Longevity logo

Getting Down After Losing Pounds

Weight Loss Surgery Journey: Vol 3

By Vanessa Cherron RiserPublished 6 years ago 4 min read
Like

In a previous volume of my weight loss journey, I spoke a little bit about the depression that can occur with losing a lot of weight quickly, especially with people who have had weight loss surgery. In that article, I said I would go into more detail, and that is because I feel depression is a much more serious thing to discuss. As someone who has dealt with severe depression for a good portion of their lives, I felt it important to go into my feelings on why depression can occur after weight loss surgery. I am not saying that this will happen to everyone. There are certainly a lot of people who get happier and happier as time goes on, but this is certainly something that can happen which is why I wanted to write about it.

Change, both good and bad, can cause depression. I remember a long time ago watching an episode of Full House where the family went to Disneyland, and at the end of the show, one of the daughters was depressed. Why? Because she didn’t want the fun to end. She had the most amazing day. So it stands to reason, that even good things that happen in our lives can cause adverse emotions to build inside of us, especially with people who are already prone to depression, such as those who have spent most of their lives vastly overweight.

So, what sort of things in your weight loss journey can you expect to experience depression with? Well, the first year to year-and-a-half after the surgery, people go through what is commonly referred to as the honeymoon phase. During this time, most people can expect to lose the vast majority of the weight. I actually lost 106 pounds during this time frame and went from a size 26 to a size 14. It happens so quickly that it seems like every day there is a new thing to celebrate. Finally, you are getting the body you want, feeling good and active, and overall, achieving goals you once thought was impossible.

Then you hit a point where everything slows down. You may only lose a pound or two a week, or maybe none at all. You start missing the foods you once loved, which, though you know they are bad for you, you still crave and desire. It can become easy to see this wonderful tool as a curse. Some people even grow to regret having the surgery at all. Because eating is easier, you get braver and start to eat foods you know you shouldn’t, which in turn causes you to put weight back on.

On top of the slowing down of the scale, you have sagging skin, some people find a lack of energy start to occur, and friends and family start to think you are starving yourself or you have lost too much weight. You went from everyone thinking you were fat to everyone thinking you are too thin. It can be a lot to mentally handle. Sometimes married couples even develop a strain on their once-happy relationships because the other partner isn’t supportive enough, or becomes intimidated by how good their spouse now looks. I have seen on my weight loss support groups how many couples get divorced.

Now, I can only speak from my own personal experience, but I know my depression and frustration started to kick in around the two-year mark. I was angry that I couldn’t “eat like a normal person.” I no longer wanted to have to count every calorie and carb, or make a separate meal for myself and watch my family enjoy pizza. It was all too much, and I gave up for a while. What happened? I put back on 20 pounds, which only made me feel worse.

So, what do you do about this? First, acknowledge that even good things have hard moments. We all will face these times, and it is how we handle them which is important. One of the things that bothered me was the fact my family could eat things I couldn’t. Well, you know how I fixed that? I made them start eating what I eat. Not only are they all getting healthier and losing weight too, but I no longer feel excluded.

Another thing I try to do is talk to my family about how I am feeling. I tell them that I am upset or frustrated. I discuss when I am having trouble controlling what I eat, and I get them on board with keeping me on track. When you make a lifestyle change, it means changing your life around you. Having a wonderful support group is very important. It is why I am a part of so many bariatric support groups on Facebook as well. If your family simply won’t support you, find support in people who do understand. Most surgery clinics even have their own local support group meetings.

I tell people all the time that I am not the person I was back then. I have changed physically and mentally. It is a difficult road. Anyone who says bariatric surgery is the easy way out has never gone through what we go through. It is a tool, and yes, it jumpstarts the process, but it is certainly not easy. I look at the world in a completely different way now. I view food and exercise much differently than I ever did before. It is a life change, and one I would gladly do again, despite the ups and down.

If you would like to keep up with my weight loss journey, check out my other articles and keep a watch on my page. As always, if your heart leads you, feel free to leave a gift, and I will see you in the next article.

Why I Avoid Sugar

I Want To Live

What the Doctors Didn't Tell Me About Weight Loss Surgery

Awesome Low Carb Substitutes

diet
Like

About the Creator

Vanessa Cherron Riser

Vanessa is a wife and mother who loves games, books, movies and more. In 2015 she made a commitment to health and fitness which she wishes to share with others.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.