Damn I'm having a hard time! (sorry, kinda long)

So, you now I posted about the spirit busting nasty comment right? Well, for the first time since my surgery in the last few weeks I've had some old demons return.  I have had the urge to just eat and eat.  I don't keep anything in my house that's not on plan so it's just calories that I worry about when this happens.  There has been a lot of stress and occassinally anger lately.  

I decided that it was time to give the mental health pros in my WL Center a try.  I have done therapy for years but never had anyone able to really help me get to the bottom of my weight issues.  I made the appointment with one of the two therapists because the one I had who did my intake info I knew for sure was not going to be any help.  Won't go into that, you'll just have to trust me.  Well, the one I made the appointment with was pregnant but she thought she'd still be working when we made the time.  You guessed it, she wasn't.  I had to meet with the one I didnt want to meet with...but before I eveen get there...

The nurse/admin or whatever called me back and had me take my shoes off and step on the tanita scale.  I'd not done this yet since my surgery so I thought it kinda odd that for a mental health visit they'd need that.  But I dutifully got on the scale.  She recorded my weight and then started to measure me.  Again, never had that happen before and was just about to mention that when she said "when are you having your surgery?" I just stared at her, I think I was probably gaping at her to be honest.  I finally said "umm I've already had my surgery" and she said oh, right, you're two weeks post op right?"   I probably punched her with my eyes this time! I said NO, I had my surgery in February...she dropped the measuring tape and muttered something about not being used to dealing with post ops.  Should have been my first, second and third cue.

As she is taking me back to the room she asks which nutritionist my appointment was with... REALLY?  Again I said, "No, I'm meeting with Mary, the therapist"  By this point she is finally embarrassed and it is showing on her face.  I am sure my face was showing my extreme agitation though I was trying not to be a jerk.  She mumbles something again an leaves the room.

I sit waiting for the therapist who finally comes in telling me how tired she is and how she's ready for the day to be over.  She then proceeds to ask me every single one of the questions that I already answered when I WAS pre-op.  Family history, mental health issues, blah, blah....Almost the exact same conversation as the first time. She does not have a file with her.  After wasting all that time she said and I quote "so why are you here, what do you want from me?"  I explained that I have, as many of us do, issues with food...they are starting to rear their heads again and I want to understand what's happeneing and why so I can better control them and be ready for them before they get the best of me.  I have the urge to go through the whole (BRIEF) conversation to  illustrate my point but I will spare you.  Here are just of few of the best parts. She kept looking at her watch.  She told me that maybe I should try to work through these things through my art....I said that sounds great but how do I do that?  Her answer "contact an art therapist".  In not so many words she told me that what I wanted she wasn't going to give.  Go somewhere else.  And a direct quote "I'm basically here to be your cheerleader, to cheer you on, You can do it!" She was absolutely worthless.  I was livid.  I was in the room with her for 20 minutes tops,  more than 10 of that was recapping my f'in history WHICH they already have! 

And just for the record, I paid a fee for this "lifelong service"   So I went there to be insulted and completely waste my time.  Disheartened and furious are just two of the feelings happening at the moment.  Thanks for reading I know it's long and I feel like such a Debby Downer lately.  I'm sorry for that too! 

I think taking some action such as writing to the office's office manager and cc your surgeon about what happened might help. They may not do anything to correct but you should get it off your chest and let them know what happened and how you felt. If they are just running an assembly line, meat market practice let them know you know it and whoever else you can talk to will know it.

I hope you will be able to fine a therapist that will work with you and for you. Your surgeon's office obviously is only interested in pushing the pre-ops through as quickly as possible. I'm sorry you had to go through that.

--gina  

WOW!!!  I feel this way about one of our Nutritionists.  She is just there to collect her paycheck!  I know you already paid for the service but you are probably going to have to go to someone out of the office.  My DD had an eating disorder and we found a therapist that really helped her so maybe you can find someone with that kind of training.  They really understood how life can mess up your eating.

(((HUGS)))

Thanks Ros and Gina.  I will ask my surgeon just what therapists are there for.  I meet with him in the middle of next month.  I'm ticked off because this place is a "Center of Excellence".  I expected more.  I have an inkling that I might have gotten more from the other therapist and if she comes back from maternity leave then I will try to see her again.  The whole experience was really frustrating.  Oh well.  I'll figure it out thanks for the support again :D

Wow - that's a true horror story.  I hope you seriously consider calling whoever the supervisor/director/manager is of this place and let them have it.  And then follow-up with a letter.   Horrible, awful customer service :-(  

So sorry you went through this! 

"I'm ticked off because this place is a "Center of Excellence".

The Center of Excellence designation is basically an insurance/marketing thing. It doesn't actually mean that the program is excellent. It means it means some basic standards of care.

Now the program has recently been revamped and the standards are slightly higher than they used to be but it still doesn't mean what people think it does. It doesn't mean that center is one of the top 10% in the Nation, for example. Or even the top 25%. It means they do the things on the checklist or at least did them at the time they got the designation.