Depression

It has been awhile since I have been on here... My sleeve was done on Oct 15,2013 since the 4 wks prior to the surgery in total I have lost 87lbs. I have never had "normal" hormones. At 18 I was diagnosed with POS Polyistic Ovarian Syndrome and they said I was going to have so many problems having children. Thankfully I got lucky a got a boy out of the deal 13 years ago. From then of course like most my weight went up and down. Depression kicked in from time, a horrible divorce, bad relationships and finally a wonderful man and 4 step-kids later I am supposed to be happy that I can do things I have not been able to do for a few years now. So my second menstrual cycle has now come on and gone, but it brought some horrible depression with massive up and down mood swings, crying, terrible thoughts (not death one). I started thinking.. Who am I to call... So I started with my surgeons office because surely they have delt with this before. Two phone calls later NOTHING. Trying to talk to friends, sister, mom and even husband and I can not pull myself out of the funk at all. My Mom gave me a great idea. Call the OB/GYN. So I did.. One phone call to them resulted in 2 phones calls back and some meds. I also decided to go through all of my paper work from the surgeon and found another doctors number I am seeing them on Friday.

I guess my question is is there anyone else out there that has gone through this before and what you have done to keep yourself sane and happy?

Im going through this right now. Idk what to do with myself. I feel like some one sucked all the good feelings out and left me full of negative thoughts. The only thing that has helped is posting on this website. Just breath and be mindfull of what ur feeling. Dont feel like you are weak because u cant bring yourself out of it. This will pass and if you are being active about getting help then you are ahead of the game.  Good for you and stay strong cause things are temporary.

glady, my post below goes for you, too. Please get some professional help- you don't have to feel the way you do.

I'm so sorry you are having to go through this.  Your depression definitely sounds hormonal and I pray this new Dr will be able to help you.  I have dealt with depression since I was three years old.  I wasn't aware of it being chroni****il I was an adult and away from an abusive homelife.  I consulted a Dr who prescribed Wellbutrin.  I take Wellbutrin and am currently salvaging a life that was marred with abuse, bad decisions on my part and a weight gain of over 130 lbs.  The steps I've taken are: reading positive affirmations on Facebook and Twitter; trying new things like joining a gym and training to walk (not run, LOL) a half marathon; dumping toxic people; learning something new everyday (the Internet is awesome for this type of thing); and focusing my time to things that bring love and encouragement to others.  I hope this helps. 

Depression sucks-- been there, done that, got the t-shirt (and the meds) to prove it. If you're dealing with depression, you may want to contact a counselor or psychiatrist. Your insurance company may be able to refer you to someone, or you can call NAMI (nami.org), they have a great referral service to find a mental health professional who can help.

If you need someone to chat with, feel free to drop me a note, I've been fighting the mental health battle for ~15 years and I'm more than happy to listen.

Here's another vote for calling a psychiatrist and I'll tell you why:  They are experts in the field of pharmacology. No other specialist is as well-educated about mood disorders (which is what depression is) than a psychiatrist. If you had a heart attack, would you go to a GP? I certainly hope not!  You'd want the best in the field, right?  So why wouldn't you go to an expert in the field of "mind function",  aka a psychiatrist?

I have battled depression since I was 15.  It got better, it got worse. Hormones made it much, much worse.  My PCP would give me meds, I'd take them for awhile, feel better and stop the meds. Over and over and over.  Finally, 5 years ago I was properly diagnosed with bipolar disorder and put on a regimen of meds that has completely turned things around for me. 

Now, I also have to tell you this:  Get a therapist. Now. Your depression may be hormonally driven, but I would bet you have some "baggage" that needs tending.  Meds are great, but just like WLS, they are only a tool.  Meds can make it easier to cope WHILE you're doing the head work to cope with your situation. Meds alone may help with the hormones but they will come up short in the long term.

Here's what I know to be true about my own recovery: It's complicated. Meds alone didn't do it for me. Talk therapy alone didn't do it for me.  Support groups alone didn't do it for me.  I crafted a "4 legged table" of recovery support, consisting of meds, therapy, support system, and creative outlets.  Even today, as stable as I am, I can tell when I drop a table leg.  I get "tippy". If my meds need adjusting, I droop. If I disconnect from my support system, I droop. If I neglect my creative side, I droop. If I allow two or more of the table legs to fold, I collapse just like a table would. Once I collapse, it is hard for me to get my "table legs" back under me. It requires a lot of effort, but I do eventually do it. 

Depression just sucks the life out of anyone and it's no place to sit and stew.  Depression is a liar, too. It will tell you false things about yourself and will make you feel like nothing can be done to help, but it's not true.  Depression can be helped. I wish you the best.

What you said, mustlovepoodles- specialist treatment- psychiatrist, therapist, and pronto. I recommend an eating disorders or cognitive behavioral specialist, and maybe trying a couple of different therapists until you find someone you click with- the relationship and whether you trust the person you're working with is so important.

I love your "4 legged table" approach, that's just brilliant, and what you say about depression, especially about it being a liar and feeding a person bull**** It profoundly changes the brain biochemically, to say nothing about the cir****tantial issues to be dealt with, so a person is literally not in their right mind.

Thank heavens depression can be successfully treated, but you do have to reach for the help.

I will be honest.I suffer from depression and anxiety.I have a tendency of getting blue in the winter.Well daily I look at my life and how lucky/blessed.I have a freind who has stage three melenoma.He has a blog and he posts weekly how he is fighting for his life but he is so optimistic.He gives me strength.

I take meds and they do help.I see a therapist two times a month.Best thing I ever did.

I have struggled with depression/anxiety for years.  On a ****tail of meds.  One thing my psychiatrist is always checking is my Vit D, Folate, and B vitamin levels.  Especially the Vitamin D, it makes a huge difference in my mood/energy levels.