clearance letter
The BMC Program refers patients to a psychologist that does testing just for the WLS program. I did the 500+ MMPI with a brief interview last week. It cost $160 cash (not covered by insurance) and I am told it will take 3 weeks for the results to be back to the surgeon's office. So, I still don't know if I am sane! Ask your surgeon to refer you to a psychologist if your insurance requires testing. If they don't require testing, ask your primary care provider for a referral to behavioral health. It might not hurt to have someone that you know in case things become difficult to deal with after surgery. This is a major life change. In my opinion, it is always good to have a mental health professional to fall back on to talk things over with in times of crisis. I think of it as you would having a regular dentist, gynecologist or car mechanic. You may not see them often, but try finding a new one to see you when you have an emergency!
Luann