About a week of trying to get back on track - struggling with feeling sad

ReadyforPlastics
on 10/25/16 9:57 am

Hi, everyone -

I've just started trying to re-lose my 40 pound regain.  I'm really back to basics here with protein shakes and raw veggies as my main food.  Calories are 800-1000 a day typically.   The first completed week (a little over a week now I guess) has been successful in that I've lost 5 pounds.  I know that is water weight, but I'll take it anyway. 

 

I've never really struggled with depression before, so I am likely not using the term correctly.  Maybe "feeling blue" is a more accurate way to put it.  But these past 3 days I've been in a terrible funk.  I feel like I don't want to get out of bed.  I don't want to see any friends.  I don't want to go anywhere.  I'm tired.  I'm down.  I'm not me.

 

Any tips of snapping out of it?  I wonder if my huge drop in food intake has had this effect because i really have nothing to be down about.  Anyone else experience this when cutting back on calories in big way?   Does it get better with time? Does it mean my diet is out of balance?

 

Thanks... It felt good just to vent this.  I'm sure it will get better with time.  I'm probably having grazing and sugar withdraws or something. 

VSG December 2011

Choose gratitude. 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!   Galatians 5:22-23

pammieanne
on 10/25/16 10:54 am - OK
RNY on 05/16/16

I used to low carb (Atkins) a few years back. If you have dropped your carb intake drastically and gone into Ketosis, you will get what some called almost flu like symptoms, not really sick so much as drained and exhausted... maybe that's part of it??

See how it goes in about 2 weeks from the start of your diet maybe?

Height 5'5" HW 260 SW 251 CW 141.6 (2/27/18)

RNY 5-16-16 Pre-Op 9lbs, M1-18.5lbs, M2-18.1lbs, M3-14.8lbs, M4-10.4lbs, M5-9.2lbs, M6-7lbs, M7-6.2lbs, M8-8.8lbs,M9-7.8lbs, M10-1 lb, M11-.6lbs, M12-4.4lbs

ReadyforPlastics
on 10/25/16 11:03 am

Flu like symptoms are totally going on here... So much so that I have wondered if I'm just fighting a bug.  Body aches, headache, low grade fever.  I just feel terrible.  It could be a bug, changing seasons and all.  

 

This is a big cut in my carbs.  Not necessarily a low carb diet, but a significant drop from the free-for-all I was "enjoying" before. 

 

Thanks for suggesting a 2 week timeframe.  I'm optimistic I'll be feeling better soon.  But, yeah, I am really not myself right now. 

VSG December 2011

Choose gratitude. 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!   Galatians 5:22-23

pammieanne
on 10/25/16 11:10 am, edited 10/25/16 4:18 am - OK
RNY on 05/16/16

As long as you don't have a fever! You can probably google low carb and flu symptoms and read more about it. But of course, if you're sick, don't wait two weeks! LOL

Height 5'5" HW 260 SW 251 CW 141.6 (2/27/18)

RNY 5-16-16 Pre-Op 9lbs, M1-18.5lbs, M2-18.1lbs, M3-14.8lbs, M4-10.4lbs, M5-9.2lbs, M6-7lbs, M7-6.2lbs, M8-8.8lbs,M9-7.8lbs, M10-1 lb, M11-.6lbs, M12-4.4lbs

Renren
on 10/25/16 11:11 am
VSG on 12/02/15

Maybe substitute the same amount of calories in the protein shakes for dense protein, meat ,eggs, fish, etc.. Protein shakes are not satisfying. At this point I only use shakes if I don't feel like eating, or need to up my protein. Bless you

5'2.5" Surgery date/ 12-02-15 Dr.Valentine Boise ID

Highest:289 SW/212 CW 122

Goal/125-130

Goal reached at 10 months

Sparklekitty, Science-Loving Derby Hag
on 10/25/16 11:23 am
RNY on 08/05/19

"Back to basics" for a WLS patient should ACTUALLY mean dense protein-- almost nothing but! Skip the veggies and go for meat, and drop the shakes entirely; that's not a strategy you can do forever, and the quicker you can get into sustainable proper eating habits, the better.

"Feeling blue" when you don't have any good reason to be sad is absolutely a kind of depression. If it's affecting your every day life, then it's absolutely a "real" problem! You may want to try taking a depression screening questionnaire, that can help you figure out what approach you want to take.

There are lots of people you can talk to-- a therapist or counselor, a psychiatrist, or even your surgeon and/or GP can help you find someone to talk to. NAMI has some great resources, they have a help line that can help you find local resources and I recommend it very strongly.

Things can absolutely get better, and there's nothing wrong with giving yourself some time. Journaling, keeping on top of your food and exercise, getting sunshine and social interaction, they're all things that can help you feel better. But talking to someone is a good option too, and there are lots of folks here who get help from a therapist or psych practitioner. Personally I take medication for my depression and I'd be happy to share my experience, please feel free to PM if you ever need to chat.

You can do this!

Sparklekitty / Julie / Nerdy Little Secret (#42)
Roller derby - cycling - triathlon
VSG 2013, RNY conversion 2019 due to GERD. Trendweight here!

ReadyforPlastics
on 10/25/16 11:37 am

Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply.  I think you are right-on about the diet.  I need to reconsider this plan of mine.  Exercise would likely help too, if I can get myself to move. 

 

Thanks for your encouragement and I'll check out that questionnaire. 

VSG December 2011

Choose gratitude. 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!   Galatians 5:22-23

Sparklekitty, Science-Loving Derby Hag
on 10/25/16 11:39 am
RNY on 08/05/19

Moving is HARD when you're depressed. (Been there, done that!) But with exercise, "some is better than none" is a pretty good philosophy. I have good luck if I make myself have super small goals that are easy to accomplish. Something like "I'll take a walk outside for ten minutes" or "I can do a ten minute yoga video on youtube" is way more do-able than trying to get on my bike, or get dressed up to go to the gym, or anything like that.

Start small, and be patient with yourself. You wouldn't force yourself to run a 5k if you had the sniffles, and emotional health can be the same way.

Sparklekitty / Julie / Nerdy Little Secret (#42)
Roller derby - cycling - triathlon
VSG 2013, RNY conversion 2019 due to GERD. Trendweight here!

Kathy S.
on 10/25/16 11:29 am - InTheBurbs, XX
RNY on 08/29/04 with

Hi RFP  

Congrats on the 5 pound loss 

Ditto on what everyone said.  If you are not getting sick remember how our body reacts when we are getting all the junk out of our system.  Especially sugar.  Check out the post I did where your brain reacts the same as when you are on cocaine.  You are having withdrawals mentally as well as physically.  I am going to send you a list of steps for getting back on track. If I sent it to you already sorry   Can't remember if I did or not.

That being said if after a couple of weeks if you are still feeling depressed follow up with other possibilities.

PS...I would go with lower carbs and higher protein too   

HW:330 - GW:150 - MW:118-125

RW:190 - CW:130

ReadyforPlastics
on 10/25/16 11:41 am

Yes, maybe this (to a small degree) like drug addict withdrawals.  I'm surprised at how horrible I feel, physically and mentally.  I want to celebrate that 5 lb loss but I can't. Unless celebrating means staying in bed with the covers over my head.  

I will think about ditches the shakes in favor of controlled portions of quality protein, like SparkleKitty suggested too.  I just wanted to do something while waiting to get on my surgeon's back on track program.     

 

Thanks for your reply!

VSG December 2011

Choose gratitude. 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!   Galatians 5:22-23

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