Question:
Has anyone been on anti-depressants prior to surgery and after?
I'm on 150 mg. of Effexor daily ... is/has anyone been on any anti-depressants before/after WLS? — [Anonymous] (posted on October 23, 2000)
October 23, 2000
I was on antidepressants for a long time prior to surgery. I had
to go off them, slowly prior to surgery cause I was not allowed to
take any meds for one wk post op. This created a lot of problems for
me emotionally and physically. My moods got erratic and I needed my meds
even before I left the hospital. They tried to give them to me crushed up.
It made me ill and I refused to take them. When I got home, I developed a
very
touchy and sensitive pouch. I could not take any meds at all for the first
month
post op. This left me very unstable emotionally. Not only did I not have my
antidepressants
but the surgery left me feeling depressed, also. It was a very rough road.
As you probably know,
it takes antidepressants about 3 wks to start working once you get back on
them, again. Not trying to
say these things to scare you but this was my experience. Good luck w/ your
WLS.
— kathy S.
October 23, 2000
Hi! I was on 50mg. Zoloft for pain control with my fibromyalgia both
before and after surgery. They even crushed it and shot it in through my
G-tube while I was in the hospital. So in my case, I never stopped taking
it and have had no problems before, during or after WLS.
Good Luck!
— Carla I.
October 23, 2000
I am taking 80mg of Prozac a day. I have taken it for several years. The
three days that I was in hospital I didn't take any meds, but began taking
the Prozac (minus the capsules which was really nasty tasting)as soon as I
got home. Because Prozac has a rather long half-life the three day hiatus
had virtually no effect on my mood. My understanding is that some meds like
Paxil wash through the system fairly rapidly and can result in larger
problems. I suggest that you talk with your prescribing doctor about your
concerns.
— Nanette T.
October 23, 2000
I was on 60 mg of Paxil a day for quite some time. But as soon as I had a
surgery date I started to wean myself to a lower dosage. Just the thought
of surgery helped to relieve a lot of the situational cause of my
depression (knowing that I was going to be thin really was a boost) I took
my Paxil the morning of my surgery and I think I got it while in the
hopsital. I kept taking it for a couple of months post op and then was
completely off. Now there are times that I think I probably could use a
dose or ten but am really trying to cope with the feelings and moods
instead of going back on the medication. (I have stopped needing all of my
medications I used to take so really want to stay off of everything) If I
have to take an antidepressant again, I will. But the combination of joy at
losing the weight and also the natural endorphins released as I exercise
have seemed to aleviate my problems. Be sure that your doctor orders the
meds for you while you are in the hospital (but I didn't take a chance and
brought a few pills of my own just in case. I know what sudden withdrawal
is and it isn't pretty!!!!)
— Fran B.
October 23, 2000
Hi, I was on Effexor prior to surgery also. I had a very bad experience
because I wasn't very informed about the drug. It is not one of those that
stays in your system for a long time, and therefore must be taken through
the surgery. First of all, if you are taking the capsules, you must get on
a prescription of the tablets. The tabs have a much higher absorbption rate
and are absorbed in the small intestine and are therefore effective. Try
taking the same dosage, but if you are finding yourself still very down,
try a higher dose. Keep your physician or psych. informed of your
experimentation and consult your pharmacist if you need more information or
counseling. I cannot stress enough to try to do this BEFORE surgery. I
didn't and since Effexor does not stay in the system, it was like falling
off a cliff. Please email me direct if you would like to discuss this more.
[email protected] Good luck. Jill
— Jill C.
October 24, 2000
I was taking Zoloft, 200 mg daily for years before my WLS. I was very
concerned about post-op depression, and quizzed my doctors before surgery
to make sure I would not be off my medication for more than a few days.
After surgery, they gave me the go-ahead to start taking my Zoloft on the
third day. Unfortunately, I soon found that my pouch was very sensitive to
the zoloft tablets, and every time I took them I was miserable with a
stomach ache for a couple hours. Zoloft does not come in liquid form, so I
tried smashing the pills and mixing them with applesauce. GAG! The taste
was so horrible, I vomited. I finally found that I could eat a couple
crackers (well-chewed) then swallow the pills, then eat another cracker,
and it helped protect my stomach. I continued taking my medication despite
these problems, and never had a wink of post-op depression. Hope you do as
well.
— Lynn K.
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