Kathi_S
Member
I've learned the hard way the importance of closely following up on all medication changes made prior to surgery, especially antidepressants.
My antidepressant prior to surgery was an extended release pill, bigger than a baby aspirin, and could not be cut or crushed. So it had to be changed. My psychiatrist changed my prescription to a similar medication, which we titrated up to a point where I ended up taking two pills twice a day. No big deal.
Except it was. Slowly I was falling apart. My mood was unstable. I was starting to panic more and more. Little by little I was losing control and finding it harder and harder to find my happy self again.
I was talking to my therapist on a weekly basis. I was seeing my psychiatrist on a regular basis. It wasn't until I saw my sleep doctor and she saw the state I was in and noticed the change in my antidepressant that anyone figured out what was going on!
My new antidepressant wasn't doing the job. My bariatric team cleared me to take my old extended release medication but said I was would likely need a higher dose due to absorption issues. My psychiatrist immediately called the prescription in for me. I am still in the process of trying to get stability.
I am posting this for all of you that are preop and are on an antidepressant medication that may need to change. Don't make the same mistake I did. As soon as you notice any change in mood or emotion, check with your doctor! Find out when or if you can go back to your old medication if it worked better for you. Don't wait until you are in crisis mode to get help like I did. It takes a lot longer to dig yourself out of the holes you dug if you do.
My antidepressant prior to surgery was an extended release pill, bigger than a baby aspirin, and could not be cut or crushed. So it had to be changed. My psychiatrist changed my prescription to a similar medication, which we titrated up to a point where I ended up taking two pills twice a day. No big deal.
Except it was. Slowly I was falling apart. My mood was unstable. I was starting to panic more and more. Little by little I was losing control and finding it harder and harder to find my happy self again.
I was talking to my therapist on a weekly basis. I was seeing my psychiatrist on a regular basis. It wasn't until I saw my sleep doctor and she saw the state I was in and noticed the change in my antidepressant that anyone figured out what was going on!
My new antidepressant wasn't doing the job. My bariatric team cleared me to take my old extended release medication but said I was would likely need a higher dose due to absorption issues. My psychiatrist immediately called the prescription in for me. I am still in the process of trying to get stability.
I am posting this for all of you that are preop and are on an antidepressant medication that may need to change. Don't make the same mistake I did. As soon as you notice any change in mood or emotion, check with your doctor! Find out when or if you can go back to your old medication if it worked better for you. Don't wait until you are in crisis mode to get help like I did. It takes a lot longer to dig yourself out of the holes you dug if you do.
