No more happy pills?!?!?! - ThinnerTimes

hiddengem · 04-27-2008, 08:38 PM

I've been on antidepressants for about 2 years now. The doc says I have to be off of them for at least a week before surgery, and I'm really worried about that. The last week of work before surgery is going to be pretty stressful and busy and I'm worried I won't be able to get through it. Did anybody else go through this before surgery? Any ideas on how to cope?

mistymee · 04-28-2008, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiddengem

I've been on antidepressants for about 2 years now. The doc says I have to be off of them for at least a week before surgery, and I'm really worried about that. The last week of work before surgery is going to be pretty stressful and busy and I'm worried I won't be able to get through it. Did anybody else go through this before surgery? Any ideas on how to cope?

Yep.. I had to go off my cymbalta pre-op, and was not allowed to go back on them, since cymbalta works like a timed-release medication.

So far, I've done *really* well and my doc thinks I'm going to be okay without (outside of the pain of my arthritis, which cymbalta helped somewhat).

As for coping, I dunno.. I felt okay without, so I don't feel I needed to cope..

But I do wonder if one week is enough to titrate down from a full dose to nothing. Did they want you to go off of it cold turkey? Depending on the amount of your dose that might be a really bad thing to do.

Not trying to scare you but my sis was on one of the AD's and she wanted off of them; her doc had her cut the dose in half and even that was too fast and caused blackouts (can't remember which med it was, sorry.. ) Turns out she was on high enough of a dose that she needed to drop it by thirds instead.

Please check with the prescribing doc to make sure of the proper way to wean yourself from the med so you don't make yourself sick! Good luck.

hiddengem · 04-28-2008, 07:48 AM

Oh crap, I didn't even think about having to titrate down.

My surgery is 2 weeks from today, so I'll get on the phone to the surgeon and the doctor today. And you're probably right that I won't have it completely out of my system by surgery. That makes me feel better.

Thanks for the advice!

Mia · 04-28-2008, 03:50 PM

I have been on antidepressant for the past year and I was wondering what was going to happen with that...

I take Effexor, which is also timed-release I think...

I guess I will have to wait and talk to the surgeon about it.

izanmanyzanz · 04-28-2008, 03:53 PM

I take Celexa and along with all my other meds that I was taking, I was allowed to take them till 24 hours before, then I was still able to take my thyroid at 12 hours out. I guess it just depends on the doctor.

chris0498 · 04-29-2008, 09:03 PM

I have been on Paxil for 9 years and the Phyc told me the one thing that they have found out about Paxil is that it cause you to crave carbs and that I might want to think about going off someday. That being said my mom died suddenly last year and we were very close, plus with the stress of the surgery she told me not go off of it for the time being.

KarenInKali · 04-29-2008, 09:05 PM

Chris, I'm sorry for your loss.

On another note, my docs put me on Lexapro instead of Paxil - they said Paxil wasn't "weight friendly."

kit60 · 05-03-2008, 02:39 AM

I guess it matters what anti-depressant you are on as to whether you go off of it before surgery. My doc had me take mine up until the morning before surgery and back on as soon as I got home from the hospital.

mistymee · 05-03-2008, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kit60

I guess it matters what anti-depressant you are on as to whether you go off of it before surgery. My doc had me take mine up until the morning before surgery and back on as soon as I got home from the hospital.

I'm sure the type has to make a difference.. the cymbalta that I was on is a time release which is a type we can't handle post-operatively due to the malabsorbtion problems (for bypass people, I don't know whether it is a problem for lapbanders)

KarenInKali · 05-03-2008, 11:57 AM

I talked with my surgeon about it on Thursday at my pre-op - he told me to continue taking mine, even the morning of surgery, but I won't be on them while I'm in the hospital. Will begin again once I get home.