Question:
What is the 2 1/2 hour initial consultation lilke???

   — katetme (posted on January 10, 2008)

January 9, 2008
With the Phycho or your surgeon? The Phycho will have you do something like a true and false test and after that he will discuss the answers you made that stood out to him. They usually will approve you providing they do not see heavy depresion. With your Doc, you need to have all your questions written down so you can get the answers at one time. Most Docs will stay with you and address every question you have rather than have you feed them one question at a time folling the initiall appointment.
   — William (Bill) wmil

January 9, 2008
I am sure it differs from surgeon to surgeon, but ours was 2+ hours spent with their nutritionist going over the surgery, talking about insurance and what and how your life will change and a giving out outlines for all of the upcoming meetings, criteria to meet, insurance info, etc. etc. etc. and then you spend like 5 minutes with the surgeon - he says something to the effect of - you are a great candidate for surgery - see you soon. Do your psych eval (about 1-2 hours, depenidn on how much there is to talk about). Then you go back for a Nutrition class, start your 2 week liquid diet stage, go back to the surgeon's so he can go "ask" you if you want surgery and this is what we are doing and why - it's a 5 minute visit again. Get your pre-op labs done, go to the hospital and have your blood typed and crossed, and then go in for surgery. That was my progress of appointments. I took the first available on everything, so some things were back to back or the next day. I saw the dr. on Jan 31,07 for my initial consult and had surgery on 2/15/07. It moves pretty quick.
   — jammerz

January 10, 2008
Everybody's answer to this question is going to be different. The two posts ahead of mine describe nothing that I went through. For example, my psychological evaluation did not include any testing, but did include mandatory Behavior Modification Classes, 5 of them. I would ask your doctor's office, or post your doctor's name on this website to see if others from the same practice will give you information.
   — Shirley D.

January 10, 2008
I agree everyones answers is going to be different. I am in Western Pennsylvania, Butler County. My initial consultation was in a classroom situation with a group of people wanting to go through the procedure. I took my husband with me so he would know what to expect from the procedure as well and to know what I would be going through to be able to help me succeed in my quest. In the consultation he went over the whole procedure and also went over all the areas of what can go wrong and what we can expect from the procedure and also left it open for us to ask question. He also seen us on a one on one basis if we were completed with all of our testing to go forward with the surgery. Now as far as the psych eval mine was a one hour eval where the pysch just talked with me and went over my family history and asked me questions on why I wanted the procedure and if I new what I was getting into and some pyshological things. As far as the nutritionist eval that was either a 2 and 1/2 or 3 1/2 cant remember now. She went over my history, the diet i would be following and my vitamin regiment I would be following for the rest of my life. I also took my husband along with to the nutritionist eval too. I felt he needed to be involved with this part also to have an in debt understanding of what changes I would have to be making in my life because in all reality his eating habits are going to be changing to once I go to regular foods and he was willing to jump on board and give me all of the support I needed. He also is in need to lose some extra weight to but not willing to go to this length. I would suggest to your support partner with your so they will have a greater understanding of what you are going to be going through and will be able to help hold you up better. Good luck :)
   — iwilllose