Can anyone tell me what the Kaiser psych eval is like?

[diyana 7]

Can someone please tell me what the Kaiser (or any) psych eval is like? I've been on anti-depressants since both parents passed away from cancer 10 years ago. Also, I kind of went off the deep end 2 years ago after my now ex-husband told me he had fallen in love with a friend of mine. Just one momentary lapse of judgment. I've never had such thoughts before or since. What should I share with the psych? 99.9% of the time, I'm a positive, upbeat happy person and I feel very optimistic (and realistic) about the surgery and how this tool will help me be able to get back to walking and hiking, which is limited now because my back doesn't like weight-bearing exercise. Also, I'm hoping to send my diabetes into remission.

[ready2B 263]

I don't have Kaiser, but I just had my eval this week. It was no big deal really. I had to do a test that was maybe 500 multiple choice questions, though quite a few of them were the same question with slightly different wording. If you answer things like you are sad, all alone, have no hope, etc - then I imagine they would want you to have counseling before surgery. Or if you hear voices, have delusions, etc, they would probably disqualify you. You likely won't have any of those problems!

Then I spent about 30 minutes talking with the counselor. She asked simple questions about what kind of support I have, if I feel ready for surgery, why do I want to have it, things like that. She did ask if I was or have been on antidepressants and I answered honestly. She also asked if I'd ever been hospitalized and again, honesty is the best way to answer since I am sure somehow they could find out if you were lying and that would look worse I think. I told her very briefly about my past struggles when my dad died (I did downplay things) but told her I sought counseling and am doing far better now. That seemed to be a good answer!

I think they can tell a lot more by your demeanor and body language than what you actually say. People who are depressed might come across with forced cheerfulness, for example. So, just relax, be yourself and don't worry!

[happymama2014 206]

I do have Kaiser and mine was much like the previous post. Just really making sure I was sticking to the diet and lifestyle changes and knew what I was getting into. I thought I'd cry but made it without!

[craftyme 0]

I also have Kaiser and I think it depends on which facility your are going too. It's my understanding that each program is slightly different. My psych eval was a piece of cake. I, too have depression and have been treated off and on for years. I was told that my psychiatrist will have to sign off on the fact that I have been stable on meds for at least 3 months, but every case is different. I did not have to take a written test, which surprised me. Good luck!

[EddysLady4Life 3]

I just talked to the psych Dr but when I look in my records he diagnosed me with reactive disorder when I've been diagnosed bipolar since I was 16 but whatever, it seemed easy enough.

[UrsulasShadow 59]

My psych asked a lot of questions about my eating habits...have I ever eaten past fullness, do I eat when sad, angry, etc. Because of my answers, I must go through six months of weekly counseling before they will consider me for surgery. If I had it to do over, I would not have been so dramatic about the details (I have a tendency to exaggerate). They diagnosed me with binge eating disorder. Not to say I haven't binged on a bag of chips before, but its not a common thing. Oh well...my advice is to be honest, but don't dramatize or exaggerate!

[winning_by_losing 107]

I know the Kaiser program we have here in Colorado is different than the one you have our there, so don't expect them to be identical, but here is how mine went.

They first sent me a packet of probably 50 questions that covered things like when you can remember first being overweight, what types of dieting you've tried over the years, abuse, trauma, etc...

Then when I first met with the doc, he reviewed the packet and asked some more questions (I assume based on my answers).

In the 2nd (and final) meeting with him, he then asked more specific questions about what I'd learned through the program, my thoughts on the surgery and my commitment, etc... Only after his final approval after this 2nd appointment would they even schedule my surgery.

I was very open about all of my history, including the history with depression and anxiety and it didn't affect anything.