Question:
was told I need therapy...help!!!
I just got back from my psy appt and was told that I need 6 months of therapy. He said that I can still have the surgery and the therapy at the same time. Is this true? I was told that I need therapy because I do not have a support system here at home. I am a single mother, my friends live out of state, and I am not close to my family. I go to the support group meetings and am constantly on here. Is there anyway I can get around this? I can not really afford seeing a psy cause my ins only pays 50%. — Schtina J. (posted on March 27, 2003)
March 27, 2003
Personally, I would just say, "No thanks!" I am guessing here
that you went to this person for your psych eval. You could always
"play along" until the surgeon's office gets the eval and then
cancel any future appointments. I find this a little suspect - how does he
know you will need 6 months of therapy and not 3 or 9 months? Is this
person offering to be your support? What exactly does he think he can
accomplish in 6 months of therapy? I think he's looking for some easy
money, myself.
— koogy
March 27, 2003
Hi, after my pscy. evaulation he told me i need to meet with him for
another three months and i told him No! I DONOT, I can very well take care
of myself and make respectable adult decisions on my own and has been for
the last fifteen years. I understand everything that will take place before
surgery while in surgery and after surgery. And he said ok, I will give you
the referral. Find someone else that will do it, theres plenty that will.
It will work itself out try not to worry.
— julie B.
March 27, 2003
i agree....with the other poster...as long as you get your psyche eval,
nothing else matters.
if you feel you are well adjusted and your eval says you are then you are.
the doc is probably trying to get more money out of you and your ins.
ask for a copy of your eval, because even if you do have more therapy, the
eval is already done and more sessions will only have him try to do a new
eval.
dont waste your money and time...get your results and submit all you info
to ins for prior approval
and hopefully you will get approved ...the psyche eval is not the only
criteria that will get you prior approval
— monica R.
March 27, 2003
Can someone from your support group be your support "buddy"? A
support group I attended had folks offering to go to appointments and so
on. I was with a friend when she had her surgery (she didn't tell any of
her family) and she came with me for my info session at the hospital. I
think that's very supportive, even if none of us were related!
— JoSyrNY
March 27, 2003
There may be issues that come up after surgery that you might like someone
to talk to. It's sort of like having kids, no matter how ready you think
you are, you aren't ready for the reality. However, there are many options.
Through your workplace there may be Employee Assistance that can get you
low cost therapy (they will take the 50% and a small co-pay). There may
also be something at a local university or other agency. If your support
group meets once a week, that may be enough but if it's monthly perhaps you
could get a mentor. Ask at the surgeons office and/or support group. Having
someone to whine to who understands what you are going through is a real
plus. Good luck. Peace.
— Sunny S.
March 27, 2003
Another lower-cost alternative is to seek a social worker-therapist or a
psychologist who specializes in whatever issues your shrink feels you have
(or that you feel you have, if any!). Psychiatrists are very expensive,
for "talk therapy." You will find substantially cheaper rates
going with a good social worker or psychologist, and see the
"shrink" only for prescription med management only (IF they ever
come into the picture to begin with). I'm also bothered by this notion
that he's tethering his recommendation for surgery to a requirement for
psychotherapy. Take the profit motive out of it by finding somebody else
to talk to, who *didn't* have his or her financial interest wrapped up in
your pre-surgery recommendation. Good luck!
— Suzy C.
March 27, 2003
Hi! Even if you do not want to seek therapy with the psychiatrist that
recommended it to you, you can always find a therapist that works on a
sliding financial scale. It sounds as though that psychiatrist thought
that your support system was not large enough. I have experienced
therapists to be interested mainly in people, not money. I currently am in
therapy, and it has helped me to work on my "insides". By that,
I mean working on the feelings that I was escaping from with eating. Food
has been my comfort and friend for a long time. After surgery, I will no
longer have that comfort and friend. My therapist is a wonderful woman
who is my advocate. She helps me to like myself. She has helped me to
uncover why I started eating away my feelings in the first place. She has
helped me to figure out why I am the way I am. Now that I have spent a
considerable amount of time working on my insides, I am ready to work on my
outsides, by having bariatric surgery. I encourage you to find an advocate
as well. It could be a friend, a support group, or a therapist. Good luck
to your on your journey of recovery from morbid obesity!
— Susan F.
March 27, 2003
Is there a possibility of group support that would 'fit' for you?
Overeater's Anonymous meetings are fairly widespread and would be an
immediate support group for you. While everyone is different (of course!),
most of us MO's have food addiction issues. There are those that say the
one-on-one therapy for addicts is not as effective as group therapy. I
believe this is because the group has 'been there' and the addict can
relate to that. I hope everything works out for you.
— Jodie P.
March 27, 2003
i am deeply offended by suggestions that the therapist is just after the
money or his recommendations are something to "get around" by
deceit. psychiatrists and psychologists are professionals just like
surgeons. sure, there are quacks, but there seems to be a distinct attitude
that because they deal with the mind rather than the body, psychs are
automatically suspect.
you sought the psych's recommendation. why are you now so eager to ignore
it? will you ignore your surgeon's recommendations? your nutritionist's?
your PCP's?
group therapy costs much less than individual therapy. also, you do not
need to necessarily get therapy from this particular practitioner. as has
been suggested, psychologists, social workers and others are also licensed
to provide therapy in many states and charge less than psychiatrists.
you might also get some nonprofit organizations, such as catholic
charities, YMCA, YWCA or your local jewish community center. they often
offer counseling based on ability to pay. also, if there is a medical
school in your area, you might be able to get reduced cost counseling from
a resident, who will be supervised by a full-fledged psychatrist.
please don't view the psych's recommendation as something to "get
around." You need only do a search for "depression" on this
site to see how many people are suffering after WLS and in need of therapy.
— Kasey
March 27, 2003
Anyone who has been around here long has read posts about pre-ops being
blackmailed by these professionals by withholding their approvals until a
certain number of office visits have been done, at a cost of course. So
its no wonder we're suspicious. Plus I have to think that if he's worried
about her having support, that being a part of at least one support group
specifically for this issue would be enough. (which she states she already
is a part of). Hopefully the recommendation will be very specific that is
sent to your doctor so you can point out the areas where you're receiving
support, then if he feels you still need counceling I'd definitely choose
my own councelor. And remember you don't have to stay with any councelor
you don't like.
— Shelly S.
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