Psych office visit question?

Hi everyone. I am new this adventure. Before I ask my questions, I want to congratulate each and every one of you for your accomplishments. I just started this journey this month with the recommendation of my PCP, who I have complete faith in. I recently went to the seminar at RW Medical center the beginning of May. This is where my journey begins. I have been on-line ready all of your posts and it has been very helpful. My first visit with Dr. G is this Tuesday. This is when I hopefully find out if my health insurance will cover the Lap Band procedure. Until then, I am having sleepless nights.

I do have a question about the Pysch evaluation which I have scheduled next week with RI Hospital. I can not help but to be more scared about this visit than the actual surgery. I have read so many bad things about them. What happens in the 3 to 4 hour you are there? Do you take a test of some sort or do you just go over the evaluation I had to fill out? Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks everyone

Hey there!  Welcome to your new home away from home.  I have Dr. G and she is terrific.   Now the psych eval...  yeah, its a real pain.  You give them your paperwork and then you go into a room where they pretty much ask you the same questions again.  Then when you are done with that you leave, come back later that day and talk to the psych doctor.  Just be honest.  They want to make sure that you are emotionally and mentally ready for WLS.  You go thru so many changes and all.  Its just a really long day.  Expect it to take awhile.  Good luck and let us know how you make out!   Eldy

It's exactly as Eldy described....I was nervous too, but it's not so bad.  I got frustrated with answering the same questions over and over but it is all for good reason....

All the best!

Jess

Thanks for all your input. You made me feel better. I figured it was going to be a long day. I will keep you posted. I meet with Dr. G tomorrow.  The biggest question is if my insurance will cover it. We shall see. .....................

The prescription I had from my surgeon said they were to rule out an eating disorder and depression.  Honestly, after reading that was what they were to do, I did gear my spoken word in that direction. 

I've read a lot of people get hung up on whether or not they are emotional eaters.  The psych will not pass you if you are.  Just food for thought! 

Hi-
Thanks all of you for your comments. Deb, you are right about the emotional eating bit. I will keep that in mind.
Kelly Jo, good luck today. I will be thinking of you. I see Dr. G 1st thing this morning. I will keep everyone posted.

Have a good day.

Okay, I guess I am a bit confused about this....

So, if someone admits, in their psych eval, that they are an emotional eater, they wont pass the psych test?

Well, not to be disparaging or anything, but arent many of us emotional eaters, or have been at one time or another?  Seems to me that by not appropriately dealing with or admitting this behavior is somewhat self-destructive, only to be reinforced by psychs who threaten to not pass you for admitting such behavior.

Come on now, I love food as much as the next person, but I didnt balloon all the way up to 360 pounds ONLY because I love a good plate of pasta everynight.  After reaching about 300, I would say the next 60 were all emotional eating - I mean, 300+ is a tough number. A number that comes with all sorts of risks and emotions...

Does everyone find this to be true?  That even though we maybe emotional eaters that we have to lie about not being one in order to pass the psych eval?

Andrew

I'm going in for my Psych evaluation today.  I'm not looking forward to the 3 hours of going over the same questions that I just answered, either.  I just know this is a step in my process and as soon as I get through this one (to me, a big hurdle) than I'm on my way to seeing Dr. G and getting that last hurdle (endoscopy) scheduled and done! 

Good luck and I'll let you know how 'painful' it is, okay?  ~smiles~

~kelly jo

the only advice i can give you is to be honest with them, and be true to yourself... this is going to be your new life, and you do not want to start it off on the wrong foot, besides, it wont work for you unless you are honest....

hope this works for you...

take good care
linda

Hi Linda. Thanks for your advice. You are right. I hope you are doing well. 

Michelle