I have been lurking and learning lots on this forum for the past few months and for the first time feel the need to post. (Sorry it's such a long first post)

I started my pre-op journey and clearances 6 months ago and had EVERYTHING completed and cleared until I went this past week for my psychological clearance. I hit a major road block that was totally unexpected. The only reason I saved this for last is because I had to pay $360 out of my pocket; since I have to see the one my surgeon requires and that's the only one they accept.

Spent an hour and a half filling out lots of questionaires and tests and when I finally met with the psychologist she referenced my notations about having a stressful and not very happy childhood. I DID tear up because I have always been a very emotional person and wear my emotions on my sleeves. I get teary when I hear sad stories on the news, etc.

By the end of this 30 minute interview with this psychologist she had determined that I must be depressed and was going to hold up my clearance until I either get some depression meds OR go see a psychologist and set up some counselling sessions.

#1 I am NOT depressed. My family members were all outraged when I told them what the outcome of this was since they all said........depressed you have never been. Have I ever been sad or felt a little low???? Of course, but I dare say not too many of us come out of this life without having those occasional feelings. Just amazes me that someone can come up with this requirement when it is not anything that applies to me.

I did try to find a psychologist that was covered by my Wellcare Advantage and the only one I could find had no openings for 6 weeks.

I can get into see my Primary Care Phys in two weeks and he DOES prescribe meds for deppression but I am afraid if I go into him and tell him the truth that I don't need or want to take those meds but I NEED a prescription to get a clearance then he will refuse to give me the RX. I would prefer to be honest with him and tell him what I am feeling, but, if he then says no, I will be in trouble time wise. I was counting on an April surgery date since I won't be able to get work leave after April till mid summer. And, by that time some of my 6 month clearances will have expired.

I'm just really dismayed that this is what is holding me up. Shoot, lots of us have not had picture perfect past experiences, but, it doesn't always mean we are all suffering from depression.

Thanks for any thoughts or advise.

(ps......it was stressed on all the forms I filled out for this psych visit to be totally honest.....I'm thinking now that was my biggest mistake) lol But, I do know that I answered honestly that I love my life now (not the being fat part) and my family and can't wait to have this surgery to improve my life and allow me to live longer.

Here are some online screening tests to see if you do have any characteristics of someone with depression at this time:

http://www.depressedtest.com/

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/interactive/interactivetests/goldberg.php

http://depression.about.com/cs/diagnosis/l/bldepscreenquiz.htm

I did these and one said I had seasonal affect disorder (cause I hate winter)' date=' the other said I am not likely to have depression and the other one said I did NOT have depression.

Moral of the story is that depression can come and go and one day you answer questions differently than another day....much of it is situational...which is NOT like the chemical imbalance depression.

If you go through big life changes like a divorce, most likely it will say you are depressed HOWEVER there is a valid reason for the depression and once that stressor is over, things should improve.

The real problem is those that have depression not related to a situation or life event...most likely it is caused by a chemical imbalance and may require medication. This is where I fall into....so it is funny the "tests" say I am not depressed...but that is because of my Lexapro...love that ****!

Good luck to you, I hope your primary Doc can fix the situation for you!

[/quote']

Oh thank u very much I'll definitely do those tests. Will b interesting to see results. Yikes, maybe I'll have to tell the doc to double up on my meds instead of low dosing it. I'll report back after my march 1st pcp visit and let u know how it worked out. Praying and fingers crossed......

Here's what I would do if I were you-on Monday I would make an appt. that are 5 weeks out (and tell them you want a phone call in case their is a cancellation and then make an appt. with your PCP. Get the prescription if your PCP will give it to you. Then whichever you get first (either proof of Rx or sessions with a psychologist) and get them to that whack-job as soon as possible, get your approval and either don't take it or cancel the appt. Once you get into to see a psychologist then they should see you once a week so after just a few weeks you can prove you're doing it.

Here's what I would do if I were you-on Monday I would make an appt. that are 5 weeks out (and tell them you want a phone call in case their is a cancellation and then make an appt. with your PCP. Get the prescription if your PCP will give it to you. Then whichever you get first (either proof of Rx or sessions with a psychologist) and get them to that whack-job as soon as possible, get your approval and either don't take it or cancel the appt. Once you get into to see a psychologist then they should see you once a week so after just a few weeks you can prove you're doing it.

Thanks and that's pretty much my plan now. Just hoping I don't have to wait the 5 weeks and really prolong my surgery. Before I posted here I was just going to go into my pcp and tell him that it's nuts that she is making me get medication that I don't feel I need; but, now I am thinking that I will just tell him while I hadn't really considered that I was depressed that maybe she was right and I should have just a low dose (like some of you guys suggested.)

