I'm so frustrated and discouraged! I went for my medical clearance exam yesterday and my doctor told me that I have to have a Psych eval before she will clear me. I'm self-pay and my surgeon and the clinic medical director said I didn't have to have one -- that it is something that the insurance companies usually require. Now, I can't find but one doctor to do it and it means a wait of several weeks before I can even get in to see him. Any advice? Has this happened to any of you?

I've thought about this decision for over 3 years and been in the process since late November --- I'm just ready to do this --- I don't want to wait!:think

My surgeon's office provided me with a list 15 mental health professionals in the area who provide psych evaluations for the lap band. Even though you're self-pay I'm sure they have to comply with some of the psych evaluation requirements from other patient's insurance companies and have shrinks they work with.

When I called my insurance company for the approval for the pysch evaluation I asked them personnaly if they required it and I was told they did not. But I went to the psychologist for the evaluation and he was not expecting to give me the "evaluation/personality evaluation" that day he only did an interview. I called my Dr's office and he said as long as the Psychologisy had enogh information to make a recommend then he did not need the complete evaluation but he did need the psycologist recommendation.

I do not know if this information helps or not, but it may help cut your costs down if the psycologist could just make a recommendation and not the full evaluation.