Depressed

[finallyfree]

My primary doctor happens to be a bariatric surgeon but due to my complicated situation he didn't perform the surgery. At a recent visit, after the usual pleasantries, he asked if I was depressed. I had to think about it. Well, yes I suppose I am depressed. I didn't know that's what it was wrong. Depression. I was losing weight but all the issues in my life that I anticipated being resolved after surgery weren't gone. I mean my diabetes and hypertension are under control but I still shy away from people and circumstances that require me engaging others. I'm still tired all the time which means it's still a big deal for me to keep up with my kids. My 12 year old said mom I thought once the surgery was over, you'd be able to do stuff with us. Grr! My doctor says the depression is certainly not uncommon. As is the fact that my hair is falling out and I'm tired. I have insomnia too. I go days without sleep and everyone insists it's as simple as just going to sleep. It's not. I have learned that because I am not only losing weight, I'm losing muscle mass which causes lack of energy. So tired from no sleep and tired from loss of muscle. The remedy however, is weight lifting and I have totally lost my motivation to exercise. I haven't worked out in at least a month. I don't know how to get back on track. I literally don't know how to begin again. The weight continues to come off, slowly. If not for continued results, I think I'd completely lose it. I'm 2 months post-op and I've lost 35 pounds. Good I guess, I have to remind myself it's ONLY been 2 months. Help! Anyone else have a similar story and advice?

[luke]

You and I are on the same path...but you're a little ahead of me. I'm losing muscle with fat. I'm getting weaker and my sleep is getting worse. I know I need to exercise more (really exercise, not just walk,) but it's hard to get motivated.

Maybe THIS is what they meant when they said "this will be hard for you"...maybe it wasn't the surgery that was hard...but rather the effort after surgery of pushing yourself through the weakness and making the effort to rebuild yourself.

What facilities for exercise do you have where you are? We can come up with a plan together.

[amazing]

I work out a lot, but i have to admit i have days that are just a huge pain in the a.. . But i quess it is all about atitude. I just have to turn it around and remind myself why i did this. My sleeve is my tool, not a solution on its own. Hard to do i know, but thats what i do. Motivation to work out will come, as long as you start doing something. For 15 mn a day or something. Just get going and your body will respond.

[leesooim]

I am NOT assuming that this is exactly what you're going through, but this thread with the article link in the first post might help:

http://www.gastricsleeve.com/forum/g...o-read-it.html

Good luck!

[DebiA]

Sorry to hear you are depressed and can't sleep, that's the worst. I didn't have any problems with my surgery and didn't get depressed afterwards (I was depressed before surgery). What you need is a good wake up call to yourself..............tell yourself that you want to be happy and feel good so you HAVE to exercise, even though you hate doing it. Keep doing it for two weeks, then it will get easier. You HAVE to try or else you will gain the weight back and be even MORE depressed. So, snap out of it and start taking care of yourself and you will feel better in a few week, just DO NOT give up.

[cowgirljane]

I am 16 months out from surgery and at goal - so here is my perspective from the other side... remember i had a crapload of weight to lose and I had sleep apnea and what i like to call "general misery" at the beginning of my journey. I had a positive attitude, but physically did not feel well.

The first 3 months SUCKED!

Months 4-6 were "rebuilding" months and I started to become more active and the weight loss really started to excite me. I had to lose 50# before anybody noticed! I had lost probably 60-75# before I was able to be significantly more active.

Months 7-8-9 I was feeling great, had lost enough that I was enjoying horses, and my new life. I was still overweight and nobody would have mistaken me for a slim person, but life was good. Too good... my weight loss slowed down.

somewhere around month 10 or so I decided to get off my butt and kick it back in gear to get the last of the weight off to goal.

By 12 months out from surgery everybody thought I needed to stop losing weight, but I was still in a bigger size then I wanted so I didn't hit goal until just under 14 months.



Don't let the early months get you down.. it gets better. You might be mourning loss of food in some way. There are massive physical changes. Yeah, the weight loss if great but especially for for high BMI people you still have soooo long to go and it is hard to be too excited about it.

[finallyfree]

I live in Sacramento, CA. It's a typical big city. I've tried a few exercise regimens. Walking was the only exercise that I did with consistency. But I got bored and stopped all together. I tried Zumba but the instructor wasn't motivating. I've sat back and watched exercise routines on cable but never participated. Grr, I just wish when my workout alarm went off, I actually worked out. After seeing yours and the other fellow gastric sleeve patients responses, I feel inspired. I'll be here for you and you help me.

[finallyfree]

Thanks again for the advice. Today I am going to do something for 15 minutes. Then I'm going to commit to doing something for 2 weeks. I have my 3 month pet-op next month. I would like to tell my surgeon yes when he asks if I'm exercising.

[finallyfree]

Thank you for sharing your journey. As I read your story I realized it has only been 2 months. I can't give up I know. My reason for the surgery is probably different than most. I needed to lee weight sure but I wanted to rid myself of diabetes, hypertension, gastroparesis, arthritis, gout. The diabetes and hypertension are controlled; everything else is gone. The weight loss is a plus. I know I just have to press on and remember how exciting it is to see the results medically ad physically. Thank you again.

[lindmar]

You are doing great with your weight loss!!! Everyone above has great advice. Another idea - are you low on B-12 or vitamin D? Those have made a HUGE difference to me. My B-12 was low so I started taking it about a week ago & I could really tell when it kicked in! The past few days I've actually WANTED to get active.

[pianomom]

I have never been a gym person even when I was younger but my surgeon referred me to a local gym that has Zumba Gold (I am 64 yrs old) and I am absolutely addicted to it. It is a lot of fun and not as intense as regular Zumba. I do it 3 days a week and work on machines 2 days. I have found that by going at the times that a lot of senior citizens go inspires me. As I watch them, I realize that I can do it if they can! If you have a Zumba Gold class locally, I would suggest you try that for exercise.