Gluttony - Do you suffer from it?

Question??? Do you think that pre-op the psychiatric apt. should be more thorough in order to uncover things that maybe we do or don't know about our eating habits. Would this give the WLS patient a better advantage. I'm sorry but right now I can't remember who it was but they had been denied WLS due to their psychiatric evaluation and they continued to work with her on issues she had. I thought that was one of the most remarkable post. You know when she finally has WLS she will have a real chance for success. I hear so many people that were rubber stamped through this process and I think its a disservice to them. This was the one requirement that I looked forward to, sounds weird I know but I wanted to make sure (or as sure as anyone can ever know) that I had the make up to succeed before I allowed someone to rearrange my insides. Interested in your opinion. C'ya Bob

I believe that the support groups and staying within the "fellowship" of WLS patients is important in keeping us on track. I don't eat close to the way I used to before surgery because I can't. That's why I had the surgery in the first place, but it doesn't mean that sometimes during times of stress or anxiety, my mind doesn't TRY to revert back to old ways. Sometimes it succeeds, sometimes not. I think the psyche eval is meerly a tool to see if we are ready to face what's ahead in WLS.

Everyone has days or periods that they get off track. When I do get off track I have to look at it and say "What's going on here?" instead of beating myself up over what I've done. I've learned so much since my surgery from my doc and WLS friends/family !

Keepin on keepin on!
Janie

Bob, I think you have a valid point. I have talked to several folks who have had WLS and their psych evaluation amounted to nothing more than a 30 minute talk with the Dr. and him saying "You're not crazy - I'll approve you for surgery."  It seems that many view the psych part of pre-op as just a formality and PITA.  Obviously, folks who are obese have a "problem" of some sort with food, if not an outright obsession - much like an alcoholic has with alcohol. I agree that if someone is not evaluated properly, and if they have some personality trait that may lead to severe depression when they realize they can no longer use food as a crutch when they have issues in their life, approving them for surgery without  a period of counseling is a disservice to them. It's a potential for failure after WLS, as well as a potential for more serious mental issues in their future.  The lengthly psych evalutation was a critical part of my evaluation to me. I wanted to know that I had the personality and inner strength to do  what was required after surgery to use the tool for success.

I feel that it is up to us individually to face the reality that we cannot "Have our cake and eat it too" so to speak. Once a person decides to have this surgery, they also need to understand that the mental aspect of life post-op will require a totally new relationship with food. In my mind, the surgery is designed to create the exact situation that I hear many people express despair over - you cannot eat certain foods, or too much food.  I often wonder why, if folks have truly done their research prior to surgery, they have such a problem with this after surgery.  Just my $.02.

BamaBob

Due to the cost of inflation, the .02 cent opinion has increased to .049 per opinion.  FYI.  The memo came out a few weeks ago.   

Mel, trust me, that's WAY too much for my opinions!

BwaHahahahaha!!