Sooooo stupid and Ill save the pills for after the surg in case some of that depression really does set in.

Oh that is terrible. I feel bad for ya. You have to get a psych eval from another professional. Seriously. It sounds like you got hooked up with the wrong person. A lot of those folks have issues themselves and don't always know what they are talking about. You are absolutely entitled to a second opinion. And NOBODY can decide if you need to be on an anti-depressant after one visit. Ridiculous. Keep looking. My surgery was 7 months after I had hoped- well worth the wait. Good luck dear.

Thank you Melissa for your thougts and support. I googled this Dr and saw a couple other reviews from people who said she ruined their chance for surgery due to making them go for needless additional counselling. Those people she actually DID make them go for like 6 months. So, I guess she concluded I was only depressed enough to pop a couple of pills. Very weird! thanks again and I will update after I see my pcp

This kinda reminds m of my experience. I am now in the process of lapband to sleeve revision. I had to have the psych visit for my band and during my eval my moms calls and tells me she is at the hospital with "brian". Which is my sons name...oh and my cousin. Well i thought she meant my son. And was like omg, is he ok, what happened..and was crying. Then my mom realizes my reaction and tells me it was my cousin. I didn't jump up turn furniture over or run in traffic...and the doc tells me that i overrracted?!?!? Ummm i thought my kid just got hit by a car?? He didn't hold up my progress but told me i needed o get with my pcp for meds and he never followed up. I don't think one person who meets you for an hour should have that much power!!!

It really is hard for all of us to give you advice when we do not know you or anything about your mental history. Please don't be in such a hurry for the surgery. You are almost there. In the grand scheme of things- 5 weeks or 6 months will be a blur. And why be so willing to jump on meds - especially when you don't think you need them? You are entitled to a second opinion. Get a new psych eval. professional.

Thanks for your thoughts and that is a good idea just asking my primary for a low dose of something. I could tell him that of course I feel not happy about my weights and give credit to the psych for that point. Then he might agree to that.

As far as finding another surgeon.......I was totally convinced and happy with my choice until a couple days ago. Just unexpected out of all the clearances I have been through and then to hit this roadblock.

And' date=' yes, I'm afraid too that if I tell my PCP that I'm not going to take the meds then he won't give me the RX. So, I'll just tell him maybe she is right and I should try just a low dose. Thanks[/quote']

Heck I'd let the prescribed them and fill them and trash them! I understand nit thinking you're depressed but crying easily can be a good reason to take them! I was the same way. ..cried at commercials! I took lexapro for a while ...loved not crying at dog food commercials!

Heck I'd let the prescribed them and fill them and trash them! I understand nit thinking you're depressed but crying easily can be a good reason to take them! I was the same way. ..cried at commercials! I took lexapro for a while ...loved not crying at dog food commercials!

Tha's funny because I can cry at Hallmark commercials and Publix (grocery store here in Fl) but I have always been that way. Just always seems like sad or sweet things really do get to me. I'm not really thrilled about being like that and that is one of the things that the psych said indicated I was depressed. I just know that if I was really depressed I would know that myself. Sensitive and emotional I know I am; but, that doesn't always prove definite depression.

And, it's really not the fact that she has put that label on me because that isn't something that alarms or worries me. It's really just that it's possibly going to delay my surgery by a few more months and I will admit that I was excited to be finished with all the many requirements and got a disappointment that I wasn't expecting. Ahhhh, the curse of impatience. Like that old saying goes......we make plans and God laughs.

Take care

It really is hard for all of us to give you advice when we do not know you or anything about your mental history. Please don't be in such a hurry for the surgery. You are almost there. In the grand scheme of things- 5 weeks or 6 months will be a blur. And why be so willing to jump on meds - especially when you don't think you need them? You are entitled to a second opinion. Get a new psych eval. professional.

Thanks and I do have to remember to keep my impatience at this point in check. And definitely I wouldn't take any of the meds now (if he gives me a Rx) since I'm not depressed. Shoot I can't wait to get this surg to get off of meds. Just started taking Metaforim and drug for cholesterol. Have been on blood pressure meds for a couple yrs. Lord I just want to try to undo all the damage I've stupidly done to my body by weighing 100 lbs too much. Probably COULD use that counselling to find out "why" I have been so stupid.

