Did You Hormone Dump?

Studies point to an increased risk of suicide & depression post WLS.

Ok.... so here is MY question about hormone dumping...

I'm 29, pre op...

here is my million dollar question....  I am on daily HRT (hormone replacement therapy) ...  I had a hystorectomy in 2007.  So for someone who does not have natural hormones in their body would this affect them? I know that when I have WLS, the pill will have to be changed to a patch, but would I still 'dump' my un-natural made hormones? Will me losing weight counter-act the absorption? And is there is a possibility that the amount I'm on now will change after surgery?

That is a good question. You really won't know until/unless it happens. I'm sure you've noticed that some people aren't affected by it at all. *knock wood*  For that to be you.

The amount you need may indeed change after surgery, anyway, regardless of whether or not you go through this. I've had to slightly increase my thyroid meds because of malabsorption, some people require smaller dosages as their weight decreases.

This is why you should have your labs run once every three months for the first year. Not just to get a jump start on preventing/correcting vitamin deficiencies, but also to make sure we are taking in adequate dosages of our prescription meds.

Sorry I couldn't be more definitive, but as you see it's a crap shoot.

Crippled by fear, self loathing and deep black depression........... 

I went through about 1.2 years worth of emotional carnage shedding outmoded behaviors and people along the way.  I can't tell you how much was hormones and how much was a psychological reaction to sudden change but I haven't ever used anti-depressants. I will fess up to some pretty extremes in behavior.


I feel a bit like a Badger coming out of it's hole now for the first time.  The dust has settled and I can RATIONALLY see the landscape about and what I need to do to negotiate my way through the pitfalls. The future looks bright. I don't feel mired in the bleakness of the moment.  I'm still struggling with sexual functioning.....I have NO interest at all but I suspect that has much to do with the estrogen still getting about my bloodstream and my possible low testosterone.

Weird and kinda wonderful.  I STRONGLY recommend everyone get on-going behavioral therapy during this phase. You'll have lots of anger, lots of irrational moods and no hard and fast coping skills to deal with all the changes.  Don't forget people will be irritated by your loss.  The last person you expect might put the boot in because the fat girl is a loveable door mat that the "pretty" folks need to have around, especially in times of transition in their lives.  How dare you be the skinny one? Many a conversation has been had about how terrible I look thin.  LOL......yeh terrible!

Good post Kel you sexy minx.

I had a radical hysterectomy and was on HRT before my WLS. I had a minor hormone dump, it felt like going through a mini surgical menopause again...(Sweats, night sweats, hot flashes.) Nothing MENTAL, I didn't have any depression at all nor any *****yness...Just was HOT all the time and sweating.

Others talked about how they were cold after WLS, and here I was in the middle of winter, sweating. After about 7-8 months things levelled out and I also stopped my HRT (made things better!) I'm also nearly 50 so don't need it anymore.  But yeah...I'd say I felt a minor hormone dump as all the stored estrogen in my fat flushed out. Wasn't as bad as the first two years of my hysterectomy and cancer treatment 

To the OP: er...Ah...I really think that if someone is depressed going into teh surgery, that the surgery itself is NOT going to fix that. I am no psychiatrist, but just from posts I've read here where many folks (pre-op) are depressed or bingers or "addicted" to food and then get mad when the surgery doesn't fix that. Or they think that they will be "happy" when they are thin, then they get thin and aren't happy. If it was my friend I would really make sure she was "stable" before any WLS and  hopefully a good therapist will understand that just the surgery won't help.

Yes, I too was happier AFTER my surgery, but that is because so many medical problems were fixed, and I was able to get off so many medications.

Good luck.
Warmly,
Jackie