Post-Operative Depression

[suzifrommd]

A friend who has extensive experience with post-op transgirls observed that we often suffer blues a few months after surgery. Her take is that we have expectations that things will improve that we realize will not completely be met.

I figured that wouldn't happen to me, since I really didn't have a lot of expectations. It was just something I needed to get past to get on with my life.

But to my surprise, at about 4 1/2 months post-op my mood declined sharply. It's not that the surgery didn't meet expectations, but I had put off dealing with the central issues of my life (lack of romantic partnership, lack of social life), and now that I was pretty well healed, it was time to pick them up again. I wouldn't say I'm depressed, but the frustration and lack of solutions has started to get to me.

Have other people felt this? What did you do about it? How long did it last?

[PinkCloud]

I heard it isn't limited to SRS. With every major surgery there seems to be some kind of post-op depression, sometimes minor sometimes major. Did a google search for "post-op depression" and got plenty of results unrelated to SRS. I think we sometimes focus so much on being trans, that we can blame everything on it.

[mrs izzy]

As we know being post does not wipe away life issues.

They are all still there after if they where before.

Need to keep contact with our doctors and stay on medication if needed.

As the social construct is chipped away the so should the depression.

GCS is just a step in the long list of things.

Day at a time.

[Devlyn]

I heard it isn't limited to SRS. With every major surgery there seems to be some kind of post-op depression, sometimes minor sometimes major. Did a google search for "post-op depression" and got plenty of results unrelated to SRS. I think we sometimes focus so much on being trans, that we can blame everything on it.

^^^^^^^ This.

[Carrie Liz]

Yup... not limited to SRS.


"Depression After Surgery is a Real and Dangerous Thing"

"Doctors have long been aware that many patients experience some form of post-surgical depression during the six months following an invasive procedure... Since most people with post-surgical depression emerge from depression after about six months, many doctors considered post-surgical depression either benign or even helpful since it keeps people inactive. As a result, most people do not know that post-operative depression is a common complication of surgery."

http://www.rolereboot.org/life/details/2013-04-depression-after-surgery-is-a-real-and-dangerous-thi

[MelissaAnn]

I just hope I don't freak out at owning female genitalia... I just want the sausage and meatballs gone.

Ditto.
Post  surgical depression is very common among surgeries, especially major surgeries I've had 23 of them on my back, which led to a pretty deep depression for a long time really never had much of a chance to recover from that depression before needing another surgery on my back. The key to everything is to let your doctors know how you're feeling. Keep taking medications for depression. If you're on them, and use your support system around you. You need to take baby steps to get out of the hole of depression find something that makes you happy, even if it's a very small and build on that little by little. It's a long hard road, but it can be done. I know because I'm speaking from experience, I really do wish you the joy and happiness that you deserve. Honey, and may the Angels always look upon you and guide you on your path.

Hugs,

Melissa Ann