Question:
I have been going to a psych for sometime now......now my question is

can i get my psych to do my evaluation for me or should i wait for the doctor?    — LUVY L. (posted on November 29, 2001)

November 28, 2001
Its up to your surgeon. Mine requires every pre op to see the same psych doctor who gives the same stern speech to all. Its about post op life and eating. Gives one pause befre surgery and is likely a good thing. Now the surgeon gives the same speech, but this way NO one can say I didnt know or understand I had to eat slow... etc etc. Many psych doctors have NO idea about WLS so cant do this.
   — bob-haller

November 29, 2001
Hi there, I guess this will depend on your surgeon, but since I am in Florida and my surgeon is in California, I had to get my psych eval done locally. I have been seeing a psych since I was in the 6th grade and I still go back to just say hi every now and then. The psychologist who usually works with my surgeon said he thought it would be a good idea to get my psych eval from someone I've known for so long, so I did. It was a much less painless process than a lot of other people have had. The only direct question she asked about the surgery was "what is your motivation for having this done?" She could fill in the rest because it was all in my file. I think if your psych knows you and isn't against WLS, and you can get it done w/ him/her, it's definitely the way to go.
   — [Anonymous]

November 29, 2001
I went to my regular marriage counsler for my eval. all she did was write a letter stating I had researched it and understood the risks. Each Dr. may be different just ask if they need you to go to someone specific. good luck!
   — blossomivy

November 29, 2001
It's me, the anonymous poster again. I just wanted to say in response to the previous post that I didn't have a problem with my psych no knowing much about WLS. It was funny, when I said "weight loss surgery" to my psych, she said "stomach stapling?" and I said "no, billopancratic diversion with duodenal switch", lol. So she didn't know anything about it either, but she was willing to learn, so I sent her to my surgeon's website. There are plenty of good sites describing each of the procedures, so find a good one so she/he can learn about it. They do need to feel sure they are not sending you into something they find terrible, but they don't need to know all about WLS to do your evaluation. My psych had only done clearances for plastic surgery for her, so this was new to her. But she did fine :) Good luck!
   — [Anonymous]

November 29, 2001
Do you know for sure you need one? I wasn't required to have one. I wouldn't shell out the bucks until I knew for sure I had to!
   — ctyst

November 29, 2001
I got approval from my psych before I saw my surgeon for an evalution. So I had approval but my insurance company (hoping to deny me surgery) wanted me to go to their guy. Anyway for me it was a long dragged out mess. My guess is to wait for your doctor. No use going through it twice like I had too.
   — Danmark

November 29, 2001
my surgeon requires a psych eval. i have been seeing a psychiatrist for more than a year for major depression & asked if a letter from him would be an ok substitute. it was. all he wrote was my diagnosis & that in spite of my depression (some of it due to my morbid obesity) he felt that i was phsycologically sound & could handle the surgery & its affects
   — sheryl titone