In my own head I think it's because I use food more to Celebrate and to add to happy times. If I'm feeling sad or anxious about something then I don't want to eat. But give me occasions with family and friends and it can be non-stop. That DEFINITELY isn't right. Especially since I eat pretty healthy during the work week but then on the weekend it all gets blown. It's like in my head it's time to celebrate, relax and have fun and why I need to celebrate with food is for sure a problem with my head. I just need to fix myself and I really want to use the tool of that much smaller tummy. I really feel that given that chance I am going to fight like hell to do what I am supposed to do, follow the rules and stop being so stupid.

Sorry about all the hoop jumping! But there is no way I'd take a medication I didn't think I needed! I would get a second opinion, and not tell the second opinion anything about the first. If the second opinion arrives at the same conclusion, then that's another thing. I think it's an OPINION, and as we know, opinions can be wrong, even in trained professionals with good intentions.

When I had my psyche eval, the guy was pretty good. He just wanted to know about support post op, my motives for surgery, and to identify any red flags of mental issues that might prevent success. He also reviewed all the potential emotional issues people might have, and said that if anything like that comes up, this one visit is to help people know to seek help.

Sorry about all the hoop jumping! But there is no way I'd take a medication I didn't think I needed! I would get a second opinion, and not tell the second opinion anything about the first. If the second opinion arrives at the same conclusion, then that's another thing. I think it's an OPINION, and as we know, opinions can be wrong, even in trained professionals with good intentions.

When I had my psyche eval, the guy was pretty good. He just wanted to know about support post op, my motives for surgery, and to identify any red flags of mental issues that might prevent success. He also reviewed all the potential emotional issues people might have, and said that if anything like that comes up, this one visit is to help people know to seek help.

Sounds like you had the kind of appointment I was expecting. At the end of the visit I was totally caught off-guard. So much so that I didn't even say too much. It was on my drive home that I realized, OMG, she just denied my clearance. Yikes!!!!

I'm going to call the surgeon's office on Monday and ask about any 2nd opinions, however, I do know that they specify that their patients can't get a clearance from ANY other psych except this one. I even asked about that early in my 6 month start since the charge is $360 and she doesn't take very many insurance policies. And, I had another friend who went to her own psych covered by Aetna and just paid the $25 co-pay. But when surgeon's office got the clearance they said they wouldn't accept it and she HAD to go to their psych. (and of course pay that money)

So, unfortunately, I doubt if that is going to be much of an option. I think it comes down to either I get the Rx from my pcp and don't take them, or I will have to wait the long wait for an appointment with someone to set up counselling and then end up not being able to get surg till mid to late summer due to my job schedule. Then it worries me that I will loose some of my clearances. I had to get a cardiology, oncology and urology clearance and of course they made me do some additional procedures. Man, if I just hadn't thought I was being so smart and saved the psych clearance to the end. My so called smart thinking was that if I ran into any problems with clearances from my other specialists then I wouldn't have wasted the $360 out of pocket expense. If I only knew then what I know now )

This kinda reminds m of my experience. I am now in the process of lapband to sleeve revision. I had to have the psych visit for my band and during my eval my moms calls and tells me she is at the hospital with "brian". Which is my sons name...oh and my cousin. Well i thought she meant my son. And was like omg, is he ok, what happened..and was crying. Then my mom realizes my reaction and tells me it was my cousin. I didn't jump up turn furniture over or run in traffic...and the doc tells me that i overrracted?!?!? Ummm i thought my kid just got hit by a car?? He didn't hold up my progress but told me i needed o get with my pcp for meds and he never followed up. I don't think one person who meets you for an hour should have that much power!!!

Wow, that's a great example of over reacting......BUT, not on your part. Can you imagine living with a psych and having every little emotion or action analyzed and judged. To me, in order to label someone you definitely have to be able to look at a much bigger picture than what you are seeing in a brief meeting with someone. Now that might call for some heavy meds!!

I understand the reason for the psych eval to make sure there are no eating disorder but that should be where it ends. And looking back...knowing how i did react in the moment...i know he was the one that overreacted. Its been 4.5 years and i still get a laugh out of it. I would go to my pcp, get the rx and be done!!

You know I don't know what to say. Life is hard, not fair and full of compromise to make it thru everyday. You have to take comfort in the fact that you were honest and upfront with your evaluation. I work in healthcare and I can tell you that three doctors can evaluate the same person and come up with three different diagnosis. I feel your side of this and understand completely where you are coming from. Perhaps it is the view she had taken of you at that particular moment. Don't let this stop you, be honest with yourself and keep working towards your goal.