I read this article linked from Digestive Health SmartBrief-

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL466957...alBrandChannel=10284

Apparently they have officially linked IBD with higher rates of depression, anxiety and panic disorders. Well, duh. lol! But seriously, before my colon was removed I suffered from ongoing severe depressive episodes with dysthymia (continuous, persistent mild depression) since the age of 10. Since I missed getting diagnosed with UC until after my colon was removed, I spent years in therapy, with happy pills and the whole nine yards.

Well, once my colon and rectum (and all UC) were gone, my whole attitude has changed. It's been seven months now, and even though all of these surgeries have been pretty terrible (and sure I've had my moments), overall I feel so darn-- glad! Every morning, I wake up and just feel better. Instead of waking up and thinking. "oh man, I hate life" I think, "hmm, what's for breakfast?"

It's uncanny. So how about you all? Feel happier once the colon and other trouble areas are gone? I'm almost starting to think that the depression might amazingly be...gone?

Hmmmm, what's the opposite of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? Post Ordeal Contentment Euphoria (POCE)? I think you've discovered a brand, spanking new order (not DISorder)!

What a wonderful 'complication' to have with this surgery!

kathy

Oh that makes so much sense!! Thanks for sharing!

During my recovery from my colectomy, it was during January. It was much easier to be in a good mood when the weather was nice, but when it was dreary, rainy or otherwise nasty, it was very easy to get depressed. I remedied this with several naps on those crappy days.

Lina, glad you now like your breakfast!

You know, I'm sure that I had dysthymia when I was a kid. I don't ever remember being happy. I figured this out one day when i was at university and all of a sudden it dawned on my that I was happy. I'd never realized what happy really felt like until then. I'd spent my life just kind of in a grey fog. Speaking with my sister, who has her own autoimmune issues, she told me that she felt the same way. After the first surgery I had lots of complications and became very depressed and went on antidepressants. It took a couple of months to get over the complications and get the medicine into my system and once that happened, well look out!! I was almost bounding out of bed to get started on the day, smiling for no reason when i was doing the dishes, all sorts of things... For me I'm sure that I'll probably have antidepressants involved to some degree in the rest of my life (and I'm sure that is because of family history), but I think the fact that after surgery we can finally relax and look forward to the future influences our whole outlook. All the fears that we have about our health, about having an accident in public, worrying about what we eat and when we eat it, about how we are affecting our friends and family, etc... pretty much go away for the majority of people after surgery. So, really how can we not feel happier?

I'd be interested to see whether someone has done a study linking other autoimmune issues to higher rates of depression, anxiety and panic disorders. And I'd be interested as to whether there is a link in onset dates for the diseases ( I started showing symptoms of UC when I was 28-29 and was officially diagnosed at 29. For the dysthymia - if that's what I had - I was a kid/teenager/young adult, so why is there a 20-25 year gap?).

Interesting topic.

Suzanne

Did u end up with a jpouch or ileostomy?
Keep getting better!

Suzanne,

I wonder that same thing - how many of us J-Pouchers or people with IBD have autoimmune deficiencies.

I was dx with Epstein Barr Virus in 94 and UC in 2001. Had surgery 2003. The J-Pouch doesn't stop me from my job but the combination of the J-Pouch and the EBV does stop me from working more than a few hours a week.

It is amazing how feeling better improves all aspects of our lives.

i was seriously depressed before i had symptoms of UC. for about a year, i took depression medication, and a birth control pill for pain i was having. i stopped both after my mood seemed stabilized, just to see, and immediately got lots of bad symptoms of UC. it wasn't long after that i had my colon removed and a pouch created.

the funny thing is, in spite of continuing problems, and issues related to autoimmune disorders, i haven't had the problem with depression since! sometimes i get pretty down, but not like before. so for me, it's not because i feel better that i...well, feel better! i didn't feel sick before as much as i do now, but my depression is under control.

i have also wondered if messing with hormones, by using birth control pills (and depression medication, too, i guess) could contribute to the UC. i have read that theory somewhere.

interesting, all the connections!
ellen

Great!
NOW, I've got to get that under controlled b/c I hate it and never had it like this.
Did you have an internal pouch or an outstide ostomy? TIA!

BEST WISHES!