3 weeks post op...and feeling depressed

[mermaid2708]

i dont know what i am doing...i am 3 weeks and 1 day post bypass and i am depressed about food, weightloss, knackered-ness and other stuff. i am finding food a struggle, i would be happy to never eat again...and live on liquid...i am trying to follow the plan given to me but there seems no rhyme, reason or relation between what i eat and how (sick) i feel...one day i am fine, the next day i have exactly the same and i am throwing up. i feel my weight loss is not as it should be...i know people are looking at me and thinking...well nothing is happening, did she really have anything done? and then there is exercise, what should i be doing? i am still really tired alot of the time and dont feel like doing much, when i force myself to go for a walk i come home and sleep. i am getting bored of being at home, looking at the same four walls...but obviously not allowed back to work yet. i am just feeling really crap to be honest :cry:

 

[tendersage]

Join the club, i am too tired to do much, when i do do something extra i am shattered the rest of the day, i know my weights dropping off but unlike you i am concerned its now coming off too fast.

Your tiredness will be contributing to the depression, i am going to start taking a nap around midday and doing things early and after the nap to see if that works. My problem then is going to be ensuring enough fluids its all about juggling i think making things work the best you can. It seems impossible to eat every food group they suggest, so i am focusing on protein content and not worrying about the rest as i am taking a calcium and multivit/mineral suppliment each day.

 

[mermaid2708]

how much have you lost since op tendersage?

 

[tendersage]

i was 115k last saturday i have lost a shed load this week already and will post it saturday morning what my full loss is.

 

[tesmaralda]

memaid I'm sorry your feeling really low. What you've had done is life changing experience and it is bound to effect you in more ways than losing weight. Such is our complex relationship with food that when it is taken away and we are unable to eat it or are unable to turn to it when we are feeling down and depressed it really rocks our foundations and we have find other ways of dealing with our feelings. This in itself is a daunting experience let alone recovering from surgery and reeducating our selves to eating properly and normally. I can't help with the eating side of as I am not on the losing side yet. You will get there it just takes some people longer to recover than others I am always here if you need to talk or email me at [email protected] anytime. Exercise can wait till your fully recovered from your op and eating properly, if you really feel you should exercise maybe walk up and down the stairs an extra 2 or 3 times a day but most of all listen to your body sleep when you need to its your body's way of mending itself.

 

[kell]

I dont really have any advice as I dont know what ur going though (yet)...but Im sorry to hear you're having such a bad time and I really hope you feel better soon xx

 

[prinny]

Did you know that you can become depressed and feel very down after a general anesthetic? Many people do not know that this is a side effect. I have seen it many a time in my job some people get so low they even feel suicidal. I am not saying that it's that for you, but maybe the surgery and lack of food what your body is used to is making you feel this way. Keep your chin up and know that it will pass.
All the best.
Prinny.xxx

 

[phatgirl]

Big (((hugs))) hun. It is very, very common to feel down in the early weeks after any surgery and especially after wls! You are not alone & you just need to baby yourself a bit and try to focus on recovery and not weight loss for the first month. I know, it is easier said than done but I have been where you are and I know it gets much better in just a short time. After all the build-up to surgery, you get home and you are tired, uncomfortable & stuggle to eat. It feels a bit like 'What have I done to myself?' because the weight does not just drop away. And without your comfy friend food, you feel a bit lost. That is normal and part of the process of the new you. As you start to heal & feel better (with the permission of your doctor, usually after 4-6 weeks of recovery) you will want to be more active. At that time you will also be able have more variety & quantity of food because the swelling will decrease inside your pouch. Nausea also usually goes away by then as well so you should feel much better in yourself. You weight loss will speed up at this point because you will have created a fat burning machine out of your body by giving it balanced nutrition & activity.

Like they say, always darkest before the dawn & Rome wasn't built in a day. They both apply to wls, it will get better soon & your building the 'new healthier you' will take some time.

HTH,
Nic

 

[everpositive]

Sorry to hear you sound so low mate!!! I went through it too and most of us do. I totally agree with all the points that have been made. After you have it done, youre neither the old you or the new you - yet!! So there almost a bit of a 'who am I' thing going on. I almost mourned my old life coz I didnt know how to make myself feel better. I'd been so used for so long to just turning to the nearest chippy, bakery, McD's, KFC. I'm not saying I wanted to do that coz amazingly food wasnt that interesting to me, but for so long it was the answer to everything. Honestly, it does and will improve. Going back to work does help when you feel strong enough. Starting to introduce new tastes and textures helps too. You are just a week behind me so c'mon lets pull through this tricky bit eh??? Its a short space of time to endure for the wonderful pay off!!
Mention it to your Docs, bariatric people if it will reassure you too.

Take care and let yourself heal inside and out xx

 

[charliegirl]

Big (((hugs))) hun. It is very, very common to feel down in the early weeks after any surgery and especially after wls! You are not alone & you just need to baby yourself a bit and try to focus on recovery and not weight loss for the first month. I know, it is easier said than done but I have been where you are and I know it gets much better in just a short time. After all the build-up to surgery, you get home and you are tired, uncomfortable & stuggle to eat. It feels a bit like 'What have I done to myself?' because the weight does not just drop away. And without your comfy friend food, you feel a bit lost. That is normal and part of the process of the new you. As you start to heal & feel better (with the permission of your doctor, usually after 4-6 weeks of recovery) you will want to be more active. At that time you will also be able have more variety & quantity of food because the swelling will decrease inside your pouch. Nausea also usually goes away by then as well so you should feel much better in yourself. You weight loss will speed up at this point because you will have created a fat burning machine out of your body by giving it balanced nutrition & activity.

