Question:
Will being hospitalized for depression affect my chances for approval?

I am currently trying to deal with a severe bout of depression, which has gotten me to the point where I am barely able to function with my interacting with my children, keeping the house in order and also with the devious jerks at work. Getting out of bed is becomming a bigger challenge each day. Also, issues at work have caused me to break down and cry for just the craziest things. My biggest concern right now though, is the anxiety and severe irritation. I'm told that depression is anger turned inside-out, and I'm afraid that the anger is slowly building up in me to where I will no longer be able to control it. I've actually considered checking myself into the hospital for a while, but because I am a single parent, I am unable to do this. However, my insurance does offer the option of "partial hospitalization", which means I can go to a center during the day that provides intensive therapy among other things. Currently, I am in the process of getting approval for this surgery, however, I'm afraid that if they know I'm hospitalized for this, they will say I am not in the position to have it done. Has anyone had any experience with this or know of someone who was stil able to have the surgery? I'm debating on if I should just wait until after the surgery to address these issues, but I just feel that this can be a good time to start working on me as I head for a "new" life. Any suggestions or experiences would be most helpful and appreciated.    — Kimberly D. (posted on July 5, 2001)

July 5, 2001
Kimberly, you don't say if you have had your psych evaluation yet, but if you have, it probably won't make a difference. If you haven't had your evaluation, you should make it clear that you are working to get help for your depression. I was hospitalized for depression and have a history of recurrence, and I was still approved. In fact, I am now nearly 7 months post op and while I'm still on an antidepressant, I think the depression has improved since surgery. I don't think it would be a good idea for you to wait until after surgery to get the help you need. Sometimes the approval and scheduling process can take a long time. That is time that you can use to help get your life back in order. I know how tough it can be when you are depressed, please take care of that before anything else. It can literally be a matter of life and death. Please email me at [email protected] if you need to chat. I'd be happy to listen.
   — Maria H.

July 7, 2001
actually it may HELP you be approved. Many of the people who have wls really have no other co-morbities other than depression. Especially if you have a dr there who would write a letter on your behalf stating that much of your depression comes from self-esteem issues due to the weight.
   — [Anonymous]