Well, I got my insurance approval for surgery and I was all excited. Then, the Dr's office called me today and let me know that I am not approved because my psych consult result was that I have Major Depressive Disorder. They are requiring 3 months of counseling before the surgery now. That means that surgery will be next year and will cost twice as much since I'll have to pay my deductible twice. How lovely! Makes me so much less depressed to hear that great news...

You can ALWAYS appeal a denial. However, I think the most important thing is to take it as it comes, and to find the "advantage(s)" of each situation.

Did the psyc suggest the three months of therapy and do you have to return to THAT psych for the therapy?

If so, I'd be a little careful of that one. What a way to drum up business. People who want to be banded will do anything and jump through any hoops and here you have someone who can't figure out why a MO person might be depressed?

Keep in mind, there is a lot of controversy on therapy and depression anyway. Depression is a chemical imbalance within the brain and therapy is as useful as it would be for a diabetic with high blood sugar.

I would insist on going to a different doc for a 2nd opinion. Make it clear to the first one that you won't be going to him/her for the therapy but someone YOU choose if that is the route you decide to take.

OH MY!!!! That is just another reason to NOT get surgery in Mexico Not to mention the band they use, despite what they tell people from Las Vegas, CANNOT be filled in Vegas as nobody will treat the non FDA approved band. Good luck! :ranger:

What the heck are you talking about? Since there is one doc with an idiot for a psych then that makes all Mexican docs bad? I know an idiot bariatric surgeon in the US so does that mean all US surgeons are idiots and dangerous?

Most docs in Mexico use the Inamed or J&J band. Inamed most certainly is FDA approved and the J&J band... if it isn't yet it will be soon.

They most certainly can be filled in Las Vegas at FillCentersUSA. I have a list of Vegas docs that will see Mexican banded patients.

I just found out that I don't have to go back to see the psych doctor. She asked if I would come back to see her but I guess didn't demand it in my report yippee! Will be after the first of the year for me as I still have till mid dec for my six months of dieting.

Well I guess because I am a self pay patient, the Dr's have re-worded what they originally had told me. They now tell me that I do still need to get the sessions but it will not hold up my surgery. :clap2: So thats actually quite a relief for me. I just thought I would let everyone know how it turned out.

That is fantastic! :clap2:

At least now I know that if I have a problem with mine, it will still happen.

I went back and took the evaluation over. The results were the same, just like I told the psychologist they would be. He told me that he didn't think I would be successful in my weightloss, and that he thought it would be harder on me than I was expecting it to be. What an educated jerk! All I can do is prove him wrong!!

At my psych eval, I answered 165 or so questions on a computer. They were really iodiotic but I told the truth. It seems as though they were trying to determine the presence of any eating disorders. I answered yes to the question, "Are you a yo-yo dieter?" He told me that he thinks I will have problems in 3-6 months because of that. I told him, that's why I want the band, because you HAVE to eat small portions. There's no question about it, you do what you are supposed to or you get sick. I paid $250 to be told that I am a Yo-Yo dieter!

Am I the only self pay that didn't have to have psych study? I don't understand this...

Do you have a good relationship with your pcp or do you see a counselor? If so, I would talk with them about the psych consult and get their opinion.

My doctor re-scheduled the initial consult I was to have last week but told me to keep my psych exam. Apparently the surgical practice is so busy they brought in another group of therapists to do evals. The individual I saw had just met with the surgical team the day before to understand the process and she kept asking me questions because she wanted to learn more. I told her I'd send her the link to this web page. She feels I have too much stress in my life right now and she's recommending I wait at least three months. My life right now is about as smooth as it has been for years. She also thinks I'm addicted to a drug that my physican has been prescribing for me for eleven years. I take it as directed. I think I'm going to talk with my pcp regarding the consult and get her take on it. She's the one who referred me to the surgeon's group.

I understand your frustration. Hang in there.

I did not have to have a psych consult; thank God! I would have not PASSED. And you know what? My doctors (Yes I have 2) are totally aware that I would not have passed. I am bi-polar, I have OCD, and body dismorphic disorder (which is where I can never see what I really look like correctly.) I am on so many meds to stay balanced. I have been hospitialized 5 times for serious depression and med changes.

Why did they let me have the surgery you ask?

Well I am a very committed person (Sorry for the pun. ) I take my boat load of meds EVERY DAY regardless of the side effects. I practice my cognitive therapy skills, so I can live my life to the fullest. (6 out 10 days I accomplish that.)

I work with my psych doctor weekly and follow her advice to a T. However, at first she did not want me to get the lap band, but in the end she came around. Every one I know knows I have the lap band, and that I am bipolar (not that I am bragging) it is just that I need people to understand where I am coming from, and if they don't like it-well there is the door. I have a lot of support.

And lastly, I disclosed all this to the surgeons who preformed the surgery. They were impressed by my courage, and strength. We all understand that there may be manic-depressive set backs, but because I have a support system in place they were comfortable doing the surgery.