Depression ?

[Normy24]

5 years now since bypass surgery, and my depression (if that's what it is) is getting worse.

Nothing ever phased me before CABG, but now...

I find myself crying at something sad on tv.

I find myself crying at something happy on tv !

I find myself crying in a restaurant or pub, for no apparent reason.

I find myself crying reading all the information I am getting whilst trying to research this.

I told my doctor, and she ignored it as a problem. I've wondered is it the medication I am on ? can't see any side effects of depression or low mood with anything I am being prescribed.

So I turn to my bypass as a possible cause.

To add to my cry baby habits, I have completely lost interest in my life time hobby of photography, wanted to sell all my gear, but my partner talked me out of it.

Always liked woodwork, so when I retired I intended on kitting out my shed and making things... Lot of money's worth in there, but again the interest has gone...

Is this normal ? so long after CABG, or is there possibly something else wrong ?

[Anon2023]

I’m no doctor but it sounds like depression to me but you need to be assessed by a professional. Going through heart surgery is traumatising and I think some of the medical profession massively underestimates the psychological impact. If your gp wasn’t helpful can you see another doctor? Or you can refer yourself to talking therapies (Google it in your area). I’m not saying that counselling is a panacea but it might help. Medication is also an option but you need to speak to someone who will at least let you know what options are available to you. I wish you luck.

[Normy24 in reply to Anon2023]

thank you so much for that, think I.m going to have to have another go with my doctor Think I have other issues which are probably more important to the doctor. Keep getting pre diabetic blood sugar readings and have been struck down by M.E. this last few years...

[Anon2023 in reply to Normy24]

it sounds as if you’ve had a very difficult time and it’s no surprise that your mental health has suffered. All I can do is encourage you to go back to your doctor and also to explore what support might be available from self referral. Try googling Mind and Talking Therapies, both of which you can refer yourself to. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Take care.

[Heyjude31 in reply to Normy24]

Hello, I cannot speak for other’s experience with ME, which I had some years ago and one of the knock on effects was depression. It is a very debilitating health condition so I would not be surprised if this is connected. I also think that however long after we had CABG it is entirely possible that depression can ‘visit’ us. I to, hope you are able to speak with your GP to get some answers. Take care, Judi

[Captain_Birdseye]

It definitely sounds like your mental health has suffered... can you self refer to mental health nurses in your area?

If not, I'd say find another doctor, this is impacting your quality of life and needs to be taken care of as much as the physical!

[Normy24 in reply to Captain_Birdseye]

Suspect I'm going to have to have another go at my doctor ! Thanks for the reply

[Hidden]

Hello

Bless you I know how you feel

I suffered before my triple heart Bypass but it has got worse since and nearly 2 years now

You should not have been dismissed by your Doctor it sounds like you need maybe some medication for it or Counselling

I wonder if you could see another Doctor maybe in the same surgery that has more understanding and compassion I certainly would try you need some support and help and deserve it

You are not a cry baby either you are someone that needs help and I do hope you will keep trying till you get it

You can always come and talk with us and please let us know how you get on x

[Normy24 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for that. Bad nights sleep last night and having really bad day today. Things can only get better... Think the problems with Doctors is, apart from being overworked, they address the most important things and not the more trivial to speed up appointments and get on to the next. Going to have to make an appointment and go in with just the depression problem... Again thanks.

[Hidden in reply to Normy24]

Hello

I suffer to so I really know how you feel and been depressed is just as important as it affects your health

I really hope you will make that appointment just for the depression and when you do I really hope you will let us know how you got on but know you are not the only one and you are not alone x

[Normy24 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Hidden in reply to Normy24]

x

[Hidden]

Dear You,

First a warm welcome to the forum, I hope that it can supply both the answers you require and the support as it has me and many others.

Your first post is heart breaking { yes I mean it } because of all you have gone though to end up feeling like you do.

Forget the time aspect, you are feeling out of sorts , you know you are feeling unlike your normal self and that is the beginning of the answer.

You are very brave to come onto this forum and open your heart to us { see how important that organ has become to out general talking } and that was a big step....very.

No-one here can tell you that you are suffering from depression other than you are following the same patten as many of us have that suffer from it.

You are not alone, even more so now, there are hundreds on here that suffer as you do, me included.

As soon as I admitted it to my Dr it became so very obvious .

Talk to your Dr and get the ball rolling

I decided to go down the medication route and joined Steps To Wellbeing, which is a self referral { look it up on the net and see what you think }.

Above all let us help as best we can,

Take care and please keep us informed,

you can always private message, { please remember I don't always answer immediately.}

[Normy24 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your helpful reply. Don't know about brave, to me writing to people who don't know me is a cowards way out ! Talking face to face would be brave ! Oh shoot, crying again now, having a really bad day, after bad nights sleep... Will look at steps to wellbeing, Thanks for that...

[Hidden in reply to Normy24]

Don't worry about the tears, let them flow, and believe me you are a very brave soul, you just need a hand to see it and a voice to tell you.

Please take care

[Normy24 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks

[Heather1957]

If this has only started since your bypass then it stands to reason it is connected.

I won't use the term PTSD as I believe that is to broad a term but I do believe you have depression/anxiety or other label and you really should speak to an expert about this.

I certainly had bouts of depression for months after my bypass but it didn't last much longer than that so to feel this way 5 years later seems to me you need a little support to move on.

It is very unlikely you will get any counselling on the NHS so this is something you may need to pay for yourself. It used to be about £40 upward locally in South Wales, probably more in other parts of the Country.

You (like many of us) have been fortunate to have a second (or 3rd) chance and it would be so unfair if you cannot take advantage of this because of your MH problems.

Please try and get some help or support so you can start enjoying life again.

[Normy24 in reply to Heather1957]

Silly story really ! But maybe not !We moved home about 10 years ago, shortly after we saw a squirrel on the lawn, we fed her, she brought her children, we fed them... now we have several squirrels, we love them, we feed them. Now we have lots of squirrels, and we love them all.

Then one day a female squirrel turned up, she didn't get a nut out of the box, something not right here !

Ground nuts up, and she ate... this went on for a week, then she struggled with the ground nuts, 2 days she ate nothing... next day, she was sitting on my front door step.... I had to take her to be put down.

That has triggered my inner feel shit factor...

depression sucks...

[Heather1957 in reply to Normy24]

I think this is symptomatic of depression, we search our memory for things that hurt us or upset us.

Now I am all for having a good cry every now and again, I look at old pictures, or listen to music that will trigger a memory but I control when enough is enough.

If you have no control over this feeling you need help.

I never thought I was the depressed kind of person, but after my bypass I used this place as a diary and often look back at my posts. In one of them I even questioned whether I should have refused the bypass. Over time things did get better, as I physically started to heal I mentally came to terms with the seriousness of what I had gone through.

We are all fragile and sometimes we need a little (or a lot of) help and never be afraid to ask for it.