Question:
Getting a second psychological opinion - how will it affect approval?

I just got back from my psych evaluation. This doctor took me in for the appointment knowing full well why I need the approval and proceeded to tell me he was biased against the surgery due to his personal beliefs, which include his belief that the stomach houses the center of your preconsciousness and cutting into it puts your soul in danger. I'm not one to knock anyone's personal beliefs, but the man is refusing to give the go ahead letter based on his own bias, even though he admitted to me that he finds me intelligent, capable and competant. Now what? Everything else has gone along without a hitch.    — Laura D. (posted on August 6, 2001)

August 6, 2001
I would RUN, not walk, to another psychiatrist/psychologist for the recommendation. Has this clown (excuse me, but I refuse to consider someone who would be so unprofessional a doctor) already written a letter refusing to approve you? If not, it shouldn't make any difference if you go to someone else. If he has, you have a right to know what he has given as his reason for not approving you. If he gives his true reason, no surgeon in his right mind would take his opinion over that of another, competent psychiatrist. You may want to ask the surgeon's office for a referral to a WLS friendly psych. Good luck. Maria
   — Maria H.

August 7, 2001
Call the doctor back, tell him that you do not need his recommendation and that you would appreciate his not contacting your surgeon to divulged the information you discussed with him in confidence. If he does, I would call the medical board and bring a charge on him for ethics. Then If it were me, I would contact a psychiatrist (since they are medical doctors) and tell them flat out on the phone you need an evaluation for WLS, and would they will willing to give an objective opinion. What I have done with my other doctors is to request that they give me their letter of recommendation and I would deliver it to my surgeon. My surgeon didn't seem to have a problem with that, and I got 5 doctors to recommend it, and I delivered everyone of those letters to my surgeon. Just be upfront and cut to the chase. If you get all that out of the way on the phone, then it will save you a lot of time and money.
   — K T.

August 14, 2001
Thanks to you both for your support. I have met with a new psychiatrist, had a wonderful session and have MMPI testing tomorrow. Within a week I will have my packet complete and in my surgeon's hands. I'm so excited - thanks for helping me get over that terrible gap in the path.
   — Laura D.

August 14, 2001
My first phyc recommended I seek counceling before he could approve the surgery so I found another phyc that was wls friendly and understood that everyone who is 100+lbs overweight has some level of depression! It did not effect my insurance approvel since they approved me before phyc did!!! Good luck..you'll be fine!
   — shirley J.