter who didn't even have depression before. You have a long way to go and I would continue to take the pills if it were me. I stopped taking mine before. I swear I could have jumped off a bridge on a couple of occasions I was getting so angry and irritable.

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[FluffyChix 17,414]

So this is VERY serious! Start taking them again asap. Only quit them when you're working with your psych! Dayum!!! Quitting cold turkey can send you into a reactive phase that will literally double you over with bone/muscle pain. It makes all your neurotransmitters get proverbially locked up!

In general, it takes almost as long to taper off meds as you've been taking them -- kinda...such as for every month you were taking them, it takes 1 week to 1 month to step down the dose depending on the individual.

It's too late now, but honestly this stuff should have been reconciled pre-surg!!!! It's part of why we have so many hoops to jump through and so many doc appts! Your meds in general should only be crushed if they aren't enteric coated or time release. Psych meds need to be switched to non-time release. Think Effexor is one that can easily be changed.

In addition to this, what @dreamingsmall said!! Truly magical thinking to think otherwise. ((hugs)) and get some meds into your system asap. Make an appointment with your psych asap and formulate a plan!

[Mhy12784 423]

Yeah I'd talk to your psych doctor ASAP.

Post op WLS is a complete emotional Rollercoaster even for the most well adjusted of folks. I don't know anything about your history and why you're on the meds, but I think it would be extremely unwise to stop taking then without physician guidance.

And based on my vague understanding of psych, but these meds tend to work rather slow. So it might take a few weeks for you to maximally feel the effects of being off these medications (just how it typically takes about 2 weeks for you to notice from effects of them when you start.)

But I think this is opening the door for a lot of problems, and remember any drugs and painkillers they you got or are getting could be masking a lot going on upstairs as well

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

You can get immediate release wellbutrin and just take it more frequently - call and get a new scrip. Build back up to the regular dose.

I didn't take mine until I could swallow pills which was only 4 days, then took a 100 in the am and a 100 in the afternoon for a week, then added the third 100 dose. Otherwise by 3 weeks you may find yourself in a big old puddle on the floor from all the wacky hormones from weight loss and surgery in general. Especially if you live where it is dark at 4:30 pm and you get little actual sun exposure.