Question:
ANYONE APPROVED WITH UNDIFFERENTIATED SOMATOFORM DISORDER?

Had a negative psych eval with this diagnosis. Was Wondering if anyone had this diagnosis and still got approved? I must say that I am going to ask for an appeal to this with the psych supervisor or state level psych bar. Please reply if you have any info~`    — Violet K. (posted on August 22, 2000)

August 23, 2000
First, I looked at this page to find out what in the world a somatoform disorder was. http://202.30.0.11/~lmk/somatoform.htm After reading this, I have to say, get a second opinion, and a third if you have to. The whole point of this "disorder" is that you are focusing too much on your physical complaints and your physical appearance. Well, I think it is perfectly normal to focus on those things when you are suffering from morbid obesity. And, I remember when I first started pursuing WLS, I began to focus even more on my physical problems associated with obesity. I think it was my way of convincing myself that I really did need WLS, where as before I had just ignored a lot of my physical problems because I thought there was nothing I could do about them. Whether these thoughts are excessive or irrational is in the eye of the beholder. And, the psych's biases toward obese people, and whether he views obesity as a disease or just a behavior problem would factor heavily into his diagnosis. I know that many surgeons would not put much stock in a diagnosis like this, and would do the surgery anyway, but if you are dealing with an insurance company, you may have more problems. Good luck to you!
   — Lynn K.

January 21, 2001

   — gobo T.