Depression

Sorry pompa you are likely right about drugs maybe not being the cause, to be honest it is probably day time television that is making you down! Hope you soon get back to your normal self,

Take it easy Pompa, hope you find something to make you smile today

Pompa, I do the same job as Mrs P. for DH. Hope it lifts soon. (((Hugs))) if Mrs P doesn't mind.

Gill, I doubt this is related to the drugs, I had a spinal block, not a general anesthetic. I have had several major operations (significantly more major that a knee replacement) and are familiar with the aftereffects.

This is no more than a re-occurrence of the depression I have had for many years.

I'm fed up with TV, films, books etc. 5 weeks of relative inactivity has exhausted all my sedentary activities, I need to get up & out, doing stuff that I think worthwhile. Which i better do, rather than sitting in front of my laptop.

Hello Pompa I always enjoy your posts and hope you can find support and strength to do battle with your depression. and for you.

I think there is insufficient explanation of the after effects of anaesthetic and post surgery drugs. Your whole system is put in suspense and even after minor dental surgery under general anaesthetic I had shocking and very distressing constipation which made me feel awful. I was also very weepy. There is a lot of discussion about the physical recovery after surgery and not enough discussion of the effects of getting very strong drugs out of your system. My Dad had hallucinations caused by the post surgical drugs he was taking. Combine that with the start of autumn and it is the perfect storm for depression pompa. I would not patronise you by dismissing this as it is very real, but maybe turn it around and use your recovery time as an 'excuse' to read a good book, catch up on a few box sets of series you have missed, without the usual guilt we all feel about sitting 'doing nothing'. Hope you soon feel better.

Hope you have a better day today pompa

Ariadne, you may well be right. As you say there is an euphoria to building up and then having surgery, followed by dramatic recovery. That has slowed now and I am in to the long haul stage, feeling fitter, but not fit enough to follow my normal life pattern.

Been in this state of mind many times, i know it will pass. Mrs.P has seen me through before and I'm sure she will be kicking my a--- to get up and about.

I also suspect that my disturbed sleep pattern is not helping (up at 4am today).

Someone said that surgery was like having a baby, perhaps this is the male version of PND.

to brighten your day and say I'm thinking of you and hope you feel a little brighter today

Hope you are feeling a little better, pompa?

There is something in what people say about being post operative - all the drugs, and then there's a certain euphoria from coming through the operation etc. I do understand that you know depression well but these may well be contributory factors.

Sending you some

Sorry Pompa, you did say you were familiar with this feeling.
Be kind to yourself and to Mrs P.
I take a small dose of an anti depressant and it is enough to have uplifted my mild depression/anxiety.

pompa Noooooo! I always click on your posts. and .

Oh Pompa, I am so sorry to hear this.
I always look forward to your posts, you have often brightened my day.

Could it be something viral or are you familiar with this feeling.
Positive thoughts are sent your way.

Thanks guys, depression is not new to me, I have been troubled with it for many years. I am permanently on anti depressants and recognise the early stages. I don't pretend to be a manic depressive, no where near that bad, but I can be upbeat one moment and down the next. As you say Tanith I need to force myself to get up and out. I should have gone to an art group yesterday, but made some lame excuse to not bother. If the weather is dry tomorrow I hope to get into the garden and boss Mrs. P about. Exercise in the fresh air always helps.

Sorry' I'm just having a whinge, will be fine in a day or two.

Shucks, pompa, I hope that doesn't happen. Take care

Oh join the clan "pompa." Please do not sink just yet. Looking it up on the net it does seem that it is not unusual for people to feel depressed a few weeks after this sort of surgery. It seems to be a combination of many things: getting over the physical assault that your surgery represents, getting the strong post-operative drugs out of your system, the mass of painkillers that need taking for several weeks, the fact that often progress is stepwise and not continuous, the fact that your normal activities cannot be pursued for a while, being temporarily dependent on others, and lost of other stuff.

Don't give up - all will be well in the end.

Do see the doc if things are getting worse.

Sorry to hear you are feeling bad pompa who knew you were a sufferer as your posts are usually so cheery, enthusiastic and upbeat. Is depression something you are familiar with? if so I guess as you say the dark evenings don't help .

You seem to have lots of hobbies can you not plan some outings or activities associated with them to haul you out of your decline?
I hope so, but keep posting, if anything can keep your spirits up its the cheery lot here at Gransnet...