First off, I'm really glad you joined. Thank you! For someone who has suffered longer than I have with anxiety and depression, hats off to you! You're a fighter! I don't know if you take medication, but I'm assuming you do....& if you do, have you, do you or are you having problems taking your medications crushed? If so, do you feel they are as effective as they were (if they were) before? Do you find it harder to take the meds, skip meds because they taste so nasty crushed even mixed in yogurt or whatever you mix them in? I don't have access to my mental health psychiatric visits but once every 3 months because I don't have health insurance, but recently I'm finding my benzos for anxiety aren't working. I'm afraid they aren't absorbing. I'm much more nervous these days, but under way less stress. I feel like since the surgery, even though I'm happier, I'm much more anxious. Any comments or thoughts would be highly appreciated! Thanks so much if you have any words of wisdom!

Hi Hennessy,
I have joined the group because you have such interesting discussions going on here.
I think anyone who is obese has struggled with maintaining mental health and I love your healthy attitude. I've had a few severe depressions and one or two manic episodes (or hypomanic) in my time.
Not currently on meds and mentally well but can so easily relate.
It seems straightforward to me that many of us would become more anxious when we are not able to use food as a coping mechanism anymore.
Being able to move your body more freely and being treated better by other people as we reach a more normal size.. some of these sorta things have got to help with anxiety too, though, I would have thought.
Warm wishes,
Nel

I'm pre-op so I do not know about crushing meds. I'm on 40 mg of Lexapro and 200 mg of Lamictal right now with Ativan PRN. I seldom take the Ativan. I won't be seeing my psychiatrist until the end of September but I will try to ask her more about crushing meds. We have tried me on a ton of meds over the past two years trying to find the right match for me. I think that my current combo is the best. SNRI's and I don't match, its the increase of norepinephrine and I that don't mix.....it creates anger and agitation. Finding the right meds have been a big problem for me. I know "NOW" that I must have them to function. Doing without is not a good idea for my case so I'm going to need guidance from my doc if I have surgery.

I'm on cymbalta 120 mg capsules and Ativan 20 mg 3 times a day as needed. Then 10 mg ambien to sleep. I'm feeling the best I have in years I pray I don't have to stop my cymbalta (it's a capsule).

I'm on cymbalta 120 mg capsules and Ativan 20 mg 3 times a day as needed. Then 10 mg ambien to sleep. I'm feeling the best I have in years I pray I don't have to stop my cymbalta (it's a capsule).

I'm on cymbalta 120 mg capsules and Ativan 20 mg 3 times a day as needed. Then 10 mg ambien to sleep. I'm feeling the best I have in years I pray I don't have to stop my cymbalta (it's a capsule).

I'm on cymbalta 120 mg capsules and Ativan 20 mg 3 times a day as needed. Then 10 mg ambien to sleep. I'm feeling the best I have in years I pray I don't have to stop my cymbalta (it's a capsule).