Depression After Surgery

Q:  I just had surgery for prostate cancer. My doctor tells me the operation was successful and all the cancerous tissue was removed. There was also no evidence the disease has spread. Despite all the good news - I am still feeling down in the dumps and can't figure out why.

A:  In answering the question, I am going to assume that you are otherwise healthy and this surgery followed a complete physical examination that unearthed no new problems.

Keep in mind that almost any form of surgery can adversely affect one's notion of health and invincibility. In some ways it's like being afraid to drive again after a motor vehicle crash. For some, after either of these events, they're back in the saddle and able to pick up where they left off. For others, this experience sends waves of disruption through every aspect of their lives. The result may be an episode of depression that can be brief or long lasting.

Signs of depression include: excessive fatigue, sleeplessness, crying episodes, a significant increase or decrease in appetite, a loss of ambition or motivation, and in some, self destructive thoughts. For some, just recognizing there may be a cause and effect relationship is liberating enough to offer hope for eventual resolution without intervention. For others, especially if the symptoms worsen or show no sign of relenting after a few weeks, consultation with your doctor is definitely in order.

"Your Health" provides easy-to-understand information about common health conditions.