I met with a psychiatrist yesterday and he said he wouldn't clear me for wls because I'm bipolar, have a history of alcohol abuse, and suffer from pts! First I'm on meds for a mood disorder not bipolar and I was 17 when I drank and it was on Friday or Saturday night at parties! I never blacked out or any of that! I'm almost 30 now and yes I have a drink every once in a while 2 or 2 times a mobth maybe... come on... think I need a second oppinion. As for prs really??? From the time I was 11??? Bull!

Wow I know mine drilled on my family history of alcoholism but realized I had a handle and other coping mechanisms. I would see about a second opinion. That's seems like an awful like to diagnose in one session.

Bad part is he had my records from my normal psychiatrist. He only had me un his office for 30 min and everytime I tried to talk or explain he cut me off! He even had the nerve to tell me to loose it the old fashion way! Like I haven't tried. I'm looking for a second opinion but tgere are not many in my area that will do the wls exam.

I know you are frustrated but the reason these psych evals are so important is to see how well you cope. Statistics show gb pts often turn into sex addicts or alcoholics due to the surgery. . You lose your vice. I'm not kidding and I've been very open on here about my experience this surgery was hard especially hard mentally. I was 60lbs down and having extreme irrational thoughts. I opened up to my surgeon and he immediately placed me in therapy. I consider myself a tough person I worked ems for years and saw some of the most traumatic things a person can and it didn't phase me. Then here came gb weightloss and all those imbalances started I thought I'd lose my mind but I came through it. I want to tell you its friggin awesome you went in there told the truth and didn't bs them I know a lot who has and has went on to commit suicide or bc alcoholics or worse sex addicts. You go to ur surgeon open up to him/her and say yes I had these problems I'm willing to do anything and everything to prove I'm no longer like that so please guide me on what I need to do to save my life from morbid obesity.. ...

I pray what I've said has helped u. Don't give up it's a long mountain...u will get there I truly believe.

Question after surgery have you had bad dreams or thought something bad was going to happen to someone

I'm a sleep walker and I sleep text or write in my journal asleep...u should see the weird things my bf has heard and seen. I also cook toast but I dont eat it. . .o.O

Your should go get a 2nd opinion.. if your dr. did not let you speak or let you explain AND said to lose weight the old fashion way then I truly believe he was against the surgery even before you walked in. Go to someone else he sounds like a quack !!!!

Your should go get a 2nd opinion.. if your dr. did not let you speak or let you explain AND said to lose weight the old fashion way then I truly believe he was against the surgery even before you walked in. Go to someone else he sounds like a quack !!!!

I agree. I'm looking for a new psychiatrist now this is kind of hard to find one in my area that takes my Insurance and is agreeable with wls

You said you were being treated for a mood disorder and not your bipolar. Why not? Studies have shown that people will often turn to alcohol after weight loss surgery as a coping mechanism.

They said my symptoms are not severe enough to be bipolar. I am taking meds. For ml and doing great on them. I drink once in a while but I have never been a alcoholic.

Do u think maybe their denying bc the drugs ur on needs to maintain a certain theraputic level to work and with rny medication is so unpredictable due to the malobsorption(sp)

Just putting it out there that my program has a psychiatrist on staff that all he does is bariatric patients. He takes very few insurances, and even though he took mine the visit still cost 200. But it could have cost 500-600 I believe. Keep your head up and try to remember that this is just a small barrier in this process.

Have you talked to the doctor about recommending someone? Surely they know some surgery friendly psychs?

HW 344, DOS 320, Surgery Date 2/20/13, CW 294.9 Sent from my iPad using RNYTalk

Ugh this scares me. I go in for my psych eval on the 15th. It is with the bariatric clinic, so everyone uses the same therapist for the eval. I'm nervous because I'm on Klonopin, Paxil, and Effexor and its prescribed by my reg doc for social anxiety and depression. I marked on my packet that I've been through emotional abuse. I went to a therapist last spring for a little while, but he said I didn't need therapy! I feel so good right now that I'm hoping I will sail through. Most of my issues were from losing my father last summer and a bad marriage that ended years ago, so I am better now. And I get free therapy from the clinic for life after surgery!

Anyway, get a second opinion!!! Don't give up!

Louisville, KY ~ RNY June 2013 ~ Sent from my iPad using RNYTalk

I'm sorry to hear you went through that. don't be scared I think it was more issues that he didn't really pay attention to that he assessed. he wouldnt let me explain them. I myself went through a bad marriage and was abused at11 and that's why he got the pts. even though I went to therepy after that he didn't he didn't even let me explain it. I know i dealt with it. He just didnt care. I am getting a second opinion.

Did he say if you could do anything? When my psych failed me for my exam(for similar reasons), they required me to have 6 months of regular counselling, A session a week. And then I could be re-evaluated by the WLS psych.

Call your surgeon/insurance/etc to see if there was anything you can do. Even try a psych in a neighboring city/town that approves WLS.

No he told me loose it the old fashion way. I called my surgeon today they gave me another psychiatrist to call who is supportive of wls. I have an appointment on 4/22. Thank god!