Suicide/Depression

I'm so sorry you're going through that!  This is honestly one of my biggest fears.  I've never struggled with depression, and have always been pretty even-keeled.  But I'm on day 6 of the pre-op liquid diet, and I already want to strangle someone.  SO...I'm a little worried about after!

I think, being someone who is at least reaching out to others for support and connection as we all go through this is a healthy sign though, right?

Oh absolutely InTransition.  And I certainly didn't post this to make people rethink their decision to have WLS.  I still think it's the best decision I could have made.  It just kind of slapped me in the face today and that's why I am reaching out for support.  It is definetly a very healthy sign to reach out for support and connections in this process.  Keep it up!!

I am 56 years old. One month after I turned 25, my dearest friend committed suicide. She was 24.

She was also beautiful, smart, sexy, and (I presume, since she never told me otherwise) happily married. She stood 5'2", weighed *maybe* 112 pounds, measured 36-22-35. Had a good job, a nice house, many, many friends who loved her.

None of that mattered, in the end. Depression is a black dog that haunts some people forever. This was in 1983, and anti-depressant meds have improved since then. (I sincerely hope!)

What I'm saying is that WLS shouldn't be viewed as a cause of suicide. Suicide happens.

I'm very sorry to hear about your friend.  I had RNY on 8/26, and the nurse said that it's very likely to have mood swings and some degree of depression once the surgery's done.  She described several feelings that a person might have such as "buyers remorse" and a general feeling of sadness.  At 1 week post-op, I can say that my emotions have ranged from being ecstatic to crying myself to sleep.  Just today, I broke into tears because I began to question if I should have had surgery.  For many obese people (myself included), food is the coping mechanism we use to deal with things in our lives. Now that we can't use food, we're forced to look at other ways to cope.  I think these feelings are normal to some degree, but if it reaches the level of one wanting to commit suicide that's really serious.  People who are contemplating suicide should strongly consider finding a support group or seeking psychological help to manage the changes.

Well said!

My (late) husband had a RNY in 2004 and committed suicide in 2005.  He wasn't getting the medications he needed.  I had no idea how this surgery worked as far as malabsorption.  I wish I had done the research back then.  I swore I'd never have a bypass.  Then my mom had one in 2006, and my dad in 2011.  They both made it through just fine.  That's why when the sleeve came out as an option I jumped at the chance.  Unfortunately, I ended up with a RNY.  I'm learning to live with it.  I don't suffer from Bipolar disorder like my husband did so I'm not as concerned for my mental health...but it's always in the back of my mind these days...

Sorry for your loss. At my psych evaluation the therapist suggested I go in to see her post op (to deal with weight/body changes, coping skills) but offered to see me now while I'm still doing my preoperative requirements,  I found it quite therapeutic talking to her about my WLS journey and what led me to pack on all this weight.

My thoughts are with you. I cannot give you any insight but I can give you my support as you navigate this difficult time.

I am so sorry. Suicide is just devastating to surviving friends and family. It has touched my life as well. I think families never really recover from it.

I am bipolar 2. My hypomanic spells don't get into full fledged mania but can still be pretty destructive (after being really great for a while). I think weight loss is a trigger, with all the excitement and attention that comes with it, can really set me off. Springtime is also when I tend to get manic. When I am hypomanic, I am the most beautiful person on earth, with sparkling wit and a million great ideas for projects that I have to start with all at once. I am also trying to keep a handle on spending because that is an early warning sign. The worst thing is knowing that the times I like myself the best are really symptoms of my disease.

My depression is much, much worse. When it hits, I have intrusive suicidal thoughts. I don't ever make a plan, though, so my therapist calls this "suicidal ideation." Apparently bipolar 2 has a higher risk of suicide than straight up depression, and they have seen a correlation between WLS and suicide. I haven't had a bad spell in about a year. I usually get it in the fall.

I have a therapist and psychiatrist working with me to fine tune my meds during this time. Surgery has made my medication routine more complicated because I can't take extended release pills anymore. But obviously it's worth the hassle.

I'm so sorry about your friend, both for her to get to the point where that seemed like the only option and for you to lose a friend.

I have suffered from depression since I was a pre-teen and at times was literally nonfunctional. I did not attend 8th grade because I could not (fortunately, was able to skip that year and continue on track to high school). It took me a long time to find Effexor, which finally took me from despondent to being a reasonably happy person. I have good and bad days and it's not like my depression is "cured," but it's manageable now. 

Depression is a not uncommon side effect of WLS surgery. Some people have mood swings, depression, and general upheaval. It's definitely a good idea to make sure you have good therapy after surgery if you struggle. 

However, for me personally, it has been an improvement. I'm seven months out but even at the very beginning I never had mood swings or an upswing in depression. It is more important for me to get a good night's sleep, but that's a pretty minor change. Actually each day I got further from surgery I felt progressively better. I felt like I was dealing with one of my most obvious problems and losing weight quickly has been immensely satisfying. I still have good days and down days, but I am having more and more good days. The down days are easier to snap out of. I don't think I will ever go off Effexor entirely, but the loss of weight and the medicine are working together to make me feel better every day. 

Some people do struggle from depression after WLS, but for me it's been the opposite. With proactive counseling and awareness of the problem, I think it may actually help you in the long run.