Like they say, always darkest before the dawn & Rome wasn't built in a day. They both apply to wls, it will get better soon & your building the 'new healthier you' will take some time.

HTH,
Nic

Nic could not of said it better myself, you hit the nail on the head.

The first 6 weeks are the hardest but it does improve and 38lb loss is really great...it is also true about the anaesthetic (sp) it can stay in your system for up to 12 months hence the reason they dont like you having to many in a short space of time...keep your chin up we all know what your going through I so could not wait until I reached the 6 week mark and then it just got better and better...xx

 

[swizzlestick]

Woah hun one sec, havent you lost a whopping 38 lbs in about 3 weeks? Thats over 2 stone.....Way to go you, you're fast approaching 3 stone, I would be well chuffed with that kind of weight loss. Stop beating yourself up, be proud of your acheivements. You sound like you may well be run down with all the trauma of surgery etc, you need to pamper yourself. Are you able to treat yourself to a new hairdo or a facial or something like that, you could always telephone your local college and ask them if they need guinnea pigs for things like head massage or even a new hair colour.

Of course other people will have noticed, they probably just have no idea what to say, or dare I say it are a tad envious. You may find that your relationships and friendships change as a result of you losing the weight as you will no longer fit in the so called box others have put you into, at least you will find out who your true friends are. You need to try surround yourself with supportive people, and you'll find plenty of them on here

Your allowed to feel down ya know, it too will pass. Try leaving dairy out of your diet and using soya or rice milk for a couple of days, see if this helps with the sickness. Also, I have not had surgery yet but I have a number of digestive conditions that cause me great problems, one of the things that helps a little with nausia is green tea, the one i like has vanilla in it and I buy it in Lidl, you can add a sweetener to it if it is too bland for you, it is quite soothing along with a hot water bottle on my tummy.It sounds like your having a rough time of it

 

[mermaid2708]

Woah hun one sec, havent you lost a whopping 38 lbs in about 3 weeks? Thats over 2 stone.....Way to go you, you're fast approaching 3 stone, I would be well chuffed with that kind of weight loss.

if that was the case i WOULD be well chuffed...but 23lb of my 38lb loss was on my 3 week pre-op diet...so post op i have only lost 15lb...5lb a week. it makes me wonder why i didnt just stick to the shakes and save myself 10 grand???

to everyone else on minis who is supporting me i do thank you...and take onboard your advice and words of wisdom xxx

 

[ditzyangeluk]

What they said! :grouphugg:

I was 2-&-a-half/3 months before I came round to the fact that what I had done was a positive thing!! It DOES get better, though it doesn't feel like it!

Just take one day at a time, recover well & come out fighting.

As I always say ... this too shall pass!
atback:

 

[tendersage]

mermaid i changed my ticker to reflect only the weight loss post op and then wrote up the previous loss in the signature so i can guage hpw fast i am losing from the bypass. As you can see up until last saturday i had only losy 9lb in 3 weeks! remember it will come off eventually the WLS was not a quick fix just a tool, and the tiredness is affecting you a great deal at the moment while your body heals. Its ok to rant here though we will all listen and help you

 

[Brunetteandred]

Some great advice here, hun (as always!)

You have been through a major physical trauma and the body takes time to deal with that. The body will prioritise healing before shedding any weight. Let your body do it's thing, hun.

The mind bit comes later, sadly! But if you do as our friends above have said and listen to your body, the mind will follow. I also believe that it's almost like birth. We have the massive build up to the big event and then..... what happens next?! (Can't speak for the chaps, so it would be nice to hear of their experiences regarding any post-op doldrums).

I'd like to make a bet here and now that in a few weeks time, you will be back on here telling us about the dress sizes you have dropped and just how much energy you have!

Hugs huns. Stay in touch. :hug99:

 

[donnax658]

hun I still have 6 weeks to go until my band is fitted but let me tell you ......if I lose 5lb a week i would be very proud of myself....and you should be too. UIt certainly isn't the easiest option.....but one you must have felt was right for you. You CAN do this hun and soon you'll look back and realise that so far.....you haven't done bad at all!!
Keep up the good work, I hope you start to feel better soonxx

 

[swizzlestick]

My post was no way meant to be unsupportive, quite the opposite but hey!

 

[Sambucca]

My post was no way meant to be unsupportive, quite the opposite but hey!

I read your post as supportive Swizzle.

 

[Sambucca]

Mermaid, I have no advice for you hun as I am pre op so have yet to experience what you are going through.

Just wanted to let you know though that I'm thinking of you and that I agree with the others that its early days yet so it may be some time before your head catches up with your body if that makes sense.

 

[fat-girl-slim08]

I felt exactly the same as you, and I am 9 weeks out tommorow, It was only the last 2 weeks were I have been feeling a lot better and Have more energy and feel happier, At first just like you, I was thinking what the hell have I done! but Now, I am really feeling the benifits, It will come for you and you will start to feel better very soon, Don't be disheartened, Honestly you will definatley feel better soon, and thats a promise! (((HUGS))) x