So i just had my surgery a month ago and am wondering if post op depression is a common thing or if its just me? it looks more common in other surgeries like weight loss and stuff, but i haven't seen much talk of it on trans-related forums. any idea how long it last (month, months, or years), and how to get rid of it?
Little background: the reason i though it might be me is because one of the pre-requirements of SRS is to stop anti depressants. my doctor recommended weaning off of them over the past 6 months prior to SRS. and i would try to figure this out with family and friends but though they are accepting of me, they really dont know how to help. a therapist specializing in trans related stuff isnt available with my insurance yet so nogo there. and the few personal trans friends i have are mostly pre-op/non-op.
so yeah... any help would be appreciated.
Post surgical depression (any type of surgery) is not common but it does happen. Some people react poorly to the drugs used during surgery and it can take months for the effect to wear off. If it is an issue in your life, you should discuss this with your therapist and doctor as they might be able to help you deal with it.
Yes, I've had post-op depression. SRS was October 20, and by the start of December it bit me, pretty hard. Once I recognized it, and started processing it, I managed to lose the worst of it. When those feelings would sneak in, I learned to recognize it and let go, rather than wrap myself up in the depression.
I put some helpful info on processing this over in another thread:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,230987.0.html
A month after it hit, a bit over two months since surgery, it is fading, and I'm doing better, if a bit fragile.
Hi Raven 🙋♀️ Welcome to Susan's! I'm Jessica. I haven't an answer for you yet. Dena certainly has a vast amount of knowledge as do many here and are all willing to help. I'll post some links to help you get acquainted with the site. I'm happy your experiences are here.
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Hi Raven and welcome aboard sister...
For myself, I found the post op healing process was ripe with opportunities to be depressed... Especially surgeries with longer healing times like SRS and FFS... there are a lot of worries about the healing process, how things will look and you are often far outside your normal activities and can feel a bit cut off from the rest of life... for me the feelings passed as the healing got farther along... I hope you find it passes with a little more time as well...
Onward we go brave sister!!!
Ashley 😀❤️🌻
Some people have it others don't. I had it slightly for a few days 2-3 weeks after surgery. Once I was back on estrogen, that help me a lot. Between recovering, being off HRT for nearly 6 weeks and have to schedule my whole life around dilating, it was getting to me, but it did get better. After the 4th week, dilation became less of a chore and nearly all discomfort was gone. Next week I get to change to dilation to twice a day and that will make a huge different.
The only pain medication I was on after surgery was Tylenol, so I didn't have to come off Oxycodone which I think helped in the later weeks of recovery. Oxycodone was available to me, but I didn't need it as my pain was never above 3½ or 4 out of 10.
Thx all! Looks like it might have been a bit of getting used to hormones again. Not sure if im cured, but at least im not where i was a week or two ago.
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Hi Hon,
When I was booked for my surgery my psychiatrist, we had to have one where I live at that time, asked if I could come back and see her 6 weeks post surgery. I asked why and she said, I ask my TG women and my pregnant women to come back about 6 weeks post surgery or the birth because at about that time depression can hit. It isn't anything to be frightened of, it just is and we deal with it if it happens.
In my case it wasn't an issue but it was a great relief to know that someone was there if I needed a chat. I did in fact have a lovely long talk with her and had lots of hugs and tears as we said farewell to each other.
If you are feeling a bit flat it is certainly worthwhile getting help before it grows into something more difficult to cope with.