I don't know if this is too personal for some but I need some advice/support. I had my psych eval in January and it was recommended by the psychiatrist that I have 6 months of therapy and then go back and see him. I started in March seeing someone and I have been there 5 times and don't feel any different, got my anti depressant I was taking changed from paxil to wellbutrin 2 weeks ago and haven't noticed anything!! I don't really think I have a problem with depression, the only problem is how I feel about myself, I have no self-esteem and no self-confidence because of my weight which is one of the reasons why I am getting surgery so I can loose weight and feel better about myself physically and mentally. And I have asked numerous times as has my therapist for the results of my eval. and we have seen nothing so we don't know what red flags he got and exactly what he thinks I should be working on!!! Long story short, has anybody had a similiar experience and does therapy and medicine help with this problem, I am afraid they are not going to let me have the surgery!!! Thanks for your time!!! I would love some support on this!! :(

the reasons why I am getting surgery so I can loose weight and feel better about myself physically and mentally.

You're cured......get a different therapist and move on with your WLS.

oops, almost forgot the disclaimer: I am not a doc, so ignore anything I say.

The pre-surgical psych eval was explained to me as being more about your expectations, how you cope with stress and change. Many people overeat to self-medicate other problems in their lives. For example, if you have been sexually abused or attacked, you might overeat to make yourself invisible by making yourself less attractive or to feel larger and more secure. Someone like this might find that losing weight will remove the fat but not the underlying anxiety. As they lose weight and start getting more attention, possibly aggressive/unwelcome attention, how will they cope? The fear is that you may sabotage your weight loss or possibly take on other self-destructive, punishing or self-erasing behaviours to cope. This is where further therapy might put you in a healthier place before surgery.

Edited May 8, 201610 yr by YankshireRose

I've been in long-term psychodynamic therapy since way before I started this whole weight loss surgery journey. It helps, immensely, with all sorts of issues. It's not about "symptom management" per se, but looking at my whole personality and how it affects my life, including my issues with weight and food. We piece things together to keep me making good decisions, and cope with life and mood problems as they arise. I've found it to be helpful and effective, and my psychologist was the one who suggested I get WLS in the first place.

If one modality/theoretical orientation to therapy (on the therapist's part) isn't working well, look for a therapist with a different orientation - the general division is between cognitive-behavioral therapy, which I found ineffective, and psychodynamic psychotherapy, which I love.

Was the Psychiatrist who did the Eval with your WLS Program? They should tell you what their concerns are. Ask your therapist to contact them about results.