Kelly's Question of the Day

I have been feeling down lately. I have been off my anti-depressants since the day of the surgery, because I was on a time-released med. My doc and I agreed to keep me off it to see how I do, and I'm not too sure I should be off an anti-depressant.

Any recommendations for an rny friendly med?

Hey Kelly

You need to get back on them. For one thing it is not good to go off those things cold turkey.
I stopped taking my meds on my own after surgery because they were capsules and I had to open them and put them in yougurt or apple sauce and it was nasty.
My mood got even nastier than the yogurt LOL
There should be something else he can give you
You can actually take timed release they just don't work as fast, but as I said there should be another option.
Go see your Doc, and report back to us :-)

Have a great day

Hijack
Hi Joyce How are you /? I have not been on all that much lately How long now has it been since knee surgery and how is it going? I have a few questions hope its ok

Hi Kelly;

I feel for you. I too am on anti-depressants. I had my surgery a few days before yours. I have tried over the years to go without and it didn't really work for me. A few months before surgery I went back to the old school Prozac. For the first two weeks I opened the capsule up and mixed it with unsweetened applesauce. It was really bitter, but at least it went down. I am now 3+ weeks post op and able to take the capsule with no problems. There are a few other non-sustained release ones out there, but I found Prozac was the best alternative for me. Effexor comes in a non-sustained release, but I think it is a tablet, so you may have to cru**** Sertraline (Zoloft) is a capsule and I don't think it is sustained release so it may be OK too.

I would talk to your family doctor. I asked the surgeon about it, but was deferred to my family doctor.

Hope things get better.

Kristie

Try getting more B and D vitamins, getting out in the sun and a little exercise (even 15 minutes can make a difference).
I looked up St. John's Wort as an alternative but it seems it just wouldn't work for WLS patients as it hinders iron absorbtion.
Do things with a friend who knows about your depression, they'll be happy to walk with you too.

Are you kidding me about the SJW and iron?

I didn't know that.
I have been taking St Johns Wort for years and years and I take it in the morning with my iron pill.

Dang, I guess i should take it at night then.

Thanks for the info.

J

Actually now that i think about it, when i was 3 months out, i got my blood work done and was told that my iron was low and to start taking supplements again. that's when i started taking it in the morning along with my STW, and then i went back 3 months later to get the levels checked again and they came back fine. So I must be absorbing it.

But just to be safe, i think i'll switch to a nighttime with the SJW, better safe than sorry.

I'd get back on them. Weight loss doesn't cure depression or other mental health issues. There are several you could be taking that would help.

They warned us about going off antidepressants at the education class. You are more at risk for emotional issues after weight loss surgery. Please ask your doc about a kind you can absorb.

I am on antidepressants, and I take Cipralex.  Small not time released.

Traci

 Go talk to your doctor. Its worth the conversation. 

I can list a whole bunch of AD's  you could take but works for me or for others may not be right for you -  I don't know your entire medial  history, what other drugs you are taking, allergies, sensitivites, what has been tried before and worked or not worked. Each of our body chemistries are different. 

A good pharmacist can look at the literature and or contact the drug company about a specific drug and where it is absorbed in the digestive system. The drug company may or may not know.  As far as i know there are no AD's that RNY people can't take - you may need to adjust the dosage or open the capsule but even the time released ones do some good (and besides they build up in your system to a therapeutic level so it just might take you longer to geet there).