What to expect at psych evaluation?

So I?m prepping for RNY surgery....getting all of the requirements out of the way etc. And I have my psych evaluation on Dec 10th. I was told it was a 4 hour appointment. I?m sitting here wondering what on earth will be going on during those 4 hours? For those who have already been through this, what can I expect?

Just a bit nervous!

ps....sorry if this has already been discussed in another thread!

The eval can vary a LOT depending on the doctor. I already saw a psychiatrist for my bipolar, and he basically said "yeah, I approve you for surgery" at one of my med-check appointments. Other people have gone through in-depth interviews or had to fill out questionnaires at their appointments.

I would suggest typing "psych eval" in to the "search this forum" box on this page, you can see a lot of old posts where people share their experiences :)

Well i didnt have mine all that long ago (june-july) so i can tell you what happened at mine. I assume they somewhat similar though im sure a lot depends on the psychologist.

Mine for instance wanted to spread the eval over two sessions. She asked various questions to see if i basically understood what i was doing and if i was in the right mind. Like for instance she read me a paragraph and then asked questions about it. Then throughout the session she would ask again about the paragraph "what color was the toaster again?" She read out words and numbers and had me repeat them back. Also general get to know you questions and what are your concerns about the surgery how are you doing with your goals etc. Then there was three really long paper tests to take. I cant really remember what was on those as much but i know they were repetitive, framing questions in different ways to see how you answer.

Like i said im sure each psychologist has their own thing, but as a potential idea...

Hope that helps ?

Thanks! That definitely helps and gives me somewhat of an idea as to what I can expect. I'll also do a search as well to see what else has been discussed on the topic.

Thanks again!

Mine was only about an hour long. She asked questions about why I was seeking surgery, and we spoke a bit about my history as regards being heavy, as well as my history dieting. We spoke about what my triggers had been, including what I believe was the original trigger to my battle with obesity. She was easy to talk to, and the whole thing was pretty to the point.

That's a pretty good description of my psych eval as well.

Mine was long ago so not sure how relevant it is, but part of it was talking the psych and part was a personality inventory which was computerized.

You should feel free though to actually ask your doc or clinic exactly what happens during those four hours. They can answer questions completely specific to you and your process. It would probably ease your mind a bit and reduce the need to speculate.

Mine was pretty much the same as Au_Contraire. Perhaps you could call your WLS office and ask what is involved, since apparently they can vary a lot from one center to another.

Mine was about 4 hours long due to a personality test I had to take. If it wasn't for that, I believe it would have only been an hour long. He went over the results then asked a few questions about what kind of support system I have and what kind of plan I have in place for follow-up therapy.

Holy cow! 4 hours? Mine was literally 30 minutes or less. Are they combining the evaluation with the calorie testing? Even that was only an hour for me.

As for what to expect, I just had mine the other day. She asked the basics. Any family history of depression, bi-polar, etc. Ever been on medications for depression, etc. Ever had thoughts of harming myself. What is my daily stress like. What stresses me. Who are my support system. Any of them showing concern or disapproval. What are my concerns. Have I ever binged, purged or used unhealthy methods for weight loss. Pretty much the same questions my nutrition doc has asked me almost every visit!

Went smooth. They will give you a green, yellow or red light for surgery. may have some suggestions on how to cope, understand, etc. Unless you are a hot mess, you will be fine. Be honest about concerns though. They can help you get through them or give you resources.