Anxiety, nutrition, unions, political activists and Norma Rae

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In a message dated 08/17/2002 1:58:12 PM Central Daylight Time,

shihtzumom@... writes:

> I have noticed quite a few people dealing with anxiety, depression, and

> panic attacks after WLS. For many of us, this may be due to a lifetime of

> obesity related emotions

I note something in common in general in all of us who care to put enough of

ourselves out here on the line in sharing personal experience almost every

day that I too could nod and shake my head to.

I have been diagnosed Bi Polar II, Panic and Anxiety, PTSD, Sleep Disorder

(responds only to anti-anxiety drugs), and a host of other issues. I was

never overweight as a child so in MY CASE I am sure reasonably that it is not

a gene thing other than what would normally happen over a lifetime as

metabolism changes. I have already spent far too much time in cerebral

effort trying to determine on my own whether or not it is truly a case of

which came first, the chicken or the egg. Such a sad sack state of affairs

to waste time on that IN MY CASE. I do think the diabetes and hypoglycemia,

skewed lipids prior to WLS and other issues contributed mechancially to MO

and they have certainly been set aright by surgery and I too have wondrous

good labs. WLS had to be the source and origin of all that setting aright

cause the other issues not so directly related or connected to nutritional

origins certainly have not gone away and actually I have become more keenly

aware of most of them now AFTER surgery.

It has been an interesting transitory time for me since surgery and often I

say that the only constant as a post op, is the constancy of change.

Somewhere along the line something has occurred where weight or numbers on a

scale are not the most important things in my life. I consider myself to

have a failed RNY based on stomal enlargment but the hope of pouch

reconstruction seems not exist so I just gotta live with what I got or

redesign the tail end of the plumbing. So far I can manage to hang in a

range and have not regained and that IS connected to head issues in some

remote manner. Something there has changed as my body has changed. There

are miles to go before I sleep however and I am not saying that any of those

aforementioned issues have been corrected by the surgeon's scapel. I just

seem to be managing them better, treating with drugs those that I can, not

taking those that tend to destroy me, etc.

Bottom line to this ramble here is that I see so much commonality that I am

astounded that there really exists no comprehensive studies covering the

whole spectrum of nutritional, and emotional issues that seems to pervade all

our lives. Further, as a result of participating in online groups for the

last 2.5 years on WLS issues, I am convinced that the only way we will ever

get anywhere with correcting laws that discriminate against us on health

issues, doctors who do not treat us, or who maltreat us is Organization. We

need a national organization to support designed wholly with our group well

being in mind. During a former life I joined OOIDA (Owner Operator

Independent Driver's Association). They are a good example of what I am

talking about. They defend small truckers, who are independent and are

organized wholly and solely for that purpose. They sue large carriers, the

Federal Gov't, fight crooked state organizations, etc., all in the interests

of protecting and more than that, advancing the interests of their members.

I am a life member, will never be in that field again, but still send them

political contributions, etc and support what they are doing. But, I was

always a person to side with an underdog.

If we had organization, we could make folks listen. We could make changes.

It does not have to be the way it is. Medical care and insurance coverage

should be made to address the issues as they exist. Those issues which

confront us all in one form or another need to be addressed.

Where the hell is Norma Rae when one really needs her? :-)

Dan Slone

Surgery 5/2/2000