Psych eval was um...

[Dream4tc 192]

@@VSGAnn2014 oh my goodness! That's crazy! Is this a requirement from your insurance or the bariatric program you were in? Congrats on meeting your goal! Amazing job!

Edited August 20, 2015 by Dream4tc

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

@@Dream4tc ... the psych screening is designed by my bariatric program.

And, like another poster mentioned here, there were some redundant, similarly phrased questions. But that's just how those things are designed -- to increase test reliability.

[pink dahlia 2,513]

If this is any help, a therapist told me once that the reason they put the same question in again and again is that they want to see if you give the same answer each time. Also, maybe the " are you lying ?" question was to see if you were paying attention ? Interesting info. Hopefully your Psych Dr. understood your background ( childhood stress ) , and he has probably heard everything under the sun, so I wouldn't worry too much. My psych Dr. told me that they just wanted to make sure a potential patient had a realistic view of WLS, with a realistic weight goal, and they were'nt looking for a "miracle cure ." Sounds like you're doing just fine ! Good luck !!!

[Sajijoma 1,324]

It was very interesting. I probably failed. We shall see. I don't know why, but I got very nervous in there. It was like a flashback to my interviews with my caseworker as a kid before being tossed somewhere and I was so nervous that the random **** filter apparently broke. He handed me the famous questionnaire and I accidentally referred to it as "the crazy test" to which he gave me the stern "we call it a personality profile quiz". . I think it was somewhere around feeling like I was being accused of faking my age because I said 38 and he wrote down 28 and then asked me how old I was when our oldest child was born to which I said 24 and he said that didn't add up. Added up perfectly to me from 38 even though he thought 28. Feel like the whole thing just went down in flames. I'll be surprised if it doesn't end in a referral for mental health care before I can proceed.

I actually giggled reading your post because I really don't think he was paying attention to you lol. I wouldn't worry. The NUT is required to see if you have body dysmorphic disorder, BDD, or any form of eating disorders. I think sometimes, they make people feel intimidated because they are watching your body language and your responses to their questions. I am surprised that they were having you fill out questionnaires, usually its just a Q&A. How many appointments do you have to go to? I have seen quite a few people on many of the forums that have to go to 3! I only had to go to 1 appt with my band and passed with flying colors and I will only have to go to 1 appt with my revision to bypass in October. Just remember to express why you want the surgery in the first place, and what your coping mechanisms will be, and who will be your support system, and what you will do to change your behaviors. That's usually all they want to know. Best of luck to you!

given our phone history, I'm sure I paint a lovely picture of flakey LOL I just had the 1 appt(as long as I passed) and it was 30 mins of the same loop of questions at every one of these things. Name, age, job, children, when first had a weight problem, ideal weight, mental illness in family, any addictive behaviors other than food/sugar like drugs or alcohol and some weird question this time about do I fall asleep and stay asleep. I'm guessing it was to try to determine if I wake up from sleep apnea maybe? I dunno. Then the true or false questionnaire of like 600 questions. One more thing checked off though so whew! LOL he definitely won't be my go to guy if things get traumatic after surgery and I need some counseling! I'll be looking for someone a little more...human? ????

[byebyefat 262]

Wow, it seems like majority of everyone on here psych evaluation was really intense, mine was only a couple questions, I actually waited longer in the lobby filling out the questionaire then I did speaking to the psych dr , I hope everything works out for everyone, and you all get your clearances

[Sajijoma 1,324]

Apparently I passed so whew! LOL so if after that 3 ringed sh*t show of a disaster turned out ok, anyone can pass! ????

[Ravend26 103]

I'm going for my eval Tuesday. I'll see the Dr for an hour then begin test that I was told could last from 2 - 4 hours

[Mountaingal 322]

Glad you passed and things will keep moving forward for you.

[Chrystee 838]

that's great.. and I've seen a few people say they didn't pass!

[SkinnyDown 409]

The psychologist I saw is big, at first I thought, oh wow, ok, someone who's had the surgery too, but over the course of the time I spent in the program (8 months) she got even bigger. I'm not quite sure how she is handing out advice, with her Fruit drinks and lattes in hand everytime I see her, and maybe that sounds bitter, and it is....but, she was not impressed with me, because of my psych dx, and wanted a letter from my therapist and my psychiatrist, because of my OCD and BPD (borderline personality disorder) diagnoses. I got glowing recommendations from both, and she signed me off, for surgery. But I spent nearly a year in therapy working on food addictions before my surgery. I also spent a year taking Dialectical Behavior Therapy classes for my BPD too, a few years prior. I work hard on being the best me I can.

These Psychologists, in these bariatric programs who see you once for an hour or two, have no clue who we are, and what we are all about. What they need to be screening for is people who have food addictions. I see way too many people starving after surgery, when they should not be. Head hunger, addictions to foods....people not even making it through their liquid diets without cheating. Sorry for those who fall in that category. This is all just my opinion, of course, but addiction to food, is where people slip through the cracks in these programs.

@@Sajijoma I hope it all goes ok for you. Best of luck!

Edited August 22, 2015 by carolm1965

[Dream4tc 192]

@carolm1965- that's great that you sought help and benefited from it. Like any addiction, people need on going treatment the rest of their lives, because anything that is stressful can be a trigger. Unfortunately food is something that we all need to survive and I think food is the hardest addiction there is. I agree with you, they only see us for an hour and have no clue, but we all need to be honest with ourselves and our weaknesses. We need to learn our triggers and remove those temptations, or remove ourselves from those triggers so we have a better chance of just saying no. It's easier said than done, that's for sure. But, we just have to try every day to make the right choices.

[VDB 800]

I can understand your being nervous. I am a shrink and I was nervous! Also know enough about standarized testing to know not to take it all too seriously. I had spent many years privately and publicly underestimating my weight, lying to myself about how I was really secretly not that fat, was sure I would come across as a big fat liar, tight pants on fire, etc. But no, I passed. Now 4 mos past by-pass, no need to exaggerate my losses, this 85#+ is real, check out my before and 14 week past surgery photo...

[lmm300missouri 95]

You might ask him why HE was not listening enough to get your age correct. Hum

[Alex Brecher 10,515]

Sajijoma, Congrats on passing despite your psych’s best efforts to confuse everyone! So what are the next steps in your weight loss surgery journey? How exciting!

[hockeyfan7 249]

When I had my lapband the psychiatrist they sent me to was the most annoying person on the face of the planet. He was totally full of himself and drove me nuts.

When I had my revision they tried to send me to him again and I said no way. So they sent me to a different person. Some of them seem like they are in the wrong profession.