Therapy

So today I will finish the last nutrition class. The only thing I will need to do before they submit to insurance is some therapy. Anyone have any clues as to what they are looking for how long it could take? I dont mind the therapy but it is starting to get really expensive now.

My insurance only required a psych eval - not a complete course of mental health therapy.  The psych eval was covered by my insurance as a therapy visit so all I had to pay was a co-pay.  However, I already had a relationship with my therapist - she wasn't starting from ground zero with me.  

A therapist is going to attempt to evaluate your overall mental/emotional health, your coping skills and will try to determine if your expectations are in line with reality.  He/she will also be checking to make sure that you've got other tools in place to make this surgery a success for the long-term.  Tools meaning:  ongoing support groups, ongoing therapy plans, attendance at Overeater's Anonymous, family/friends who are supportive.  

They want to see that you've given this a lot of thought and don't expect it to be a quick fix.  They'll also want to see that you recognize your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to controlling your food and what you have planned to help with that post-op.  

Mine was covered by insurance as an eval too. She wont clear me or the surgeon wont clear me without a commitment to therapy. She said definitely by the end of the year. I really want a couple months before the holidays so I can get around ok and be recovered mostly from the surgery itself.

Huh, interesting -- sounds like a nice little scam to guarantee some income for herself.  I'd see if she sings the same tune if you say you are going to commit to therapy...but with someone else 

You know that money thing was exactly what I said. They charge me 40 and then the insurance gets billed like 152 so each time they get 200 bux for me coming in. They said I can seek therapy anywhere but they have to be bariatric certified. The thing that angers me is a team of people that have never even met me made a decision based on some screwed up test.

Ask them what kind of "bariatric certification" they are talking about, because there is no official certification for that kind of thing!!  (That is a great sam... telling people "anyone" can do it but only if they have a non-existent certification!  I would ask to see the "certification" of the person that THEY want you to see... Because every real certification comes with an actual certificate with the name of the certifying organization or body.)

We sometimes require individuals for whom we have already identified specific risks to undergo therapy with specific, stated goals in mind... but this definitely sounds like a scam to line their pockets!

If you don't mind me asking, what was the "test" they gave you and what did it tell them that concerned them? If you don't want to share it here, I completely understand (but feel free to PM me if you would like). 

Lora

I have poor coping skills, risk of suicide, likely to sue for complications. I dont doubt that I need therapy but hell I think everyone needs it for something. Therapist has not helped me in the past. I am anxious and depressed which was caused after I gained 100 pounds with pregnancy. When I was about 40lb overweight I was fine. I need the surgery for physical and mental well being. All they are doing is making my anxiety and sleep patterns worse and making me crazy. All the therapy in the world is not going to change that I want or need this so I dont understand.

I agree, usually you only are required to have an evaluation.  They want to make sure you are having the surgeon for the right reasons.  Mine zero'd in on making sure I was having the surgery for me no one else.

Good Luck!

It came back that I had suicidal tendencies that is so not true.  And something about likely to sue if an error occurred. That test is bogus and I wish I could get a 2nd opinion

It came back that I had suicidal tendencies that is so not true.  And something about likely to sue if an error occurred. That test is bogus and I wish I could get a 2nd opinion